DAY 31 - the Finale Poster of Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days for Jan. 2017

As you may have noticed in my sidebar are OTHER seasons and years of 

"Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days"

Here is this years poster.

I would be remiss in stating that I have LOVED every minute of it.

When one stands back and looks at the breadth and depth of an

undertaking like this, it blows you away.

The very best part of looking at these posters collectively

is to notice the growth and change that has occurred over 

time.  This year, I wanted to just paint, but got caught up

in painting more floral paintings then I ever have.

Along with landscapes, florals have not always been 

very comfortable to me.

But now they are much more welcomed.

I have my favorites (there are 3 or 4) they pop right out at me on the poster.

There are others that make me cringe to add them to the mix.

It's hard for me to paint something in one day although it didn't

used to bother me - I find

I wanted to have just one more day to finalize and develop a piece

on some of these.

but then the spontaneity and freshness would have surely failed.

As a whole, I am pleased with my efforts...I know what I have 

learned - mostly - I continue to pull my subject matter

up into the light and give it more color. I am more confident

at color mixing and using acrylic paint as a medium.

But my very kindred medium is still OIL paint.

One of my pushes was to LOOSEN up more on the 

brushstrokes to not be so exacting and precise

in my depictions (it has always been that) to be more painterly..

and I think I achieved that

where it was wanted.

A final note of thanks to those who regularly visited and 

left encouragement and supportive comments.

It was nice to have the company with this

undertaking..I have enjoyed seeing your

paintings and reading about your efforts.

DAY 30 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Pye)

"Auspicious Art Critic"

6" x 6"

oil on birch panel

YAY!!  I did it!!!  Another year of January 30 in 30 painting!

I wish to thank all my friends, my blogger friends, my painting friends, 

my daughter and my husband for their support!!

AND...this little sweet girl. Most of the time, she (as you may have read)

makes her presence known by sitting in a box

on a desk

just behind where I work.

It's always comforting to know that there are a 

pair of eyes, watching my every move,

in case I need some help!

Her name is Pyewacket, PYE for short.

She is a rescue kitten..who stumbled on my property

as a wee little thing, on a very cooold November night.

I have never figured out exactly where she and

her sister came from.  But it's not important.

What is important is that they enrich

life in the studio..they keep us full

in LOVE from cats,

and make great models for occasional

pet portraits.

DAY 29 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (#29)

"Number 29"

10" x 10"

oil on Raymar canvasboard

OK, I have to admit, I have run out of creative ideas on

titles for today.

This one turned into a paint fling after awhile.

It was 'OH so tight and precise'..not what 

I wanted at all..

so I conjoured up

my previous many sessions of learning - ala 'Kaye Franklin' -

and was very pleased with the outcome.

Too bad it didn't start that way, could have

decreased the angst through the afternoon.

Anyway, there are so many things calling to me from

all angles to be done or 'get to it' around the farmstead..I need

to be done for a few days..tomorrow is NUMBER 30!!

DAY 28 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Muscari/Tulips)

 

"Haley's Comet and Muscari"

12" x 12"

oil on wrapped canvas

  As I started today, I anticipated taking 'go along'

photos, got a few, then completely got

lost in the venture of painting

these tulips and grape hyacinth.

Here are a few at the beginning...

 

Discovered I needed to take out that 'blocked in' color

of the sky, it dulled down or mudded the sky

color as you can see in the next one..wipe, wipe...

 

 I got really excited about the muscari - they were what

kept me going on this one.

ONLY 2 more - I hope I am ready to slow it down now.

DAY 27 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Hen)

 

"Chickenator at the DMV"

5" x 7"

oil on canvasboard

Have you ever had one of those driver's license 

photos taken where you

look like you are a 'deer in the headlights'?

I have - and looking at this source photo of

my Banty hen, Chickenator, I imagined she

was taking her driver's license photo

and that happened to her, as well.

DAY 27 !!  Whoot!!

DAY 26 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Reptile)

"Iguana Make America Great Again"

8" x 8"

watercolor on coffee stained Strathmore MIXED media paper
source photo credit to SCARLETT!!

Zip and zip - I should paint more reptilians..they are

easy, colorful and fast!

Couldn't resist the pun today.

ONWARD!!!

