A CELEBRATION of 30 Days of Painting!!!

Here you have it.  You can look at my last year's "30 in 30" HERE.

It's good, for me, to see I have grown over the year

in my techniques, my color mixing, my energy at the task,

and the complexity of my subject matter.

There are several here, albeit small,

I would definitely like to

re-do in on a larger surface

or even in a different

medium.

Snowing here today - cold and blowing.

Day 30 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

This post is long and winded (surprised I have any) 

but have some things I would like to share...

"Well Used and Ready for More"

9" x 12"

oil on Raymar panel

The very MOST inviting space I know!  Finally

we are done with the challenge and I made it!!

Second year - I can think of no better way 

to start a year, if you are a regular painter.

It gets you right in the groove...

and 30 paintings under your belt

in just the first month of the year.  

For me, some very acceptable, some needing

more to be better.

So let's go 2014!

I am warmed up, got the kinks and the bugs out...

if I continue (at a slower pace, of course)

I think I will be painting a good bunch of 

paintings along the way.

Sure, there are gonna still be days of frustration 

and hair pulling...but I am ready.

Thanks to Leslie Saeta for hosting (again) the January event.

A few shots of the process on this one:

My source photo, taken with my Nikon D3200. Sent to my iPad

and clipped to my Sorg easel.

The following photos are taken with my iPhone.  I use all 

three devices for painting each day -

my Nikon camera, my iPad (which is such a great tool)

and my iPhone.

I painted my Raymar panel with cad orange acrylic.

Sketched in my shapes with a white charcoal pencil, 

then used a brush with dark brown to sketch

more boldly - you can see how shaky I was today.

There were very few dark darks - so I began laying

in color masses.

Starting to add more color as I go to 

give me that overall sense of

where I am going.

And as shown at the top - the finished painting.

NOT to go without mentioning, I have had LOTS

of help over the past thirty days.

Pye gets to a point where she watches, 

then plays and then watches some more,

finally jumping down, from her perch nearby,

 climbing up the back of the chair

over my shoulders to settle in my left arm, 

while I paint with my right.

She doesn't stay long, but long

enough to give lots of love, kitten kisses, hugs  and purrs.

She is such a sweetie.

Meeka is not as clingy and

is content to just watch with

an occasional stretch over 

to put her front feet on my 

apron and to look at 

me as if to say,

"I shouldn't be here, bugging you."

But I allow it all the same.

Gonna take a few days off.

Gotta get feeling better.

I think a few full day's rest is on the agenda.

Thanks for visiting.

I very much 

appreciate all of you who have left comments!!!

DAY 29 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Reading Lamp"

4 1/2" x 10 3/4"

oil on wood

I am intrigued by lamps with lightbulbs 

under those lampshades.

Not an easy one, and I 

am not sure I have done it justice.

My walls aren't this color of green, but

I liked this green better 

for this painting.

Painting for me - just me today.

This is my living room lamp with

it's reflection into a large glass over 

a print hanging there.

I like it turned on, instead of the 

bright overhead light, but

I don't like it when the 

TV is on and the drapes are closed ~

too much glare.

It is probably the most inviting sight/light in the room.

Painted under the influence of mega pharmacy meds

hands were shaky and I could NOT make a 

straight line if I had to and I tell 

myself it's a good thing.

Hey - #30 coming right up!

Day 28 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Tealwood Canoes"

6" x 8"

oil on panel

Thanks again to my generous sister-in-law T,

who supplied me with the source photo!  

You saved my life!

Speaking of life..today I ended up at the doctors

with near catastrophic illness.

Prescribed 2 antibiotics, a steroid, the nebulizer, 

cough meds, sinus meds...

it is a RAGING STORM in my head and chest.  

Lots of inflammation from the coughing

and the wheezing had me 

a little scared last night, couldn't get any oxygen.

I have asthma, as well.

Anymore - when I am introduced to a virus, 

it becomes this malady.

It's going around, and you don't want it!

After beginning the new regimen - 

I am already feeling much better.

Kind of a 50/50 outcome on whether 

I GET better now ~ or later.

Crossing my fingers.

I certainly understand Frida Kahlo (among others) 

and why they painted from

their 'sick' bed..art is life.  

I had a deal with myself..and ME only.

This painting was quick and I did not mess with it very much.

It is ~ what it is, but I PAINTED TODAY 

and I painted number 28 out of 30

and I am good with that!!

Day 27 out of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Heirloom"

10" x 10"

oil on Raymar panel

A special painting today.  Feeling like crap - still, but 

slept better last night.

This little rocking chair was MY rocking chair - as a little tyke, 

so well-made and sturdy was passed on to my daughter, 

who then passed it on to her daughter.  

It has a wide seat, so even older children can still use it.

It is the most treasured heirloom I know of.

DAY 26 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Fresh Baked'

8" x 8"

oil on Raymar panel

Spice cookies and milk - what an inviting combo.

Those cookies weren't easy - for awhile they looked just like pancakes.

I hope they read cookies now.

DAY 25 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"You Had Me at Merlot"

12" x 16"

oil on wrapped canvas

(very thick, wet paint is shining)

Thanks to my sister-in-law - who kept me going today.

This is done from one of her photos.

At first I was muddling in the 'have to get those ellipses and edges

perfect!'  Then I thought, hey, this is a piece of art, not a 

reproduction. 

I have to continue to push myself

for losing edges and not getting

hung up on every little detail when painting

from photos.

This one was perfect for today, as I had lots of these colors

left over from yesterday.

Have this head cold soo bad right now, I need a bucket under

my nose.  Had to get this one done, so I could lay down -

it's kicking my arse today!