Daffodil Promise

I see daffodils sprouting up all over this week! Their bright beauty trumpeting to the world after so many months underground.  

The bulbs I planted months ago are in a shady spot so they are just peeking out as my painting shows.  I can't wait to see them and share a daffodil series of paintings soon!  

5 x 7 acrylics on stretched canvas

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30 in 30 - #30: Guacamole Party!

Before, I had avocados.  Now, I have guacamole!  I'm gonna dip on in to celebrate this last painting in Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!  I am proud of "running THROUGH the finish line"...and proud of the diced tomatoes and cilantro on top. :-)

I make a fast guacamole by mashing two avocados and mixing with my favorite salsa until I like the texture.  To finish I add salt to taste and serve with blue corn chips.  

When I want to take the time to make it from scratch, I consult one of my favorite foodies: Alton Brown.  His version takes some prep time but is sooo worth the effort.  Try some this weekend for your Super Bowl party!  

8 x 10 acrylic on stretched canvas

30 in 30 - #27: Avocados Much?

Before they went into the guacamole...

8 x 10 acrylics on stretched canvas

Buy this painting on Daily Paintworks

30 in 30 - #13: Sightseeing Companions

What did they see from the other side?

8 x 10 acrylics on stretched canvas

Coneflowers Four

A dear friend shared several purple coneflower plants from her garden.  She moved away and we lost touch but I think of her and smile each time I see the blooms.  

8 x 10 acrylic on stretched canvas

Also available as a lovely framed print or greeting card

Black-eyed Susans on the Green

My three favorite rudbeckia friends are vibrant against a green gradient!  A tiny round tip brush provides the colorful accents. 

8 x 10 stretched canvas, acrylics

This image available as a lovely print or greeting card...check it out here!

Colorful Daisy Trio

I love this piece...and what I learned from the process!

I wanted to loosen up my painting, but struggled with how to do so. I found artists with styles that inspired me and studied their brushwork and composition. I realize now I was analyzing too much and delaying the action!

So this piece is the "action". Enjoy!

 

Acrylics on 5 x 7 stretched canvas

Rose from the Garden - SOLD

A lovely rose as my first commission was quite the task!  I love how the shadows developed to show the folds of each petal.  The client was very pleased with the creation!

I enjoy working on custom creations--contact me to start yours today! 

12 x 12 wrapped canvas, acrylics

Ready for S'more?

My mouth watered while painting this s'mores cupcake! 

Using my palette knife made the marshmallow peaks stand out--almost like icing the cupcake!  The graham cracker crumbles were challenging, but using more heavy gel medium in the paint was key. 

I am proud of the look I achieved for the cupcake paper liner.  I used the edge of my palette knife to create stripes using burnt sienna/titan buff, then created the "scoop" at the top of each stripe.

Oh, and the cupcake was tasty :-)  Enjoy!

12" x 12" wrapped canvas, acrylics, heavy gel medium

Pumpkins Complete!

The finished product is Yummy Pumpkin goodness!  This one was fun and turned out a little cartoonish with the highlights and bold colors.  I really enjoyed painting this pair!

8 x 10 stretched canvas, acrylics and high gloss gel medium

Pumpkins in Progress

My family went to a local pumpkin patch and selected a few small pumpkins for our table decor.  Since carving the small ones was challenging, I chose to paint a pair instead.  The appropriate tool of choice?  A palette knife.  :-)

Red Daisy Trio

Detail

A trio of daisies posted in spite of the recent cold weather!  :-)  


11 x 14 stretched canvas, acrylics

Creative Stamping

 



I asked an artist friend, "How do you create such beautiful texture in your work?"  She replied: stamps, bubble wrap, drawer liner, a spray bottle and cap, plus whatever was on hand to create the effect she desired.  She was very kind to walk me through her process! 


I used to think stamps and other texturizing items could limit a painting, but instead learned they can enhance a composition by providing interesting shapes and text.  


This piece was my first.  I chose a dress form stand stamp, "dream" stamp, bubble wrap (circle pattern), drawer liner (grid pattern) and a room air freshener spritzer cap (white circles).  I mixed Titan Buff into the background for a softer green.  For me the stamping was fast and was an excellent "loosening up" exercise.  I enjoy finding ways to feed my creativity, and this is one I would do again.  


Thank you Beverly!  :-)


12 x 12 stretched canvas, acrylics including Golden heavy body Titan Buff

Fall Pair of Pears

A couple of pears for fall.  I like the composition and I enjoyed using my new round/oval palette knife.


8 x 10 stretched canvas, acrylics and high gloss gel medium

Rudbeckia Family Portrait

The Rudbeckia "family portrait" is finished.  This painting has ALOT of texture, almost like the petals are curling off the canvas.  


8 x 10 stretched canvas, acrylics and high gloss gel medium

Rudbeckia family portrait in progress...

While working on this painting, the color values have become challenging.  The background and the stems are too similar in value (or tone), i.e., you can't see the stems.  In class we tried some lime green and brown, and I want to go shop for a bright or perhaps neon lime green.  Otherwise I could make the background lighter blue.  


Oh, and the bud is one of my favorite parts of the painting now.  :)

What's on my Easel?

More Rudbeckia!  Cadmium Yellow is one of my favorite colors.  I look forward to adding/editing more details and filling in the background soon!  

Golden Pear

The 2nd half of the "Pear Pair" is complete.  Enjoy...I am pumped about this painting!


8 x 10 stretched canvas, acrylics and heavy gel medium

Palette Knife Rudbeckia

To one of my favorite summer flowers.  I photographed the rudbeckia I bought at Harry's a few weeks back.  The colors were outstanding on my patio so I couldn't resist painting them.  I am pleased with the outcome.  


At 5" x 7", this is a small painting.  Small is quick, and challenges me to edit.  I look forward to more smalls...


5 x 7 stretched canvas, acrylics and high gloss gel medium

What's on my easel?

I spy...a pear-in-progress!  This will be my second palette knife painting.  I am thinking to change the light blue to a darker blue to coordinate with the first pear color scheme.  This will make the yellows and golds stand out, as blue and orange are complementary on the color wheel.