Nest

Today it is below zero with the wind chill factor and yesterday we got six inches of snow, but Sunday...ahh that was a day. The sun was shining, it was actually spring like....all the snow had melted. It was wonderful after being cooped up in the house. So I took my dog for a walk and found this great nest. It's about 12" in diameter when you count all the branches sticking out. I think I'll do several paintings using this nest.

Yipes Stripes

This is just about done, but I need it to dry a bit before adding the last details.

Julie

This photo came out a little dark, but I think I'm done.

Julie

This is after five classes. I did about two hours of work at home and will now take it to class for one more session. I still need to fix the neck, nose, eyebrows, finish the background and shirt and maybe touch up the hair. I feel like you could just keep picking away at it, but I want to be done and try another one. Just need a willing model!

Still life oil sketches

These are two sketches I did in preparation for a larger painting. I wanted to try using a bold fabric. I found this stripe and thought it would be a good fabric to start with. both of these are 8" x 8". I also found some nice dried thistle like pods that I wanted to incorporate also.

Today I worked on making color swatches using the colors from my portrait class: flake white, venetian red, yellow ochre, ivory black, and burnt umber. I used the left over paint to make the face.

Here's my first attempt at doing 5" x 7" paintings from my head. It felt weird not having any visual references. I did like trying out lots of color combinations. I was working in acrylics using some techniques from a Robert Burridge video. Need to watch it again.

So the dragon fruit sat in the fridge for few days waiting for me to get back to it. I sliced into it and couldn't believe my eyes. It was so white and so fuchsia. I love all those little black seeds. I actually think this photo is a little on the orange side, but you get the idea. The white fruit has the texture of a kiwi, but the flavor is sweeter.

This is from a few days ago. I am taking a portrait class, learning to use the old master's technique of tonal under painting covered with glazes. So this is the result after two weeks. This is called the "dead layer". We used black, yellow ochre, and transparent red oxide, and flake white. I can't wait to see what it looks like next week.

I wanted to be able to see some of the inside of the pomegranate this time. It was fun trying to get the seeds to look juicy. I think I could still use some more highlights. And yes, this tasted very good, as long as you don't mind spitting out the leftover seeds.

Caitlin

Found an old black and white photograph of my daughter Caitlin and wanted to give it a try.

Lumpy

This is a pot I made in ceramics and yes it is kind of lumpy. but I love the raku glaze and thought it looked great with this pomegranate.

Exotic Fruit

This is a Dragonfruit, and when I was it at Wegman's yesterday, I just knew I had to paint it. It really is a magenta fruit with green markings. I want to paint several views of it so I have no idea what's inside. It better be good because it cost $10.00!. It's about the size of an eggplant.

This is the persimmon I also got yesterday. I also got a pomegranate but will paint that next. Very fun to paint such bright colors. Wonder what this tastes like?

Pitcher

Second try using black, white and grays. I switched the objects to white ceramic pieces so colors wouldn't confuse me. A couple more then I'll try a white object and a colored one together. Read some interesting info by the "father" of the PAD (painting a day) movement - Duane Keiser. He's worth checking out.

I brought these two geraniums a few weeks ago and noticed a beautiful new set of flowers. So I set out to capture them right where they are in front of the window.

This was done with all the leftover paint when I cleaned my palette. Very fun to just plaster on the paint.

After seeing the black and white paintings done by N.C. Wyeth last week I remembered a painting class in college where we worked on the same large still life for a whole semester using only black and white. I hated it. Now I realize what it can look like when it's done well, so I plan to work in black and white til I get it right! Not so easy. Try again tomorrow.

OK the photography on these two needs some help, but I wanted to see them on my blog as a set. This is how I'd like to sell them probably framed or mounted on black.

Back off

I've been away visiting family for a few days with no way to paint. It rained both days we were there and the house is too nice to mess up with oils! Went to visit the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Fords, PA. What a great place. I came back really pumped up to get back to my peppers and move on to new ideas. One of the things I saw at the museum were black and white oil paintings done by NC Wyeth, Homer Pyle and a few other illustrators. Anyway, here is the last in my pepper series. I didn't change the composition because the peppers had started to change color, shrivel and one was beginning to rot! Another pepper was nibbled on by the mice, so I guess I won't be leaving my still life out

Hide and Seek

Tried to add more color and more peppers. I think I like this cropped version better compositionally. Photos are fuzzy.

