Day 13 - On the Ground

For the next mini-series ended up with "edible ground fruit." I realize that sounds rather dull, awful AND awkward, but did you know there's still much discussion about whether or not a melon is a fruit or a vegetable?  Maybe you remember the "ketchup is a vegetable" war from the 1980's. . .  

My, I-don't-have-the-attention-span for all the details, is going with -- if it's sweet, it's a fruit; if not, it's a veggie.  So that brings us to the awesome Ground Fruit Series.  All I wanted to do was paint a couple of hopefully luscious looking melons without a lot of debate.  Apparently, watermelons are so controversial it cannot be decided what they are!  I guess they are just not sweet enough, besides if you're like me, gotta have a pinch of salt. 

BTW, I don't think there are three ground fruit on the planet.  Let me know if you think of something.   

Geez, art girl, stay calm, and take it one day - one painting at a time!

On the Ground, Take One.

Honeydew
click here to bid

I LOVE, love, love this painting - the reference photo was so realistic and that's what drew me in (not to mention the opportunity for an extreme 30in30 challenge).  As I painted, decided it would be fun to make it really loose and almost abstract. The photo may look a little glarey 'cause it's still pretty wet and lots of medium to make it really juicy!   What an adventure mixing colors . . . 

Thanks again for reading my blog and for checking out Leslie's other artists here 

Reference photo credits go to Lillian Bell, Honeydew.   

Day 11 - Leap Frog

Painted last night, into the night.  Love this one 'cause it's on a reflective surface which adds a new challenge and unique dimension.  It's a red pepper, but OMG so much of it was warm pink/orange which was so much fun to paint.  An artist I met last year turned me on to Williamsburg - Persian Rose.  Yummy, awesome, warm pink!  Love it.  Mixes up/down very well.  Go ahead, steal the secret.   Looking for an excuse to buy more colors, if you have suggestions.

Red Pepper
click here to bid

Focusing on getting back on track - weekend priority #1 is paint, get ahead and get through the whole 30!  Last time I got half and I didn't have a day job so gotta do better this time despite the obstacles!

Thanks again for reading my blog and for checking out Leslie's other artists here

Super glad tonight because two paintings sold - see below.  Lots of action on the other auctions too! click here to see what's up.

Red Breasted Nuthatch
Austin, TX

Baby It's Cold Outside (BICO)
Austin, TX

Thanks again for reading my blog and for checking out Leslie's other artists here

Reference photo credits go to Lillian Bell, Red Pepper PaintMyPhoto 

Day 9 - Pooped!

I guess the phrase is too pooped to scoot!  Dog-tired or whatever you prefer.  Although I live on the east coast, those mid-western phrases really convey true feelings. . . .   I am loving this challenge because even though you come home from a long day at work, your brain is all about how am I going to post to Leslie's site, get the blog done, etc.  Okay, I know, exhausting just thinking about it.  On the flip side, I work with a lot of parents who are juggling jobs, parenting, just getting dinner on the table, and creating some sort of future strategy to make life better -- Humbling, compared to my goal to paint every day.  IMHO, quality of life is based on working really, really hard and having a positive attitude no matter what life dishes up.  

I'm going to post the painting (now that it is drier and it was a wonderful, sunny day), but that awesome photographer, well he comes with an amazing eye and points out "the" spots.  He's so right, no need for a nit in a fine painting! So tonight I made a few tweaks to it -- and will post an updated photo to my gallery / auction.  

Yellow Pepper Preview

Updates coming to my current gallery/auctions here.

The weekend is near, so hoping tonight's rest renews me, physically, mentally and artistically.  I really want to paint and loving that there seems to be more interest in my work --- have to keep that going no matter what!  Thank you Leslie Saeta for renewing interest and lighting a fire under my easel! 

Thanks again for reading my blog and for checking out Leslie's other artists here

Yellow Pepper from PaintMyPhoto Lillian Bell 

Day 8 - Watching Paint Dry

Isn't there some sort of joke about it doesn't get more boring than watching paint dry?   Welcome to my world!  Ha, ha.  In my madness to catch up, I have a painting but alas it's too wet and too late to photo.  Insider secret . . .  you have to have everything done a day or two ahead just to be on time!  At least one day to let the paint dry for the photo (including hoping for a great sunny day) and time to get a humbly, yet creative, blog together. Oh my. 

Rather happy with Veggie #2 'cause it's bold, loose, minimal strokes (one of my other experimentation challenges) and from a great PaintMyPhoto.  Guess it's a day late, will have to figure out how to leap ahead.  More holidays, please.

Meanwhile here's an iPhone pic of my palette on this one. Ahhhh, I can hear the crowd roaring in delight!  sorry - kinda fuzzy  

Have a great day. 

Click here to see all the artists participating in Leslie's 30 in 30.  

Day 7 - Veggie Portrait

Exhaustion has arrived with back-to-work/post-holiday-drama along with not getting a chance to paint last Sunday or Monday - good thing I painted one day ahead.  Hopefully I will catch up quickly.    Pressure is on.

Veggie Portrait
click here to bid 

This time the photo credentials go to my husband.  Great composition, colors, lighting, light/darks, you name it.  He has this mysterious and delightful brain, camera, artistic-sense, amazing sense of humor, and approach that is just downright mesmerizing.  Sometimes I "don't get it", but other times I just cannot ignore it.  Photographers and painters have different "eyes", if you ask me.   I absolutely love how the darks intersect with all the veggies which I guess is what makes me think of an elegant, regal portrait.  Plus, I'm always happiest when my inner color boldness takes over.

p.s. I wonder if he did an extra special job of photographing this painting. . . . hmmmmm.  Smart and clever!

