Elephant Express

 

Click Here For More Info:  $150, 8x10 inches, acrylic on 1/8" Ampersand Gessobord

I've had this little kewpie doll (along with her sister) for years but packed away.  Going through stuff I found them and decided to try adding one to a painting.  I spent hours and days, along with many photos figuring out the set up, which took longer than the painting (lol).  This little girl looks like she is out for an adventure after all those years cooped up in a box, we have a lot in common I think.  So all aboard for the Elephant Express, may your imagination take you to amazing places! 

I use professional acrylic paints in all my acrylic paintings for permanence and longevity.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide © 

Summer's End

 

Colored pencil on blue toned paper, 8x10 inches.

I finally made it to the beach one last time before the summer weather ended, actually I made it twice.  The first time my goal was to capture people (via photos) on the beach and do some gesture drawings.  The second time school had started and no one was around so I worked on the background for this drawing.  Not using colored pencil very often this became a fun exercise for me.  

I'm planning and gearing up for teaching another virtual drawing class this winter which will begin in January 2023.  The theme will be travel, sailing away to beaches and warm places.  Since many of us aren't able to getaway during the long cold winters (if you live in a cold climate like me), I thought it would be fun to getaway by drawing and dreaming of those warm places.  We will go over all the fundamentals of drawing realistically while staying warm at home.  Socializing and questions are always welcome.  More on the class later through Rumriver Art Center Anoka MN.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Drawings From Alpaca Week

 Here are some of my drawings from my week with the alpacas.  I'm still hoping to do another painting but this time as a composition with people or other alpacas.  One of the students from the drawing camp became my favorite model: in drawing #1 she is busy photographing and in #3 actively drawing.  Click on the image to enlarge.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Banjo Man

 

Click Here For More Info:  $200, 8x8 inches, acrylic on 1/8" Ampersand Gessobord

This painting is from my own reference photo taken years ago.  I could never figure out how to make him come alive in paint so he waited for inspiration.  Finally after years and inspiration from other artists, I was ready to tackle my banjo player, then came the alpaca week and another hold on the project.  The alpaca paintings actually gave me more ideas for Banjo Man.  Funny how that works. 

I have an accordion player that needs to be painted so maybe thats next after a kitchen remodel.  Looking forward to a new kitchen but not the mess and work involved.  No painting for awhile I'm afraid.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

All Ears

 

Click Here For More Info:  $130, 6x6 inches, 1/8" acrylic on Ampersand Gessobord

This is Guttorm and I truly believe he smiles.  My dog Niki learned to smile and greeted me with one everyday when returning from work.  This is another of the Boys from my week with the alpacas, you can read the write up on my blog.  Guttorm is a social butterfly or maybe it was just the treats we carried to entice the group.  Alpacas are so dang cute!

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide © 

Surprise!

 

Click Here For More Info:  $150, 6x6 inches, acrylic on 1/8" Ampersand Gessobord

This is Boris from my week of alpaca drawing and photographing.  See my blog write up and photos of my alpaca week.  It was such a fun experience and so lucky to have the opportunity to see alpacas up close and personal.  This painting is from my favorite photo of the boys, there were four male alpacas all with different personalities.  I felt compelled to paint in a loose fun style to match the expression.  

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide © 

A Week With Alpacas

 

I spent all week photographing and drawing alpacas with six other creative people (I will try to post a drawing later).  This was a drawing camp offered by Rumriver Art Center in Anoka MN, https://rumriver-art-center.business.site.  We were a little disappointed that they had just been sheared but it actually turned out to be a bonus since it was easier to see their bone structure and the owner promised to have us back in the fall to see them with full coats.  Most the time the alpacas ignored us and were only mildly curious until we offered treats then things got interesting as you can see above with Guttorm looking over my shoulder.  Guttorm was also the know spitter of the group so we were wary of him otherwise they were pretty mild mannered.  The last day they got a little frisky and ended up arguing and spitting at each other.  Fernando the boss was always keeping Guttorm in line.  How lucky were we to be able to see the alpacas up close and personal, sometimes a little too personal.  What a great experience!  I will try to capture some alpacas in paint.

