Bloom'in

Here is another composition of the little vase and dish towel.  Funny the difference it makes when moving that little view finder around.  I changed the lighting to a cooler bulb too.  I figure I will learn more by experimenting.  

DPW Auction click here!

Irresistible

Every time I go to Trader Joe's to shop 

I can't resist the flower section right at the door as  I enter the store.  I always say there is a painting on the horizon, but most of the time I enjoy them and they die before my hand reaches for a paint brush or 

a pastel.  So I got on it today while listen to a book on tape and had a great time.

"Irresistible",  12x9 pastel on wallis paper,

Chemers Gallery
17300 Seventeenth Street, Suite G, Tustin, CA 92780
714.731.5432     info@chemersgallery.com

Rosy

16x12, oil, $195.00

I picked this bundle of red roses up at the grocery store and stuck them in a vase to see and enjoy all last weekend.  I started painting them on Mother's Day.  It was a wonderful day. I was served a lovely dinner and fabulous dessert in the company of 2 out of 3 of my boys, my husband, my mother, my sister, brother in law and beautiful niece.  I got to paint and share the day with folks I love.  

SWEET AND SOUR

8x6, oil, $90.00

Love this combination.  The flowers are so sweet to see, the lemon is sour on its way to lemonaid and both get me thinking spring.

WARMTH UNDER A SUNNY CANOPY

10x8, oil, $120.00

This was interesting because I painted this late afternoon with not much light on my canvas.  It amazed me how warm, for one, and how intense the color turned out.  It was done in a short amount of time.  I wonder if I had had time to try to correct color, if it might not have ended in failure.  I think so often I am on the right track and just don't trust myself.  It was really fun to put the paint down and go with it...ha cha cha!

NO PITS PLEASE

6x6, oil
Available through the Randy Higbee Gallery, Irvine, Ca.

6" Square Exhibit and Sale, April 16 to May 6

Totally enjoyed this lively color palette.  I just love painting cherries.

A BIT OF CITRUS

8x8, oil, $100.00

Yesterday was a fun painting day.  I love setting up still lifes.  So on most Fridays I have the opportunity to set up a few still lifes for a wonderful group of painters and then I get to paint.  The hardest thing is deciding which one to do.  On a very good day I have done three of varying degrees of my abilities.  This meaning that I hope to have one that feels complete.  That does not always happen, but I learn lots about my focus.  It is so important to ask myself questions and to stay on task.  Art is a discipline.  As an artist I study all the time.   I read and look at lots of work.  Each painting I do reflects something I am working toward.  This one reflects brushwork, color, form and shape.   Now there are things in this painting that disturb me, but for the most part I am happy enough to post it here for all to see.  And for the disturbing things, I know what I need to work on. 

A TOUCH OF PINK

8x6, oil, $90.00

This was a simple still life I did a few week ago.  I like the way the light touched some of the petals as the flowers moved out of the shadow, making them pink.

"A DAILY PRESCRIPTION"

8x8, on oil on gesso panel, $100.00

I love the saying, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away."  I personally think a bouquet of flowers can do the same thing.  Not that we should eat them, but admire the beauty and the loving feeling when receiving such a lovely gift or purchasing one.  So I say buy those flowers you love or plant ones to cut and for insurance eat the apple. 

"SNUGGLING UP"

8x8, oil on 3/8 panel, $100.00

tomatoes are starting to come in and they are tasty.  I love the red skins of home grown.  

"CUT FLOWERS"

8x8, oil on stretched canvas, $100.00 + $12.00 S/H

Cut these lovely sunflowers today to brighten up the house.  I was amazed at how fast they were drooping and thought if I had any inkling to paint them I best get right on it.  They look very cheerful and I hope they last a few days.  Flowers, like vegetables and fruit, are a bit of a gamble.  You just don't know how long they will last.

"TWO OF A KIND"

8x6, oil on canvas panel, $85.00 + $12.00 S /H

Still enjoying my daisy purchase.  Love working with glass and flat and bright brushes.  Just loving the color.

"CASTING A SHADOW"

10x8, oil, canvas board, $120.00 + $12.00 S/H

Went to Trader Joe's yesterday and found  they had orange daisy's.  They just struck me and I had to have them.  I brought them home and place each of them in their own vase.  

I really liked working in the same color and just splashing the green in on the stem and in the shadow.  The green in the shadow photographed much brighter than it is.  Oh my photograph wains at times.

Just a Moment 6x6 oil

sold!

A still life is set up for just a little while, a moment in a way. It is assembled for the pure task of painting a "still life". There is an organizing to the process. It is not easy and I have great admiration for those who set up and paint multiple objects. What is under the surface, is a compositional plan. A little like a map that gives the viewer direction without them knowing.

This little painting was done with last weeks daisies in my head. I played a lot with mixing paint and colors like red. I made the red in this intense in the process of discovery. My plan was to paint this 3 times and get bigger as I went a long. I got to #2 and the flowers started to die. I found myself overworking the second painting and I scraped section of the painting many times. Comparing the two I found that I like this one best. It was done first and feels more spontaneous. Next I will post the second 8x8 and you can decide. I want to paint larger and I need to figure out how to keep it fresh.

Flowers Bright and Cheerie 7x5 acrylic

What is really fun about doing these is you work a few at a time. The paint is carried from one to all of them. So when you're done you may have 3 or 4 with the chance of one working out. the paint is pretty direct from the tube with mixing happening visually on the page. they end up pretty bright and cheerie.
TEXT

Hydrangea in Pink and Green 6x6 oil

I have two hydrangea plants in my front yard that have never really done that well.  They either have not gotten enough water or they are planted where they get too much sun.  So this year when the June gloom hit in May and stayed until today, my hydrangeas just thrived.  I don't unually pick them for vases, but I wanted to paint them.  So I did two small ones.  This one and another I will post next. 

I toned my canvas rose, which I think in the end gave the overall painting a very warm feeling.