Field of Flowers, Original Oil Landscape Painting

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I love flowers all kinds. It is so beautiful when they are frolicking together in a field like this.

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The Old Barn, Landscape Oil Painting, 12x9

 $155

I saw this old barn during an artist's retreat with our painting group, Pieces of Eight. My title is not very original but I can't think of a single clever thing to call it. I long to go on retreat with the Pieces of Eight again, if we ever get out of this pandemic.

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Florida River, Oil Painting Scene

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I love Florida's swampy places, with moss hanging from oaks. This painting got quite complicated, with so many things going on, but I think it still manages to look peaceful. 

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Turkey Creek, 8x10 Oil on Canvas Panel Landscape

Turkey Creek, $125

In spite of being fairly quarantined, a lot has happened in the past few weeks that kept me away from the easel. I decided to do a Florida scene as a departure from all the faces I've been drawing. 

Did you think I could do a post without mentioning our book Country Music's Greatest Lines? Of course not! That would be a dereliction of my promotional duty.

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Grand Tetons, 10x8 Oil Painting on Canvas, Western Landscape

$125 + Free Shipping

With everything going on with our new book Country Music's Greatest Lines, I am having to paint when I get a chance. I finally finished this one, a scene from our driving trip around the West. It was a beautiful view of the Grand Tetons (translation is "Big Breasts").

Now back to shameless self-promotion of the book I illustrated, written by Bobby Braddock, with 81 illustrations by me. Sold out a couple of times on Amazon, but it is available today. Also, check your local bookstore.

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At Gleason Park

Things are loosening up in Florida and people are going to parks and beaches. There were many people in Gleason Park, and they were socially distancing. I had a picnic table to myself and was able to paint in my journal, sitting comfortably in the shade, and enjoying the breeze.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

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Marshland, 8x10 Landscape Oil Painting

I decided to have some fun with this one by first doing a 20-minute painting. The middle one was my work in progress, and last is the finished painting.

My 20-minute painting

Refined a bit

The Finished Painting (Click to Purchase)

5-Day Challenge, 20-Minute Painting, Day 2: Old Florida, 5x7 Oil on Panel

This reminds me of my younger days in Central Florida. It was always an adventure to look for wildlife, and snakes or gators gave us bragging rights. We used to pick Rosary Peas, bright red beans with a black spot, and use them for peashooters. I now know they are poisonous and we could have killed ourselves with those things!

I primed my board with red, which I brushed on and wiped off. I like it for landscapes because it gives all that green some spark.

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Mural for Children's Church

You won't see any paintings from me for a while. I am painting 80 feet of mural in the River Run Christian Children's Church. The theme is a river with Florida critters.

 This was the first day. Hap and Audra painted the big areas, saving me hours of time!

I did some landscaping.

Added some critters.

Kathy Garvey came yesterday and added some cute little snails, birds, fish and lizards.

This is a really fun labor of love!

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Sunshine and Shadow, 24x20 Oil Painting after Winslow Homer

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We usually associate Homer with seascapes, but he also painted restful paintings like this. This is a direct copy of a Homer painting about two of my favorite things: lying in a hammock and reading. This is a large painting, signed and ready to frame.

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Down Memory Lane

I lived in Winter Garden in the late 50s and had a wonderful time there. It was a tiny, out-of-the-way town, and its base was the citrus industry. Because of the wisdom of the town management, it is now a vibrant, trendy place to visit. The day my sister and I were there the farmer's market was in full swing and there was a car show. I found the apartment building I lived in with Marilynn's family, back when life was so much fun in a small town full of interesting characters.

We also visited Disney Springs and Winter Park, where we enjoyed Leu Gardens and the Morse Museum, which has the largest collection of Tiffany glass anywhere. It was a lovely weekend.

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Peaceful River, 24x20 Original Oil Painting of Florida River

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This is a completed commission inspired by Florida's Dora River. It's quite a change from small daily paintings.

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Red Barn and Sunflowers, 8x10 Oil on Canvas Landscape

This is the time of year I always try to rethink my time, my business, and my art. As I spend more time marketing on the computer, I have less time to spend painting. If I spend more time painting I end up with lots of inventory. But what is more fun? 

I'll be in my studio.

The painting above is a non-painful commission. You artists know what I'm talking about. There are enjoyable commissions, then there are those where someone gives you a bad picture--or maybe two or three that they want you to combine--and you are supposed to make a great piece of art out of them. Painful! Just say no.

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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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Stepping Stones, 5x7 Original Oil on Canvas Panel, Smoky Mountains Art

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We were hiking near Boone, North Carolina and crossed this little stream with its reflections of blue sky. It was a glorious Fall day and I was with my painting group, some of my favorite people in the world. It doesn't get any better than that.

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Seneca Lake, Oil Painting on Canvas, 8x10 Landscape

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This painting is a happy memory of a day of visiting wineries and vineyards in the Finger Lakes. This view had pasture, vineyards, a lake and hay bales. What more could an artist want?

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Patchwork River, 20x16 Original Oil Painting on Canvas, Smoky Mountain Landscape

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The Pieces of Eight were hiking in the woods on an artists' retreat and came upon this peaceful scene. This was in North Carolina, the same mountains where we went whitewater rafting and bonded over a near-death experience. Below is my drawing commemorating that scene.

 

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All About the Clouds, 9x6 Oil Painting on Canvas Panel, Daily Painting Skyscape

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This painting started out to be a cardinal (the bird, not the church office).  I went to my painting group, Pieces of Eight, with my palette all loaded with colors for painting a cardinal, and found I didn't have my photo of that cute little bird. I shifted gears and painted a cloud scene instead, using my palette of colors meant for painting a cardinal. 

Where is the red, you ask? It's there, helping make the brown. It's also in the purple of the clouds. 

Don't miss our group challenge on our blog on June 1st. It's very different from anything else we've done.

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Natchez Trace, Original Oil Painting Landscape of National Parkway, 6x6, Beautiful Highway , FREE SHIPPING in US

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The Natchez Trace runs from Nashville to Natchez, and its history goes back to prehistoric times. It is a wonderful way to travel through beautiful country, and there is little traffic. 

This painting is part of my 20 percent off, free shipping sale on Etsy. Sale ends December 20th.

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Florida Sunset, 10x8 Original Oil Landscape Painting

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Is this too dramatic? I was so excited when I saw those rays and that bright red color that my husband pulled over so I could take a picture. Florida sunsets are amazing. Florida now has more people than New York. Our secret is out. 

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Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

 - Voltaire