Let's Get the Party Started

This one was so much fun to paint.  The grape tomatoes from the farmer’s market were looking for trouble and happened upon the jalapeno pepper who wanted to start a party.  They huddled together and made a plan, then headed off to find the rest of the team (oh, I mean ingredients).  Guess I better go hide the limes I’m planning to paint!

Salsa Plan

This painting will be added to the Daily Paintworks auction on Sunday 8/11.   

Life is joy you make one moment at a time. . . 

Quick Update

Apologies for not updating the blog lately – no excuse.  Wanted to let you know that I’ll be doing the Studio tour 20% off selection tomorrow morning and will notify everyone no later than Monday 7/22. 

Meanwhile, I’m adding this painting to the auction starting on Sunday 7/21.

Best of luck to all!   

Me and My Shadow  (auction)

p.s. again I apologize for the poor grammar. . .  It should be My Shadow and I. 

It’s All About Me – How Rad!

Okay, you caught me - tongue in cheek title.  Blushing. . . 

You know I love, love, love radishes -- not sure why, but they are so much fun.  Maybe if you eat your subjects, you can relate to them on a much deeper level.  HA, HA.    I get so excited painting a favorite food, in a favorite quirky saucer / bowl, with vibrant colors and the subtle shadows that I find so irresistible!   Simple is so much fun.  I hope you love it too.  

How Rad!

Have you noticed lately that radishes are now being sold in technicolor-bunches?  Our local stores have them grouped with red, white, purple, magenta and mauve!  I don't know what's up with that, but they all taste differently (and delightfully so - try 'em), not like the German white radishes I grew up with that were long and skinny. . . .    

Intrigued, I painted two of the round white radishes out of the bunch.  Will post that one this weekend.  

Meanwhile, here's the big news, I am putting Garlic Four Ways on auction Saturday 6/22.  There's been a lot of interest and I am buoyed by the recent sale of Lemons Four Ways.  What's not to like???

Swiss Miss

Some of you may know that I had the most delightful opportunity to live in Europe during my high school years.  As an American family, we had the luxury of traveling and learning a lot.  To me, experiencing other cultures is the best education you can possibly have, especially when growing up.  This darling cup came from a small hotel in Switzerland on one of our many ski trips.  It has the subtle, yet distinctive feel of a tulip.  Can you see the petals?  Such fond memories, better than a T-shirt souvenir don’t you think?  I recall the hotel refused my offer to pay for it, but were gracious enough to give it to me.  A cherished memory.  Perhaps I should try this again because the delicate white got a bit lost in trying to render the whole.  I love it anyway.

Swiss Miss

Delish!

What’s could be better than triangular fruit on a square plate!  I just love the way light sneaks through watermelon unlike other subjects – it’s not translucent nor opaque but some mysterious place in between.  How lovely to have such variety in life.  This was both fun and frustrating to paint.  I hope to do more in the future. 

Delish!

One of my fondest childhood memories was the “watermelon dress.”   Growing up with a brother and three sisters – there were a lot of hand-me-downs (clothes, toys, furniture, etc.).  That has to be an ancient term.  I wonder what it is called now. Gently-used-pre-re-cycle-wear or something like that.  Ha, ha.    At any rate, it was a great dress – starchy white and dark green with big bold, appliqué watermelon slices on it.  All the girls got to wear it and you can see it was a favorite when you look through any family photo album.   Funny how some things just stick with you for a lifetime.  I cannot think about watermelon without thinking about the dress and I bet my three sisters are the same!  Normal people probably just think watermelon means it is finally summertime!

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

Lemons Four Ways

Putting this cutie on auction with DPW.  A Carol Marine exercise where you paint the same subject, capturing the change in lighting, background, etc.  I also love the Warholesque factor.  In life, everything changes with position and lighting, wouldn't you agree?  When life hands you lemons, do you see the sweet side, or the sour side?  When life hands me lemons, I make lemonade! 

