Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Study in Umber, 6x6





I love the challenges posted on Daily Paintworks. This was fun, basically a three-value study done in burnt umber. I painted it at our weekly Pieces of 8 painting group, and I only brought my tube of burnt umber. I had some spare time to do another piece, but no paint. This presented another challenge. I used my friend Donna's palette to paint "Tired Pear" which I posted previous to this one. Using someone else's paints is a very interesting experience, since we all use different colors on our palettes. It was also two different approaches to the same subject.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

ILU, 8x6





This continues my On A Cellular Level series. I imagined this girl getting a text message that says "ILU" (I love you). She looks happy.

I feel so bad for all the people who have experienced disasters recently. Our family in Pennsylvania narrowly escaped injury when a tornado roared through last week. I hope their state cares more for the citizens than Florida does. Our state government passed a law recently that the insurance rates here can increase by 15% each year. Our last hurricane was almost six years ago, yet rates have jumped outrageously, so this is adding insult to injury.

Maybe the girl in my painting just heard that her premiums didn't go up this year. That would put my painting in the "Fantasy" genre.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Tired Pear, 5x7




I'll get back to my cell phone series, but not right this minute. I'm happy to say I have been accepted into Women Painters of the Southeast. Check out this link, they are a talented bunch of ladies.

I painted this at our weekly Pieces of 8 session.

Monday, May 23, 2011

At the Museum, 5x7

I said in a previous blog that people on cell phones might make a good series, and I convinced myself. This is No. 2. "Beach Break" is No. 1. My series is called "On a Cellular Level."

I'm really pumped up after painting this one. I've been a bit overwhelmed lately and this painting made me happy. My husband is working on hard on therapy for his broken foot and he does everything he can using a cane or wheelchair. He observed that the neighbors on each side of us all have knee problems, back problems, and skin cancer problems. He says our block is just one crutch away from a telethon. 

SOLD



Beach Break, 7x5





It was a bright sunny day and this girl was waiting for the Shuttle launch. She had a cell phone but I didn't realize it till I got home and looked at my photos. It seems that I get a lot of pictures of people on their cell phones. That could be a painting series.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Beach Stride, 5x7

I saw this woman striding down the beach, arms swinging, and I took her picture from the seventh floor of my friend Mary's condo. It was the day of the last launch of Shuttle Endeavor, and it so exciting to see that bright light rise from the sea's horizon and lift into space. The weather was beautiful, the ocean was calm--a great day all around.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Marshland, 10x8





This is the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge in Florida. I don't know what those red plants are, but I hope someone can tell me. I painted this on a textured board and did a little palette knife work. When it comes to knives, I'm better at chopping garlic than I am at applying paint.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

My Photo Shoot

Just so you don't think I'm a slacker, I'm posting some photos of what has been consuming a lot of my time lately (since my husband has been incapacitated with a crushed heel). This is my little vegetable garden with eggplant, cukes and tomatoes.





My large Frangipani tree
Rain lilies are springing up all over my lawn. They're very pretty, so I don't mind. They will spring up and bloom a couple of days after the lawn's been mowed. They are confused. It's only rained once in the past month, and we don't overwater. We respect water restrictions. On the ground are Frangipani flowers that fell from our tree on the one and only rainy, windy day.

I've spread 15 bags of mulch--yet the weeds still come.     
Bougainvillea
I would show you a picture of my prolific Four-o-Clocks, but it's only two o'clock now, so they aren't blooming.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Alien Sweet Potato, 8x10

I was pulling out some of the decorative sweet potato vines that grow prolifically in my yard, and this bizarre sweet potato came up. It is almost eight inches across and I thought it looked like something from outer space. I had to paint it, since it's decorated with such calligraphic stems and vines.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Onions, 7x5



I painted this one for the Dailypaintworks.com "Paint Your Vegetable" Challenge. The big onion had a lot going on, with those long hairy-looking roots coming out of it.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Beach Sortie, 10x8

I love the ocean. I don't mind the sand, the sun, or the salt. I enjoy the pelicans flying by looking for breakfast, too. It's amazing how beautiful they are in flight and how homely they are sitting on a post.
SOLD

Friday, May 6, 2011

Yellow Waterlily, 6x6

Our Artists' Guild was invited to an open house and there was a lovely pond with waterlilies, so that was the subject for our Pieces of 8 painting group yesterday.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Sketching in the Park, 7x5





My friend Mary and I were sketching in the park, and this was such a typical pose for her. I enjoyed painting this from a photo I took that day.