Labadie Missouri

     Here's a new 8 x 8 in acrylic and glazes from a photo I took a couple of years back.  I was enamored by the geometric shapes in this pic.  They give the composition it's strength, I think.  

     It's completed in soft glazes of color.  

Sunset shadows

I'm trying a new style, as well as a new medium.   Acrylic is not usually what I paint with, but I've been exploring it lately, since a friend did a demo for me a couple of weeks ago.  

     Here is a painting from a picture I took one evening, while driving in Illinois.  I caught sight of this scene, with it's intense red-orange as the sun was setting.  I've been wanting to paint for awhile.  Fun...

Jessica Simpsons

These are dark purple, even though it is hard to tell.  I combined this with some bling, as if the wearer is getting ready for an evening out on the town.   

     Jessica Simpson has an eye for fun fashion......

Lederhosen Bear

I found this little bear at the thrift store the other day.  I just loved the little lederhosen outfit, and his cute little teeny eyes..... Little did I know how he was going to torment me.... (I'll do ANY shoes rather than attempt this little furry dude again)

Shoes 5

I picked these up, believe it or not, because the lining was this intense orange, with a gold accent lettering with the manufacturers name. (Nina, from Spain).

     I am learning a lot about name brand shoes in this process, and having fun exploring shoes I never would have even LOOKED at, in the past..... haha

Is summer around the corner?

Boy, this has been quite a winter... Our city and state (Missouri) has not experienced the blizzard conditions of the east coast, or the terrible mudslides of the west coast... I feel for those folks.. I'm sure this winter is getting tiresome for them, and they are hoping for spring....

     I found these cute sandals, with this darling shape (I wish they would actually FIT me, because I could wear these)  Anyhoo, I thought they needed an accompaniment... sunglasses... fun to paint.

Spectator shoes

Spectator shoes.... I don't know how they got that name, but my mom was a shoe designer before she had children, and she told me that the two toned shoes like this were called spectators.   I guess these would be too high, and too uncomfortable to be "participant" shoes for anything athletic, at least... ha ha 

     The little black part of the strap is an elastic to help ease them on the heel.

Change it UP

Decided to change it up today.  I found these and just HAD to paint them... I remember I used to give a sketchbook assignment to my high school drawing students, "draw one of your shoes", and then I specified that they needed to draw one with laces..... Oh My, you would have thought I was torturing them..... I DID know that it required good powers of observation, which I new would challenge them... but then again.. that's the whole IDEA.. ha ha ha 

    Soooo, I gave  myself the same challenge, only with PAINT.

(Boy, I wish Someone would leave my a comment sometime... I look everytime to see if anyone has replied, and I get so hopeful, oh well)

Well, well, well

Well, I'm through the month of 30/30 challenge, but I want to keep the ball rolling.  I decided to do some more shoes, cause I like them.  I visited a few thrift stores, looking for funky heels, and ended up in an upscale resale shop that only sells designer items..... VERY COOL, I might add.

     I couldn't afford their prices, even for pre-owned shoes, if I was just going to paint them, so I made a deal with the manager.  She said, although their policy is NO returns, she would let me take them, if I left my credit card number, and then I COULD return them, if  it only took a couple of days, or so.....WELL, I got right on it !  I finished a little 6 x 6, and thought I'd return the shoes today, and guess what?  Of course, I can't find the receipt..... OH, that's just my luck.... hopefully she will be working today, and will have her copy of the receipt and will tear it up, when I return them.

      Wish me luck.   Here's the shoes by Sergio Rossi (69.00-USED)

 

Day 30

Day 30 of the 30/30 challenge

     I just can't seem to 'keep it simple', even though I try.   I had to add this painting in a frame, because it looked so empty in the background... Oh, Whoa is me... ha ha 

Day 29

Day 29 of the 30/30 challenge

     I almost always have asparagus in the refrigerator, so they were a 'given' for a painting.  These little lemons have done their duty in several paintings, too. 

