Day Two Hundred Twenty Three

'Jagged Cut'

8 x 8 oil on panel
95.00 + 6.00 s + h

I set this up, started on it, had to leave to go observe the 2 student teachers I'm supervisor for, and came back. Went with friends to dinner and an art opening, and never got to finish the fabric part. this morning, finally finished it, could have done some other things, but HAD TO POST... do you know what I mean? Well, paintings always work better for me if I can do them in ONE sitting, the paint stays fresh, and the ideas remain fresh in my head, too. I'll have to work on painting folds of fabric... that Claudia Hammer has gotten it down with such perfection!!!! Love her work ! http://www.claudiahammer.blogspot.com

Day Two Hundred Twenty Two

'Primrose Lane'

6 x 6 oil on panel
75.00 + 6.00 s + h

Each flower has a different structure, as does each leaf. All the varieties out there, and they are just the common types. I never looked at them so closely, as now, when I'm trying to replicate them.

Day Two Hundred Twenty One

'Yellow-Orange Zinnias'

6 x 6 oil on panel
75.00 + 6.00 s + h

My lamp broke this morning... I loved that lamp. It was one where you could move it with two sections in ANY angle you need it... Also, the base was so heavy, it would never tip over... Oh Well, I had to make do with a little one I had on the counter in the breakfast room. It still gave me relatively the same view. I upped the wattage to 100 watts, though, and that was even better !

Day Two Hundred Twenty

'Friday Afternoon in New York'

8 x 8 oil on panel
95.00 + 6.00 s + h

This painting was the challenge for this weeks Daily Paintworks. It was different, and I liked doing it... it's certainly unlike painting my previous flowers... good to change it up !

Day Two Hundred Nineteen

'Zinnias inside...Rain outside...'

8 x 8 oil on panel
95.00 + 6.00 s + h

This rain will not go away. The only happy thing is the flowers that litter my studio. I started these this morning, then went to exercise, and to take stuff to the antique mall. I worked on them later, but wasn't sure if they were getting better or worse. You judge. I went from one large flower, to many small ones... the smaller ones are harder for me...

Day Two Hundred Eighteen-- HAPPY EASTER !

'One More Time'

6 x 6 oil on panel
75.00 + 6.00 s + h

This is a smaller 6 x 6 version of the last of the flowers... Just couldn't resist them, it seems ! ha !

Day Two Hundred Seventeen

'Up Close and Personal'

8 x 8 oil on panel
95.00 + 6.00 s + h

I used to do close-ups of flowers back in the 90's... seems so long ago. I painted those on large, large canvases, though. At the time, I was getting my masters (an M.A.T.) at Webster University, in Webster Groves, Missouri. The M.A.T. is a Master's of Art in Teaching.... loved doing that. especially loved the painting, drawing, and photography classes !!

Day Two Hundred Sixteen

'Curly Tulips'

6 x 8 oil on panel
85.00 + 6.00 s + h

I started these last evening.... after American Idol...tee hee... Then, at about 3:00 or so, I was up, and couldn't get back to sleep~~~ so of course I got up to read, but painted instead. Finished the last bits at about 7:00am. What a schedule... Ridiculous, I know ! So good to be retired, and set your own time schedule !
These were on a different ground. I've tried using up the old paint on the palette, before I discard it, and just 'seeing what I get' to use for ground for future painting... fun !

Day Two Hundred Fifteen

'Peony Delight'

8 x 8 oil on panel
95.00 + 6.00 s + h

One reason I think that flowers of this type are so 'appreciated', by me, anyway, is because they only last for such a short time. The bush will bloom, and if they don't get rain damage, they will possible stay for almost a week.... then it's another year before you can enjoy them again....
Yesterday was my son's girlfriend's birthday. She's truly a special young lady !! I bought her her own 'Tree Peony' bush, so she can enjoy them each year the way I do !

Day Two Hundred Fourteen

'Tree Peony'

6 x 6 oil on panel
75.00 + 6.00 s + h

I ran outside to cut these, as it started to rain hard last night. The weather report claimed we could get baseball sized hail from all the storms that were coming, including tornados ! Luckily, we didn't get any damage here, but there were lots of people in the path of numerous bad storms with hail, rotating winds, and tornados.
I began to paint, and it was pretty late, so I thought I'd finish in the morning. By this morning, they looked completely different, because they had completely closed. With the light on them for awhile, I was able to finish the opened flower!
Hope everyone survived the bad weather in the midwest last evening !

Day Two Hundred Thirteen

'Shiny Jade'

8 x 8 oil on panel
95.00 + 6.00 s + h

Found this little jade plant at the Farmer's Market... Decided I'd do him on an 8 x 8 today, instead of smaller. The highlights were fun... lots of color variation, too.

Day Two Hundred Twelve

'Ranuculus, too'

6 x 8 oil on panel
85.00 + 6.00 s + h

I'm getting better at making artistic decisions, I think.... This background was more well defined, and I noticed it was detracting from the main focus, which was the flower... I came back into the room, after noticing this and smudged the entire background... result? much more continuity of composition. The background wasn't competing for attention ! Now if that were just as easy to do in life's situations... HA !

