Sushi Anyone?

Art club monthly challenge was to paint a fish.  Since I was the instigator of this challenge, I needed to find a way to try something new and still keep within the guideline.  Always wanted to try this idea.  Sheer joy - the most fun I've had painting in a long time.  Guess I still love trying anything new and stretching cleverness a bit.   

Sushi Anyone?
click to zoom / purchase

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

Touché Little One

Love painting forks and little bites - some sweet, some savory. I bet this one is right in the middle - late season, plump cherry tomato. Gazpacho anyone?  

Touché Little One
click to zoom / purchase

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

Pumpkin

It takes some getting used to, but painting for shows ahead of the season seems to make time go by even faster.  Last Saturday, I delivered the large "pumpkin" paintings to the Mill show on a day where you'd think it was late October - high shifted from the mid 90s to low 60s overnight! 

This s​mall pumpkin looks to be from an early harvest. Autumn is on the way, but still hoping for a long Indian summer. 

Little Pumpkin
click to zoom / purchase

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

Punch It Up

Another touch up that turned into a redo-almost-everything-painting.  A bright yellow waterlily should look happy and far away from the cloudy day it was stuck in . . . .  What do you think?  Top one is the do-over.

Sweet Yellow Lily - Punched Up
click to zoom / purchasehttps://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/885992

Original Painting - on a cloudy day

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

Get Up and Get Going

​My first, and favorite, teapot features a small rooster on the lid. The pot is quite heavy even when empty, but helps create the calmness and steadiness needed first thing in the morning.  I guess Mr. Rooster's job is more about the get going part!  

I will not admit to anyone, but I've been enjoying getting up earlier these days (8:00 am renovation circus has a way of doing that).  Not so much the getting up part (will always be a night-owl), but delighted how much time the "day" seems to have.  Probably doesn't make sense, but I keep thinking "geez it's not even noon yet."  Also feels like there's more time to get inspired and paint which is definitely a good thing! 

Rooster Teapot
click to zoom / purchase

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

Spanish Window

The photo reference showed this window in a very old stone wall with a sign under it in Spanish indicating rooms were available.  ​Perhaps an old/new fashioned Euro Airbnb.  Still have fond memories of our trip to Barcelona a few years ago.  Amazing city filled with art, architecture and fabulous food.

Spanish Window
click to zoom / purchase

Got out the scary palette knife to add texture and interest to the wall - love how it turned out with the sun-kissed walls and cool interior.

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

I Got You

What a fun fixer-upper!  Painted this last month with my art friends, but it had a dull gray background that was just blah.  Since it's the 30 in 30 (see link), decided to tweak it and have some fun painting "outside the lines."  Anyway got out a few of my luscious new reds, and recently re-discovered Sennelier Cad Red Orange.   Can you tell how much I love how it turned out?  Warm on top of the cool gray.  

It looks like half of the cactus is intent on taking care of the other half and somehow finding a way to keep from getting stabbed.  A similar comment was made while photographing it!  Ha, ha.  

I Got You
click to zoom / purchase

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

It's In the Bag

Fun painting last weekend with art friends who know just how to challenge me with something from my secret "wish list" of things to paint.  Seriously, always wanted to paint a paper bag but way too scary.  How one certain artist knows what's lurking in my head is still a mystery to me.  

For bag painting inspiration, I love this artist's work Wanda Westberg. So simple, but mesmerizing if you ask me. 

Anyway, here's the bag. 

It's in the Bag
click here to zoom / purchase

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

Do Over Pear Pizzazz

Always loved this painting, but something just seemed a bit off, so I tweaked it a bit to be more grounded.  Painting grapes is so much fun - literally look like polished gems. Red and green are complements and my favorite pairing of dynamic color!

Pear Pizzazz Redo
click to zoom / purchase

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

Crazy Time

For some reason decided to jump into the September 30 in 30 even though other priorities will surely get in the way this month.  Maybe being pressed for time will help loosen up my paintbrush and make this a fun experiment.  

Planning to tweak older paintings, fine-tune a few things and who knows what else will pile on to this project.  So for now, will direct the 30 in 30 link here and write blog comments when time permits.  

Here's yesterday's painting auction link to be added in in a few days. . . . . 

German Window
Other artist paintings are here - check them out

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