February Fun.....

     Since the 30/30 challenge is over, I've decided to work on a little bit bigger painting.  Actually 11x14 seems big to me, ha !  Here's a start on my latest.  I love painting baby shoes, especially little mary janes..... I thought the antique doll I found at a recent estate sale might be fun... I knew it would be challenging to get all those angles right !

Whew... It's been a busy January

     I've learned a lot during this challenge.  Several things stand out in my mind:
           1. Have fun with what you do.  It is always more enjoyable if you can make it light, and not get too stressed  about the task at hand.
           2. Mix it up a bit.  You don't have to have hard and fast rules for yourself. 
           3. Just the act of painting daily give a sort of rhythm to your work.  It frees up your technique.
           4. Try something new.  I've always wanted to try doing a palette knife painting, and even though I wasn't too impressed with the outcome, I'm glad I wasn't afraid to get out of my comfort zone.
           5. Even if you've not had much time to paint, get a painting started ANYWAY. ! (I mean, even if it's 10:00 at night )  It's surprising how just getting an idea down on the canvas can spark some energy in the artist... ha !
           6. Be kind to yourself... Every painting is not going to be a masterpiece, and that's alright !  You may just 'hit the ball out of the park' when you least expect it !
           7. Be diligent.  If you WANT something, MAKE IT HAPPEN.  You are the only one who can really discipline yourself...
           8. Think about marketing.  I've decided that 2013 will be the year I finally take that seriously.
           9. Enjoy the camaraderie of other like minded people.   Being part of this challenge has connected me with tons of wonderful artists on the blog and facebook.  It's so fun to see what they are doing and sharing my work with them.
          10. Let the people around you (i.e.family, etc.) see your passion for what you are doing, by making it a priority in your life.  People always spend time on things that are truly important to them.

p.s.  Remember to always say 'thank you' to those who are supportive !

Red-orange with hydrangea #114

     Just couldn't resist getting one more out of these flowers.... also, I couldn't resist this vibrant red-orange to go with them !!  Thanks to Leslie Saeta for hosting this wonderful challenge.....

Palette knife hydrangea #113

 

 

     Thanks to Leslie Saeta for her sponsorship of the great 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge !  Also for my confidence to complete at least one palette knife painting during the challenge.!  I've been wanting to do one, but never got around to doing it. This seemed like the perfect time to try it.Thanks for the inspiration, Leslie !

Cropped JCS #112

     Changed the background to try these again.   A little different perspective and use of negative space.....
     They had a photographer at the Gala event the other night,.  Here is one of the 2 photos they took.....

JCS centerpiece #111

 

     This is the flower arrangement from the table at the Gala the other night.   I was wondering how to get the subtle off white of the flowers in shadow, knowing that there was not much color or contrast.  It was a challenge, for sure.   I bought a couple full sheets of matboard to use as backgrounds.  This periwinkle is one of my favorite colors !

Hyacinth tops in swirl vase #110

 

     Finally was able to get this picture on my front porch, which earlier was so covered in a sheet of ice.  These blooms separate as they age.  There are spaces between the smaller blooms that I didn't see before.  Painted this before my son and I went to this huge Gala fundraising Event for the Injured Military Heroes of  Iraq and Afghanistan.  It was so great to be part of it. My son was in on the beginning stages of this organization, called JCS (Joshua Chamberlain Society).  This year they had over 350 people attend.  awesome.

Spiral vase #109

 

 

     I always loved this vase, but I had forgotten about it, tucked way in the back of my cabinet.  My friends delivered it to me filled with flowers awhile ago when I was recovering from surgery.   It was the perfect fit for my double bouquet, I thought.  I did have to place it lower on my work table, though, so I had to try and work with the background, which was my horizontal shade.  I was worried about doing the shade, but then I thought maybe it would add some interest.... Well, here it is, and I like it  ! ha

Cropped bouquet #108

 

 

     For today's challenge I just picked a portion of the tulip bouquet, trying to make a composition without the vase.    It was challenging, alright.   I like the way the flowers go off the edges.  The soft inner colors were a test for my eye... ha ha

Forward reach #107

 

     These are the second batch of tulips I purchased at, of all places, Walmart.    I was at a friends the other day and she had the most gorgeous vase of flowers.    She had gotten them at the market at Walmart.... who knew that I'd be giving them good 'press'?.. ha ha 
     Again, they moved during the night (I got them started after dinner), but this time I made sure I had the petals well established before turning out the light !!

Tulip dance #106

 

     Still one of my favorite flowers.  These tulips had such a natural sway to them, almost a dance. (and I LOVE dance !)  Anyway, I started them late last night, and by this morning they had certainly changed positions.... just like a dancer to never stand still !     I love this goodwill rectangular vase, so much fun finding the values and reflections !

Hyacinth tops #105

 

     Smaller version of just the tops of these beautiful, fragrant blossoms.  They were tied together, and I just left them that way.  The color was so delightful to look at on this cold St. Louis morning. 

Hyacinths in January #104

 

     I remember these being one of the first blooms of spring.  I have a variety of them that come up some time, maybe around May... How do they get these into the stores in January?   Maybe they grow them and force the plants in greenhouses.... I do not know, but I loved painting them !
     I'm just getting finished with my painting for the challenge today.... whew... just made it !

Stargazer lily #103

 

    I painted stargazers years ago in watercolor, and it's funny how remembering that feeling of painting them came back to me on this one.    In oil, the colors continually mesh, blend, whatever you want to call it, and it's hard to maintain the integrity of the petal... (There is also a LOT of detail in each particular petal.)  The shape, texture, color and value have to be given utmost consideration..... ha !

Little blue vase #102

 

     You would think that this little blue symmetrical vase would be simple, but try as I might to add foreground (vase) and background (muted turquoise) the shape inadvertently changes and becomes what almost surely seems impossible to rectify.....taking off my reading glasses helps to keep it enough out of focus that I can better get the 'gist' of the balanced symmetry of it... !   (Does that make any sense to you out there ? )  ha ha ha

Iris variety #101

     These flowers have a very unusual arrangement of petals... they look awkward, but that's the way they grow....  I googled iris to see what variety they are and found there are hundreds of different ones !  I was really only familiar with the hybrid ones I've grown and the Siberian and Japanese ones.... who knew?

Afternoon snack painting #100

 

     Well, made it to 100, and it seems as only yesterday I started.... ha ha 
     
     I've found that adding the number REALLY helps me keep track of my paintings.   My daughter helped me organize the way I put them in folders by the DATE.... that helps, too, when you're looking for a particular painting, and you don't want to spend all this time trying to find it ! ha ! 
     I suppose I never thought I'd have so many that I couldn't keep track, but somehow, they mount up !  Love the daily painting gig.... ha !

Lime green plate painting #99

     I have plates and bowls I've collected in almost all colors.  I love the lime green.  I painted my old kitchen cabinets this exact color when we moved into our first house in the 1970s...

Pink Ladies painting #98

     My favorite apple, by far !  It used to be 'fuji' until I tried these babies... I love 'em.  Fuji apples taste too sweet to me now, although I love the crispness.   The girls have a cut up apple in a ziploc to eat on the trip home (about 20 minutes) every time they come over.   We have so many traditions like that ... ha h a

No more retouching, ever !

I'm going to vow today to NEVER retouch another painting, trying to make it work.... (it never works... !) ha ha ha
     Even though former drawing instructor used to say..., " If it's not working, touch it again"

 I don't think that's what HE MEANT !  ha !