(truth be told, this is actually a Komodo Dragon, I have
been corrected - but I like the title)

DAY 25 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Jennys)

 

"Jennets"

8" x 10"

oil on wrapped canvas

Couldn't pass up the paint left on the palette from

yesterday..these Jennys were at the Litchfield Wild Horse

and Burro Sanctuary in Ca. too!

They had them separated - those that were DUE to foal and

those that already had.

The babies were so very cute, but of course, couldn't

get a very good shot, even with my long range lens, they 

were kept by their moms SO far away.

Also noticed by the time I took the burro photos, 

it was high noonish, the sun was SO bright and

definitely added some colors to those browns.

These two were in the 'soon-to-be Mommas' paddock.

They were so mellow.

Very at ease with my being there. 

This is one of those I will revisit or

do over some day when it is dry.

The paint on the one in the back is so 

thick and wet, no chance for a change

right now.

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DAY 24 - Painting 3- Paintings in 30 Days (Mustangs)

"Litchfield Homies"

9" x 12"

oil on canvasboard

This is the 9 x 12, I was going to try yesterday.

Glad I waited a day, because I knew yesterday

I didn't have the time.

I love the colors...I planned carefully on that one.

I knew I needed to mix a lot of pigment to get those

different brown and red tones.

These two wild stallions in the painting,  came over to me

this past spring while we 

were visiting the BLM Wild Horse Facility 

near Litchfield, CA.  

They were the only two of the 3 to 4

who were inquisitive

enough (or maybe just more on the 'tamer side') to come closer

to see what I was doing.

I knew right then that they would be painted within the year.

LOVE IT!

DAY 23 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Daylily and Roses fix)

"Daylily"

8" x 10"

oil on wrapped canvas

Today would have been a complete bust, and I wouldn't

have painted had it not been for my husband

who is truly an encourager sent from above.

I spent the morning - varnishing some works that are going "bye bye".

I got my substrates ready for today and tomorrow with

some Quinacridone Azo Nickel Gold acrylic undertone.

Then, I wanted to go to a faraway town for Mexican food.

So we went and THEN we spent too long out and about.

By 3:30 I was still muddling over what to paint - as

it was going to be a 9" x 12", then I lost my 

momentum and decided on something smaller

than I had originally planned. Again, I would have

walked away from the studio at this point,

but was nudged back into my challenge mode.

THEN - - - -  it didn't work..I don't seem to have the colors to mix

that crazy magenta-y pink I see in this Daylily.

It is, what it IS.

I also fixed a previous painting this morning..which had

too much paint on it the other day, and I just couldn't

bring up enough contrast.

It was dry enough today to do that.

Sometimes a few more added brushstrokes and a lighter color

can move a 'meh' painting into something

more to my liking.

Ready to be done with 30 in 30.  Harder and harder to paint everyday this go round.

My heart is just NOT into it.

DAY 22 - Painting 3 Paintings in 30 Days (Dahlias)

"Variety Show"

5" x 7"

pastel on pumiced gatorboard

If you think these paintings just roll off my brush or pastel

each of these days, think again.

Today was the ultimate frustration day.

It began with dragging out some blocked in

dog paintings..that I thought I would retackle

and try to finish.  They were started in acrylic

but I was going to continue in oil..no sweat.

Come to find out, my style has changed SO much in the past

couple of years since I started them

they just didn't happen.

I wiped off the oil, went back to acrylic

only to waste more time.

So put them away...will probably never go back to them.

The verdict is - too small of figures to do it justice, I paint

with bigger brush strokes, not tiny ones anymore.

In the meantime, I took a couple hours out around lunch

to make a homemade gluten free pizza.

It turned out super!

Wanted to watch the playoff game too.

Listened on Sirius radio for awhile, but I

didn't like the announcers take on the game

so turned it off.

This pastel of dahlias is a 'hit or miss' at best.

Chalk it up to DONE ~ as number 22.

(can I count the other two paintings I was working

on most of the day?)

Tomorrow I will get an earlier start.

DAY 21 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Chi)

"Practicing MAX"

6" x 8"

pastel on pumiced gatorboard

This was intended to be for practicing for

a more complete piece.

Really like the color and the feel.

 This one is happily going to the Max's owner

and it isn't that I won't attempt MORE of Max

at a later time - he is a cutie.

DAY 20 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Arrangem)

"Rocky Mountain Arrangement"

acrylic on 6" x 6" canvasboard

Today it was forever....seemed like... 

painting along, not liking the outcome ~

too tight, too unreadable, so I decided to

take it a step further and make it JUST readable

and LET IT GO!

