First Weekend of December

It's been a while since I painted in oils at the open studio... and it's been a while since I was there at all.  There's a lot of warming up to do still.  Painted this past Friday, live model posed for about 3 1/2 hours.

Last Post for 2014

Poinsettia - 5" x 7", oil on gesso panel

This has been a busy year in many ways and I'm looking forward to 2015.

Here's to a more productive New Year and peace, love and happiness to all!

Day 13 - Painting #4

Beyoncé - 6" x 6", oil on gesso panel

Four paintings in 13 days?  I have no shame, life happens and I float adrift.

Beyonce is a beautiful subject and the desire to get her perfect is huge.

My next subject will be easier... please.

Day 4 - Painting #3

Justin Timberlake - 6" x 6", oil on gesso panel

Painting Justin was difficult (maybe because I skipped a day of painting).  He started out well, but really didn't look like him, so I wiped away most of the paint and started again.  The painting was still difficult and to make matters worse, while I was working on it, I realized that the theme I chose of "famous musicians/vocalists" was going to be super tough, because the paintings all REALLY-have-to-look-like-them (because everyone knows what they look like).  It's a good challenge!

Day 2 (or 3) - Painting #2

Joni Mitchell - 6" x 6", oil on gesso board

I've loved Joni since Hejira.  I had the Court and Spark album and was familiar with her earlier stuff, but there was something about Hejira that made me listen (to it) over and over.  I still listen to it.

Day 1 - Painting #1

Jimi Hendrix - 6" x 6", oil on gesso board

Today is the first day of Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.  Thank goodness there are no rules (and no guilt) if we're not able to step up to the challenge each day.  It is a way to get one to paint more often, improve our skills and painting frequency.  My theme will be music personalities.  I'll try to keep up, but I'll have a good excuse if I can't.

Friday Painting

Anne - 16" x 12", oil on linen panel

Warehouse 521 hosts open studios on Fridays (when there aren't workshops scheduled).

It's four and a half hours (breaks and lunch in that too) of putting our skills to work

in the company of other artists.  We always have fun!

Thanks to Jeanie Smith for providing us with this space.

So Ready For Winter To Be Over

Pineapple Expression - 10" x 8", oil on board

Two plus months of below average temperatures have made me stir-crazy.

I looked at this pineapple in my still-life space for a couple of days, hoping that the color would improve as it ripened.  It did in the lower part of the fruit, but the upper leaves started to wilt and dry.  After looking for a better one at the grocery, I decided mine was the best so it was time to paint.  I spent two afternoons on this and while I was thinking of a name for it, I heard the news about Seth Rogen dutifully testifying before a mostly absent Congress about Alzheimer's research.  That's when this title hit me.  The frowning side of the tiki glass (smile on other side) reflects my disdain for the cold weather as well as how Seth must have felt with the no-show senators.

Christmas Greetings

Snowman Music Box - 6" x 6", oil on board

So this is Christmas.  I can't believe it's here again so soon.

This is a ceramic music box that I found in my mom's belongings that had been in storage.

I've still been painting, just in a class or group situation.

I hope to remedy that this coming new year by painting more on my own,

and as I do, I'll be posting more.

Merry, merry to all of you!!

Stone Angel

Guardian Angel - 9" x 12" oil on linen panel

She's beginning to take shape after little sessions—

most of them in Jody Thompson's class at SouthGate Studio.

Angel in Progress

In the works from Jody's class at SouthGate Studio, an angel in stone.  The Chestnut Group had a paint out on New Year's Day at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.  Being the day after New Year's Eve, I didn't get up and out very early.  By the time I did, it was so windy and cold that I thought arming myself with the camera would be my best bet.  This is from a photo taken from the car (I'm such a wimp) of a beautiful monument bathed in sunlight.  This is the preliminary painting and becoming much tighter as time goes on.

9" x 12" oil on canvas panel

Happy Holidays!

Hoping that this season is full of love, peace and happiness for you!

6" x 6" oil on gessoboard

Bright Eyes

My Niece's Son - 8" x 8" oil on canvas

This is from a children's portrait painting class, this past winter.  Gayle Levée instructed us in stages, from developing our own skin tone charts, basic child anatomy, to creating a portrait, layered with glazes, from a photograph of our choosing.  I love the mound of curly hair in this.

Painting A Live Model

Portrait Sketch - Approx. 16" x 20" Oil on linen

This week I was able to be a fill in at a portrait session at SouthGate Studio.  We had a live model and four hours to do our painting.  Fantastic practice and extremely worthwhile for someone who's wanting to paint portraits.  I hope to do more of this.  This isn't as finished as I would like (actually quite rough), but I am happy with the results for the limited amount of time.

Two Cheeseburgers, Please

Cheeseburger Cheeseburger - 6" x 6" oil on gessobord

Everyone has a special place they like to go to for good cheap hamburgers.  Mine is in my hometown.  It's a little dive that stays open late into the night and the hamburgers are cooked up when you order them.  Fantastic when you're hungry late at night.

A Dozen Roses

Cezanne Roses - 11" x 14" oil on canvas panel

A painting in progress. I continue going back to this and finding more to do.  I took an excellent flower painting class, this spring, that Gayle Levée taught at Plaza Art Supply.  Each week we were to bring in a fresh flower(s) and set it (them) up in our own personal backdrop box to paint alla prima. The key words here are "alla prima"—I have a hard time with that, so don't follow my example.  I got the basic painting layout done in the class, but always wanted to do more.  I guess I need to loosen up a bit.  More on that, later.

FIrst small painting

Peach Bowl - 6" x 6" oil on gessobord

Sweet summertime—fresh peaches and ripe tomatoes—something to save us from the heat.  I had just cut up this peach and put it in one of my favorite Anthropologie bowls, when the thought of painting it struck.  The choice of the red napkin with this is one of my favorite color combos... you'll see.