Original Oil Painting Spring Trumpets Two

Spring Trumpets Two

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12" x  12"

Painted on gessobord. 

A few years ago I painted a similar painting called Spring Trumpets. It was so much fun to paint and since it sold I needed to paint another. Spring Trumpet is posted below. 

Original Oil Painting Brass Roses

Brass Roses

12" x  12"

Painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

I am starting an Elizabeth Robbin's online painting class. This is my first attempt using one of her online video instructions. I am so excited that she is offering an online course. I admire her flower paintings so much. Wish me luck and I will post one a month.

https://www.bellamuseproductions.com/robbins-online-course/

The course is closed now but you can email Elizabeth Robbins and see if she will let you in. Just use the link above. 

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Original Oil Painting Tropical Hummingbird

Tropical Hummingbird

12" x  12"

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Painted on Ampersand Gessobord. 

Did you bring sunglasses? This painting will brighten any room!

Original Oil Painting Seriously Cowtemplating

Seriously Cowtemplating

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12' X 12'

Painted on Ampersand Gessobord. 

Original Oil Painting Autumn Apples

Autumn Apples

12" x 12"

Painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

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Original Oil Painting Corn Pumpkin

Corny Pumpkin

12" x 12"

Painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

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Original Oil Painting Veggies

Veggies

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12" X 12"

Painted on gessobord.

This was HARD!!! It took longer and a lot of adjusting. Today I put the finishing glazes on. I used a linseed medium to apply them and opening windows is a must. I do not know what I hate more the odor of varnish or mediums. I tried to use walnut oil but it didn't quite work as smooth as the mediums. 

Glazes are made with lots of medium and a little oil paint so they are transparent. Glazes can be used to unify areas where there are lots of color changes in them like the cloth. I used a low key warm violet glazes on the shadows of the cloth. That way they still have color changes in them but they do not stand out as the highlighted areas do.  I also use glazes to push areas back. The background color has a white glaze over it. The glaze dulls and lightens the dark color making it recede.  So now I am going to take a long walk and breath in some fresh air. Thanks for viewing my painting: Veggies. 

Original Oil Painting Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

It has been awhile since my last post. My father passed away January 30. He had a long wonderful 94 years for the most part but the last five were very challenging like these mountains. I tried several times to pick up the paint brush but could not seem to focus. I thought so much about all the challenges he had to fight the last few years. He was in and out of the hospital so much that the emergency room employees knew us my name. Right up to the end he fought. He knew how precious life was. My niece put together photo pictures that would play through a digital frame. Dad would spend countless hours looking at all the photos he had. Those photos and his favorite painting I made for him were such a comfort for him. What was a surprise to us all was when the photo frame froze on his baby picture during the last 48 hours when Dad was in hospice care. It was Dad's time to go. My biggest fan and loving father will always be in my heart.

  I painted this from a photo challenge on DPW. Thanks Carol Marine for posting it. Your timing was perfect to get me started again. 

Original Oil Painting Warmth Coming In

Warmth Coming In

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Original Oil Painting Double Header

Double Header

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Let me first state: I have a love / hate relationship with dahlias. I love the beauty of their multi color petals but I struggle trying to capture it. I feel this is one of my better attempts. 

Original Oil Painting Broken Barriers

Broken Barriers

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

This painting took awhile. There are so many elements to it plus changing a composition from a rectangle to a square. I use a lot of square gessobords because I find them easier to sell online, I have no idea why.

I used Lisa Cunnington's photo as inspiration. I love the composition but wanted to add my own glowing color feel to it. My goal was to make the strong light behind the center tree shine through to the opposite side of the water way. I posted Lisa's photo below so you can compare.

Original Oil Painting Snow Truck

Snow Truck

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord. 