A BIG thank you to Beth!!

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Treasured Things

 

Click Here For More Info: $150, 6x8 inches, Acrylic on 1/8" Ampersand Gessobord

My Mom brought me this really pretty paper weight from her trip to London years ago.  Mom has since passed so it's a treasured memory and it's sparkly glass paired nicely with the delicate peony.  And yes I treasure everyone of my peony blooms in fact so much so that it took years for me to even cut a bouquet.  

I've been spending this week drawing alpacas at a drawing camp.  Getting to know four beautiful boy alpacas who were recently sheared of fluffy coats.  At first I thought darn wish I could have drawn them with the fur but now I realize it's great seeing their bone structure which gets totally obscured by fur.  I may post some of my drawings later and may even do a painting.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©   

A Delicate Subject

 

Click Here For More Info:  $200, 8x8 inches, acrylic on 1/8" Ampersand Gessobord

Returning from vacation I was happy to find more of the peonies still blooming!  Their beauty is so short lived but I managed to capture a few more.  I discovered something about them this time around, the younger blossoms will close at night to open again in the morning.  How did I never notice that after 30 some years!  One more to post and they are done until next spring.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©   

Subtle Inspirations

 

8x8 Inches, Acrylic on a linen panel

Turns out we had a vacation planned just as my peonies were blooming!  Fortunately I had just enough time to get this one painted before leaving so these are a couple of the first blooms, first blooms are always the largest.  The subtle tones and values of peonies are so hard for me to capture and I have to confess to almost ditching this painting half way through.  A few choice words were said, brushes almost thrown and thoughts of never painting again promised.  I took a break or two.  Funny thing happened when I stood back to look at the finished piece, not only did it come together somehow it's my favorite peony painting so far.  Maybe a little blood, sweat and threats help.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Hope

 

Click Here For More Info - $125, 6x6 inches, acrylic on linen panel

Spring again and peony bloom time, yay!  I'm always hoping I'll get a chance to paint peonies every spring, sometimes it doesn't work out.  But this painting is about a different kind of hope, hope for peace, hope for unity, hope for those going through hard times and the list goes on.  I just felt like someone out there needs some kind of hope so here's thinking of you.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Living On The Edge

 

Click Here For More Information - $125, 6x8 inches, acrylic on Ampersand gessobord

The photo reference is from my favorite place to hike, Wisconsin Interstate Park where there are these fabulous cliffs bordering the St. Croix river.  One side is Minnesota and the other Wisconsin.  The best place to hike is on the Wisconsin side where the trails are all along the cliff.  The rocks, the views, the trails with moss and mystery are right out of the Lord Of The Rings.  Best time to go is morning in the middle of the week and you have it all to yourself.  I'd like to live on this edge. 

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Hidden Purpose

 

9x12 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

This painting began a year ago with something like throwing color in the air, letting it land where it will then scraping it across the surface of the paper.  I didn't actually throw the color in the air more like dropping paint in puddles on the paper but it has that same out of control feeling.   So thats the fun part, the next step is what to do with it, that's when a lot of thinking and sketching comes to play.  The sketches were not making me happy so I shelved it and occasionally would get the painted background out to ponder.  Just recently I did a new sketch adding and rearranging elements including negative space ideas for this final design until satisfied.  This type of painting takes me way longer than my usual acrylic paintings.  I spent half my time just looking and pondering until something clicks.

It was intentional to keep the owl blended into the background but still keep it visible and identifiable letting the background enhance the image and vice versa.  What I love about this process is how it makes me go places never thought of.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Mother's Day Flowers

 

Decided to get my drawing stuff out and have some fun.  It's always hard for me to pass up an opportunity to draw or paint flowers, they are so short lived.  And the back lighting from the window just made all these wonderful negative spaces, plus working on toned paper, as I've said before, is my favorite.  

