Beach scene exercise

 

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 ©

Earthscape

 

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 ©

Country Road

 

Click Here For More Info:  $135, 8x8 inches, acrylic on Ampersand gessobord

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 ©

Rum River Reflections

 

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 ©

Harbor Of Expectations

 

20x20 inches, acrylic on stretched canvas.  This started as another exercise in abstraction and just turned into something, well a little different.  I've longed to travel to faraway places, my dream Italy, so the imagination kicked in with the help of a few photo references.  The houses and the boats were separate images from pixabay.com, the rest was pure imagination and wishful thinking.  I imagine olive trees, vineyards, red roofs, narrow cobblestone roads and a coastline dotted with sails.  It's a happy painting, makes me smile to know what's waiting for me........and you.  The plans are in the works!

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

St. Croix Trail

 

Acrylic 12x12 inches, painted on a DaVinci cradled pro panel, a new panel for me.

This is painted using my photo reference from a favorite place to hike on the Wisconsin Minnesota border along the St. Croix river.  Tall cliffs, huge rocks and wonderful trails.  You can sit on the cliffs and watch the old time paddle boats go by filled with vacationers.  Great memories here with children and grandchildren.  I gifted this painting to my grandson for his recent wedding.

The panel is super smooth, no texture and the paint slips and slides along the surface letting the paint flow.  It almost felt like working with oil again.  And I'm trying some new brushes, Catalyst by Princeton Flats, they hold more paint and again more flow.  Loving them!  Always good to try new things because you never know what you might be missing. Thanks to Acrylic University for valuable tips and information.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Winter's Glow

 

Click Here For More Info:  $100, 8x8 inches, Acrylic on canvas panel

This photo reference was used in one of my drawing classes and it was always my goal to paint it someday.  So it's off my to do list which I don't always accomplish, my to do list is way too long.  Capturing light is always a fascinating subject.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide © 

The Yellow House

 This is a little 6x8" original acrylic painting on Ampersand gesso board that I finished recently.  I used a great photo reference from pixabay.com.  The orangish color is actually more of a pinky orange, funny how some colors don't translate very well but I love the captured light.  What a grand adventure it would be to visit this place and paint.  

In May when I get my Daily Paintworks gallery up and running, I will post this for sale.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Cottage painting

 

Painting #2 from my Acrylic University class homework.  This was a practice painting from a black & white photo adding your own color renditions.  It was an exercise seeing values and translating them to color.  Super good exercise.  Notice it's the same subject matter in my Cottage drawing I posted below.  Photo reference from pixabay.com.  I'm deliberating on lighting the sky. ?

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Acrylic Mini Challenge #2

 

My second Acrylic mini challenge from my virtual class through Acrylic University.  The most challenging part of this painting were the rocks in the foreground.  Finally the realization was variety, they needed more variety in values.  Again the colors are much more interesting than the photo reference.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

Cottage Drawing

 

Graphite pencils on mixed media paper, photo reference from pixabay.com.  I'm continuing to work on drawings for my upcoming virtual spring drawing class.  This will be an exercise in using textures.  I always have to work through my drawing ideas to make sure they will work for class projects.  I'm looking forward to this exercise, it was super fun.

https://rumriverart.com/classes/senior-classes/

The class will probably be posted in February but here is a link.  Check out some of their other classes.  Also the link indicates these are Vitality Senior classes but anyone can register aged 12 or older.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

 My Daily Paintworks Gallery is temporarily closed!  I plan to open again in the spring.  

Acrylic Mini Challenge

 

This is my first mini challenge painting through Acrylic University.  Why a class?  First of all I needed something to get me back painting again, second, I want to loosen up, third to capture light through imagination.  The painting is a huge leap from the original photo image where there was no orange.  This is a real challenge for me as I've always tried to stay true to the photo references.  I'm hoping this will give me new ideas and freedom to explore imaginative light AND get me painting again.  This challenge is for 52 weeks so I will be posting more....hopefully.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide © 

My Daily Paintworks Gallery is temporarily closed!  I plan to open again in the spring.  

Waiting For A Breeze

 

Click Here For More Info:  $250, 8x10 inches, acrylic on 1/8" Ampersand Gessobord

Passing through pixabay.com this photo reference caught my eye.  Those long stems created all this lovely negative space which is so fun to paint.  Crazy the things that inspire me, and you, others may pass by this same photo and not give it a second glance.  Although these dandy's make a fun painting, a single breeze however will release thousands of seeds looking for a nice watered lawn.

