And now for something completely different...

Here's a completely different method of painting than usual for me, but I had fun with it. One of those things that when it was in my head, I had to do it…maybe because it’s tax time. Here’s a little courage for anyone who needs it right now. Like me!

Also, if you are feeling flush, check for Melle Ferre on eBay. Trying to figure out how it works, so will start listing a few small things, easy to buy and easy to send.

And for the person who sends in the best title for this painting…I’ll send you a print of it.

Aloha!

Old is New

Started this painting about 25 years ago, and carried it around incomplete...Now it's done, and thought I'd share it since flowers have been a recent theme. Also working on a new painting which is white on a colored background, which reminded me of this one. Off to lunch with a friend!
Aloha!

Challenged

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For a small painting this sure took a long time...Another Daily Painting challenge and probably the hardest I've done. Haven't really done many landscapes, and found if hard to work from a photo of someplace I haven't been. After this sits for a while, I might try to simplify it a little. But not today!

Hoorah again for Tom's portrait class. How lucky to be in the studio with a world class professional and my motivated, creative and inspiring classmates. Last night, Tom painted our model, and I really benefited from looking at exactly the same setting while we both worked. I'm glad I'm at least seeing some of the things he is teaching us about, even if I can't always make it happen. Check out his website (sites of interest).

A big thank you to so many people who responded to my email about the blog.It is really great to hear back from people that I care about and to share my passion for art. You are magnificent!
Aloha!!

Small Gifts

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My little one brings me these precious gifts from the yard...doesn't know the difference between the wild flowers and the domesticated ones. And now I don't mind the too-short cuttings. I'm one lucky gal.

This was another Daily Challenge. One stroke of the brush only for each mixed color and only one brush...tough to put aside the "usual" way of painting and do something different. Almost gave up at the beginning, but rather like the result, after all. Since it's a little 5 x 7 inch canvas, I call it Small Gifts.....Aloha!

No Pollen in Paint

So beautiful outside today, but a challenge to breathe! At least I had some time to work on this floral study inside, in relative safety. Thinking this evening how the beginning of a painting is always exciting, and then there’s the hard work in the middle. Seems to me that there is usually an “ugly” stage for most paintings…that’s the middle, when you start covering all the beautiful beginning marks that you are in love with and start mining for new ones.  Much like other ventures in life. Of course, the finish line is always exciting. So, looking forward to that next.
Aloha!

p.s. May 16, 2011: interestingly this painting did not make it to the finish line...for reasons having nothing to do with paint, and everything with moving forward, this became the canvas for portrait class. So, now it exists only in photograph and memory. Aloha...

Daily Four!

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http://www.dailypaintworks.com/

This little painting is an exercise for a fun daily Painting site. The challenge was to divide the surface into four and then set the timer for 10 minutes per picture. Surprising how challenging this was. Would have been easier to do the same subject 4 times, but somehow I had this in my head. Can tell I started on the Tigger, and then got better as I progressed to Pooh. I'm still a bit slow with oil paints vs. acrylics, so it helped to premix some paints on the palette. Will refine these more, but wanted to show the results of the exercise. It's great to start the day painting....makes it a good day already!      Aloha!

Friday by my book

In my mind, one in the morning still counts as the night before!. No painting today, but did get some rough drafts off for a commissioned album cover. These were little thumbnail sketches, which I have done as a habit. But since I am in full-on learning mode, and they have been mentioned often in recent reading, thought I'd give them a try.  Showed them to everyone I came in contact with as an informal poll for the band. To my surprise, the thumbnails were well-received, even for a work that would be fairly abstract...

So, a new tool in my kit! Nice. Also, found some great frames (yea!) at a local thrift, which made me feel like a million bucks. One of my finds already has an Edvard Munch print in it. Family concensus is that it is too "spooky" but I suppose now I have to find out if it is a "real" print as opposed to a poster/cheap repro. Since it's custom-framed...well, guess I have to check before I tear into it!

So, this is a large work completed last month...Hoping for a good painting day tomorrow.

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Aloha!