Late Afternoon Glow

"Late Afternoon Glow"

24"x 24" oil on canvas

The Alaskan winter days have beautiful lighting.  It's either looking like sunrise or sunset most of the day, unless it's plain 'ol darkness...then it's just dark.

This painting was done from a reference photo taken at 3:30 pm.  The sun just rides along the horizon in December.  This glass building was glowing.  If I turned around, I wouldn't be able to see the sun from my vantage point....but this building was reflecting everything from the southern skyline.

Traffic....if your a night lights junkie like me, traffic in the winter up here is pretty beautiful.  

And if I'm not wearing my glasses... all those lights have a large halo effect.  

Cool...

Of course, this painting and the colors are filtered through my heart and mind...

a little bit amped up...... cause that's what I see.

Artists, don't be a journalist with your art......be a poet.  

Show the world your heart.  Don't be scared... show us what you're made of. 

I love that about art.

Thanks for looking!!

 and reading.

First painting of 2017

Tangerines and an Apple

12" x 12" oil on canvas

It's wonderful to be smearing oil paint again.

It's winter wonderland here in Anchorage, Alaska...so all seems to be white, blue and different shades of grey.  This is a great way to infuse my brain with color.....saturate my view with warm, vibrant colors. 

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope 2017 blesses you with love, good health and happiness!

The Boxer

"The Boxer"

Another example of my letting go and allowing some truth to come through.

I had a master plan on this painting.  This was the quick beginning that I was planning to add to.

I had an image of someone already in my head ....kind of a "Bring it" moment... courage, in the moment....no fear.  An idea that kept presenting itself, and I wanted to capture it, in a painting.

So a friend of mine graciously said yes to model for the painting. 

(even though it was totally out of his comfort zone)

This quick beginning, the part I thought was just a rough draft to what was to come....well, this was the "jewel".  This was the gift I was given that day, but I threw it away!!!   I painted over top of this....and let's just say, it was an epic fail.   After this start...I tried to paint a look that wasn't there.  I tried to paint a person that wasn't there....ignored the kindness, playful nature, more vulnerable look coming back at me.

I'm so glad I took a photo of the painting... before I began my painful effort of "Trying" to paint something that wasn't there.  

This is a painting of the person that was in front of me.

I was so lost in my "idea", that I didn't see.... 

I got what I'm usually after, I tapped into a tiny piece of the guy in front of me.

A good lesson for me, 

stay open...let go...things may not go as planned, and that's a good thing!!!

Thank you for looking!

and reading ...

Painting lessons

Would you like to learn to paint with oils or acrylics?  

Would you like guidance with color mixing and painting in a loose, colorful and expressive manner?

I am offering a low-key, personal teaching approach for those interested in painting, but aren’t sure how to get started or how to go about it.

The lessons would be in my art studio downtown at

Pink Raven Studio

135 Christensen Dr, Suite 1B, Anchorage, AK

On the corner of 2nd ave and Christensen Dr

First session is  2 hrs, easel and materials will be provided, cost is  $50

For the 2nd session and beyond.... you bring your materials to paint with

2 hour painting session, cost is $40 

or if you prefer more time,

3 hour session, cost is $60 

My studio is open Tuesday thru Friday from 12-6pm, if you let me know a good time, I’ll try to accommodate you.  Only 3 students or less at one time.  

Beginners welcome!  

email me with questions at  Marianne@MarianneElson.com

or...stop by and say hello at Pink Raven Studio! 

Downtown Studio

I have a new studio in downtown Anchorage, Alaska.

A small space to show my paintings and other possibilities.

I'm going to just go with it...see what happens, let it shape it's self.

If you would like to come say hi, or take a look....

The address is 

135 Christensen Dr.  Anchorage, Alaska

Flowers...

This is a detail of a larger floral painting I just finished.

I'm painting flowers for an upcoming show!

It feels great focusing my eyes and mind on color, warmth and nature waking up from 

a long winter of sleep. 

Spring is right around the corner....but in my studio, its already here!! :)

Thank you for looking....and reading!  :)

Flower #10

"Flower #10"

5" x 7", oil on canvas

Quick little guy….. time flew by yesterday!

