Thursday, November 27, 2014

Birdie Coiffure, 6x6 Oil Painting on Canvas Panel



I always enjoy these birds, especially this one with his hair sticking up like he's in a boy band. 

This is Thanksgiving Day, and I am very thankful to live in Florida, looking out my window at the beautiful sunny day we are having. My new knee is not healed enough to permit me to cook Thanksgiving dinner, but we are invited to the home of a really good cook, so I am also thankful for that!

Carmen

Monday, November 24, 2014

Two Palms, 6x8 Oil Painting on Panel



Well, I will soon be building my brand-new, luxurious studio because James Comey of the FBI emailed me that for only $750 and my personal information I will receive over 10 million dollars from lottery/gambling/inheritance money due me from "overseas."

I keep wondering how many people fall for this, just another version of the Nigerian scam. Someone must, or they wouldn't keep doing it. The letters are always poorly written and don't even come close to being believable, yet someone must be sending them money.

This has nothing to do with my painting above, I just need to sound off now and then. I once had a friend who would say, "There are eight million people in New York City. If I could just get each one to send me a penny..."

Carmen

Thursday, November 20, 2014

By the Sea, Seascape,Oil on Canvas panel,10x8



I feel such sympathy for the people up north (and by "up north" I mean anything above the Florida-Georgia line). I don't think I'd survive in places with eight feet of snow. No wonder my grandmother came to Florida from Missouri in the 1900s. 

This painting is what Fall looks like here. We usually get a big November storm, which for us means rain, wind, beach erosion, and the leaves blowing off the plumeria tree. I have no complaints!

Carmen

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Red Roof Cottage, 10x8 Original Acrylic on Panel



I know, I know. This is an abrupt change from my previous post. Members of my painting group, Pieces of 8, present challenges each week to get us out of our comfort zone. This one was from Cindy Michaud. It is fun to do something so completely different from my usual. It is influenced by Clarice Cliff, an important ceramic artist in the 1920s. Below is an example of her work, which is highly valued today. 


Saturday, November 15, 2014

Sunshine and Shadow, 24x20 Oil on Canvas, after Homer



My painting group did copies of masters as an educational exercise. I did this one as an homage to two of my favorite things, reading in a hammock and paintings by Winslow Homer. I was lucky enough to walk the cliff walk near Homer's home, imagining him there, painting those rocky shores. There is speculation that the girl is Helena de Kay, with whom Homer was in love for many years. It was an unrequited love, and he lost her to another man. Homer never married. 

One of my favorite stories about Homer is that he would sit outside sketching away, and unless a drawing really pleased him, he crumpled it up and threw it on the ground. He would pay local boys to pick up the mess he made, and some of their parents were smart enough to keep those rejected sketches. Wonder what they are worth today?

Carmen

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Three Pelicans, 8x6 Oil on Panel



I painted these birds for my November 1st post, and the colors were more realistic. I decided to do them again, but get more free with colors that I enjoy. Seems to me there is a lot more to look at in this one.

Which one do you like best?

Carmen

Saturday, November 8, 2014

English Roses, 6x6 Oil Painting on Panel




This is a repeat of an earlier post. I struggled with the photo of this garden painting, because it had a pinkish hue for some reason. It has bothered me ever since, so I took the photo again and finally got a better reproduction of the painting. I don't know why color in some images is harder to capture.

One of the problems with selling paintings online is that not every monitor shows colors the same way. I had a customer complain that her painting had some orange touches in it and she doesn't like orange; however, on my computer the orange is very apparent.  One customer out of hundreds can adversely affect a seller's rating, as this one buyer did for mine, and her comments didn't even match her rating. The lesson I learned from that is that when I am trying to decide between two sellers and one of them has four stars and the other five stars, it doesn't mean a thing. 

Carmen

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The Little Bridge, 5x7 Pen and Ink Drawing



Every time I draw one of these cottages it takes me back to my childhood, reading Grimm Fairy Tales. Those were my favorites The ones that were really grim were the ones by Hans Christian Anderson. They used to scare me to death. He was Stephen King for children. One title I still remember: The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf. Terrifying.

The brothers Grimm had some scary ones too, but fortunately my book had such winners as Cinderella and Rapunzel. There's nothing wrong with a happy ending.

Carmen


Saturday, November 1, 2014

White Pelicans, 8x6 Oil on Panel



I separated these three pelicans from the flock that was floating in a pond in the Everglades. There were too many to paint them all, and amazingly, there was an alligator cruising quietly right down the middle of the crowd. I don't know how the birds know when it's time to take flight, but they did seem to have eyes on the alligator, and he never attacked them.

My posts have been few and far between since I had surgery, but I am trying to do better. I'm not as dopey or as apathetic as I was at first, but I still am not myself. I want to be healthy for the big Pieces of 8 Holiday Sale on December 5 and 6 at Ralph's Art Supply in Eau Gallie Arts District. Save the date and a generous block of time, because there will be a lot to look at, not only fine art but affordable gift items as well. 

Carmen