Chance of a Lifetime and Catching up again.....

12x16 oil on panel "Birches Revisited" $150 click HERE to buy

6x6 oil on panel "Cedar Point Marina" Click HERE to bid.  Starts at $20

"Not all Roses are Red" 5x7 oil on panel Click HERE to bid.

As always I'm playing catch up with my blog, but I'm starting to be ok with that.  Perhaps you all don't want to hear from me everyday anyway eh?  Here are a few of my latest paintings, just kind of plodding along with subject matter and getting through the winter blues.  

I also have a link to share for a friend and fellow artist.  She rec'd an offer that would could be likened to a painter getting the opportunity to study with Van Gogh or Monet. A chance of a lifetime, if you will.  However, in order to accomplish this she has to raise the traveling costs herself.  Click HERE to read the story/fundraising campaign if you are interested.  Kelly Alge she has been a great mentor to me and has taught me everything I know about glass work art, and is just a great person all around.

Trying to find my wings....

5x7 oil on panel  click HERE to buy

8x8 oil on panel click HERE to buy

Those that have followed my art for the past few years, or know me well, understand that I haven't quite found my niche or direction yet in art.  I feel like I'm refining my skills and style, but have yet to settle on something, my voice, I suppose, that sets me apart from other artists.  One of the topics that I enjoy and seems to elicit the most emotion is my Navy series that I started when my son was in boot camp and I was too frantic on how he was doing to focus on much else, so I painted pictures that the recruit training command posted weekly and generously gave me permission to use as reference.  I really enjoy painting this series, and as a veteran myself, I often can put myself in the shoes of the subject I am painting.  Perhaps this is my destiny for painting, but I'm not sure yet.  While I've been given permission to use the photos, I'd like to gather my own references and material myself, perhaps the Navy would let me on a ship to get some of my own shots (ha! not likely)  Another idea that hit me was, surprisingly, during the super bowl commercials.  My two favorites were the Budweiser Clydesdales, and the Farmer one by Dodge.  Both of them showed concepts that elicited emotion and the idea of the everyday life of hardworking Americans.  I have always been drawn to the American story and the American dream and memories of how I grew up in a small town.  The generations of today seem to be missing a lot of that and I hope to try to capture some of these ideas before they are gone forever.  Stay tuned, likely I will still be painting random stuff until I formulate a plan but I think I'm getting closer................

Day 2

6x6 oil on panel click HERE to buy $50

I must admit that I am quite out of practice with my painting and I had a heck of a time with these apples.  I'm looking forward to getting back in the groove again painting everyday, maybe even twice a day :)

Candy Apple

6x6 oil on panel click HERE to bid

 I've wanted to paint a candy apple since I saw one painted by fellow artist Kelley MacDonald some time ago.  We have a number of fruit trees on our property and this is the first year we took great pains to spray for bugs and blight and we were rewarded with a great crop of apples.  When I saw the candy apple making kit in the store I had to buy it.  Here's my photo reference, feel free to use it if you've always wanted to paint one too.

Covered Bridge

11x14 oil on linen board  Click here to bid 

Now that fall is finally here I am hoping to post and paint more regularly.  Show season is officially over with the exception of a December widget (craft) show (widgets are things I make that are low in price and SELL, like tiny paintings, magnets, jewelry, etc....Widgets are not real art but they help pay the bills especially around the holidays.  I like making widgets sometimes, it's a nice diversion from painting.)  This painting is from a painting retreat I went to last month in French Lick, Indiana compliments of a wonderful friend and fellow artist Marianne Van Rohr.  We met at a workshop last year and i attended another workshop this past spring with her.  She generously shared her timeshare with fellow artists and we had a wonderful week of fellowship, painting, and visiting.  We took many photos of this idyllic town so I'm certain you will see more of them in the near future.

Kisses

6x6 oil on panel

If I can paint one, how hard can three be?  Today's kiss attempt.  I have at least 2 more planned then I'll take a little break from them.

Trapped!

6x6 oil on panel click here to bid.

The last of the oranges for this week (I think! I'm kind of in a nice little comfort zone now, I hate the idea of starting something new :) This little orange is trapped under a square glass, it was very difficult to paint it so it looked like it was inside....

I'm Back!

