Restructured

 

There is a story behind this piece starting with a granddaughter and her challenge.  I've been painting with my granddaughter via FaceTime once a week for the past month as she lives on the west coast probably a 1000 miles from me.  She gave us a challenge of painting something nonrepresentational for our first piece.  The painting above is my answer to the challenge and as close as I could get.  It was a fun exploration to see how color issues could be solved.  Starting with a drawing, (picture my 21 yr old granddaughter rolling her eyes) because just throwing a bunch of paint on a canvas wasn't going to work for me.  Half way through the painting it was so, yawn, boring, I began searching for some interesting solutions.  Magazines, my fall back, helped me with color choices and textures.  I would cut out samples, lay them on the painting and photo.  Eventually it led me to the finished piece. 

Sort of half way point, it needed help.

The Drawing

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

  

Beach Dreaming

 

One of the drawings from the Virtual Winter drawing class I'm currently teaching.  The theme was travel and winter get aways.  We've been drawing, sail boats, palm trees, a still life of a smoothie in glass stemware with all the fun embellishments of a bar drink.  You have to order one of those when on vacation right?  It's been a fun journey with my twelve students.  I may post some student work later.

I'll be teaching a virtual spring drawing class beginning March 27th for eight weeks through Rumriver Art Center.  The bees will be buzzing, flowers blooming as we explore drawing methods and techniques such as line, shape, value, proportion and composition using a variety of pencils.  For more information here is a link to the class posting.

https://app.getoccasion.com/xp/MFCzB7PB

Deborah Ann Kirkeeide ©

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 ©