Hiding

Second attempt with peppers and stainless steel bowl.

Come on In 8*" x 8*' oil on canvas

Peppers, hot and curly. Fun to paint, lots of nooks and crannies. The reflections made some great shapes. Round one.

Lean on Me

Right after I finished I took the knife and you guessed it, made these pears into lunch. Yummy.

Who's the Big Guy?

Still working on pears. They have changed color over the last few days. I am working quickly trying to get a series of four done before they rot! Keeping it simple so I can get back into the swing of painting daily without the stress of what to paint. Setup can take me FOREVER. So here are the latest two in a series of four. All 8 x 8" in oil on canvas board.

Done using thicker paint and a palette knife and brushes. Like the extra paint.

Did this one first. The bottle seems like it's tipping.

A Little Tipsy 8" x 8" oli

Working on pears this week since they are in season and come in so many great colors. I like the colors here and had fun with the background. the composition makes me feel a little seasick! try again tomorrow.

Apple season - so heres are my apple paintings. all are 8 x8" oil on canvas panel. I used only three colors plus white- cad red, cad. yellow and ultramarine blue. I want to do one more in the series before I cut them up. then I think I'll do pears.

Back at it.....

After taking the summer off from daily painting, I am happy to be back at it. All summer long I was teaching art at a local summer camp. Lots of fun but no time or energy left over to paint. So now things are getting back to normal and I am working on developing the habit of daily paintings and blogging. Recently I went to Spain with a group of artists from church to paint murals for a retreat center. I'll post those photos too. First here are some examples of the work done this summer by my students ages 7 - 13. enjoy!

60/60 EVENT

Today I painted at the first annual 60/60 fund raiser for our local museum, The Everson. Sixty local artists create or finish a work in sixty minutes, to be raffled off to guests. I went with a friend and we both decided to bring a work in progress. Not knowing what to expect I can truthfully say it was really fun and exciting. There were artists all around working at the same time on so many different things. Pastels, watercolor, acrylics, sculpture, printmaking, collage, birdhouses and ceramics. We set up at 4:30 and everyone got to work at 5:30 finishing at 6:30. Drinks and and food were served. As we worked, guests could walk around and watch us and drop raffle tickets into our buckets if they were interested in winning our art work. It was fun to talk to people and answer their questions. Everyone was encouraging and friendly.

This is the view looking from where I was standing. My painting is one the left and my friend's is on the right. We were under a big tent that wrapped right around the water in the plaza next to the Everson Museum.
Here is a picture from the opposite side of the water looking back toward the tent we were in.

Tim See ceramic artist.

music

"Grace" by Mark

Here's my finished painting "The Homestead". 16" x 24" acrylics

Self Portrait I - 8" x 8" oil

Here's my attempt at a self portrait on blue background. the picture is a little dark so I'll have to update it next time it's sunny enough to take outdoor pictures. I liked working in this size and will do more. good practice.

Sky 8 x 8" oil

This is the view from my upstairs window in my studio. today was another beautiful blue sky day with big puffy clouds. I'd like to catch on of our sunsets from here.

MIller's Garden

Here is the Miller's Garden finished. It was easier to add more detail today because the paint had a chance to dry. I like the look of it, but wish I had been able to get in more of the Rose of Sharon bush that is on the far right side.

The Homestead 16" acrylic x 24"

Today I worked on finishing the Miller's Garden and "The Homestead". The Homestead is based on the neighborhood I grew up in. It was a small rural community on the banks of the Hudson river. There was a huge cornfield that all the houses were built around. Every spring the farmer would spray the field with chicken manure and we wold run for cover. I am interested in the Aboriginal paintings of many artists in Australia. their style of painting with an arial perspective gave me the idea for this panting. Friday I will complete the painting during a fundraiser for our local museum. Sixty artists have been invited to complete a work of art and donate it to the museum to raise money. Guests will be able to buy raffle tickets in hopes of purchasing a favorite piece. I plan to finish adding the rest of the dots to fill in the painting.

Red, White and Blue 8" x 8" oil.

Gorgeous, sunny, warm day. I was up early and did the grocery shopping - looking for some vegetable inspiration. Found a bunch of great radishes and started a painting. Then my friend came over to take a shower because they haven't had water for three days. We went to her house and painted in the neighbors beautiful backyard. The radishes are sooo red. the view was so breath taking, especially those

orange poppies and pure, white peonies. What day.