Odds and Ends

It amazed me - when I recently dragged out a bunch of unframed art to show a client I saw a blatant need for some do-overs and correcting on some of my paintings - starting with this one - which I think was a little photoshopped to make it look better when I finished it the first time. Glad I took it off of 'selling sites'as it was really tweaked from what it actually looked like - that just happens sometimes. 

The background in this original painting was about the same value as the flowers and leaves, the reds didn't seem to pop as much as they do in the photo above and there seemed to be no contrast,

so I added some lighter background today.

"Hollyhocks"

I liked the first one, but when you looked at it, it all seemed like a dark jungle.

I like it better now, I don't know that this photo does it justice.

I also tackled the wrapped edges of three larger paintings, that I never had dealt with before - as the surfaces were so wet with oil paint when I finished them.  It's a little tricky matching the same color on the sky or a field surface, for instance, for a wrap around 

but I am liking how they turned out.  

Now for sale at my Etsy shop

Click HERE.

SOLD

Pastels Galore

"Sunset Clouds"

5 1/2" x 7 1/2"

pastel on Kitty Wallis 

Belgian Mist

FINISHED

ON TO More..

"Colorado Highway 10 to Walsenburg"

5 1/2" x 7 1/2"

pastel on Kitty Wallis

Belgian Mist

Started today...

Work In Progress

I have tried a portrait from this same photo before - in watercolor  - wasn't very successful with it.  This one is pastel. My dogs are on the couch in the RV..with this incredible late afternoon light coming through the window. Although I usually work dark to light as in oil painting, I put down some of the light as a reminder - so I can 'make it happen' the way I want it. There are no rules these days, just what I feel.  

Animal and people eyes always go in right away..placement is key.

Because it is a complex scene - with the blanket folds and legs and head placements, I started with a center point vertically and horizontally...a crosshair -  if you would.

Stay tuned - I will try to get a camera shot each time I am at the easel on this one.

Clouds - Pastel - WIP

There is a special Moonlight Madness sale in a nearby town each year - Downs, Kansas . In addition to the sale, local merchants host several fine artists who set-up displays of their paintings in hosting storefronts and are encouraged to demonstrate their art.  There was a Halloween party for kids at the Community Center, and a Bake Sale on the street.  I set-up in a store called 'Timeless Treasures' - a really outstanding used furniture and collectibles store on Morgan Ave.  I took my pastels along and started this 'clouds' pastel on Wallis sandpaper.  It rained, but there were shoppers.  All in all, glad I attended.  Lots of interest, got to see several art friends I hadn't seen in a long while and a couple of sales - which is always good!!

The first layer of this painting is almost there...onto more layers - coming soon.

Show Announcement

Vacancy - a new oil on canvas

"Vacancy"

6" x 6"

oil on wrapped canvas

This one is painted around the sides - ergo - no frame needed.

There are so many of these falling down farmhouses in the area - thought I better paint a few before they are gone, gone, gone!

Sorry, I have been 'vacant' from this blog lately.  My mother-in-law who was 96, had several weeks of going down hill and passed away on Sept. 26 in New Mexico.  It had our family in a holding pattern.

We have also been remodeling a bathroom with installing a window where there wasn't one and putting in some tile for the shower stall - the plastic one just wasn't doing it for us.

Lots going on.  Lots of travel.  Nice to be back home and enjoying the fall - my favorite time of year!

Here is a photo of Bailey - the Weimaraner - enjoying the outdoors - he is really the best at 'couch potato'ing' lately.  Getting older I guess.

Thanks for checking in - even if there isn't anything new - there will be in the near future!

A Pastel of Purple Hydrangeas

"Purple Hydrangeas"

image approx. 6" x 9"

framed 9" x 12"

soft pastel on Art Spectrum (aubergine)

Several years ago, I went to Guatemala with a group of painters and Kaye Franklin.  Kaye painted the hydrangeas in the beautiful gardens at the Hotel Atitlan as an oil painting demonstration.  There wasn't enough time for us to paint them, however, I took a lot of photos, never thinking I would paint them someday.  Just goes to show you, you just never know.

I think that is why so many artists collect things, save a tremendous amount of photos and have lots of art supplies, because "YOU JUST NEVER KNOW - 

when that photo or art material or item will inspire you to paint it!"

This is the mat and frame added today.

A Pastel of Sunflowers

"Illumine"

9 x 12

pastel on Art Spectrum

Both my daughter and step-daughter are
 'floral designers'.
This pastel is done from a photo that my step-daughter shared with me.
She recently relocated from Denver to Boston
and bought these pretty sunflowers to help begin furnishing and decorating her flat in Boston -
looks as though it would feel pretty good with these 'big guys' smiling on the windowsill.
I like the feel of the Art Spectrum paper which I mounted on a piece of matboard.