.

The brushes and paint started flying and

the end result was 'MUCH MO bettah'

then what was originally happening.

Too tight?

Just stand back and fling paint.

Love it! - DAY 20!!!

DAY 19 - Painting 30 Paintings in 20 Days (Deer)

"Deer One"

8" x 10"

acrylic on wrapped canvas

  OK, had to try this format again.

I liked the outcome of Day 18 so decided to switch

the background with the outline color.

I think maybe the background could have been a little lighter

in value, but hey - this is what the challenge is somewhat

 all about, some time to seriously experiment with ideas.

This one reminds me of the Pop Art era.

DAY 18 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Lucy)

"Party Girl"

SOLD

8" x 10"

acrylic on stretched canvas

The model for this is Lucy (a 'round about' member

of the family).

Lots of fun, love that oxide with the blue red mixture of purple.

DAY 17 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Zinnia)

"Zinnia"

6" x 6"

acrylic on canvasboard

Nature, as far as flowers go, is pretty symmetrical. It would

have taken me longer than a day

to get the symmetry of this flower more to my satisfaction.

I am not big on 'blending' and 'glazing' acrylics either.

I tend to treat them more like I do oils, painterly and quick.

Here's what this one looks like pedestaled on a

small metal easel.

Thanks again to my floral designer daughter for the great photo!

Available for purchase right away.

Email me if interested.

DAY 16 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Downy)

"Downy"

6" x 6"

oil on birch panel

This little guy lives in the hood, and visits quite a lot

either seed or suet, he is a big eater and

very sassy to the other locals

DAY 15 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Fish)

"Lion Fish"

12" x 12"

oil on 1 1/2" canvas, needs no frame

as it will be painted around the edge

I love this size - it's doable if you have the right subject in a 4 - 5 hour stretch

and if you are confidently slinging paint.  

Today - I was.

Painted from my granddaughter Scarlett's photo - from the Denver Zoo.

I seem to be attracted to blue and orange this month.

[[[[[[Great compliments]]]]]]

This painting is available for sale, and can be shipped once it's dry.

That may be a few weeks.

If interested, contact me please.

DAY 14 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Trees)

 

"Bare Trees"

acrylic and marker on canvasboard

each 5" x 7"

Can be framed together or separately 

for side by side

display as a diptych.

Another frustrating day - my plan for this one

went out the window...so

it is what was left after 

an attempt at several 

different colors and

backgrounds.

What is nice about acrylic paints

is you can start over on top

of what you already did.

Makes for many layers of paint.

Almost half way.

DAY 13 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Yupo)

"Floral Crown"

8" x 10"

watercolor, marker and pencil on YUPO

Good/bad time to try something new.  I purchased 

some YUPO paper several months ago and

wondered if I had the time this afternoon

to experiment with it and get something

worth posting that is not what I usually have done 

with YUPO before.

I experimented and found

it's a bigger learning curve

than I originally thought.

Once down, you have to leave the watercolor alone, 

If you go back, you just about take the pigment back out.

The surface is really slick and NON absorbent,

so the medium just sits atop - puddling and pooling.

I have tried it with alcohol inks, just dropping the ink

and letting it bleed into different colors.

Lots of fun, but trying to control it

is a real task.

Didn't leave enough time to play with it 

anymore, had to call it done.

This is PAR for Friday the 13th.

DAY 12 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Woods)

"Path Into the Woods"

6" x 6"

acrylic on Raymar canvasboard

Quickly done today, very overcast afternoon causes 

photo to not come out to my liking.

Today's activities kept me from the easel

til later - oh well.

NUMBER 12!

DAY 11 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Tortoise)

"Surfacing for Supper"

6" x 8"

pastel on pumice treated gatorboard

There are lots of animals hardly ever seen in

paintings, and I believe this is one of them.

Kudos to my grandaughter for the great photo I used.

She took it at the Denver Zoo.

Available for purchase, just email me.

DAY 10 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Cafe Olè)

"Petal Power"

(Cafe Olè Dahlia)

5" x 7"

acrylic on Raymar canvasboard

(palette of red, yellow, blue and white only)

Switched mediums for a bit, to see if I could get

a better value stretch in my subject -

and I did!

"Where flowers bloom so does hope."