     I was concerned about the compositional flow of this one, with the asparagus leading the eye into the painting.  It was fun to paint this one.. Only 2 more to go !

 

Day 28 - Royal Reds

Day 28 of the 30/30 challenge

     Something different today.  I was inspired by a subject my friend, Dawn, set up to paint a couple of years ago,.  She did some small fish, and I loved the way they turned out, always meaning to go over to Olive St. and visit a seafood store and get some.   This was in my freezer, so it saved me a trip.

     These shrimp are very large, and taste like lobster.  We (my sister and I ) discovered these at a restaurant in Biloxi Mississippi a few years back.  

     They are sometimes available at Schnucks, and come from the coast of Argentina...

Day 27

Day 27 of the 30/30 challenge

     To me, purple hyacinths are the first indication of springtime.  Although this one came from the store, it still makes me think there will be warmer days ahead, soon..... These days, any positive thoughts are Welcome.....

     The smell is delightful, too.

Day 26

Day 26 of the 30/30 challenge

     I always enjoyed the shape of this bowl.  I love the perwinkle color, too.  

     These new apples (for me, anyway) are called ENVY, and they are really wonderful.  You can't find them just everywhere, but it is worth looking for them at your supermarket.....

Day 25

Day 25 of the 30/30 challenge

     I finished this one this morning with time to spare..... That's what happens when you stay in your studio, and don't run around all over town.   ha ha ha 

     This is another of the pairs of heels I bought at the thrift store, because of the shape, and the strappy feel to them.   More fun to paint than to wear, I'd say...

 

Day 24

Day 24 of the 30/30 challenge

  I got behind with posting here, NOT with painting, however.... ha ha 

     It is actually the 25th today, but yesterday was SO busy, I didn't get my painting on the blog....

     Here is the one for yesterday... It took awhile to paint it, too... ha

 

Day 23

Day 23 of the 30/30 challenge

     Busy day..... My sis and I are doing genealogical research for our family.  We go into the downtown city library and see how much info we can find for our family story.  Yesterday we found our mom's high school yearbook, she graduated in January, 1930.   SO CUTE !  Loads of pics we had never seen before, plus the illustrations which she did for the various groups, athletics, clubs, etc. She always used her art, all her life, to make a living. 

     Well,didn't finish this until late, and didn't have time to post. so Here it is...

Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you, I have this THING about cute little bowls, too.  I have so many !   These are a few of my most favorite .

Day 22

Day 22 of the 30/30 challenge

     Well, I'm having fun with these shoes.   I guess I really enjoy the shapes.  Hope you enjoy them, too.

     Since they are solid black, I dressed up the color with a piece of fabric that I bought awhile ago to make a tote bag out out.... Obviously, I never made the tote bag.  (I was famous for buying fabric and then finding it years later, just as I left it).... I know, I'm not proud of that, but this time I got good use out of it.

Day 21

Day 21 of the 30/30 challenge

     I found this cute vintage book at the thrift store, and could just picture the red shoes on it.  I had fun with it, and realized recently that I love painting shoes of all kinds . 

      I DO remember having my students in drawing class years ago, do contour drawings of their shoe, and sketches of their shoes in their sketchbooks, and I always had a fun time doing those drawings, too.  Do I have a 'shoe fetish' ?

Day 20

Day 20 of the 30/30 challenge

     I really should try to get my compositions a little simpler so I can finish this challenge, but for some reason, I am unable to do that. 

     This Hall pitcher is a vintage one, like from the 50s, maybe.  I used to share a booth at the Eureka antique mall with my sis, and I still have a few things from that era, plus, I developed a love for all things vintage like this, and have to buy them...... even if I have to rationalize a bit better now.

     I loved the shape of this pitcher, plus the color.  The glass is an old one that my grand daughters love to drink their water out of.....

Day 19

Day 19 of the 30/30 challenge

     I am really having fun with this month's challenge.   I get excited about my paintings, and have fun struggling with the next composition.  (It also gives me a perfect excuse to visit the thrift store across the street for more finds)   ha, although my husband accuses me laughingly of being a hoarder..... I am NOT.... ha...

