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!

Charming

"Charming"

12"x 12", oil on canvas

I love a good skull painting now and then!

This guy's still working it....some men don't know when to stop ;)

Enjoy your day out there!!

Thank you for looking!

Diner

"Diner"

16"x 16", acrylic on canvas

I paint with acrylics once a week now...the rest of the time I'm very happy with my oil paints.  This is the still life from today's lesson.

I have a student that wants to learn to paint... in acrylics.  I warned her that it would be an experiment... the paintings she likes of mine are all in oils.  She thinks I can do anything.  It's so nice seeing someone have that kind of confidence in me, so I have to rise to the occasion.  I'd hate to spoil the illusion.  

It's great practice...all that color mixing..over and over... 

I'm learning a lot myself!

The upside side is....The painting is already dry!

How cool is that?!

It's really cool  :)

Thank you for reading!

Flowers…#9

"Flowers,  #9"

8" x 10", oil on canvas

I'm not sure what I think about this one…

Painting at night in my studio, I turned off a lot of lights and put a spotlight on this little still life.

I even turned off some lights close to my canvas.

I guess I'd say I was painting in the dark.  The painting kinda turned out dark.  I'm surprised, because I thought maybe it would lead to a lighter painting.  

It was an experiment… which is the cool thing about 

 painting everyday, I'm 

feeling more casual about these little paintings, less pressure…more playful.

I like that.  :)  

Okay…thank you for checking in on me!

I appreciate it!  :)

Flower # 6

"Flower #6"

11" x 14", oil on canvas

Not a very clever title, but this is an oil version of the still life I set up yesterday.

Painting flowers and putting up twinkle lights outside :)

I hope your holidays are magical!

Thank you for looking in on my painting efforts! :)

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 :)

Apple in Cool Light

"Apple in Cool Light"

12" x 16"  oil on canvas

My work week.....

"Lunch with my Peeps"

12" x 16"  oil

I was walking my dog yesterday morning before work, thinking......what if I got up earlier?

Think of how much I could do before my work day even begun!

I can't seem to find a regular time to paint.  It's like that wonderful treat, that takes last place 

when other things need to be done.  But yesterday.....while walking my dog.....I thought, maybe I could be a morning person, maybe I could paint in the mornings before work?  

I met a wonderful artist in Easton, Maryland....Stephen Griffin, we were having a beer and talking about art and painting.  I was asking him how he got to the level he's at (he's a master at impressionistic landscapes and life like portraits)  He told me I need to paint my 200 paintings!  That's what he did.

"What do you mean?  200 paintings?"  I had an idea.......get out there and practice.  He said he and a friend got up everyday at 5am and painted...never skipped a day!  Their paintings improved dramatically over a few months.

He said I need to paint my 200 paintings, then throw them in a pile and burn them....then go paint 200 more!  Okay, I got it....paint...paint...paint!  Of course that's the only way I'm going to go to the next level........paint my way there. 

 I have been hearing this message from a few other accomplished artists too.  

So yesterday morning.......I thought, maybe before work I can start working at that goal of 200 paintings! 

When I got to work, I found out that my work days are going to start at 12 noon, instead of 10am.  I kinda feel like the universe just arranged things for me after hearing my thoughts on my walk..........knowing I'm not really good at the early morning thing, this will be a good alternative.

So that's my new goal 200 paintings.....you may not see them all,

 I want to be able to paint without fear.  So I'll show you the ones I'm happy with along the way :)

 My advise to you......go for a quiet walk and tell the universe what you want,

 then watch what happens next.  

   

Mothers Day Roses

These are my Mother's Day roses, outside in the evening sun. 

I'm trying to paint colors that I see and not the details. I think this is a nice start.

The brightness outside fools my eyes though.  I'll have to learn to push the colors stronger than I think they are, they may be closer to the truth that way. 

A wise artist  taught me that. 

Apple in warm light

Not much to say today.....

just showing you a painting 

I did last year.

"Waiting for Enlightenment"

"Waiting for Enlightenment"

oil on canvas

I have a cool skull that I love to play dress-up with.  Some days I put a small toy in his eye socket......some days he wears funky hats and wigs.  I have a selection of goggles and vintage eye glasses he models for me.  

The burnt-out light bulb reminds me of times when I haven't got a clue.  Lately I find myself searching for more meaning in my world.  Why.......why do I do what I do?  Why do others do what they do?  Why are some days blissful and other days not.  Do I have some control over any of this?

Who's in charge?

This was a good way to focus myself and just think about color, shapes and light.

Easier than thinking about the other stuff.