High Key Church - SOLD

I wanted to try a more high key painting and so many people seem to respond to my little churches that I used one I have wanted to paint for a while now.  I would love to hear from you to see what you think.  

Sarah Jane - SOLD

There are times when I paint children that I just fall in love and this was one of those times. In the reference photo I was given to paint from it looks like God is shining down love from Heaven on this little jewel.

Her mother also provided a close up of Sarah Jane so that I could see her personality a little more and I painted this first to have her looking over my shoulder at the larger one.

Soccer Strategy

This painting is one of my grandsons and his friend who played soccer together this Spring.  The little girl is so good and it looks like she has some definite ideas for the next play.  I love her pink socks and pink ball.  She is full of "girl power".

12" x 16" oil on stretched canvas   $200

Still Life

The genre of "Still Life" describes a painting featuring an arrangement of inanimate, everyday objects, whether natural objects (flowers, food, wine, etc.) or manufactured items (books, bottles, crockery, etc.).  According to the internet, the Tate Museum Glossary puts it very succinctly, defining the subject of a still life as "anything that does not move or is dead.  

If you use that last description I might be categorized as a still life.  Last night I met with four other long time artist friends, shared a wonderful meal and then stayed up all night and painted.  One of my friends has a wonderful farm complete with her own private studio.  We literally painted all night and after a wonderful breakfast, I drove home (1 1/2 hour drive).  I am really tired and  I have truly not moved much since I returned home  except to post this painting.   I might be a little out of shape for this.............

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/marcia-hodges/still-life-ii/479764

Out of the Blue - SOLD

For my artist friends - have you ever just "felt" the need to paint something not knowing why you are drawn to it.  It might be the colors, the composition, the way you are feeling at the moment or you just want to try it.  Sometimes I paint something that I think is specifically for someone.  Maybe the painting will resonate with them and they will know it immediately or maybe it is just for me to have the opportunity to play with the colors and see what happens on the canvas. Sometime I find myself asking, "where did that come from?"  That is the way it was with this little painting.  It is very different than the things I usually paint.  I am experimenting with acrylics more and more and have found a new love for them and that is what I used with this.  

Do Dah Days - DONATED

Do Dah Days was celebrated in Birmingham this weekend and a friend and I walked around the park during the activity surrounding the set up.  We saw this gentleman walking his dog and we loved his white hat and pants and his little friend.  I am donating this painting to the Oasis Counseling Center Art Card sell that help to raise funds to help women, children and families have access to high quality mental health services. 

I rarely paint in acrylics  but I needed to this morning to ensure the painting would be completely dry for delivery by Friday.  I find I am enjoying the freshness of color and the quick clean up with water.  

Girlfriend Gifts

Recently someone commissioned me to paint a whimsical painting of her and her girlfriends for gifts for Mother's Day.  These little remembrance paintings became very popular with others.  If you would like to create a memory of you and your girlfriends, you can send me particulars of the event you would like to capture in the painting to paintingbythelake@gmail.com.  The small 6" x 8" original paintings are $25 + shipping or you can order cards, t-shirts or tote bags from my site at  http://fineartamerica.com/featured/girlfriend-gifts-marcia-hodges.html?newartwork=true

Jameson - SOLD

I simply love painting children and this little guy seems to be amazed as he looks out at the ocean.

Beach Awed

I took this picture while people watching at the beach in Destin.  This little love was with her family and she stopped and just stared at the ocean for the longest time as if she was in awe.  I wondered if it was her first time to ever visit the beach.  It brought back memories of me taking my children to the beach for the first time and up until that visit they had only visited water parks with simulated "waves".  My son who was probably about 3 or 4 stood looking out at the ocean just like this and asked me, "Mama, when will they turn the waves off?"

This is a 16" x 20" on gallery wrapped canvas and is available at Sunshine Village Gallery/Art/Antiques in Georgia.  The cost is $300.  If you are interested in purchasing you may contact me at paintingbythelake@gmail.com

The Old Home Place

This was my third painting at the Plein Air Paint Out.  The home on the Stamps farm was built in the 1800's and was a very stately presence on the 500 acres
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/marcia-hodges/the-old-home-place/476378

The Garden Gate

This is one of the pieces I completed when painting with the Alabama Plein Air artists.  Lovely setting in Montevallo, Al at the Stamps farm.  Lovely large farm with many areas to paint.  In the back of the house there was a garden surrounded by a white fence with beautiful little rose bushes here and there.  I love the peacefulness of painting outside.  It was rather funny that there were peacocks also on the farm that would periodically cry out with a loud noise...not sure they liked us being there.

This is a 9" x 11" oil on linen canvas.