Twenty-Minute Challenge

My friend Donna Vines introduced me to artist Mary Gilkerson's 20-minute challenge, which means doing a small painting in just 20 minutes. Here is my first attempt, a scene in Florence, Italy. I learned from this one that the subject was a bit too complex for a 20-minute execution!

This was my second attempt, and it went much easier. No buildings or people!

I was more deliberate with this last one, and stopped panicking over the time ticking by.

If you want to paint more loosely, this is a great exercise. One important tip: mix up your paint before you set the time.

Below is a page from my sketch journal, starting with my gym class the other day. Jean Thomas's class really inspired me to sketch more about everyday happenings.

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Rare Bromeliad Oil Painting, Encholirium Horridum Original 11x14 Oil on Canvas

 Click to Buy $195

This is number two in my series of succulents, bromeliads and cacti. This weird plant is called Encholirium Horridum, which, loosely translated, means a whirlwind full of spikes. It is a rare bromeliad from Brazil. 

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Oil on Canvas, Euphorbia Francoisii Caudiform Succulent Plant Painting 11x14

$195 Click to Buy

Euphorbia francoisii, a small caudiciform succulent from Madagascar, has the most variable leaves in the plant kingdom. No two plants have the exact same leaf shape or color, even if they are clones. The new leaves emerge as new shapes and colors, completely unpredictable! Some plants will have several different leaf shapes, sizes and colors all on one plant! So weird. This plant is on the critically endangered list.

I will be painting more from the exotic world of succulents. They are some of the most interesting plants on Earth. For the real thing, check out Paradise Found Nursery.

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Blueberries, Small Daily Painting of Fruit Original Oil on Canvas

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This little painting is a favorite of mine, not only for the colors, but for the fact that it is the sum total of my blueberry crop. My little bush produced these berries then withered and died. I know blueberries can be grown in Florida, but they must be a certain kind, and maybe they are not salt-tolerant; maybe I'm too close to the beach. Just another gardening experiment gone awry.

Speaking of gardening, would someone please tell my weeds it's winter? As the planet gets warmer many of my weeds continue to grow when they should just hibernate. Could I please get a weeding break? On the plus side, I have flowers blooming in the middle of winter. 

Everglades Spoonbills Bird Art Print Florida Birds Free Shipping

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I visited Marzek Pond in the Everglades and was thrilled to see flocks of birds of various kinds. Spoonbills are my favorites because of their beautiful color and comical faces. This image may be ordered as a high-quality giclee print on stretched canvas in the sizes listed by clicking on "Select Dimensions" above. It is mounted on stretcher bars and the sides are black, so it may be hung with or without a frame. The materials are pigment inks on acid-free archival canvas and guaranteed to last over 100 years.

 

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Van Gogh Slept Here, Original Oil Painting on Gallery-Wrapped Canvas 8x8 Provence France

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This is Saint-Paul Asylum, Saint-Remy, France, where Van Gogh spent a year. He was seeking treatment for his mental illness, and he painted 100 paintings while living there. The place is still a facility with patients, but we only saw the part open to tourists. It was a thrill to actually be in Van Gogh's room. His mental health improved there so much that he was allowed to wander the countryside and paint to his heart's content. 

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