     A close up of yesterdays bouquet... I must paint these quickly, because, being in the strong light of my set-up, the flowers open up while I am painting, and it makes it hard to get the shapes and values right.  quick is best, as a photo does little good in this situation.

Day 18

Day 18 of the 30/30 challenge

     Today's painting is my favorite subject (or one of my favorites)  Flowers...

     Trader Joe's has the best flowers, especially appreciated when spring seems so far away here in St. Louis.   I loved the color on these,  the outsides are a muted orange, but even when they were only buds I could see a brilliant red center.   Had to have 'em.

Day 17

Day 17 of the 30/30 challenge

     Mixed it up by changing directions today.  Found these cute Beatrix Potter items at the thrift store, and had to try my luck with them.   This scene looks as though my granddaughter, Vivian, will soon sit down at my table for lunch, including her favorite cheese and juice.   Miss you, Vivi 

Day 16

Day 16 of the 30/30 challenge

     Here's a little different angle on these bad boys..... I wanted to rethink the background color, but almost got it exactly the same, without realizing it, so I at least added the orange to spice it up a bit.... 

     Backgrounds are SO crucial.... I didn't realize that until I started painting every day.

Day 15

Day 15 of the 30/30 challenge

     

   Well, I've made it half way.... whew.  It's been a great exercise in discipline.   I have painted every day, except for one, which I had another painting to post.   I usually get the painting done, photographed, into my picasa files, so I can go right to it the next morning and post it.   I usually really like the leave the studio already set up for the next day.   A practice I read about awhile ago, and I think it's very helpful.  It eliminates a bit of the anxiety of setting foot in the studio without any idea what I want to paint.   

     Here's the painting for today.  These bad boys were a great nab at the local goodwill.  I guess the brave person who bought them originally had to surrender....  it had to be hard to walk in these......

Day 14

Day 14 of the 30/30 challenge

     "Kickin' 'em Off"  says it all.  I could never walk in these, not even when I was younger.  I admire those who can withstand the pain.   Hahaha

     I had fun with these, and criss-crossed them so I could get them onto the small 6 x 6 format.  Working on these in such a small painting takes a little practice, and I'm having fun painting shoes.

 

     It stands to reason I would enjoy painting these as subjects, since my mother, before I was even born, was a women's SHOE DESIGNER in St. Louis.   She went to ART school after high school, and used her talent throughout her entire career, in different capacities. 

Day 13

Day 13 of the 30/30 challenge

     Trying some big girl shoes today... ha...

     I found these at goodwill and loved the color and shape, even though the size didn't matter at all, because I was never going to actually WEAR them.  I never wore heels this high, and taught school my whole career, so never had to put myself through this torture.  I think they look painful, so I made them paintful..... 

      I would be kicking them off SO FAST, I will paint them like that tomorrow !

Day 12

Day 12 of the 30/30 challenge

     I went looking at the thrift store for some new stuff for my paintings and found this adorable pair of shoes, and couldn't resist the print on the inside.    I love painting the patent leather, with it's reflective surface and the cute straps to hold the shoes on with buckles.  I remember putting these on my daughter and granddaughters, as well.  They are so fun to paint.  

Day 11

Day 11 of the 30/30 challenge

     This Eiffel tower picture I did about 3 weeks ago.  I had to crop it to fit into the Leslie Saeta website format, which is square... It actually is a cute little 6 x 8 image, reminiscent of our trips to Paris, which we loved !

     I became interested in painting the Eiffel tower after the attack took place in Paris...... We must not buckle to the terrorists who seek to make up fearful of our world. 

Day 10

Day 10 of the 30/30 challenge   "backlit"

     This is a painting I did a few months ago.  I revisited it and redid the background, which is always the one area I struggle with.   Setting up a successful still life might LOOK like it is very simple, but it is very challenging to get all the pieces to work together correctly, in order to get a successful painting.  