Lady Bird Johnson

(Appropriate sentiment for the day.)

This one is ready for shipping.

If interested please email me and

we can discuss further.

DAY 9 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Milva)

"Among the Milva Roses"

8" x 8"

oil on Raymar canvasboard

Again, a photo from my florist daughter helped me 

get today's painting going.

Other flowers here are delphinium, thistle (my new fave

when floral painting), silver dollar eucalyptus and white ginestra.

I am getting a lesson in flower ID, at the same time I am painting.

The day got late when I needed to 'final photo' this,

the north light was gone, which I really rely on.

So I bumped up the brightness on this one a little in Photoshop,

Your and my monitors may be a bit different, too.

This one is available, I never intended to market these until

the 30 days were done, but it's happening anyway.

Please email me if interested.

Drying time needed.

DAY 8 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Cactus)

"Prickly Pear"

6" x 6"

oil paint on wood veneer

Arizona has so many species of cacti. I guess my favorite, 

because of it's shape, is the Prickly Pear kind.

There are several varieties of them.

I found these along the Salt River from Mesa up to Pinetop.

Someone had even carved their initials

into one.  So sad.  I left that out.

DAY 7 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Sunflower)

"Sunflower with Thistle and Privet Berries"

12" x 12"

oil on 2" wrapped canvas

SOLD

This one happened SO fast.  Painted from

one of the many great source photos

provided by my florist daughter in

Fort Collins.   She makes 

the prettiest arrangements!

Thanks for sharing Jess.

Loved this one!

DAY 6 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Sparrow)

"Passerby"

6" x 6"

oil on birch panel

It is so cold here, this little bird was so puffed up

and waiting his turn at the bird feeder.   We go through a 'pitcher'-size of 

wild bird seed each day.

The sparrows have found it to be a very

competitive activity with the local rabbits

and squirrels.  

And there seems to be a kazillion sparrows right now,

well fed, I must say.

DAY 5 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Barn)

"Still Here"

6" x 6"

oil on birch panel

This one is small and it drove me nuts today.  The source

photo was taken of an old barn in Wisconsin - 

on a dreary grey day, but I changed it to 

a blue sky, then I had the values all wrong almost throughout the

piece.  Eventually, I just started mixing it up and slinging paint - if that 

what you call it on a tiny painting..but it felt like it.

Ended up with heavy thick paint, which shines in the photo.

Available for purchase, just email me.

Just an FYI - still wet - so it will be awhile to get it 

posted for sale or able to ship.

DAY 4 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Poose)

"Poose"

6" x 8"

pastel on pumiced gatorboard

This year has not only been a sad time for the passing of

my Dad and my daughter's grandfather, but about a week before

Dad, my daughter's family cat had to be put down.

We miss him, as he was one of the nicest and 

sweetest pussy cats in 

our lives.  He was a big kitty

with lots of colors and stripes..a challenge to

paint, but it was easier since I knew him.

His name was Bili.

Check out more 30 in 30's - see the link in my sidebar.

NFS

Day 3 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Rooster)

"Patriarch"

9" x 12"

oil on Raymar canvasboard

SOLD

When this Banty was a little chick, I was sure it was a hen

because it was so darned pretty, so I named it 'Queenie'.

It grew up to be our sassy, ditzy rooster.

He is small, but mighty in his crow.

When the wind blows, his tail feathers 

sway to and fro with the breeze.

DAY 2 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days (Iris)

'Iris'

8" x 10"

oil on wrapped canvas

SOLD

I have lovely purple iris that bloom in Spring in 

a couple of flower beds.  I love that day when they

finally bloom.

These are some of them...catch em quick before

they shrivel.

See MORE art at Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 blog (see top of sidebar for link)

DAY 1 - Painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days - Cow

"Solar Collector"

8" x 8"

oil on panel

We often go to a favorite Mexican restaurant that is far away.  The other day while there

I noticed three young bulls chewing some cornstalk in a field right

off the parking lot.  I think they were Charolais cattle..all white and very curly and sweet.

Wait, sweet?  I really don't know, but seemed OK with the photo shoot!

Day ONE complete - check and check!!

and how did it feel to be painting again?? - A little rusty, 

but terrific!!

The link to Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 challenge is first spot on my sidebar.

This one would be available, but it fell off the drying rack and when I caught it
smearing happened.  Have to wait til I get a moment to fix it.