Lemons Four Ways

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

Pretty in Pink

Painted a few new ones, but not happy with them so far - Looks like I'll have to and call in CPR (Creative Painting Rescue) again!    Also, adding two items to the auction over the weekend (one today and one on Sunday).  This is one I really love and have blogged about before – took a few adjustments to get it to the happy place.  

Pink Roses with Silver Creamer

Blog Experiment & The “Bling”

Trying out a little experiment connecting the blog to Daily Paintworks.  Essentially, it’s a test to see if I understand how things work “behind the scenes.”  Wish me luck. 

The Art Club challenge this month was to paint some Bling – That’s right, jewelry.  This is really hard and I had to over-complicate since I apparently think I have too much time on my hands these days.  So here it is, Bling Four Ways.  These are all actual pendants that I love and wear, especially those given to me as gifts.  I think the reason it is particularly hard, is even in its 3x3 square, the object is larger than real life (by a lot).  For some reason, painting actual size or smaller seems "natural", but painting small to bigger just begs me to go back and ask Alice in Wonderland, "How does that all work again?"  

Bling Four Ways

Oh - before I go, we had a great art club get together at a delightful home in Middleburg VA.  Amazing food and camaraderie.   The table was gorgeous and gifts (handmade pottery by hostess GL) are adorable.  A very talented artist in a variety of media!   As a special event, we all headed over to The National Sporting Library & Museum to see Sir Alfred J. Munnings’ exhibit Out in the Open.  Some wonderful paintings of landscapes, livestock and fox hunting.  It is on display through September 15, 2013 (free).  

Life is joy you make one moment at a time. . . 

Slacking Off

Despite not painting lately, lots accomplished in the last few days.  Helped “hang” the gallery for a local art show – a ton of work, but it turned out rather nicely.  Have not done this before and now have a much greater appreciation for those who make a living at it.   If you have a chance, stop by, DECADEnt 2013 All-Member Art Show, April 5-28 410 S. Maple Ave. Falls Church, VA – I have two paintings in the show (see Alice in Wonderland blogs).  Also ordered custom business cards – yet another “commitment” to my art journey. I'm astounded by the amount of free and nearly-free products available via the web.  Psssst, I’m not supposed to mention my awesome business-card-designer, but he has done an outstanding job once again! Sweet, huh?!!!

Painted my "first to bloom daffodils" today – will post next week. 

Meanwhile, here’s another painting I’m adding to the auction list in the near future.  Garlic four ways, inspired by the colors of spring and a day of incredible natural sunlight. 

Me and My Shadow

I love the Daily Paintworks weekly challenges, but somehow I don’t get around to them before the next challenge arrives – must get better about that!  This challenge is called “The Meaning of Spring” and about how everyone has their own unique thoughts that come to mind.  

Tulips are all about spring, but they are extra special in this house as we have a tradition of searching  high and low to make sure we have a bunch on March 1^st and on the first day of spring.  Gets us through the winter!  This little guy is the last one standing and well aware of the fact that his shadow is larger than life. . . .

Alice in Wonderland

With prompting from an artist friend, I’m entering a show in Falls Church VA.  A bit out of the ordinary now that I’m painting small.  So Alice, I guess we better get big!  Luckily, I happen to have a few favorites that I’m willing to share and hope they find a new home.  It’s nice to have the joy of creating something and then enjoying others having it for their own.  The parting is still a struggle that never seems to get easier. I don’t have a photo of the second painting, but will try and post it tomorrow. 

Celebrating 10 years of Art in Falls Church  – DECADEnt All-Member Show, 

April 5-28, 2013.  410 S. Maple Ave. Falls Church, VA 22046

I love this painting because of the strong contrast of the bright, warm tulips against the cold, dreary window – you can just feel Spring getting ready to erupt.  BTW, the photo is accurate, it's painted in the Macchiaioli (Italian) style that was a precursor to French Impressionism.  See, something to learn every day!

Ah, Spring Time

Back to getting small again - working on the “barn” painting from last Sunday – still too early to ask about it. . .  not sure if it’s going to survive, but will take a few more stabs at it later this week.