     I got a few new items yesterday to include in some future paintings,(at the thrift store), and am anxious to try them...stay tuned....

Day 9

Day 9 of the 30/30 challenge

     Back to my daisy again.  My turquoise little teeny vase saves the day... Love the color and shape, and the daisy gives it the bit of organic shape for a contrast.... I like the red background against the turquoise, too.   Those daisies from Trader Joes last a LONG time... yay

Day 8

Day 8 of the 30/30 challenge

     I DID set the timer for 30 minutes on this one !  I wasn't able to even start on the background, which is okay, but then again, I have my ground color (underpainting) which I have to make work.....

     I tried to hold down the details, which is VERY difficult for me....

     Looseness comes from SIMPLIFICATION, and the best way to do that, I think, is to squint, squint,squint, until my eyes hurt, in order to reduce shapes down to areas of different value.....

 

     Color is not nearly as important as VALUE.... The color can be anywhere, but the value MUST be right.... funny, but true...

     Well, here it is.  I think I like challenging myself like this.  What about a 20 minute painting? or a 15 minute one.....??

 

 

Day 7

Day 7 of the 30/30 challenge

     I love these little maryjane shoes.  My sister found these for me at the thrift store, and I love painting them..... The memories of my own daughter, or granddaughters are revisited.  

     I think maybe I'll try painting them again, only in a 30 minute format later today.... wish me luck !

(there is a lot going on in these little shoes, and if I shorten the time painting them I will have to limit the details... but then again, that's part of the challenge, and part of the fun)

Day 6

Day 6 of the 30/30 challenge.

     I did 2 versions of the daisy painting, which I posted the first one day before yesterday.  I wanted to try a different, looser approach, so I timed my painting, and stopped just before 30 minutes.  

     Here is the result of the second painting. 

     Which version do YOU prefer?

Day 5

Day 5 of the 30/30 challenge

     I decided to paint this little owl because my granddaughter, who is 3 1/2 LOVES owls.  She is unfortunately very far away, and we all miss her terribly.  She is in Hawaii, and we live in the midwest, in Missouri.  

    She has a collection of owls of all sizes and varieties, but this little guy is extra cute because he sorta looks at you sideways, cause he turns his head.  I thought he's be fun to paint for day 5 of the challenge.

Day 4 of the 30/30 challenge

I've gotta get going on flowers again... I love painting them, but they are challenging.   

    Keep the Faith.....

Day 3 of the 30/30 challenge

Back to the basics..

Sometimes it seems I make my subject too complicated to work in a 6 x 6 format, and get myself frustrated.  Here I'm trying to keep it simple.  Back to the basics of apple.... hahaha

Day 2 of the 30/30 challenge. 

     

Funny, how you have to get your "sea legs" again, after not doing this for awhile... ha ha 

     Actually, I paint all the time, but have lately been doing plein air landscapes with my painting friends, or working from my photos in my studio, because it's COLD outside... anyhoo, here's todays still life, from life, as usual.

 

Been awhile since I've posted here.... 

     The reason I've not posted relate to 2 issues.  First, most of my photos now are taken with an iphone, and thus cannot readily be added to my blog.  (Photos for the blog must be taken with a camera, so I can take the card out and transfer them to picasa and edit them, in order to be able to post.)

     Second,  my recent posts were there specifically to be part of an application for a grant I was applying for.... The blog served as my "website", for a time, so I could relay information to the people who were judging my application..... (By the way, I didn't get the grant, which was for a considerable sum, and was granted to people in ALL the arts, including poetry, sculpture, dance, writing, etc., so I didn't feel too badly.)  Anyway, I will try again next year, and by that time I will have an actual Website.... yay

 I am taking part in the Leslie Saeta challenge, called 30 paintings in 30 days, again.  Go to this site to see all 200 or more paintings each day...

----Thirty paintings in Thirty Days challenge January 2017----

 It always gives me a little motivation to paint everyday and post.....

Here's Day #1