Day Two Hundred Eleven

'Dahlias Today'

6 x 6 oil on panel
75.00 + 6.00 s + h

Dahlias are a garden basic... They make a wonderful display, look gorgeous in their own right, and are super in a little vase on the table !! What more could you want?

Day Two Hundred Ten

'My Favorite'

6 x 6 oil on panel
75.00 + 6.00 s + h

Ranuculus are so cool... they remind me of roses, only more humble...

Day Two Hundred Nine

'Ranuculus'

6 x 6 oil on panel
75.00 + 6.00 s + h

I remember seeing these for the first time at the home and garden show in St. Louis, years ago. Pots of these were lining the displays of garden equipment and outdoor furniture. I had never seen anything so beautiful... They became my favorite flower, and I proceeded to research them, and I would buy pots of them every spring hoping to 'make them my own'. But, alas, it was not to be, and I finally figured out that they will not survive in our 'zone' on the map... I still love them... but, BOY I found them hard to paint !!

Day Two Hundred Eight

'Gerbera Daisies'

6 x 6 oil on panel
75.00 + 6.00 s + h

Daisies are so perfect when you buy them, they almost look fake to me. I loved these little salmon colored ones. Challenging with all the petals, though, and I had them with a light source, which gave each petal numerous values.... ha !

Day Two Hundred Seven

'Tulips for the Garden'

6 x 6 oil on panel
75.00 + 6.00 s + h

Tulips don't last too long. I painted these, first closed, then partially opened, and now open to the fullest. I love them, but they don't stay for long.... rather like a lesson we can all learn about life, Live it each day to the fullest, it is short for all of us, even at best. Have a fabulous DAY !!

Day Two Hundred Six

'Open Tulips'

6 x 6 oil on panel
75.00 + 6.00 s + h

These were closed just yesterday.... Life is always in motion...

Day Two Hundred Five

'Two Lips are better than One'

6 x 6 oil on panel
80.00 + 4.00 s + h

I found these at the Farmer's Market in Kirkwood, Mo. It opens on the first of April and offers wonderful fresh produce, plants, and now hormone-free meats and pies, too... great sign that Spring is finally HERE ! yay !

Day Two Hundred Four

'Purple Plums'

6 x 6 oil on panel
80.00 + 4.00 s + h

I thought that these simple shapes would be a 'piece of cake' to paint... OH CONTRARE ! I fussed and fiddled with the color, the highlights, and the surfaces until I thought I'd go crazy... Guess I shouldn't admit it, but I was surprised at all the complexity that I wasn't expecting ! HA !-- Maybe after Carol Marine's workshop I can put an end to all the "fussing". I know she rigidly enforces a "no fussing" policy. hee hee.

Day Two Hundred Three

'Pepper in Glass Bowl'

6 x 6 oil on panel
80.00 + 4.00 s + h

I loved the colors together, and this print fabric... The bowl was a bit of a challenge, especially because of the shadow that I realized not only fell onto the white matboard towards the bottom, but it also was seen through the glass. I'm really getting addicted to the complex fabrics under the objects... Hope they are worth the time and effort...

Day Two Hundred Two

'Got Shortcake?'

6 x 6 oil on panel
80.00 + 4.00 s + h

I've had these sitting next to me for 2 days while I painted, and painted those landscapes. The smell was so wonderful that I couldn't resist and ate one, then another, then I brought my hubby one, (he deserved it, because he's been slaving over the taxes for quite awhile now) Anyhoo, I had a few left, so I decided I'd better paint them quickly. That little colander was a challenge !

Day Two Hundred One

' #4 landscape'

6 x 6 oil on panel
80.00 + 4.00 s + h

This time I used alizarin crimson for my "mapping", assuring myself of a bit of red in the composition. Tried to contrast the values, as well, for maximum effect. Somewhat more pleased, I think, but still could be improved upon. Tried soooo hard to put the stroke of color down and NOT
TOUCH it... why is that so H A R D ?

6 x 6 oil on panel
80.00 + 4.00 s + h

I can sooo vividly remember watching this really 'cool' girl in my high school art class (Karen Bernard, who was, like a senior when I was probably a sophmore) do a palette knife painting. She was left-handed, and I was so fascinated with her style of handling the knife. I believe she was doing a scene with people, umbrellas, possibly Japanese. (funny how you can remember artwork from YEARS ago ! Anyhoo, I've been dying to try one, but never got a round to it... today's version of the German landscape seemed like as good a time as any... boy, was it challenging - but fun, too.

Day Two Hundred !

'Down the Road'

6 x 6 oil on panel
80.00 + 4.00 s + h

This was part of the German Landscape challenge for the Daily Paint Works website this week. Check it out at http://www.dailypaintworks.com
I think I need to be more daring with value and color choices, and not be so literal in my interpretation ! Always something to strive for ! (shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition, eh, Buff?)

(here's a version that I just tried using only yellow, violet, and a little thalo blue)
seems like once I freed myself up on the color, the values were easier, somehow.... go figure ! at least that's how it seemed, because I see much more contrast in this one !

One more version I just finished using a monochromatic scheme... I love periwinkle blue !!