Funny story about these flowers: Walking in Walmart the day before Mother's Day and getting ready to leave I saw these flowers, they must have called to me because I couldn't stop thinking about them.  I went over to check them out and saw they were not in the tubs of water (as they should have been) but laying along side a tub.  Looking at them closer I saw that some of the stems and flowers were beginning to wilt so I shoved them back into the bucket and noticed others and shoved them back as well.  Finally I decided these flowers needed help, they called to me, so bringing them home I cut all the stems back so they could drink up the needed water.  They responded beautifully giving me over a week of pleasure and this drawing.  I can't understand, for the life of me, why people would not return beautiful flowers to the water they so needed.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Drawing With Deb Spring 2022 Class

 Just wrapped up a four week virtual drawing class with this group of creative ladies.  We worked from photo references capturing values, comparative measuring, negative space, some composition and the possibilities of changing or additions to make a piece unique.  They also learned about working on toned paper with white pencil which is one of my favorite ways to draw.  I threw a lot of stuff at them but they were champs and powered on, here are some of their lovely drawings.  

Click image to enlarge.

© by each individual artist

Exploring Color With Mixed Media Class 2022

 So I'm finally adding some photos of the student work from this virtual winter class.  We worked with acrylic on watercolor paper, mixing color with a limited palette of Chrome Yellow, Magenta and Phthalo Blue (green shade), white and black.  The students created their own color wheel, painted backgrounds, explored collage, stamped from items found at home and stenciled from patterns provided.  They also discovered how versatile acrylics can be when using it with a watercolor affect.  These are some fun and lovely pieces some of the students have allowed me to share.  The students were imaginative, fun and worked hard!  Click image to enlarge.

© by each individual artist.

  

Ladies Outing

 

This was a piece from my Exploring Color With Mixed Media class this past winter.  On this day we were exploring the versatile uses of acrylics using watered down acrylics for a watercolor affect.  The class took their 3 different watered down acrylics and poured them over the watercolor paper letting them run.  On my sample above I added collage and pencil, using my own figure stencil to create a thinner version of the figures.  I let the flow of colors show me where to go in creating the background.  This doesn't happen fast for me, I ponder the possibilities for days and even weeks.  It's important for students to see the process isn't always a fast one.

I will be posting some of my student work from this class soon.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

One Bunny

 

Having fun drawing with my drawing class this spring!  This was a fun photo reference I found on pixabay.com.  I gave the class an option to add flowers to the background and decorate the egg if they wanted.  I love giving options to students, it's an eye opener to see possibilities for creating.  

It's odd how my iPhone picks up and enhances the texture of the graphite.  I'm trying to figure out how to tone the texture down.  I've even taken the photo into Photo Shop Elements to edit.  Any ideas?

Happy Easter!

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Underwater Attraction

 

Click Here For More Info:  $300, 8x8 inches, acrylic on Ampersand gessobord

Who isn't mesmerized watching fish in their watery home and who hasn't tried having a fish tank at least once?  Or maybe a screen saver of an underwater world (very addictive).  The painted version of an aquarium is much easier to take care of.  This is another painting on black gesso and has been protected by an acrylic varnish.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Morning Get Away

 Click Here For More Info:  $130, 6x8 inches, Acrylic on linen panel

My first acrylic painting after a long break.  I think it would be so much fun having a little scooter, my neighbor has a red one she drives to work a few blocks away.  When I was a kid my parents owned a Tote Gote that my sister and me used to race around the desert with (grew up in AZ).  We had a blast!  Check out Tote Gotes on the internet.

The Vespa is a pixabay photo reference however the window in the photo didn't work so I Photo Shopped a new one with more interest and contrast.  Actually the window was taken from another one of my photos that I painted some years back so you may recognize it in my gallery.

Almost one week away from the start of my new class "Exploring Color With Mixed Media".  I'm pretty excited to share what I know about working with acrylics and color.  I'm not much about painting subdued color, you can see that by checking out my gallery on Daily Paintworks (link on the right).  That's just my personal preference and what inspires me.  Learning to mix and create color, just about any color is fundamental for those interested in painting.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©