Thursday, October 30, 2014

Grouping Small Paintings


Small paintings are great for grouping together on your walls.  You can hang a painting series together or create your own painting groups such as flowers, vintage cars, pets and animals etc., or simply by color and color combinations.  You can hang small groupings or large groupings depending on your wall space, they can be all in a row or stacked as the grouping pictured.  There are no limits, they work on large wall spaces or small wall spaces and they come with reasonable prices.  

All my paintings are sold unframed, however in my FAQ page I have provided information on framing these small paintings along with links to several frame sources.  The three alike frames above are floating frames which I recommend for small paintings as you don't lose any of the painting image.

Monday, October 27, 2014

The Lord Is My Shepherd


Oil on gessobord, 8x8 inches, not for sale

After my Mom passed away we were going through her belongings and found three old Bibles.  The one in the painting is a gift from my Dad in 1960.  It was such a happy discovery even though the Bible was falling apart, marked and underlined throughout, it told a story of love on many different levels and I will always treasure it.  The Bible was also filled with cards, notes, letters and articles that gave Mom comfort and gives me a better idea of who this woman was.  I added the coffee cup and piece of chocolate in the upper right because they were two of her favorite treats.  When I look at this painting I feel as though Mom has been called away for just a moment and will return at any time.....and so she has been.

Friday, October 24, 2014

The Flower Umbrella


Click Here To Buy It Now - $50, oil on gessobord, 5x7 inches

Just for fun!  One of my paintings this summer using the little flowers that I had fun with in other paintings and which to me looked like tiny umbrellas, especially in this composition.  I can imagine the flower in one of those tropical drinks where they add the small umbrellas.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Car In The Yard


Click Here To Buy It Now - $100, oil on gessobord, 6x6 inches

While visiting in California this spring and on one of my morning walks I saw this old car sitting in the yard in full shade.  At first I thought the car was being sheltered by the homemade tarp thing but then realized that the tarp was actually a homemade awning for the window as it would be in full sun in the afternoon.  I wonder if the car still runs or if it sits there waiting for someone to fix it up, someone who has good intentions.  Maybe I should have called this The Car Of Many Questions but at any rate I loved the composition.  I wish I had gone back to photo it in full sun. 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Jack And The Pink Umbrella


Click Here To Buy It Now - $100, oil on gessobord, 6x6 inches

We were adventuring through little towns in Door County Wisconsin last fall and came across a shop with all this pink, pink chairs, cushions, umbrella and shutters all surrounded by gardens.  I love the contrast between the summer lawn furniture and the jack o'lanterns, to me it was a statement saying we are just not ready to be through with summer yet.  I feel the same way even though I love fall and try to embrace it.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Pumpkin Celebration


Click Here To Buy It Now - $75, oil on gessobord, 6x6 inches

#5 in my pumpkin challenge series with the new heirloom pumpkin, the big blue gray guy.  I love all the heirloom pumpkins available now, so many colors and shapes.  Of course the object of my challenge was to paint using the color orange but this still qualifies as I added all the other pumpkins along with the new one and that re-energized me.  Will there be more?  Maybe, I have one other idea I'd like to pursue.

Friday, October 17, 2014

Pumpkin Pretense


Click Here To Buy It Now - $50, oil on gessobord, 5x7 inches

#4 in my pumpkin challenge series.  The little one is actually a gourd but it was so darn cute I had to include it in my series so thus the title, it's pretending to be a pumpkin.  I have accomplished my objective to paint all four of the pumpkins in my challenge but the other day I went for a Fall drive and found some beautiful heirloom pumpkins.  I particularly fell in love with a blueish one so yesterday I painted it with my original group of pumpkins.  I will post it soon.  The weather is not cooperating at the moment, too windy for a wet painting outside which is where I photo my paintings.  Stay tuned for #5.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Autumn Tea


Click Here To Buy It Now - $100, oil on gessobord, 6x6 inches

#3 in my pumpkin challenge series and my favorite so far.  The day I sat down to paint I was tired and really thought it would be unsuccessful and wiped off.  There is something magic that happens to me as I paint, the world goes away and I become re-energized, it requires me to stay the course and not give up however.  That's not saying I don't have paintings that miss the mark but most times if I hang in there I'm rewarded.  So stay the course, don't give up!

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Fall Harvest


Sold - oil on gessobord, 6x6 inches

#2 in my pumpkin challenge series.  I thought I would try some raffia in my composition and it made all the difference; really gave a nice break from all the orange.  I also handled this one with looser brush work.  I'm much happier with the oranges on this painting and learning to have some confidence working with the color.  Tomorrow I will post #3 and so far my favorite.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Pumpkin Polka Dots


Click Here To Buy It Now - $40, oil on gessobord, 6x6 inches

#1 in my pumpkin challenge series.  What I love about this pumpkin is the stem, it has such wonderful scruffy stuff at the top and that's my favorite part of the painting.  I'm getting better with each pumpkin painting as the ideas for compositions start to flow; tomorrow I post #2. 

Monday, October 13, 2014

Pumpkin Challenge 2014


As October arrived I decided to give myself the challenge of painting a series of pumpkins, not just because of the seasonal beauty but also, for me, orange is challenging to capture.  I've been so frustrated trying to figure out how to mix a nice bright orange that I picked up a tube of strictly orange paint but even that only solved part of the problem (I use a limited palette and usually mix most of my color from the primary colors).  Anyhow, I went to my color charts and discovered that using a color called permanent rose makes a really nice orange when mixed with cadmium yellow.  So I picked up the pumpkins above, the littlest is really a gourd pretending to be a pumpkin, and began a series of pumpkin paintings which I will be posting over the next four days.  Who knows, I've been having so much fun with the challenge I may continue with a few more paintings as the ideas keep flowing.  Please check back to follow this little series of paintings and see how they go.   

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Morning Trek


Oil On Gessobord, 5x7 inches, Not For Sale

This summer I enjoyed many early morning walks with my sister in Colorado while visiting our brother.  This painting is a result of a moment captured on one of those walks.  We all live in different states and don't get together enough so these moments are treasured memories.  

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Yellow Slice Of Paradise


Click Here to Buy It Now - $50, oil on gessobord, 6x6 inches 

On a visit to Florida we stayed at an RV park where all these old vintage trailers were still in use, some as winter homes but some lived in year around.  They were and are some peoples little paradise, with lots of sunshine, shuffle board tournaments, card nights, walking paths and a life of leisure.  I loved the stripped awnings and felt like I had gone back in time.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Red Truck


Oil on gessobord, 6x6 inches, Sold

I saw this wonderfully restored old truck in Door County Wisconsin last fall.  Even though it was an overcast day the photo turned out pretty good.  This was the first old vehicle I tried painting and the results have made me eager to try more.  My favorite part of the painting is the wind shield with the reflection on it.

Friday, October 3, 2014

Walk Of Light


Click Here To Buy It Now - $50, oil on gessobord, 5x7 inches

I planted myself on a bench along a corridor of windows, it was morning and the light was shining in so beautifully.  I caught several people walking through the light, this little girl was one of them.  I plan to paint another light walker one of these days when the mood to paint another figure strikes me.  

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Grapes Of Breaking Fast


Click Here To Buy It Now - $50, oil on gessobord, 6x6 inches

I had no idea of what to name a painting of grapes until the movie title "Grapes Of Wrath" came to mind.  But these are grapes that are helping to break the fast which sounded better than breakfast grapes and since there was no wrath involved the name was finally solved.  Grapes are wonderful to paint, each one has so many different colors and interesting vine shapes, they have a simple beauty.....and good to eat too.