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  

Island Escape

 

Inspired by my daughter and her husband's recent trip to Hawaii along with their brilliant blue sunglasses!  My daughter swam with the dolphins, sea turtles and manta rays, she's always been the bold and adventurous one.  So playing with this new mixed media technique I wanted to capture their story.  If you look you will find some sea turtles and a few dolphins.  

Funny thing is, my daughter didn't even recognize herself in this painting even though every photo she shared of her trip showed her in these brilliant blue sunglasses, big hat and colorful scarf.  Plus the sea turtles and dolphins, really?  She laughed when I pointed it out.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright

Peace Among Thorns

 

I've been trying some of artist Karen Knutson's techniques to bring new life and inspiration to my paintings.  I feel like there is another inner artist in me begging to get out and explore.  This voice has been hollering at me for awhile so I better listen.  Where will this journey take me?  Will I be able to give myself permission for complete freedom before scurrying back to my comfort zone?  Will I ever be comfortable with abstract compositions?  Will my inner voice find peace?

The bird house is from one of my drawing classes and where I gave the students the option to add a bird.  One of the students added the bird in front of the birdhouse and it inspired me to create the design for this painting (my drawing had the bird on the fence behind the birdhouse).  So thanks Joan!  I'm always getting inspiration from other artists ideas.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright

Sunflower Elephant Walk

 

Click Here For More Information:  $250, 9x12 inches, acrylic on linen panel

These were Mothers Day sunflowers I received from my daughter and her husband.  There were 15 sunflowers in all and they were too wonderful not to paint.  They were painted from life not a photo, I'm just late posting them.  Maybe I went a little crazy with the stripes but it makes the sunflowers vibrate (and I love stripes).  The elephant is a little bit of added whimsy. 

I'm taking some time to garden and do some experimental painting with inspiration from artist Karen Knutson.  I will probably add some mixed media into the process and see where it takes me.  

Enjoy your summer!  My crabapple trees were beautiful this spring, now the lilacs are blooming and soon the peonies which are heavy with buds.  The air is alive with bird songs and my toes are finally free to wiggle in the warm weather.  Ah summer!  

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright  

Birdhouse Drawing and Student Work

 

This was the last project my spring drawing class worked on and it was challenging.  I gave the class the option of adding a bird as the photo reference of the birdhouse didn't have one.  Imagination and freedom to add, take away and include expression are important tools for making a work of art your own.  It's funny how allowing ourselves freedom to explore and imagine is hard to learn for a lot of people, me included.  

I love to see how different students handle the same subject matter, as you will see in the butterfly drawings below they are all unique and different in their own way.

Deborah A. Kirkeeide copyright

All work copyrighted by the individual artist 

 

  

Butterfly Drawing

 

My drawing class worked on this butterfly drawing last week.  This was an exercise working on a gray toned paper with white colored pencil.  I decided it might be fun to add some violet and purple pencil along with the white which worked out well for this photo reference.  I like to include at least one drawing on toned paper with white pencil to get students to think outside the box.  Our last drawing will be a birdhouse on gray toned paper with white pencil.  I will be posting that drawing soon along with some student work.

Last week my paints came out due to receiving some beautiful and amazing sunflowers for Mother's Day from my daughter and her husband.  I had an entire bunch of sunflowers to work with, 15 to be exact.  It took me a couple of hours just to set up the still life.  If you have any hope of getting a good painting then you have to start with a good composition.  Anyway I'll be posting that painting soon.

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright

Potted Pansy

 

This is one of the simpler drawings my virtual class worked on last week.   This was an example of working smaller than the reference photo using comparative measuring to capture the correct proportions. Even though this is simpler subject matter, one object with no background, it can still take a bit of time.  Comparative measuring is a tool that takes time and practice to get comfortable with but really important for proportions.

Tomorrow we finish the watering can drawing and move on to a butterfly on toned paper with white colored pencil.  Soon I will post that drawing!  

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide copyright