Original Oil Painting Blue Bird

Blue Bird

Sold

8" x 10"

Painted on gessobord.

Here is another painting for my series on birds. Thanks to Lawrence Splitter's  reference photo posted below. I love doing these quick fun bird painting. This one being so colorful, really helps me get through the month of January. Now that the days are getting longer, I am going to do another commission portrait. Unfortunately I will not be able to post the portrait until the buyer gives the OK.

Original Oil Painting Tapestry Still Life

Tapestry Still Life

Sold

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

The only thing I can think to tell people is: "This was hard!"

I took a simple still life of a pear, red grapes and pitcher and complicated it by adding a tapestry. 

Am I nuts or was it worth it? 

I have taken several online courses. Currently I am taking Richard Robinson's still live lessons. I downloaded four lessons. This still life is from one of his photos. I posted it below. I have been very fortunate to find some good dvd/ online classes. Dan Edmundson was totally worth every penny and now I feel the same way about Richard Robinson's instruction videos. Thanks Dan and Richard for all the helpful tools! If you are an artist taking online courses and would like to recommend one please leave a comment. I am always looking and learning. 

Original Oil Painting Evening Light

Evening Light

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Here is another landscape painting where I am trying to capture an evening sunset. I decided on a red-orange to be the color of the light as it sets. It is reflected in the snow mountain tops, tree tops, leaves, clouds, water, etc. I posted Christine Huard-Adams' reference photo below.

Thanks Christine for the awesome photo!

Original Oil Painting Sparrow

Sparrow

Sold

8" x 10"

Painted on gessobord.

I painted this using a reference photo by Jayne Moskal. I changed the background by putting the little sparrow on a purple wild flower branch. We have a lot of sparrows around here and I always wanted to paint one. These birds seem to come in groups. I usually never just see one or two. I love how they chase each other around but at the bird feeder they are group together and clear me out of bird seed in one day. I have learned to only put a cup out at a time (usually in the  morning) that way my bird friends have a little each day.  I will keep a look out for the first birds I see this year to start filling the bird feeder again. I posted Jayne's photo below. Jayne thanks so much for a lovely photo. 

Original Oil Painting Female Cardinal

Female Cardinal

Sold

8" x 10"

Painted on gessobord.

I know the male has the bright red all over but the female has these beautiful array of small nuggets of color all over. I was truly amazed when I looked close at the reference photo by Ernie Griffith the variety of color. Thanks Ernie for the amazing photo.   

Original Oil Painting Willow Bird

Willow Bird

Sold

8" x 10"

Painted on gessobord.

This is a fun little painting I just finished using a photo from Ineke Roos of a Blue Titmouse. I posted her photo below. If you have been following my work, you probably noticed that I bounce between different subject matters. I do this to keep myself fresh and on my toes. It is a bit of a challenge switching back and forth but when I think about it I am really just painting shapes, values, compositions, etc. The main difference is the lighting. Landscapes have a huge atmosphere vs a still life. 

Original Oil Painting Birch Trees Unite

Birch Trees Unite

Sold

12" x 12"

Painted on an Ampersand panel 3/8" thick.

I thought it would be fun to try a thicker panel with a slight texture to paint on. I thought it went well. The paint did not sink in as some gesso boards do. Because the panel is heavier, it will cost a little more to ship. I hope that doesn't scare buyers off to pay a few dollars more. With the added thickness the panel comes with a pre-drill hanging hole and black painted edges. This way the buyer has options: frame it or hang it as is.

       

Original Oil Painting Beach Tree

Beach Tree

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

This is my fourth assignment. I love how the sea breeze has twisted the branches around. My goal was to work with warm and cool planes on objects. The upward surfaces would reflect the cool sky and the downward surfaces would reflect the warmth of the sand. The vertical planes would reflect what is next to it. For example a rock: the upward or top would be a cool blue grey, the underneath of any over hang part of the rock would be painted a warm grey and the vertical or side surfaces would reflect the object near it. Of course there is always some exceptions. 

Original Oil Painting River Valley

River Valley

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

This is my third lesson. My goal is to increase expressionism in my landscapes. I tried to add a yellow glow to the landscape. My favorite part is the way the river snakes to the horizon. Can you imagine the warm spring days melting the snow and filling in the river? 

Original Oil Painting Spotlight Landscape

Spotlight Landscape

Sold

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Here is my second lesson. The goal was to create a spotlight affect. This is where the center of interest is lighter and brighter. Can you tell where the spotlight is? 

Original Oil Painting First Snow

First Snow

Sold

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

I am trying out an online coursed from Richard Robinson. My goal is to become more expressive and looser in my landscape paintings.In this painting I am trying to convey a very old tree and fence that have seen better days. The old tree still has a few fall leaves hanging on, so hopefully the tree will hang on for many years to come. I hope you like my first Richard Robinson's assignment. I have three more to do. 

Original Oil Painting Yellow Carnations

Yellow Carnations

Sold

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

These are the yellow carnations I bought over Christmas. I tried to create a more old master's look with the dark background and rick color. The carnations are much darker in this painting than in real life. What I am trying to create is an interesting old world look so I spent more time looking at the painting towards the end than at the still life. I posted a photo of the still life I was painting from. I used photo shop to lower the blossoms so they fit the composition better. I like to use both still life set up and photographs to work from at the beginning but than I have to listen to the painting. Let the painting tell me what works. I hope you like my choices. Thanks for viewing my first painting of 2016!