Click here to see all the artists participating in Leslie's 30 in 30.  

Thanks for stopping by. 

Day 6 - Three in a Row

For the finale of the water lily series, I just couldn't pass up this photo.  How interesting that it has three lily pads --- hmmmm. . .  they seem close enough together to hop from one to the next.  You can practically imagine using them as stepping stones into the new year.  Painting fish is another artistic challenge.  I've painted a few Koi and somehow they seem to paint themselves, so I hope you like this one as much as I do.  I'm very happy with the looseness and painterly feel of this one.  

It's back to work for me AND a new mini-series needs to be launched!  I sure hope I can keep up the pace this week and the rest of January.  Bring it on!

Three in a Row
click here to bid (starts 1/6/14)

Click here to see all the artists participating in Leslie's 30 in 30.  The link will be live early on day 6.  I have to say that I'm thrilled that my paintings are getting attention and several have bids and/or sold.  Really helps in the motivation department!  Thank you so much.

original - PaintMyPhoto - Koi Hawaiian Hilton Village from photographer Pauline
thanks for stopping by - have a great week!

Day 5 - Little Beauty

Here's water lily number two, such a little beauty don't you think?  I loved the composition of this photo and the shadow underneath the petal on the left. Oh, and I just realized that you can't see the reference photos unless you register at Paint My Photo (free).  So I'll include a small pic if you're interested.  I don't usually paint from photos, but I am having a surprisingly good time.  Mental note to not stray too far too long . . .   Having to compose a still life (even if it's only one object) takes me more time than it should so I think I'm getting rather spoiled.  

Little Beauty
click here to bid (starts 1/5/14)

Thanks again for reading my blog and for the wonderful comments.  

Click here to see all the artists participating in Leslie's 30 in 30.  The link will be live early on 1/5/14.

original photo - thanks to Joy Anfous PMP

Day 4 - Tranquility Beckons

On to the next mini-series.

The basic idea was "how about doing a series of flowers."  I kind of OD'd on flowers and haven't thought about them in a while, but I fell in love with water lilies again as I was searching around for 30in30 ideas. Well I guess one water lily leads to the next so decided on another triple play.  Originally, was thinking different types of flowers, so maybe the other lovelies will take root in a future series (wink, wink).   This whole challenge is about practice, so doing sets of threes should really get the brain / paint brush muscle memory started.  There is so much green in a water lily painting, I guess it is fun having that challenge too.  Oh my. . .

I wanted to focus on the interplay between warm and cool colors and taking special care to mix warm-warm vs. cool-cool and put them next to each other to cause a dramatic commotion (this is my way of saying "pop").  With green, there are a ton of opportunities because green leans both ways - warm and cool.  I'll let you know when I figure out how to tell them apart!  Still pretty much of a mystery to me.  I loved the shadow on this one, especially since it's a top-down view.

Water lily
click here to bid (starting on 1/5)

Thanks to photographer Craig C Johnson from Paint My Photo 

Seriously, what does your next lily pad look like?  Will your 2014 resolutions take you somewhere new and exciting? Always gotta keep an eye out for where you want to be!  I'd forgotten how important it is to have a goal - it's your choice whether or not you pursue it and how hard you go after it.  Just make a goal already, you are the only one keeping score. . .   that's what I love about Leslie's challenge - try but don't expect to be perfect, life just isn't that way.

Click here to see all the artists participating in Leslie's 30 in 30.  The link will be live early on 1/4/14.

Black Tie Affair, Birdman Style

Thought it would be fun to paint a few mini-series for the 30in30 so this is the last bird for now (get it, 3in3).  Have received enough complements that I'm sure I'll do more in 2014.  Thank you all.  

This bird photo was found on  Wet Canvas.  This site has an amazing amount of information and forums from oil painting to fiber arts (for my artistic friends who knit, sew, etc.) and all media in between.  Check it out.  It's free and once registered can view the reference library.

This little guy (I hope it's a guy) is called a Dark-Eyed Junco.  I love how he seems to be wearing a tuxedo and tails ready for a Black Tie affair to suddenly erupt on the deck near the goldfinch feeder.  Despite being pretty plain, they definitely have a stately attitude.  Google tells me they hang out in the western mountains until winter and then they spread out all across the USA, even all the way here to the east coast.  I guess they figure it's time to find a party somewhere!  Pretty smart too as they prefer to eat seeds off the deck rather than precariously perch on a freezing cold feeder. The goldfinches throw half the seeds on the deck anyway.  A ha, a built-in smart bird buffet!

Junco Black Tie Affair
click here to bid

Enjoy, I'm off to start the next mini-series. . . . thanks so much for reading my blog and leaving suggestions and comments.

Day 2 - Baby It's Cold Outside

Thanks to everyone for the comments - delightful seeing each and every one.

Forgot how much blogging and posting goes along with each piece. Most of the day was spent writing the blog, posting on Leslie's site, posting on Paint My Photo to give creds to the photographer, posting to facebook (both personal and public pages), pinning it on Pinterest just for fun, and let's not forget setting up the auction on Daily Paintworks!  Whew!!!  Just in time to get the next painting going.  Good thing it was a holiday.  Back to work will surely add to this challenge.

Here's a Paint My Photo from Lisa J Johnson.  Looks to me like another teenage bird, hunkered down and muttering the tune, "Baby, It's COLD Outside."  I love how puffy it is and the warm red against the very cold background. Had some fun carving in a few of the smaller branches since I started with a black panel.  That's part of the adventure doing the 30 in 30 - experiment, learn stuff, and go with the flow.  

I really can't stay. . .  Enjoy!

Baby, It's COLD Outside
click here to bid