6x6 oil on panel click here to bid

I can't believe it's only been 2 weeks since the workshop, it seems like months ago. I haven't painted since I returned although I was aching to go into my studio and lock the door and paint and just ignore all the holiday commotion. But then I read a post by fellow artist Raymond Logan, who takes time off from painting during the holidays, and doesn't feel a bit bad about it. Artists need vacations too, and since the holidays are the only time when all my almost grown up kids are together, I think I will make it a yearly tradition and shut the studio door until the festivities are over. Less stress that way. I spent the better part of today cleaning my studio and trying to make some semblence of organization. When I was about 90 percent done, I couldn't take it anymore, the unfinished rubber ducky painting was shouting at me to be finished. Here it is in all its glory, It was only half done at the workshop, and I knew it would be tough to pick up where I left off, but it's the one thing I wanted complete from my time there. The cup originally had a handle that I just couldn't figure out, so I just eliminated it all together. tee hee. When I set up this composition, I just loved the way it looked like the mama duck was coming in from the side to chastise her baby for his little antics....the photo is a bit washed out since I used my phone, it's a terrible habit I need to quickly break.....

Boston Wharf and Learning to Simplify

6x6 oil on panel

This was a tough one, and I still need to do some work on it, but I need to learn to simplify a scene like this with lots of detail. I'm posting the reference photo as well as the painting, constructive criticism welcome.

Boston Harbor and 6 squared show

6x6 oil on panel

This is the first of a Boston Harbor series I am doing from my recent trip to New England. I have been debating entering the Higbee 6x6 show, but am not sure if my artwork is "good enough" for the show, and I also am not sure how to price for that show. The cost of framing and then the entry fee is more than my asking price for a painting, so not sure if it is worth it but am wondering from other artists who have entered this in the past if the exposure makes it worth the price and potential rejection? Let me know your thoughts!

Cezanne I am not!

6x6 oil on panel $50 click here to buy

Once in awhile its fun to try a "master copy" a painting from one of the art masters. Cezanne is one of my favorite painters so I attempted one of his simplest still lives. A lot can be learned by doing these exercises, mostly that I have a lot to learn!

Landscape Refresher

11x14 oil on panel $75 to purchase click here

Since I was gone for a week I needed to do a painting step by step from one of my art instruction books. I chose a landscape since I have lots of pics from my travels to New Hampshire to paint! The clouds gave me some fits, among other things, but since it was just an excercise to get back into the swing of it, I didn't stress too much. I think sometimes we artists, especially those whose livlihood depends on it, worry too much about the finished product of the work, rather than the process of painting. I've found that when I just paint everything as if It's just for practice, things turn out much better. It's one of the reasons I hate commissions because the stress of what I think the commissioner expects inhibits me from painting well and enjoying it.

Hay Rolls

8x10 oil on streched canvas $65 click here to buy.

I love seeing fresh cut hay in the fields, and those rolls look like such fun! If I was a kid again I probably would be sitting atop one of them in the warm fall sun reading a book.

Studio almost done and catching up...

8x10 oil on canvas panel SOLD

Studio "After"

"Studio "Before"

I've been working on my studio for about 6 weeks now, trying to put away glass supplies and organize it for winter painting use...I made the back area (approx 12x12 space, a kind of gallery, to hang my finished drying works (see left side), and framed works (back and right wall.....) and the middle area (where I paint, (shown is just a few feet of it...) and the back (not shown) (approx 14x12 is supply and storage).....I put in a heater that works wonderfully, heats up the whole studio in less than an hour, and keeps it warm the rest of the day. Now that I have a proper work space for the fall and winter season, I've decided to try to catch up on the Daily Paintworks weekly challenges....I've been so behind on their challenges, and it makes me feel like I'm missing out! I learn a lot from each one, so I want to catch up before I start my own series.....Here is the Old Mill Challenge. Since it is fall I decided to change the foliage from the greenery in the provided pic from a spring/summer pic to fall colors....I have such a hard time with landscapes, and this took me all day, but I do learn more everytime, so I will keep at it.....

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year....

Ok, at the risk of offending some, (as I clearly did on Facebook earlier today) I can't tell you how excited I am that the kids are going back to school. I have 4 children, one with autism who graduated but is seeking out his first job, one that just started college, one in high school AND college (Mr. Smartypants) and one in Jr. High. I love them all dearly and enjoyed my time with them this summer. HOWEVER....anyone that tries to work at home knows how difficult it can be with all the interruptions. Sooo...as I said in my title "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the YEEAARRRRR....."

