8x10 acrylic on Ampersand Gesso Board, NFS
I finally made it to Italy! This is painted from a photo I took of my daughter, the Super Shopper. It was a great time and so amazing to see things I'd only seen in books, experiencing other cultures and walking on roads perhaps thousands of years old. Of course it was a great time shopping too but more wonderful sharing the experience with my daughter. So many photos, so little time to paint all the memories.
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
This is now posted and available in my Daily Paintworks gallery
Click Here For More Info: $100, Acrylic on watercolor paper, painted image 6x6 inches with a 3/4" border
An original expressive floral painting inspired by the energy and abundance of spring! And I need some spring right now. The reference photo is from my granddaughters photo of dry flowers at home. We paint together via FaceTime occasionally and share ideas. Just for fun and variation I cropped the photo while she painted the original size .
The border around the painting is actually white not gray. I like to leave a border making it easier to mat paintings that are on watercolor paper without loosing any of the image or you can include some of the little bleeds for interest. A mat can be cut to fit an 8"-10" square frame.
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
6x6 inch acrylic on gessoed watercolor paper
The title isn't very imaginative. Perhaps It could be named "In Monet's Garden" since he was the master of the water lilies. Would he appreciate my rendering I wonder.
This is another fun play, experimenting with different brushes and brush work. The colors are a very different take on the photo I used which made it hard to get the values right. It eventually worked out and I'm happy with it.
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
6x6 inch acrylic on gessoed watercolor paper.
Getting back to painting again after a long time off. I'm experimenting with new techniques which is great fun. This is pretty loose for me, playing with impressionism. I've been gone from painting for so long I'm relearning, a good time to branch out.
I took this photo at a lake near us. I go to the lake and sit on the beach drawing sometimes and taking photos. These youth were way off in the distance and I worried the photo wouldn't turn out. The photo even though a bit fuzzy was still useable. Can't you just imagine these two youths swapping fish stories?
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
8x10 inches, acrylic on stretched canvas
For many years I've been obsessed with traveling to far away places with 2000 year old structures and cobblestone streets. To walk places where my ancestors originated from, or where there are cultures and traditions I've never experienced. Those desires have influenced my paintings lately as I've been experimenting with new techniques and allowing my imagination some breathing room to explore. This painting started as drips and splatters, then allowed to be taken over by imagination, playing with negative spaces, color and design. Its a place of contentment, a slower life surrounded and hidden by hills and mountains and amazing color. Soon I will be traveling to some of those places and it will be interesting to compare my imagination to the reality. Will I come home contented with my own reality having reached this goal? Past experience has taught me, theres no place like home.
On another note the screen colors have dulled the yellow sky in this painting. Unfortunately sometimes it's hard to get completely accurate colors but it's close.
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
A friend gave me these flowers for my solo show which wraps up tomorrow. They were so beautiful I had to come home and paint them quick as natures natural course would soon take over. Before adding the polka dots the painting didn't look finished. It wasn't my original plan to add polka dots but it made all the difference.
Having a solo show was a great tool for self examination and seeing a whole room of only my paintings was an eye opener. I haven't had a solo show since my graduation show so so many years ago. The show was a good experience. I even stood and gave a talk in front of a group of people, definitely out of my comfort zone. Absolutely nervous in the extreme but the teacher in me took over and saved the day.
Still haven't figured out mailing on these larger pieces but if you're interested please email me through Daily Paintworks (click on the link to the right).
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
Click Here For More Info: $75, Image 6x6 inches, acrylic on Canson Canva Paper
There are times when I need a quiet corner and a cup of tea to escape from the crazy busyness of the world. Sometimes thats a summer morning sitting on the deck, cup of tea in hand listening to the birds or a comfy chair in the winter surrounded by a warm blanket, a favorite cup of tea and maybe a good book. Images of cups and tea pots bring back those relaxing moments. What does your refuge look like?
Going through some of my work for an upcoming show I happened upon this small painting. The piece was never posted, not sure why as I think its a nice little painting. The paper is cut to an 8x8 inch and would be nice to frame leaving the interesting edges around the painting exposed. It's fun finding these sweet little pieces tucked away and hidden. Time to bring it into the light!
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
6x8' acrylic on Ampersand Gessobord
This was a quick little exercise for me. I had fun painting with my granddaughter who was visiting someone in Sicily and shared this view of the beach from the apartment balcony. We painted together via FaceTime which works out great since she also lives in California. Sometimes technology can be wonderful, it allows us to share and create together. Other times you want to throw everything out the window. And yes, I would rather have been sitting on that balcony!
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
Love to see you, meet you and talk art! I always love to talk art.
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
My favorite artist was playing with some polka dot paintings so I was eager to try. Couldn't this be a still life in Minnie Mouse's house? All those bright colors and dots! The 50's were a great time for polka dots, they just say have fun.
This painting is varnished and ready to go!
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
Acrylic on wrapped canvas, 18x24 inches
This piece was completed awhile ago, it just needed to sit until I decided it was finished. A few tweaks were added early today before giving the painting my approval. Another experimental piece using a print making roller, palette knives then brushes making their entry at the end. I love how the abstracted forms were pulled together by some detail. The only reference used was the little farm building at the top.
The painting will be for sale in my show coming up Sept. 13th at the Rumriver 21 Step Gallery, Anoka MN. More on that later!
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
Acrylic, 10x20 inch on a wide cradled canvas.
I've been laid up with a bug for over 3 weeks while the painting waited impatiently to be completed. The canvas sat around in my studio for several years waiting for the perfect subject matter. Seems I'm stuck on birds lately having painted three different crow paintings in a row. I love birds and have made our yard bird friendly in order to watch their antics along with the squirrels. A photo reference from pixabay.com inspired me for this piece but needed some editing to fit the canvas and work out other issues. I edited the photo quite a bit pumping up the colors, adding the fun decorative details like stripes and checkers. One of the end chickens faced looking out of the picture, flipping it to face the other chickens made a better composition.
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
Crow #4. I painted this piece without the ribbon and felt something was missing. Doing a little research I discovered some interesting stories about crows sometimes leaving gifts for people who feed them. Although those gifts are probably more like rocks or shells the ribbon made a better composition especially with the addition of the red. And who knows crows are fascinating creatures who can surprise us, even with a red ribbon.
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
Crow painting #3. Using a palette knife is new for me, the process and textures are amazing. Also it was a lot of fun experimenting with the background colors on this piece, just doing whatever in the moment. Even though crows seem to be basically black there is much more color in their feathers than you think.
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
This started out as a landscape only and was painted a while back. Although I liked the painting it needed something to finish so it sat and sat. I thought maybe a cow in the field but that didn't feel right. Eventually other things grabbed my attention, holidays came and went then someone commissioned me to do a crow. The light bulb went off and the crows ended up being the perfect something. Did you know that a group of crows is called a murder of crows? I think it might have to do with superstitions but check it out.
I use professional heavy body acrylics and Ampersand gessobord is an acid free museum series panel.
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
Click Here For Info: $135, 8x8 inches, acrylic on Ampersand gessobord
I stumbled across this painting the other day which I never posted because in my opinion wasn't good enough. It brought back memories of my awesome artist friend, teacher and mentor Paul Boecher who we recently lost. He was always a source of encouragement and inspiration with that "you can do it" spirit, and the first artist who encouraged me to paint plein air (outdoors). My heart is full with many memories of sitting next to him on the bank of a river. Thank you Paul for the confidence to say this painting is good enough.
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
Studio Pintura is in the warehouse district: 1500 Jackson St NE, Ste 294, Minneapolis MN
Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©
