Inspiration to Paint

As an artist, I naturally drew as soon as I could pick up a pencil.

Painting, however, for me was intimidating.,Especially oil painting. Inspiration struck,
on an unplanned trip to Ottawa, Canada, where a Tom Thompson exhibit was on display.
I was amazed by the colors, the brush stokes. His plein air work had a feeling of presence and being in nature that I loved. Once I got home, I started to paint and haven't turned back since.
Here's a glimpse of this inspiring individual!

Morning's Quick Study

Revving up for more plein air work, I decided to do a quick study in 

watercolor of my bird, Scooby, on the back porch.

Workshops for growth...

In all things, we must constantly strive to grow.
Art is no different.
Aside from school, local sketch clubs, art schools,
I think that workshops help you grow and learn skills
 from successful artist in the field. Of course cost can
be a factor, but I believe in getting the best bang for my buck.
So I try to focus on workshops given by those I most respect
and also try to attend workshops of local artists I admire as well.
Even better when an artist you love comes for a workshop locally
like Mary Whyte did last year here in Florida.

Here's a few of the workshops I've been fortunate
to have gone to in recent years.

Scott Christensen Workshop in Wyoming...

An amazing trip and experience.

one of the quick plein air paintings done in Wyoming...

Scott Burdick workshop in NC, 

I've been fortunate to take a landscape class

and a portrait class with Scott.

Mary Whyte workshop in North Florida

 one of my studies in the workshop...

I've also taken a workshop with Scott Wadell who held a class locally.


However...this year... a workshop in Ga with
a local favorite artist of mine, Larry Moore.

Moving forward in life and learning is a necessity, less you die, or feel dead!

New Studies

Plein air painting is optimal to really capture a landscape,

but time and conditions are not always optimal.

Sometimes I just photograph things that speak to me...

Here's some potentials that I recent worked out

in pen and ink recently, including the red colonial

that I just started.  It's study is on the top, left side.

I hope something that I share here, inspires you

to just go draw, doodle or paint!!!

New Starts: A Red Colonial

here's the painting as it evolves...

Almost Home

final touches...and details..

I love the sereneness of this image...

I found this horse at Montpelier in Virginia.

I tried to get his attention, but he refused to leave 

his serenity of chomping on that grass.

The field was a mixture of the remnants of summer and 

the transformation of fall all in a strong light.

It made the painting a challenge, but I love the warmth of his color, 

and the strong values the direct light created. 

Another Great Artistic Genius: Joaquin Sorolla

Another great artist, Joaquin Sorolla.
He was a master of light and lived during the
same era, and shared a similar style, as John Singer Sargent.

Here's a quote that every artist should take to heart....

"The older I become, the more I realize that drawing is the most

important of all the problems of picture-making."

Here's a few of his gems.

New Work for 2014 Started

Thought I'd start a painting that I've had in mind for a while

a horse that I photographed on a trip to Virginia..

Here's the start...

 

 

 

horse details...

 

 

The Red Barn was Sold today!

I'm so thankful for folks who buy my art!

I'm feeling very blessed.

"Not For Burning" still life...details

I think this is finished....

While the oil can is cool...

I'm ready to move on!

 

 

 

Here's some of the details up close...

 

 

 

 

Why the name you may wonder? Well the old book I found was titled,

"The Lady is not for burning", but Not for burning is all you see..therefore..

the title. How could I argue with fate?

Art that inspires...

Not all art inspires, but great art is always inspiring,

even if it is fitting for the season!

I love this...Edgar Maxence, " Soul of the Forest"...
beyond lovely!

 

 

Regardless, if I could spend time with any artist

throughout the ages, if I were asked,
it would have to be John Singer Sargent.

So I wondered, did Sargent ever paint angels?
 

While many of the women he painted looked like angels,

the only angel I could find in his work was an early study

he did after Goya, 1879.  "Angels in a Transept"..

 

 

In my opinion, everything he painted was magic...

 

 

Memories for Christmas

As a girl growing up in the late 60's and early 70's

some of this somewhat tacky retro stuff

warms the cockles of my heart...

I love old blow mold Santa's and Snowmen

Ceramic Christmas trees with the little plastic bulbs

thick heavy tinsel and fake snow... ahhh...

 

so...I'm thinking about these memories today...

a picture from my family album...

my handsome dad, L.R., is on the bottom

left in the stripped street...

you can hardly see the Christmas tree

from that pattern on the wall...

ah the good ole days...simpler times...

 

so..with that in mind, I thought I'd draw my

tiny ceramic farm truck all loaded up for the

special season.  I'd love to have a truck

just like this one day...

till then this will have to do.

Goin' through stuff in the ole attic for Christmas!

As Christmas approaches, I've had less time at the easel...

so, I thought I'd share some oldies...
kind of like that scene where Clark is in the attic going
through a bunch of old stuff in the "Christmas Vacation" movie.
One of my holiday must see movies!!!

Here's some stuff from the attic..sort of...
The first one is a painting I did while in a workshop of Scott Burdick's.
This was one of his reference photos
I used when we had to paint indoors on a rainy day.
He actually did some touch ups to some of my orange leaves at the top!

 

 

The second one is a small, quick plein air study

I did while on a trip in Wyoming.

 

Paula Deen as Mrs. Santa Christmas Cards for Sale

Hey ya'll, I've made some prints and blank Christmas cards

of my Paula Deen as Mrs. Claus that I'm selling on Etsy
I only have a limited number of sets available.
 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/170837390/paula-deen-as-mrs-santa-christmas-cards

Old Found Things

I love finding old relics

for my still life work.

Here's some cool new finds...

An old used oil can, brass keys,

my birds nest that you've seen before,

old books, and some quails eggs.

 

Here's how it begins...

a pencil study of the oil can I'm using..

 

 

preliminary drawings done...

transferred to the canvas..

and just put a grisaille and

then a light wash..

 

 

a few more touches... mostly to the details of the oil can...

  

some background work and detail...

 

 

  

details...details...

the keys are slowly evolving...

 

 

Phew!!! Done! 

  

 

 

Wildlife Work

This is an older drawing of mine...

but I'm working on a few wildlife pieces

now...some illustrative and some not...

Keep watching!!!

 

 

A New Pumpkin Painting

Well, here we are already in November...Wow!

So, I decided to try one more pumpkin for the season...

to keep me in the mood till Thanksgiving

and all that yummy pumpkin pie!

Here's the process...

 

 

started with the drapery...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the final...