Ok, celebration done. The junior higher is still at home, but I did manage to finish a painting I started on my Staycation. When I was painting it on the boat I knew the values were all off, so today I took the photo of it and turned it black and white so I could just deal with value. I had no color reference, except for memory of the day, and it was very very difficult. However, I do feel that I stayed true to the values, and that is a big plus for me, I tend to make everything too dark and intense.....

Best Laid Plans Part 2

6x6 oil on panel $65 to puchase click here

6x6 oil on panel $65 to purchase click here

If you have ever read my other post titled "Best laid plans...." you'll know what I'm talking about and can skip the the next paragraph....if not, read on.....

I have a close friend/former co-worker in art who is fighting for his life right now. He is dealing with his second bout with colon cancer...the first time was when he was 20, now, he's 40 something....It's much more serious now, not just physically...he's happily married, has 2 children, one in college, one in high school. He lost his dream job 2 years ago, through no fault of his own, and struggled to find ANY job to cover the bills....Just months after finding a job, he was diagnosed AGAIN with cancer....He underwent massive surgery, and is now enduring chemotherapy and radiation treatments weekly....He and his wife work full time, yet the mounting bills and expenses are taking their toll....They live in a very old house that is in serious need of updating, but that is the least of their problems....This family does not even have air conditioning during the hottest summer on record in NW Ohio...yet they maintain a brave face and refuse help of any kind....I've taken it upon myself to try to elicit assistance for this family... I truly respect their desire for privacy and insistance to "go it alone" but I see they are suffering,...They are very close to losing the home they have lived in and raised their children in....


How can you help? I started a facebook page for his cause...Please add SOS (Support of Scott) to your FB account and post to your wall...I am planning future online and local fundraising events....Please help, he is one of the most generous people I know.



Oh, and I have been painting....sunflowers and colorful landscapes, nothing too serious, waiting for kids to go to school to actually concentrate.......

Triple Trouble-Work in Progress

I've been putting off this commission for some time now, because it's the biggest painting I've done to date....but I've given myself a deadline of Sunday the 31st, for my show, so here is where I stand today....lots of work yet, but I'm motivated now!

These fellas look like they've just been chastised for doing something very bad, all huddled together as if they won't get in trouble looking so cute. No doubt they were lounging on the picnic table, tearing up newly planted rose bushes, or have been found sleeping on the forbidden furniture. I wonder who the ringleader is.....

Cherry Trio

5x7 oil on canvas board $50

To purchase click here: http://atimeforart.com

I've been very neglectful in my posting this summer and I'm going to force myself to get back on track. I've been getting ready for an outdoor sho at the end of the month so I've been working on several larger paintings. Yesterday I decided I needed to step away from those and do a small one so I felt like I accomplished something.

Poppies in a Pot

To purchase this painting (5x7 oil on stretched canvas, $55) click here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/76396111/poppies-in-a-pot-original-daily-oil

I've been working on 2 large flower paintings for an upcoming show, I decided to paint something quick just so I could feel like I accomplished something.....this on is 5x7 on stretched canvas.

School's Out

Sigh, summer break with the kids all here is proving very challenging for me to stay focused on painting. I'm not able to focus whatsoever when they are all milling about, even though they are all old enough to fend for themselves. This is where I really wish I had a studio somewhere else, but oh well, I'm just going to have to come up with things for them to do.

This week I've been reading some books on oil painting, one by Kevin MacPherson and another called the Art of Oil Painting by Walter Foster publishing. I highly recommend them both but I think I prefer the second one because it has 10 chapters, each featuring a different artists style with several step by step tutorials by each.....I could paint for a year with what's in this book!

I began with some "starts" in Kevin Macpherson's book, the 3 plein air landscapes (above) that are just different viewpoints from my front porch. The idea was to just lay down shapes of color and very little detail.....I divided a 16x20 canvas board into 9 areas, I will post the entire board when completed.

The other tutorial I did was by an artist in the Art of Oil Painting named John Loughlin....I was intantly attracted to his bold bright style, and his New England themed subject matter, so I painted his version of white birches. I really enjoyed the ease that I was able to follow his instructions in the book.

I need to rephotograph it, the blues are showing too dark and the shadow in the trees isn't showing up at all.....hmmm