I use professional acrylic paints in all my acrylic paintings for permanence and longevity.  Ampersand Gessobord has a professional quality acid-free acrylic ground on a wood museum series panel.

Deborah A. 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 ©

Yard Art

 

Click Here For More Information:  6x9 inches, watercolor

Yesterday I painted with my plein air group, painting on location at a friends house using my watercolors.  I haven't played with watercolors for probably two years so it was nice getting them out.  The negative spaces of this white painted bike against the green foliage inspired me.  I love negative space, which is the space around the subject matter, it can also include spaces within like the space within the wheels.  Lots of my plein air experiences don't turn out but I feel good about this little painting.

Paintings are sold unframed.  This painting could be cropped to a standard size of 6x8 inches and with a two inch mat would fit an 8x10 frame.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright  

Color Book Road

 

Click Here For More Info: $100, 6x8 inches, Acrylic on canvas panel

Landscapes have always been uninspiring so I'm giving myself the freedom to explore color and incorporate imagination.  Some of the changes made to the original photo reference:  I continued the road up the hill, added the tiny house, incorporated orange and pumped the color.  Perhaps the color captures the excitement of freedom to travel soon after a year of isolation.  Or maybe I just like color.

I experimented with other variations before settling on the final above incorporating more blues and purples.  I started with the acrylic sketch on the right. 

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright

Bluewater Refuge

 

Click Here For More Information - 8x8 inches, acrylic on 1/8" Ampersand Gessobord

I keep looking for photo references that inspire me and I've been finding some fun ones on Pixabay.  The photographer did a great job capturing the light, plus it had an umbrella!  It was a challenge doing the water so Photoshop Elements helped break it down.  I had some trouble with values on this painting, not sure why but adjustments were made and it's better. 

My fall virtual drawing class wrapped up last week, a new one will start hopefully in January.  I love teaching, sometimes I think maybe that should have been my career choice and so thankful that Rumriver Art Center in Anoka gave me the opportunity.  In college I was young and full of dreams not making the best choices but I'm learning it's never to late plus I still get to paint!  Maybe there will be some future postings of my students drawings.

My acrylic paintings are protected by an acrylic satin varnish and I use professional acrylic paints: Winsor Newton, Liquitex and Utrecht.  The Ampersand gessobord's are 1/8" thickness, a museum series panel which are acid free, archival.  All my paintings are signed, dated with the paintings information on the back.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright

 

Hangin At The Farm

 

Click Here For More Information - 8x8 inches, Acrylic on Ampersand Gessobord

This is the second painting in my "Hangin" series.  There's a lot of nostalgia with images of clotheslines, I believe that's what drew me in, just a bit of remembering my childhood and happy times.  Its nice to have a safe haven to return to during these uncertain days of the pandemic, riots and elections.  This is a Pixabay image cropped and painted on black gesso.  

My acrylic paintings are protected by an acrylic satin varnish and I use professional acrylic paints: Winsor Newton, Liquitex and Utrecht.  The Ampersand gessobord's are a museum series panel which are acid free, archival.  All my paintings are signed, dated with the paintings information on the back.

Thanks for visiting.  The COVID is not gone yet so stay safe.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright 

 

Rum River Reflections

Click Here To Buy It Now - $100, Acrylic on Museum gessobord panel

Painted on location, this is a typical Minnesota summer scene, you know land of 10,000 lakes and who knows how many rivers.  It's all about the water here in the summer so I loved the pontoon sitting at the dock waiting for a fun cruise.  It was an overcast day but the reflections in the water were great.

Due to the limitation and inconsistencies of various display monitors, the colors you see on your screen may not be a totally accurate reproduction of the actual painting.


(c) Deborah Ann Kirkeeide

Crossing The Headwaters

Not For Sale - Acrylic on gessobord, 8x10 inches

I painted this for my Grandson who is walking across the headwaters of the Mississippi with his Grampa.  Fun day, great memories!  He's 18 now and in the army, it's true how time flies!

Due to the limitation and inconsistencies of various display monitors, the colors you see on your screen may not be a totally accurate reproduction of the actual painting.


(c) Deborah Ann Kirkeeide