"Gamble," 11x14 Original Oil Cat Painting

My daughter's cat Gamble was guarding the garden hose when I took her picture, and the light falling on her was the inspiration for this painting.

Carmen

 

Dressing Up, Original Oil Painting of Girl with Baby Goat

 

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I was at a fair in Virginia and I saw this sweet little picture--a girl dressing up her baby goat for competition. 

Carmen

Hello Kitty, 7x5 Original Oil Painting Animal Portrait of Cat

This is my daughter Suzanne's cat, an imperious creature, as you can see. This cat bit me once, but I have a very forgiving nature and honored it with a portrait anyway. Also, I happened to take a dramatic photo that I couldn't resist painting. By the way, the cat's actual name is Hello Kitty.

Carmen

Flamingo Twist, 12x12 Oil Painting on Canvas, Wildlife Art

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I love flamingos. This guy is perfectly comfortable standing on that one skinny leg, neck twisted, beak down in his feathers, doing...what? Sleeping? Looking for something, and if so, what? Or just fluffing that magnificent plumage?

This is fresh off the easel, 12 x12 inches on stretched canvas, still wet.

Carmen

Oil Painting, "Blackbird," 5x7 Oil on Canvas Panel

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This was my entry in the Pieces of Eight challenge this month, to paint a black bird without using black paint. I saw this little guy at our zoo, enjoying the food people were tossing to the exotic birds, and I loved all the colors I could see in his black feathers.

Carmen

Night of the Iguana, 18x24 Collage on Canvas, Animal Art

$600

This piece is very timely, as it is cold in Florida and Iguanas are so cold they are falling out of the trees. When it warms up, so will they.

This collage is made of torn magazines and cosmetics brochures.

Carmen

Roseate Spoonbills, Giclee Prints on Canvas

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This is the painting I did for International Artist Magazine's March 2012 issue. I sold the original last year, but I now have giclee prints available in my Etsy Shop at varying sizes and prices. These beautiful birds were hanging out in the Everglades, feeding in the mangroves. They are such a contradiction, with their funny spoon faces and their exquisite plumage. Perhaps God didn't want them to be too vain.

Carmen

Free Range Rooster, 6x8 Original Painting on Canvas Panel

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This rooster was observing me while I was painting a building. He proved to be a more attractive subject than the building, and I really loved the colors in his black feathers where the light caught them. He reminds me of the traditional Portuguese Roosters done in ceramic.

Carmen

Cow Love, 8x10 Original Oil Painting on Canvas Panel, Animal Art

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This scene of maternal love was on a farm in Pennsylvania. Mama cow actually had an ear outlined with huge burrs, but I didn't care to add that to the painting. 

Carmen

Murals, Past and Future

I am painting murals in a new bookstore, Paradise Found, opening November 1st on Anna Maria Island off Bradenton, Florida. In these photos I am revisiting past murals I did for the children's room in a previous bookstore.

I think I need to use some of these again, especially Winnie and Tigger, below.

I love doing these characters. Oh, and I forgot to mention that Paradise Found will have exotic plants for sale also. Books and plants--two of my favorite things!

Carmen

Little Foxes, 6x6 Original Oil Painting on Stretched Canvas, Wildlife Painting

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This picture was taken in Alaska, and these cute little guys were so sleepy they barely reacted to me taking their picture. I like the way they appear to be smiling and have such contented looks on their faces.

Carmen

Flamingo, 6x8 Oil on Canvas Panel Daily Painting

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Flamingos are such funny birds. Not only do they stand on those skinny legs, they can stand on one only! When they are resting, their neck can be twisted around and tucked under their wings; however, their gorgeous color offsets their silly looks. They are magnificent in a goofy way.

Carmen

Bill's Dogs, 11x14 Oil on Canvas Panel

These were painted for my dear cousin Bill, who lives in Sequim, Washington. Sequim is pronounced "Squim" and it's an amazing little town. It has seashore, lavender farms, flowers everywhere, and nearby are mountains and rain forests. When we went to downtown Sequim, I walked into the public restroom and an aria from "Carmen" started playing. How did it know?

Carmen

Art Show in Middleburg

I am back from my show in Middleburg, Virginia, and I am happy to report that it was a very successful show. The venue was beautiful, thanks to my sister Genie, and I met so many lovely people. Sales were brisk and the food was delicious. What more could any artist ask?

The painting below was a favorite; I could have sold it three times, and by the time I got home I had a request for it from an online collector. I see that I need to paint more cows.

Now to finish all the paperwork so I can get back to painting!

Carmen

Eat More Chikin, SOLD.

Eat More Chikin, 8x10 Oil on Canvas Panel

Available at my Solo Show April 22nd in Middleburg, VA

I hadn't painted in over a week because of getting ready for my show and the workshop I'm attending soon on Amelia Island, so this was pure pleasure for me. Everything fell into place and soon these cows were looking back at me. That's my idea of fun!

Last week I challenged my painting group to use only their old, never-used paints that we all have to do a painting. I was sick and couldn't be there, but I was very pleased with their results. I decided to do my cows the same way. Only white was allowed, the rest had to be those neglected tubes in the bottom of the drawer. I used:

Primary Yellow

Naphthol Red

Bohemian Green Earth

Indianthrone Blue

Intense Blue

I really like those colors. Why haven't I been using them? Some are probably 20 years old! Intense Blue is especially beautiful. I will be using that more.

Carmen

Meerkat Lookout, 6x6 Original Oil Painting

$99, Click to Purchase

Meerkats are just adorable little animals. They are so busy. I wish I could channel my inner meerkat, I'd get a lot more done.

This mama was vigilantly watching for danger, which does not exist in the loving environs of the Brevard Zoo. She had a bunch of little fuzzy round babies that dashed in and out of the holes in their tunnel complex, then would break for lunch by scrambling up the hill to nurse enthusiastically. So cute!

Carmen 

Roseate Spoonbills, 24x18 Oil on Canvas

$900, Click to Purchase

This is the painting I did for International Artist Magazine's March 2012 issue. It has been doing some traveling, but now that it's settled down I have put it online in my Etsy Shop. These beautiful birds were hanging out in the Everglades, feeding in the mangroves. They are such a contradiction, with their funny spoon faces and their exquisite plumage. Perhaps God didn't want them to be too vain.