On the Side

How about a nice plate of strawberries on the side? These just looked too luscious not to paint.  The photo is by a photographer I’ve used before – very nice set ups – great colors, strong shadows, and subtle highlights.  What more could you ask for? 

On the Side
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Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Backlit Rads

Great time yesterday with artist friends painting from life vs. photos.  It’s so much more interesting, challenging and fun.  After going through the pile of fresh veggies we chose the huge, beautiful radishes.  They were set up front and center with the light behind them.  Love how they are on the cooler side and in the shadows.  As my Mom would say, "these look good enough to eat!"

Front and Center
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Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

FYI - if you missed it, check out my DPW Spotlight interview.

Spotlight - Who Me?

Being featured as THE Daily Paint Works Spotlight Artist for the Week has truly happened!

I am so surprised, delighted and humbled.  Couldn’t be happier.  Looking forward to seeing my paintings as a DPW headliner and can’t wait to know who the lucky winner will be.  I absolutely love how this one turned out and plan to keep painting a priority.  What a blast.

What's Next?
click to check out the Spotlight Feature

As artists I think we forget that we also need to be storytellers, media savvy, opportunists, tech capable, and profiled in ways we probably are not naturally given to.  Many of us tend to be introverts, but have to “put ourselves out there” to do what we are so compelled to do.  I hope that makes sense. . . . You love the painting process, get a huge high when someone likes a painting, and go over the moon when someone has to have one.  I guess it’s the euphoric high that’s big enough to get us out in front of the spotlight. 

This is what makes life so great and fulfilling – putting yourself out there, trying new things, learning from mistakes, gaining experience, and finding whatever gives you that huge rush that causes today’s happy dance!

Thank you again for joining in this journey with me.

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

A Colorful Entry

Reminds me of Albuquerque - stucco walls, steps into cool alleyways, hidden interiors, and vibrant colors.  Don't you just love the row of pots - each with a different handle.  Seems like someone should get busy and get some plants in there asap. 

A Friendly Welcome
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Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Photo Shoot

Hard to imagine this set up lasting very long – tomatoes and basil are the start to so many great menus.  Discovered a terrific Austrian photographer, Pezibear on Pixabay and looking forward to painting a few more from their album of over 6, 000 photos. Yikes!

Dinner Prep
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Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

What's Next?

Doesn’t this look like the start to a great meal to share with friends and family?    My obsession with leaving winter behind, seems to have overtaken me!

What's Next
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PMP Photo is from Lidai (San Tan Valley, Arizona).  I bet she knows what to do with them too.

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Royal Radish?

These radishes were so purple they just had to be painted.  There is actually a purple plum radish, but it isn’t as round as these guys so not sure what’s up. In a quirky mood decided they should be named in honor of the run-up to the royal festivities planned in May.  Feel like I know Meghan Markle since Suits is one of my favorite shows.  Season 7.5 starts in just a few days - yay! 

Royal Radish
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Happy to report that Hot and Prickly is headed to its new home nearby.  That one received the coveted DPW Facebook pick of the day!  

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Big Kahuna

When I think of pineapples I think of Hawaii.  That always reminds me of the phrase “Big Kahuna” which meant the main boss was coming to town.  We had the luxury of being a plane ride away, so always had time to prepare.  Great memories.  Meanwhile, I also met the challenge from my husband to paint a pineapple – how that could happen on a 6x6 panel is now no longer a mystery – ha, ha.

BIG NEWS - Anyway the reason I decided to go with this title is because Daily Paintworks asked if I would like to be the spotlight artist next week!  WOW – the artist is featured on the website in a variety of ways, but now I have to prepare for the interview (egads), figure out what paintings to highlight, create a lot more paintings, and who knows what else.  It’s a terrific opportunity to be showcased.  Somehow these kind of things seem to happen at just the right “Johnna time.”  Wish me luck. 

Big Kahuna Pineapple
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I’ll keep you posted when it’s launched and please spread the word.   Thanks too for taking time to read this far and cheering me on. Oh, if you've purchased a painting in the last 30 days from DPW, you get to enter in a contest to win my featured painting. Previous spotlights are here. 

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Photo ref: PMP Erin Heckaman

Salsa Anyone?

In continuing the southwestern theme, found this wonderful still life with a Poblano pepper.  These peppers are so dark you almost can’t tell they are green.  Really enjoyed painting this one – everything clustered together, but can hardly fit into the panel.   Love the smell of roasting peppers and eating them too.

Salsa Anyone?
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PMP Photo from LNagel who lives in Florida

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Hot and Prickly

Every now and then you just have to switch things up and try something new.  How about this sun drenched scene from the southwest?  Reminds me of New Mexico, but guess it could be anywhere from Texas to California.  Probably a desperate sign that somebody on the east coast is ready for some warm weather!

