Mom's Taos

I am painting for the San Dieguito Art Guild's Mother's Day Art and Garden Tour.  I think of Taos when I think of my Mother. She often said her most precious moments were the summer days in Taos spent watching and listening to her children play.   I think we become a part of every person and place we love.  My brother took this photo of me and my sister in Taos a year after losing my Mom.  She was truly with us that day!

8" x 8" Oil on Panel

Pink Rose

The Daily Painters Project (DPP) will be part of the San Dieguito Art Guild's Mother's Day Artist Studio Tour this year.    This still life is the perfect Mother's Day gift - a rose that will last and last.

Pink Rose 6" x 6" Oil on Board

Clipped Freesias

This painting is in a higher key than I normally paint but reflects the colors in my world this week which has been blue skies and sunshine.   It is telling us to get ready and don't forget to spring forward this Saturday night!

ps the lighting for this set up was coming from all directions .... thus creating this floating effect.   I attemped to "correct it" but decided my failed attempts meant to leave it be - spring has sprung!

8" x 8" Clipped Freesias Oil on Board

Sunny Days!

I painted these sunflowers yesterday when the sky was cloudy but that's all it took to brighten up my day.  I used a transparent under layer then came over the top with opaque colors.   Keeping with Carol Mayne's theory of segregating warm and cool colors - see her book "What Color is the Light?" I was satisfied with the bright feeling the painting has.

I don't think I will ever tire of painting sunflowers.   They seem to call out "join us in this day ... life is sunny, bright, light hearted and long lasting!"  Hopefully, this painting captures a little of that attitude.

Sunflowers 6" x 6" Oil on panel



Life is Good and Full of Color

Who Cares if it is December?   8x8" Oil on Panel

Another Sunny Day in Sunny So Cal   8x8" Oil on Panel

Athough December is knocking on the door and the turkey and dressing leftovers are gone, the sun is shining which reminds me how thankful I am for the colorful blessings in my life!   Family, friends and the sunshine on flowers.  Time to reflect on the Good Life - one full of color!   Color comes from paint, flowers, tears, joys, hurts and yes especially those heart felt moments of love.  Isn't it fun to remember and be thankful?

End of the Day

The weather has been overcast - finally saw the sun today.   That didn't stop beach goers at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas.   I caught this couple packing up around 5 pm heading home.   I loved the beach towel - snapped a photo and here you go!   Don't you hate it when it is the end of the day and you just wish you could stay another hour?

6 x 6" Oil on Panel

Strawberries

Interestingly enough .... I find myself drawn to this simple set up.   Small white plate with something red on it.   First it was apples, then cherries (twice) then strawberries!   Usually a blueish background.   The good news is that drawing an decent ellipse is getting easier.   Still taking several tries.   The bad news is adding a fork is what became my new challenge!    I had it to my satisfaction then starting adjusting.   Adjusting more then scaping yesterday's work.   This led to some muddy areas.   This is on my "to do again list".  
6 x 6" Oil on Panel

Weisse, Weisse and Weisse

Dark glass painting is mysterious! You have to really look for the color in the dark bottles. The labels however are bright and fun to paint!
8 x 8″ Oil on Panel

Corona … Gordita and Coronita

I have always loved painting glass. Dark glass is a bit different than light/clear. This was interesting to find the color in the darks.
8 x 8″ Oil on Panel

Shiner Bock and BBQ

My artisit collective Daily Painters Project's theme in July is the play Five Course Love at North Coast Rep Theatre. Each act is set in a different restaurant – one a Texas BBQ. What goes with Texas BBQ better than a cold Shiner Bock? This subject allowed continued practice painting glass bottles with cropped distorted angles. What could be more fun?

8 x 8" Oil on Panel

Who Gets the Cherry?

This is the second cupcake I have painted this week – same cupcake but I used a neon pink tint on the canvas this time.   Last time I used blue.   It really didn’t affect the outcome as much as I thought it would even though I left “bits of the tint” on each painting.     So … who gets the cherry?

6 x 6" Oil on Panel

Lots of Pink

Looking at everyday things in a new way can be exciting!   This is another attempt to get up close, crop, and see the angles.  It gave me a chance to fine tune my drawing skills and practice staying away from the details.

6" x 6" Oil on Panel

Back of the Water Mill Cottage

How I would love to spend the summer in a little cottage in France!   This is a building still standing in France built for Marie Antoinette as part of a model village.

Difficult to paint a building where you can see so much detail and reduce it!

6" x 6" oil on panel

Market Samplers

Here are the last two paintings for the Daily Painters Project's May Gallery on the Go! event this Saturday at Baker & Olive.   One of my dear friends gave me the "Market Sampler" box from B&O a few weeks ago and I love the fabulous EVOO & Balsamic.  

I took some photographs of the 4 bottles looking down, light shining on them and got a different perspective which motivated me to finish out the month's theme of "all things Italy and cafe" on a different note than the more realistic set ups I have been painting the last few weeks.   I really am glad I stepped out of the box for these.  

I named these Market Sampler and Market Sampler II.  

6" x 6" Oil on Panel

Bruschetta Anyone II?

They say practice makes perfect. This is the second “practice” at this still life set up. I wanted the background less prominent and the tomato the brightest possible red/orange that reality allows.

6″ x 6″ Oil on Panel

Bread & Oil

A good loaf of bread and a great olive oil. What else do you need?

This olive oil bottle from Baker & Olive is shaped like a wine bottle. But olive oil it is. Painting bread convincingly is difficult. It's dull colors can be challenging. Using more yellow might have resulted in richer tones in the crust. I think I will try it next time!

6" x 6" Oil on Panel

Yellow and Red Makes Orange

What happens when you mix yellow and red tomatoes with olive oil? You get something wonderful! In this case, the oil was infused with red peppers and had a delicious orange glow as the sun shone through the bottle. I tried to stay with the blue and orange world of complimentary colors though the tomatoes were really red and yellow.

6″ x 6″ Oil on Panel

Billie Holiday - Lady Sings the Blues

If you are any where near my age (I won't say what that is) you will remember the movie "Lady Sings the Blues" with Diana Ross and Billy Dee Williams.  It has been fun listening to the original songs sung by Billie Holiday and not Diana!   They are both great musicians and inspiring to me as I Paint the Blues!

I have been painting on 8 x 8 instead of 6 x 6 some and it is amazing how much more canvas you get in that 2 inches.   However, it does take a little longer.

Billie Holiday - Lady Sings the Blues
8" x 8" Oil on Panel

Playing Catch Up!!!

Well, I must admit I am playing catch up.   I have been posting on the Daily Painters Project (http://www.dailypaintersproject.com/) website blog but have been too lazy to set up my own blog.

One of my fellow artist inspired me today and I did it!   However, I wanted to have a complete history of my endeavor to paint daily, er umm... weekly at least.   So here they are.   For the past 3 weeks I have been challenged by my Artisit Collective - Daily Painters Project - to paint things related to Love!   So this is what I have been doing.   Hope you enjoy!