1st in a Daily Painting series

 

Family Time

6"x 6" oil painting on board

 #1 

Well, here we go! 

I figure, if I announce to my corner of the world that I'm trying to create a habit,  I'll hold myself accountable... and I'll try my best to stay with it! I'm hoping to paint small, frequent paintings. I'd love to give myself permission to paint loosely... quickly and jump from subject to subject, and this feels like a fun way to do just that.. and a fun experiment to try!

I've known about the Dailey Painting movement, but I haven't felt the pull until recently.  There are so many incredible artists out there painting on the daily.  They report that they're learning so much, enjoying  the creating process again, and creating new opportunities around what they love to do... Yes, Yes,  and Yes! Sign me up!

As of now...I feel like the list of paintings I'd love to create is so long, that it kinda stifles me.  Which one to do first? Do I have time to create the image I have in my mind? Will it be a part of a group theme? Where do I store all these paintings.  I can get overwhelmed by the ideas and what to do next.  So painting  a small painting a day (or close to daily) gives me more room to experiment and get back to playing with paint.. not take things too serious and intimidate myself with each project.  So, that's my new goal.

Thank you for checking in and looking!  I appreciate your company.

Wish me luck :)

 

Beach Beauty

"Beach Beauty"

12"x16"

 oil on board

I was missing the feeling of watercolor painting lately…all drippy, with it's transparent colors.

So this started out as a burnt umber drawing with very wet, thinned oil paint and a fairly big brush.

Then, of course, I wanted to play with adding some color….

just in some areas…give the girl some pow!

I had fun :)  I do my best work when I'm having fun, 

am I repeating myself?  I bet I am….but its cause I think we all do our best creating

when we are knee deep in what we love! 

I love these girls I paint with their colorful hair and goggles

…I'm not exactly sure why…. I just do :)

Makes the painting part feel effortless.

Thank you for looking and reading!  

No Parking

"No Parking"

24" x 24" oil

I'm painting a few new paintings for an upcoming show at a neat place in 

Anchorage called Modern Dweller's.....it's a chocolate lounge!

Yuuummmmy.

I'm enjoying painting some city stuff!

Thank you for looking!

Protected

"Protected"

24" x 36"  oil

Aggregate towers

On my way to work, I drive by this structure. 

 It always catches my eye, maybe because there is so much snow and this thing 

stands out with all it's bright orange, shooting into the sky.

We had a beautiful sunny day and it was just sitting there glowing.

So I grabbed my "stuff" and painted it from the parking lot across the street.

I like it.  I could see doing it again, but bigger.  Maybe when the snow melts.

  

Tavern

"Tavern"

16" x 20"  oil

I think it would be fun to drive across America, looking for old signs, abandoned

gas stations, roadside attractions, diners.....and paint along the way.  

I love old signs...neon the most!  Every town has a few great Motel signs.

Along the California coast......Highway 1, there's so much along that road to paint,  it would be a fun start.  The colors....that 50's aqua color is everywhere.  Old motels, sun-bleached signs and flowers crawling up everything!  The history in small towns is fun too...buildings...cars...the occasional vintage city bus... too cool.  I always enjoy looking at city paintings done by artists that live in San Francisco.  

Trolley cars, hills and ocean....I'm on vacation just day dreaming about it.

The sign in this painting is in Langley, Washington....I think......or was it Coupeville, Washington....hmmmm.  A trip to the area for a painting workshop about 3 years ago, that's when I feel like my paintings really started to take a new direction.  That first workshop, what a big step outside my comfort zone that was.  Painting with other people around...painting faster than I normally paint......painting people.......all very uncomfortable.  But... I'm so glad I had faith in myself and the courage to try something new.  I'm so happy with the progress I've made over the past 3 years.....my daydream from the past has become my life now.  It's powerful to allow yourself to dream....to mentally visualize the future you wish for.  I believe what we think about and daydream about will come true some day.

Think of things you love.....imagine yourself in your perfect world...then start

 walking in that direction, it will happen. 

"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step"

 Martin Luther King Jr

Green Light

12" x 12"  oil

Winter......cold......slush.......traffic......

Right about now,  I'm looking forward to spring, and this painting 

gives me no comfort. I can hold onto that bit of sunshine on the side of the semi, 

mentally soak it in and feel the warmth....or not.

Just trying some new ways of putting color down, and keeping myself 

from zeroing in on little details. 

Look to the sky.....

Just before sunset...

Pullman, WA at sunset

I've had clouds and sky on my mind these past few months.  I seem to be engaged in a totally different task when I look up and see some incredible sky hovering above me........just flaunting itself in front of my eyes, while I carry in the groceries or check the mailbox.  As if to let me know a beautiful painting is always waiting for me to paint....every day....any minute, I'm just not making time for it. 

The two paintings above were done on a hilltop in Pullman, WA.  The sun was setting and we grabbed all our gear and raced to catch the last of the light and color of that evening sky.  Fun!  I loved the speed and immediacy of these paintings.....color only!  My last lesson of the trip and I had no idea it was going to be taught. Thank you Henry for teaching me these past few years, I have appreciated all you have taught me.