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...

Vivian's day

 

  I painted this one, my FIRST zinnia picture, actually, while my darling granddaughter was napping one Wednesday.  

Deep Vista

Another study, 8 x 8 oil to play with composition and color.... Wide deep vista...

Colorful skies at sunset

     A sketch for a larger painting... experimentation with color.... These are ALMOST complements, but not quite.... the light in the sky is always a warmer hue near sunrise and sunset.
     I admire this combination in artwork I've seen and would love to incorporate this color palette into my arsenal of techniques. 

More colorful zinnias

 

     Here is a bouquet I painted, changed the background to a darker neutral, and I was pretty pleased with the way it turned out..... Sure am enjoying all those zinnia colors !

Little 'lady organics' from Whole Foods

     I thought these were so adorable, I had to buy them.  They are all two-toned, and very, very, small.  I've never seen them before, but they are called 'organic lady'.  I haven't tried to eat one, I just had to paint them, though..... (That's how some of us think.... ha !)

persimmons

     With snow on the ground, it's a little hard to plein air paint for me.  I set this up because I love the look of persimmons.  They are fun to paint, now I guess I'll have to figure out how to eat them.

Backyard rainy plein air

     I started I out this morning in a bit of a 'misty' atmosphere to paint downtown with my weekly painting buddies.  After stopping for gas and a quick trip to Walgreens for a notebook to gather contact info. on the group of painters, and it really began to rain in earnest.  I decided to set up under the umbrella on my deck and find a suitable subject, so I painted the corner of my bedroom bay window and the trees that give us a bit of privacy there.  When life gives you lemons.... you know the rest.     ha !

Farmer's Market succulent

     I haven't painted for awhile, and feel bad about that, but last weekend the plein air event in Webster got me going again.   I'm going to do my best to keep my paints handy, and MAKE this happen !  Yesterday I was able to set up in the breakfast room, while my granddaughter napped in the studio.  I managed 2 paintings.... whew.... here is the first one.

Sunflower/gerbera demo #147

     Here's the painting I did yesterday, as my demo.  I was working outside, with my new easel, at the Webster Groves, Mo. 'Art on the Town' event.  It was fun, with music, art, kids' activities, and lots of food.  The local dance studios participated, and entertained the visitors.  It was the first time I had done a demo and I didn't realize how much stuff you have to bring along.....
     I had lots of traffic and great people in my booth.  I made some sales, too, and even got a couple of commissions.   A really fun experience, that I plan on doing again next year !

Sunflower trio #145

     I'm working to get back into the groove of my daily paintings.  I've been busy lately, and haven't been at my easel, except for my travel paintings.  I did enjoy painting them.  They gave me some unique challenges, that I learned alot from.   I think there is another travel series of some kind in my future....
     Nevertheless, I DO love painting flowers, and they are readily available at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, not too far from my house, so I'll do my best to get reaquainted with them.... ha ha
     Here's the first 'keeper', since I wiped out the first two.   Painting is certainly a life-long learning process for me !

SOLD-Someone's Christmas gift this year.....

Thailand ? #140

This scene is from one of the many countries my grandbaby's mom has traveled.  It's been awhile since I started this series, and I can't, for the life of me, remember where it is.     I know she's traveled to Thailand, so it might be there.

African Elephant #139

I've always enjoyed drawing and painting elephants.  I did many during my teaching days, both in pencil, colored pencil, and paint.   I really love the massive body shape, how it fills the page, how powerful the shape is, and the use of color from sunlight and shadows, etc.... (I really do love elephants, too, they are regal animals, I think)

     This one, in an 8 x 8 format, is for my granddaughter's bedroom, as part of her world travel series.  I hope some day she can see one on a safari, in the wild.

African Zebra #138

     I finally got back to my cool, I mean COLD easel, and got another painting done for my newest grand-daughter, Vivian.  I'm doing this travel theme series for her wall, because she will be a traveler soon..... or so her mommy and daddy say, so here is a zebra from her mom's trip to Africa several years ago.   I had fun with it, but it was a challenge to keep the stripes believable, and yet use soft edges to give the overall looseness of the painting.  What do you think ??

???

Venezuela beach #137

 

Another in the series for our new (yet to be born) granddaughter.   I wish I had been there, but Jim and Amy have.

Lone cypress #136

We spent a year on the Monterey peninsula with our family back in 1988, while my husband was attending the Naval Postgraduate School there.  We have such great memories of that year with our kids. Tracey was in 4th grade, Ted in 6th, and Jim was a sophmore at Monterey High.  We all met friends there that we still have in 2013 !
     This is another in the series for the new grandbabies wall. 

The Painted Ladies #135

 

San Francisco favorites, they line the edge of Alamo Square a couple of blocks from where our daughter used to live.  For any of you old enough to remember, they were shown at the start of the old  TV series, "Full House", which our daughter used to watch.  

Eiffel Tower #135

 Here are the particulars on this one.

Spring delight #132

 

I have two varieties of tree peony.   This one is amazing, too, and super large, but it seems I planted it in too much shade and this year I only got one bloom.   I DID rescue the one flower before the downpour, though, which would have totally ruined it.... Bigger size this time, 8 x 8.