I found myself eager to paint this one at 11pm last night, not wanting 

my flower streak to get interrupted  :)

I skipped running… something had to be sacrificed.

Thank you for checking in one me and reading!!

  

Flower # 7

"Flower #7"

5" x 7", oil on canvas

Sweet, little baby painting!  The size alone makes this one adorable to me!

Little, cutie pie….

okay, that's enough...  

Now, I need to look up how to make candied grapefruit peels…half dipped in dark chocolate! 

Just because it sounds delicious and I watched Jacques Pepin make them on PBS…

It's at the end of this video below if you're interested too!

Actually, everything he makes in this episode looks scrumptious…

I'm hungry :)

Jacques Pepin cooking show

Thank you for looking!!  :)

Little pink vase..

"Little Pink Vase" 

8" x 10", oil on canvas

More Flowers!  Yay!!

Flowers

"Flowers"

22"x 28", oil on canvas

sold

This whole painting was inspired by the colors of sunlight

 within this glass jar….me, trying to capture all that glorious color!

If I try again, would something new happen?  Would I see the colors the same way?  

I know the shapes could shift…that part I'm not too fussy on.  But the colors,

would I see and mix them the same way on a different day…different mood?

Recently I had someone want a painting that was already sold.  They asked if I could 

paint them another one just like it.  I said I could try….see how it turns out and let them know.

Even though they're almost identical, I can see the emotional part of it is gone, in the second painting.

The inspiration, that was there in the beginning…it's only in the first painting.

It's like a science fiction show….the cloned painting doesn't have the personality 

that the first did.  Maybe I'm the only one that would notice it in my own work. 

The inspiration, the spark…. the love…it's so important to a painting.

Its the main reason I don't paint commissioned pieces….

from someone else's photo.  It might be a wonderful picture/subject…but if it didn't 

tickle my brain….it might not turnout very well. 

Anyways…I do like this painting…and I won't try it again, 

cause I have something else I'm inspired about today :)

Thank you for looking…and reading!

I appreciate it :)

What if?

"Pink Raven", 12"x 16", oil on canvas

What if some ravens were born pink?  And had black and white striped legs?

I'd love that, because that would add a great punch of color all over Anchorage, Alaska.

In the winter (which is almost outlawed to talk about in the middle of summer up here) but, I'll do it anyways…cause I'm feeling rebellious today!  In the winter... all the color drains out of the frozen north for so many months.  If ravens were hot pink, the road sides, parking lots….McDonalds dumpsters, street lights…would have this wonderful color calling our attention.  At sunset, the color would shift and glow with ….maybe purples?  Or glowing around the ravens silhouette... yellow? warm coral, oranges?  Something to think about.

I'd love to see it... that's all I can say.

Geranium

11" x 14" oil on canvas

My husband and I go for walks in the evenings, on one of these walks I saw a small, empty 

rum bottle…...nice label…...thick green glass.  I imagined some flowers in it, looking cute on the kitchen table.  My husband is very sweet…he watches me pick up junk and try to get it in my pockets, sometimes he'll carry things home for me....no questions asked.  He knows I have a plan...I love that about him.  I got home, gently cleaned up my new bottle.  I went out on my deck and cut a stem with blossoms off my geranium …voila!!  

Operation Cuteness ...Accomplished!  

I placed the bottle proudly on the kitchen table...…hmmm ….but then this thought occurred to me,

 I have teenage boys.  Will they now feel a positive, fun attitude towards rum bottles….

Are they going to think…..mom loves rum bottles…. 

"lets go get us some rum bottles!"

You know that sound that tires make when they come to a screeching halt?  

I heard that sound in my mind.

So guess what?  It became a great still life subject!

I cut a piece of canvas and pinned it to a cork board ….just a quick painting…no commitment….fosters the "just playing around" attitude while I paint. (which is a great trick for ensuring a painting you'll end up really liking….and wishing you used a stretched canvas, lol)

Moral of the story…..

The less pressure I put on myself…and the more fun I have,

 the more I'll enjoy the finished painting.

I create my best when I'm having fun!

Thank you for looking and reading!  

I hope you have a creative day!

