Friends and Flower Pots - SOLD

In case you haven't noticed, I am painting like a mad woman.  I recently retired and have attended two weeks of art instruction from two separate artists.  Each artist will tell you that it takes painting miles of canvas to get better and I am knocking out some miles these days.  I even dream in color!  I had lunch with a friend recently and we found the cutest little colorful pots on sale and I thought they would be great for setups for still life painting.  I am not sure why I even thought that as I do not even like to paint still life but I wanted to "branch out" and get some miles.  I added a few pink gerber daisies, set up the still life and got started and hated it!  Then I remembered a technique taught by a fellow artist, Julie Oliver.  The technique is called Fracturing.  Julie uses a palette knife and a little squeegie tool to complete the process.  It takes longer to paint the painting but I love the results.  As she states, it creates an active surface. You can order a short video on her site that describes the technique and she will instruct you on how to create the simple tool.  If you have any questions email me and I will try to help as well.

If you would like to see more of Julie's wonderful work visit her website here  http://www.juliefordoliver.com

Hello Kitty - SOLD

There is a photographer on Paint My Photo that has some very good photos for reference for animals and her name is Janruss.  This was a cat she has named as All Eyes and I was drawn to those eyes.  I love to watch cats and am amazed at their cunning natures.  I do feel they have the most expressive eyes and they make me wonder what are they thinking.  This little painting is for all the cat lovers out there ---you probably know what they are thinking.

Hovering - SOLD

It makes me sad every year for the hummingbirds to leave.  This year especially because I moved to a new home and I felt that I had left old friends at my lake house and finally after a month or so of filling my feeder every couple of days, they came.  I love watching them even when they fight.

Still Life

This week I painted with an awesome group of ladies from Rome, Georgia and with artist, Guido Frick.  Guido is from Germany and is an impressionistic artist whose mentor was Sergei Bogart.  He paints with a very loose, colorful style that is very unique.  Everyday the class took place outdoors and Guido's speciality is Plein Air painting.  The very first day we painted a still life and even that was set up outdoors.  I found him to be a very generous artist, one who shares freely and is able to give constructive, individualized critiques.  I would highly recommend his class.  If you would like to see more of his work visit his website at guidofrick.com

Cruze - SOLD

This little family has the cutest kids ever and I am so honored when asked to paint one of them.  This little boy has a spark in his eyes that makes you think he is full of life.  Recently when I met him he even said to me, "I am a mess".  His family is anxiously waiting for their brother to join their family from Haiti and I find myself praying while painting for the arrival to be soon.

My Bouquet

This was another painting from the Art Colony from last week. This painting was completed entirely with a palette knife. I love using the knife as it gives a completely different look and texture to paintings that I respond to. This is a 9" x 11" oil on canvas. 

 Next week I am off to Rome, Georgia to study with Guido Frick. The German-born painter, lives half of the year in Europe and travels the other half almost exclusively through America´s western states. I am fortunate that he will be in the South and I can study with him. In the early 1980´s he met with famous instructor and painter Sergei Bongart, and still considers this encounter as the most influential experience he has ever had as a painter. I look forward to studying with him as I love his work and that of Bongart. If you would like to see more of his work visit his website GuidoFrick.com

Reflecting

I was so drawn to this reference photo by Jane Ann Robertson that I wanted to paint these two pelicans.  I love the bright color of the water but I must tell you that some blues will take over your palette, your clothes, your hands, your brushes and anything else in close proximity.

Lauren

This was actually my personal favorite painting from my week at the Sarah Towery Art Colony.  We had a beautiful model in a white dress sitting outside on a wall near the lake.  We had approximately 2 hours to complete the painting.  I like the white area left on the canvas board.  Sometimes I really do not feel the entire canvas needs to be covered to have a finished painting.  This is very impressionistic but I felt I was able to say what I wanted to.

The Blue Cup

This was a still life completed at the Art Colony.  I do not paint still lifes very often but I liked this one.  My favorite time of morning is when I sit down with my coffee.  Again, Julee helped me here as she assisted us in cropping our scene noting that you do not have to include everything you see.  Interesting concept - one that adds interest to me.

Alice - SOLD

 The second day of the Art Colony we had two lovely models.  This is Alice, a beautiful young lady who was an excellent model.  For me the hard part of portraits is the balance between "saying too much" and saying "just enough".  Julee was excellent at instructing us how to give the viewer enough information without painting details to eyes, lips, etc. that take away from the finished portrait.  The portrait can become outlined and stiff.  I have studied and painted and painted to try and perfect a looser, more impressionistic approach to my portraits.  I was pleased with my Alice.

Flowers for a Friend -SOLD

 

Sarah Towery Art Colony - I have been studying all week with a wonderful, giving, artist ---Julee Hutchison.  Check out her work at JuleeHutchison.com    Julee is one of those artists who instructs with years of wisdom and she possesses the ability to "hone in" on the needs of each artist she is instructing.  Her work is amazing and she has the ability to speak volumes with her paintings with limited strokes that are calculated and meaningful.  I have attended the colony for 11 years and found this year to be the most rewarding.  I painted with 20 other artists that I feel privileged to know and learn from.  Expect to see more here!   Thanks for visiting.