Hot and Prickly
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The reference PMP photographer Alicia Elliott is from British Columbia the title Travel-USA. 

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Another Perspective

A different vantage point of lemons and a knife – this time the knife is the star of the show.  Fun painting the blade turned up and hanging off the cutting board.  Also, love how the lavender highlights add to the overall feel. 

Another Perspective
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Trying to keep the momentum going by painting every day.  Also have a group challenge in progress to learn about glazing - that "little" effort requires a bunch of research, lots of time for each layer to dry, and getting out of your comfort zone.  Fingers crossed!  Goal is to finish by March 29th.  

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Lemon, The End

The reference photographer, who lives half-way around the world from here in Northern Virginia, chose the name "The End of the Lemon" which makes me chuckle at the double meaning - I wonder if that was his intent? Always suspicious when knives are involved!

Thought it would be fun to paint the shadows at such an unexpected angle.  Spent more time trying to get this right than I’m willing to admit.  Yellow is a tricky color to shadow because blue is normally used, but that just makes it green – so the recommendation is to use purple, but that makes for a pretty yucky brown, so --- maybe a combination is the answer.  

Lemon, The End
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Reference Viacheslav PMP-Art.com 

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Understated Elegance

Beautiful, pure-white calla lily.  Showy but not a show-off, vibrant yet understated, dazzling but oh so elegant.  I love growing them too.

Understated Elegance
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Reference from Swiss photographer Systrella White Calla 1

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Top of the Hill

A wonderful day catching up and painting with artist friends.  Always learn a few things and love being up in the nearby foothills.  Fun pitcher to paint with the beautiful peony - fabulous color with a perfectly complementary background.

Top of the Hill
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For my artist friends, Williamsburg Persian Rose is a unique warm pink. Love it. 

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Turn Me On

Delighted when I find a faucet that intrigues me enough to paint it.  Not sure why, but love the architectural aspect, the temperature it seems to radiate, the simplicity, the necessity and of course that it’s a “shiny object.”   The reference photo is from a person located in Brixham, Devon, UK which appears to be a coastal area.  Wish I knew what it’s used for - maybe boat water tanks, cleaning fish, kids playing on a hot day . . . .   

Turn Me On
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PMP photographer, Ruth UK Old Brass Tap Old Brass Tap

On Sunday, What’s for Dinner, was selected as a Daily Paintworks Facebook pick of the day. There were almost 200 paintings submitted and they picked mine.  Big Smile!

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Hard to Believe

WOW it's been over a year since posting and creating these small paintings.  I knew I needed a big kick-start, but had no idea how far astray I’ve been.  I loved doing the 30 in 30 February challenge and believe I’m back in the groove.  So happy!  Just looking at the collage generates a sense of accomplishment which apparently is important to this moderate Type A personality!  Not bad considering a few days celebrating in Texas.  

See all the paintings at:  Daily Paintworks Gallery

BTW – it might look easy, but it really is a challenge painting every day.  At the end there is an exhaustion that is hard to describe.  Reminds me of completing big work projects, everyone had to just putter around for a week or so before even thinking of starting the next project.  Painting with friends tomorrow so no stopping now. . . .

Thanks so much for hanging in there with me.  Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – 

Johnna

What’s for Dinner?

You hungry yet?  Enjoyed painting these veggies especially after a class emphasizing warm and cool (light and shadow) colors to create a stronger painting.  Wasn’t sure about getting so many items in such a small frame, but glad that part seemed to work out okay.   

What's for Dinner?
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Thanks to Pixabay Jill111 who's from Michigan

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Purple Power

Another wonderful photo from Sanne (PMP-Art.com).  Great perspective, lighting and striking position – love being drawn right into the very center.   Sanne's title is "I Love Anemone" and it shows.  I think the leaves were the most fun to paint - wild compared to the softness and elegance of the bloom. 

Love these plants even tho they apparently don't have any fragrance.  Who knew?

Purple Power - Anemone
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Delighted to report that Hot Pink Waterlily  is headed to Indiana.  Especially great when it's a repeat buyer. Might have to wait for the crazy wind to die down before it can get out of here tho!

Photo  – Sanne

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna

Eyes of a House

No doubt a German window since the photographer is from a town not far from where I lived as a teenager (Wiesbaden, near Frankfurt).  Houses in Germany are built with thick stone, bricks or most likely poured concrete.  Helps keep things cool without air conditioning.  I recall our German landlady saying that windows are the eyes of a house and that’s why you’ll see people cleaning them so often.  Guess they also need a bright splash of color!  Great memories and still consider myself exceptionally fortunate for the chance to have lived there.   

German Window
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Geranium window by matthiasboeckel Klingenmünster/Deutschland 

Enjoy, life is joy we make one moment at a time – Johnna