This is a painting I made using video instructions from Richard Robinson. The video was an early Christmas gift to myself. I posted the photo I painted from below. The goal of the assignment was to paint a spot light affect hitting the main focus of the painting. Richard's painting was very powerful so I thought I would give it a try. I added a frozen puddle to the foreground to point the viewer's eye to go behind the truck and notice the path to the field. It does take some attention away from the truck hence weakens the spot light affect but I feel it adds to the composition. I think the compromise was worth it.  

Original Oil Painting Lemon Cherries Kiwi

Lemon Cherries Kiwi 

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

I painted this from a photograph of a still life I created in my studio. When I sent up a still life I would use several different compositions before deciding on one. I take photos of each to view and compare. The Fruit Maze was the one I choose to paint first. This was a second choice I saved for later. It is more complicated and I wanted to practice with the fruit alone before adding my orange flowers. I am not sure what the flowers are called, a student gave me some seeds along time ago. They come back every year and transplant very well. Thanks Abby for the seeds. I enjoy the flowers every year! 

Original Oil Painting Toppled Apples

Toppled Apples

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord. 

This week I got out my Indian corn and apples to create this autumn painting. Every subject in this painting has multiple colors which was an eye and mind super challenge to say the least. (I think my eyes were ready to pop out of my head at times.) When you are dealing with so many colors it is extremely important to stay calm, take many breaks, slow down and do a lot of pre-mixing of colors. I think tomorrow I will take a break and hopefully get outside and enjoy the wonderful fall colors.

After posting this painting on Facebook and seeing it everyday, I decided to make some subtle changes. The not so subtle change was the table top. It was way too bright, light, grey violet. I felt it was competing with the apples. I am much happier with a tone down table. I posted the first version below. See if you agree with me. Did I make the right changes?

Original Oil Painting Relax Honey Dew

Relax Honey Dew

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12" x 12" 

Painted on gessobord.

I painted this from a still life in the studio. I like the blue green honey dew with the red strawberries such a nice compliment. I kept the rest more neutral in color to show off the compliments more. It has a calmness to it that I don't fully understand why but I like it. I thought about adding some seeds and leaves to the table but my gut said no. I would loose the stillness and calmness that I liked about the still life.   

Original Oil Painting Peppermint Lily

Peppermint Lily

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Here is one of my last lilies that will bloom this summer. It is an oriental lily with a less potent fragrance than my other oriental lilies so I can bring it into the house. I put the final touches on it today: brighten areas, added more color to the lower petal and open the background with lighter areas. During the final stages of my paintings I look mostly at the painting not so much at the reference subject. I am looking at the flow of the painting, the balance of light and dark and any where my eye gets stuck or avoids. If my mind's eye gets stuck it is usually on an area that is structurally wrong: repetitive or the wrong value, etc.. If I avoid a spot it is usually boring, not enough to hold my interest. Thanks for viewing my Peppermint Lily! 

Original Oil Painting Fruit Maze

Fruit Maze

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

I have been busy lately but found some time to paint fruit. The kiwi fruit is always a fun challenge with its yellow green and blue green color, pattern with seeds and its' fuzzy outer skin. The biggest challenge I found was the composition. It took me over an hour to arrange the fruit and get the lighting correct. I decided to try a warmer light with this composition which in my mind gives it a softer look. Thanks for viewing my fruit maze!

Original Oil Painting Unraveled

Unraveled

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Original Oil Painting Intense Pink

Intense Pink

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Are the colors too intense?? I do not think so. I hope my viewers agree. I tried to keep the strongest contrast on the focal lily on the right. To capture the intense sunlight on an intense pink was not easy but I do love a challenge.  

Original Oil Painting Daffodils and Strawberries

Daffodils and Strawberries

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

My daffodils are getting a little old but I managed to paint one more still life. I added a vintage sugar server I found at Goodwill. I love how the tin top reflects the daffodils. The two glass containers are interesting: one with vertical lines and the other smooth. The star of the show is the center daffodil. It took quite awhile to get it just right. The hardest part was the shadow the objects cast and adding the hint of violet to the background wall to contrast and compliment the yellow. Even thou the wall and table are similar the hint of violet and the red strawberries make everything pop!