December 31 - Last Glimpse of the Year

"Last Glimpse" The end of the year...here is the last glimpse of 2006, and a last glimpse of a small rabbit in a snowstorm. Also the last painting of 2006 for the Daily Paintings! Snow flies and the colors are greyed, yet there are flashes of blue, light and snow-covered trees. I tucked a small rabbit under the branches, hunkered down thinking perhaps of warmer weather? 12 x 9 inch acrylic

SOLD to the collection of Elizabeth Tierney of Holyoak, Massachusetts.

December 30 - Vertical Pear Study

"Vertical Pear" Working on still life subjects always presents problems of seeing and accurately depicting what's there, while still enhancing what you see to make a creditable two-dimensional image. You see, painting from life is all about processing three dimensions down to two, and if you depict it exactly the way you see it, you'll just have a flat painting. Painting from life is the ONLY way to train your eyes to see nuance of color, reflections and translate the reality of depth of field to the illusion of it on a flat surface. So keep painting, but remember that from life is the best way to sharpen your knives! This 7 x 5 inch oil is available for $100.

December 29 - Color Study from 1996, wow!

"Color Study, 1996" I was riffling through a box of photographs and show catalogues this afternoon and came across this piece of canvas, which has an interesting history. The notes on the margin say it was painted in 1996. It was done as a quick color rough prior to a demonstration at the San Pedro Art Association (near Long Beach, California). Turns out I didn't do the demonstration because os a conflict with two people being scheduled, so this one became a larger painting down the road, which has now sold. If you look at this critically, you will see I didn't know enough about color to make good choices that are effective in conveying the time of day. For example, notice the use of blue and the oranges. A nice decade's space between this one and the ones in this month.I know a lot more now, yet this small work has a charm of its own. This 5,75 x 7 inch acrylic is available for $95 from the dailypaintings.com web site for this date.

December 28 - Lattice Top Apple Pie Painting

"Lattice Top Apple Pie" I brought home an apple pie today, because when I'm tired, I make shopping decisions with my sweet tooth instead of common sense. After a discussion with my beloved husband, this dietary madness is now just a model for the daily painting for today. So instead of wasting it or giving it away, here is the pie in a calorie-free format, and the expense of buying it is no longer a burden. It will be recycled. This 8 x 10 acrylic is available for $175 from the dailypaintings.com web site for this date.

December 27 - Idyllwild Evening

"Idyllwild Evening" I decided to take a detour from the commissions list and paint something just for my own pleasure--without any outside direction. (I need to do that...You know, the "artistic free spirit" thing.) I have been to Idyllwild many times, first back in 1977 when I'd returned to California from Europe. It was as if I had returned to Germany, to go up to the alpine latitudes and spend time in the pines and snow. It was solace for my soul, as I missed Europe, having lived there for seven continuous years. So Idyllwild served a wonderful purpose to transit me to California, and I love it still. The town is surrounded by national forest, and the desert of Palm Springs on the north, and semi-desert on the other three sides. Truly an oasis. This is Lily Rock, a favorite climbing destination, and the local landmark, and as a vertical format painting, would find many places to be hung in a home. This 12 x 9 oil is available for $175 from the dailypaintings.com web site for this date.

December 26 - Border Collie Commission Finished

A full day, painting this commission to its completion. I placed Jake on the edge of a pasture, near the line of trees that borders many green areas in Kentucky. I put the opening in front of him, showing a lighter pasture on the other side of the trees, symbolic of the hope of so many of us that our pets will have a place in Heaven where we'll meet them later on. And now you can see him looking back withe the sunlight on the forest floor ready for his footfalls.

This is an an analogous painting in color, with the dominant hue being green. You'll find the blues and violets scattered amongst the fur of the dog, and the shadowed whites. The discords are in the trees as well, can you name them? If you have Hal Reed's color wheel, you can spin it and see exactly why this painting is so easy on the eyes. I learned a lot from that wheel, which is not your usual color mixing red-is-opposite-green wheel. You can order one by googling it, although Hal is gone now. I'm quite pleased with this commission, and I hope that the folks who've watched it unfold will be as well.

Tomorrow I'm shipping paintings and DVDs, and will begin yet one more commission--this time boats! I do so love the dog, cat, people and horse paintings, tho'.

December 25 - "Border Collie Commission, First Pass"

"Border Collie Commission, First Pass" Doing a commissioned painting turns into a very emotional event for me, expecially when the animal or person I'm painting has met a tragic end. I know that pain of losing something you love so much, having been through a similar situation so awful that it's still seared on my soul. This Border Collie is being painted as a gift to help ease the pain of his owner. The dog was killed suddenly, and having a painting will hopefully ease some of that grief. I know painting them is like running my fingers over the scar tissue of my own memories. Sometimes I cry when I paint these subjects, in kinship with knowing that pain.

I have a handful of photos to work from, none of which said what I think I needed to say in designing this memorial. I wanted his distinctive markings to show up, and his funny left-sided tilt to his tail, but I also want him to be looking in your direction. So in putting him in this position, I imply that he is leaving/has left, and yet would be here still if he could. The background will happen tomorrow, and the details on the dog will occur then, too, on this 12 x 16 oil.

December 24 - Persimmon Painting and Cats

Almost midnight, and time to send out the daily painting for Christmas. Well, not really, as persimmons aren't what the season is all about, however, it was "on the plate" so to speak.
This is a quickly done second pass on these fellows, and I learned something really important. If you use fresh fruit, did you know you have a limited amount of time to capture their essence before dehydration or a curious cat comes in to change things? I do, however, have more persimmons, so after the holiday tomorrow, I'll cut and set out another set and see if I can't find my way again. Cat decided they were more interesting if put on the floor. That's Pesto, one of two studio cats. I've painted her a couple of times