50 Strokes of Chicken 5x7 Small Daily Painting Oil on Canvas

Our group challenge for the Pieces of 8 for December is to paint a painting using only 50 strokes. For those of us who have trouble simplifying, this is a great exercise. You have to think about each stroke and make it count. For areas like the ruff around the chicken's neck, I used one zigzag stroke for each color. That covered some territory with one stroke; however, the dot that is the eye is also just one stroke. At the end, it is hard to stop because you want to do just one or two more--but you must resist!

Carmen

Pelican at the Port, 5x7 Original Oil Painting on Canvas Panel, Daily Painting

Click to Purchase

I usually paint just what I see, and I am trying to get away from that in cases like this, where the photo colors were quite dull. I ramped up the color and I like it much better.

Carmen

 

Christmas Sale, All Original Artwork, Oil Paintings and Collage

I am having a sale in my Etsy shop, and I want to use words like "HUGE," "PRICES SLASHED," and "NOT SOLD IN ANY STORES," but all you really need to hear is the magical: "FREE SHIPPING." Those are the words that always make me jump to attention. Not only that, but I am discounting all original art 20%.

The sale starts November 20th and ends December 20th. Just remember 20-20-20, the dates and 20%. These are one-of-a-kind paintings and you can shop in your jammies and avoid the crowds.

Click here to visit my Etsy shop.

Carmen

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

Purchase Here

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

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

Johnny, 12x16 Portrait of Cat, Oil on Canvas Pet Portrait

I was commissioned to paint this cat, and it reminds me of those corporate portraits; he is posing so seriously and looking like a CEO (Cat Executive Officer). I can just picture him at board meetings with his PowerPoint briefing on outsmarting the family dog...

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 

Are You Lookin' At Me? 6x8 Oil on Canvas

$89, Click to Purchase

Pelicans are pretty cute when they are floating in the water, and quite beautiful when flying, but waddling around strips them of their dignity. This guy was at Port Canaveral having a relaxing day, just as my painting group was. 

I just renewed my passport and I must say, the new one is beautiful, with illustrations of America from sea to shining sea. It has wonderful quotations too, like this one:

The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class--it is the cause of humankind, the very birthright of humanity. - Anna Julia Cooper

Someone call Congress. They are apparently unaware of this. 

I admit I was not familiar with Anna Julia Cooper, so I Googled her (of course) and learned she was born into slavery, but became a prominent African-American author, educator and speaker.

And that's my lesson for today.