An Acrylic Painting of Eagles

"Tag Team"

12" x 12"

acrylic on wrapped canvas

This one's photo turned out too light on this blog - 

I am not going to change it, 

because how it looks

in PS 'is how it looks', but it
is a little darker.

Loved painting this one - I could hear the wind rustling through the tree

branches - of course the wind outside right now, kept that

sound fresh in my mind.

It is painted around the edges...no frame.

See last post for the story behind this painting.

An Acrylic Work in Progress

(iPad photo) There are many 'streaming' sites this spring with cameras aimed 

at mating pairs of eagles and their nests.

Pittsburgh, Berry College in Georgia, 

and Davenport/Alcoa, Iowa to name a few.  

I like to join in the viewing at the Decorah Eagles webcam in Iowa -

 they just had some hatchlings arrive.  You can view them HERE.

Today I started this acrylic painting of a pair of eagles tending to their nest

way up in the tree from several years ago.

Again, it has been in the to-do pile forever.

Finally found some inspiration - and know that - you too, can find

new inspiration just by changing your medium from time to time.

I usually find acrylics frustrating and I am not sure why because there

couldn't be any more vibrant color coming out of those tubes.  I have

recently dove into many books and blog pages of acrylic pros

and found a new way to look at it. Anyway, I am OK with acrylics, 

as long as it continues to work out.

I think my MUSE was with me today.

Check back in a few days for the finished painting,

and as always thanks for visiting!

A Pastel of Cottonwood Trees in Spring

"Cottonwoods in Spring"

18" x 13"

Took many photos on my recent trip to Colorado..on my way home, 

I noticed how the Cottonwoods along the waterways were starting to bud.

I took them a step further to show more budding than the camera captured.  

I loved seeing that hint of yellow and light green 

amongst the dark and dreary gray skeletons.

Colorado skies are SO blue - had to capture that as well!

3 Entries for a Miniature ART Show

Prairie Winds Art Gallery in Grand Island, NE. is having their annual

Miniature Art Show - the deadline was coming up fast. 

The requirements are nothing painted is to be larger than 5" x 5" or 25 square inches

and living things have to be 1/6th their size or smaller, 

so for instance if a head is 9", the image you paint cannot exceed 1 1/2 inches.

Today, I painted #3 (and that was after three complete fails 

of other subjects - hard to paint small for me) - 

took it's photo above before I was really done

and next thing I knew, it was done and in the frame.

I did not take that moment to photograph it.

I DID some more work in the bottom right quadrant

the grass was connected and had a more finished look 

on the final look over.

Once behind glass and mounted in mat board, 

I just don't take them

back apart.

First painting is my daughter - done from a photo - 

wrapped in her winter warmth with a great

lens flare over her shoulder, 

I think it will be titled "Sun Flare". 

Second one is the puppy I did last week, and thought I would do a better one, but

I the next one I did, was NOT a better one, so this one makes it to

the frame.  I can live with that, I varnished it...it seemed to make the

surface better.  It will be titled "Surveillance". 

Third one - is one I have had on the 'to-do pile'

for a very long time.  It finally made it to 

the surface and it will be titled "Hidden".

Watercolor, all around.  I am really starting to love it.

I have done nothing but watercolor for the last six paintings or so

 not counting

the ones that went in the 'round file'. 

Oh ya, and the ONE 'pencil' from the last post.

I have so many pigment choices to mix from today, 

I used my old $1.25 

watercolor set

from a hundred years ago - amongst others.

Off they go, along with 2 commissioned pieces to their owners -  this week.

Next week, I deliver my art to the MAPS show in Topeka.

No more shows for now - they take too much time.  I need studio time - just for painting

and ONLY painting.

Today I had help - I do every day, but today seemed to be 

one of 'help - like it or not'...I have such sweet 'studio kittens'.

An Artwork in Pencil

"Float Trip"

5" x 5"

graphite and colored pencil on Omni

Pencil - don't do it enough, thought it was time for one, or two, or who knows?

Here it is in a frame

An Invitation - for YOU~!!

Opening Reception is May 2nd, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. prizes at 7:00 p.m.

Southwind Art Gallery is at 3074 SW 29th St., Topeka, Kansas 66614

M-F 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Juried by Cally Krallman.

I have two pieces accepted into this show - come see me!

Watercolor Sketch

My neighbor's foster puppy, Chance, 

is sitting at the top of the stairs to our deck

when we lived in the mountains.

A watercolor sketch today - practice for a more finished one...

but the plan worked out.

I just need to paint it on actual watercolor paper, 

not the back of matboard.

The tricky part of the scene was the deck and 

the stair railings, now I know what I am 

up against on those.

My perspective is a little off and I am feeling

where to adjust it

Need to move him over, as I ran out of room for 

his great long tail.

Note to self: watercolor doesn't work very well on matboard, it soaks into the fiber

right away and will not spread with water.