Plugged In

"Plugged In"

oil, 16" x 20"

Okay...finished her last night.  I like how this painting turned out.  Although I do think the lighting in my studio is so blue that it affected the color I saw and how I painted her skin.  It works....but I may not want the same look in my next painting.  Its wonderfully bright in my studio, but I can see this light is always going to lend a cool light to my paintings....not the warm glow I may want in others.

If you walked up to my studio at night....the light coming from the windows is so blue...

it almost looks like someone is welding inside!  I was going for "day light" bulbs, but I think I took it too far.  Back to Ace Hardware store!  I kinda love going there anyways...it's in my neighborhood...they recognize me, we work well together :)

At times, I've thought of working there....I could see myself as a hardware store girl.

It's very comforting being around all the tools, parts and pieces to make anything you want. 

I'll stick with painting for now.  

Thank you for looking!

Sketching for fun.....

I just got a new iPad a few days ago, what a fun toy!!  I bought it for manipulating photos and working out new ideas for paintings.... But I got sidetracked with a sketching app!  

There is something so easy about picking it up and starting a sketch! I don't know why a piece of paper or sketch book is different. I guess I feel such a sense of commitment to create something wonderful....I'm not always up for that. If I don't like it.....I need to get rid of the evidence, rip it out and put it in the trash.  When my family hears the rip....they all turn, and of course...want to see what I thought was bad. Its kinda like a car accident.....there is a sounds that everyone will stop what they're doing to look....ripping paper always gets my attention too!  But this iPad....so silent, no commitment, just delete and start over...sweet. You know, I seem to like everything I draw on it too...I'm much kinder to myself with this little toy!

Okay.... maybe more than you wanted to know about my insecurities, but there you have it.  If you have an iPad and sketching sounds fun to you, download the "Sketchbook Pro" app, it's a lot of fun!!  It's something like $5 .....and  I use a little stylus instead of my finger, an inexpensive one works just fine :)

Who.........Me?

"Who......Me?"

10" x 20" oil

Do you ever feel like this?  Like you have a spot light on you and a big arrow pointing at you?

Put on the spot in some kind of way?  I do sometimes, I guess that's why I painted this.

It's kinda fun to play with my thoughts.....put them into form and then paint it.

Cathartic.  

Thank you for looking :)

Cherries....

11"x 14"  oil

I love this little thermos.  I found it at a thrift store recently.....it has my favorite colors.....l love cherry branches....I collect thermoses, it practically jumped into my arms when I walked by.  I love when this stuffs happens.....

Now I have a painting I'm excited about.  I just never know what's waiting around the corner for me, always nice surprises!

Now....what to name it?  I'll think on this one....hmmm.....

Thank you for looking!

Las Laguna Gallery

My painting "Pretty in Pink" was juried into Las Laguna Gallery's "Women in Art" show.  These pictures are from last week's opening.

The show runs from November 7th until November 28th in Laguna Beach, California.

It's a great show with so many amazing artists....I felt very privileged to be a part of the show!

Check out Las Laguna Gallery....

and thank you for looking!

New painting

I'm still working on this one, and the photo could be better....

But, I'm liking it so far.  

Thank you for looking!

July Roses

July Roses

#9 

I was playing with a pallet knife on this one.

I'm tired of looking at my brush strokes....so out came the pallet knife!

This rose bush is on the corner of my house.  

Somehow it's managed to grow in spite of moose munching on it all winter and spring.

 Over the years it's grown to be about 6' tall.....in spite of all the munching and pruning.

What a survivor!  The roses are so pretty and they smell wonderful.  They're in bloom now for a few weeks and then they'll bloom again at the end of the summer.

This is the first time I've painted them.

This is #9 of my plein air paintings.....I'm going for 200.

That's my goal.  I have a ways to go. 

Thank you for looking! 

Fiona in Goggles

"Fiona in Goggles"

18" x 24"  oil

I'm posting older paintings, because .......

I need to get out and paint!!

I'm waiting for things to slow down a little bit and I'll jump in

and start painting again.  Like jump rope ....when it's going too

fast, it's seems harder to play along, but if it slows down just a bit...I can hop in.