At the Movies, 30x40 oil on canvas

 

Many years ago (and I do mean many) when I was a newborn, we lived in an apartment above a movie theater and my dad managed the theater. This depicts my mother holding me, surrounded by the stars of that day, above, left to right, clockwise: Hedy Lamar, Fred and Ginger, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, Clark Gable, Katherine Hepburn, James Stewart and Donna Reed, Vivian Leigh and Olivia deHavilland, and Orson Welles.

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The Other Florida, 12x12 Original Landscape Oil Painting

 

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I had plenty of time to study the landscape as we  recently traversed Florida on Hwy 70. This is the Florida of my childhood; pastures like this and orange groves. Sadly, there aren't very many orange groves these days.

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Halie at the Pool

This is a memory of my granddaughter years ago. Now she is in her twenties, and I miss the hours playing with her and her sister in our pool. 

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Mother and Child, 11x14 Oil Painting

This mother and child were getting ready for a wedding. The photo inspired me to paint it, and when it is dry I will send it to Lisa, whose family is pictured. I haven't had an inspiration in a while, so this got me moving.

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Italian Girl With Flowers, 11x14 Oil on Canvas, after Sorolla

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I've had no time for painting this week, so I am posting a throwback to 2008, when our painting group, Pieces of Eight, decided to copy Impressionist masters as a learning exercise. I love Sorolla, so I copied one of my favorites, with the above result. Below is the original by Sorolla.

I also copied John Singer Sargent, the master portrait artist. The best thing I've ever done is team up with seven women with the same passion for painting that I have. It has been such an enriching experience in so many ways, and I have learned so much.

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Glorious Sunrise, Original Oil Painting Skyscape, 12x9

$180

My husband called me outside early one morning to see this beautiful sky. One good reason to live in Florida.

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20-minute challenge, Day 2, Cape Canaveral Seashore

 I had to drop out of the challenge after this one, because I got bronchitis. I limited my time to exactly 20 minutes, and guess what I had to leave out? His fishing rod. Thirty minutes before this picture was taken, we were on a jungle path. That's the beauty of the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. 

I might finish this one or do a bigger version, complete with pole.

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Wildlife Refuge, Oil Painting Florida Landscape

 

This is a scene from the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, a very diverse spot to visit.

It has trails, marshes, and the Cape Canaveral Seashore. This marsh is on the

Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, a popular spot for birders.

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Venice Parking, Oil on Canvas

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I am reaching way back to the past for this one. This was one of the best trips of my life, with my sister to Venice. I was surprised at how beautifully upholstered the gondolas were.

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Backyard Swing, 10x8 Landscape Painting on Canvas Panel

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This is a cool and peaceful spot, surrounded by flowers. What is better than a swing? It brings back childhood memories of a great place to read.

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Beach Sunrise, Oil Painting on Canvas Panel, 10x8 Seascape

 

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We may be trapped inside for months, but there is always the beach, as long as it isn't crowded. Early morning people tend to be true beach lovers, with a true appreciation for being in a beautiful place.

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Purple and Yellow Iris, 8x10 Oil on Canvas Panel Flower Painting

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When we were staying in the beautiful neighborhood of Lake Junaluska in North Carolina, I was fascinated by the flowers that we don't grow here in Florida, like these irises and the spectacular rhododendrons.

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The Amazing Rhonda, 11x14 Oil on Canvas

This painting gave me something to be inspired about, something to make me look forward to getting up in the morning. I always call our niece "The Amazing Rhonda," because she is. She managed to put herself through nursing school and raise four sons as a single mom. She is used to crisis situations as a trauma nurse at the University of Penn hospital in Philadelphia. She is kind, generous, and energetic and devoted to her children and grandchildren. She is indeed The Amazing Rhonda.

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Ballerina, 11x14 Oil on Panel Dancer

$175

Ballet dancers are so beautiful and graceful, and what they do represents so much hard work and pain. In the end, they not only receive applause, but also those perfect bodies. 

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More 50-Stroke Paintings

 I did more paintings in only 50 strokes, as it is great practice for me since I tend to overdo details if I'm enjoying myself too much. It takes a great deal of concentration to limit my strokes and still arrive at a recognizable result.

I highly recommend this exercise for any painter who wants to simplify.

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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!

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The Black Hat, Portrait of Woman Original Oil Painting 8x10

$175

This is quite a departure from the 50-stroke paintings I've been doing. I don't know what got into me, but I really enjoyed this one. It has a vintage look but with a timeless feel. We need a little glamour now and then.

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Shady Cows, Original Oil Painting 8x10 Landscape

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It's been a while since I posted. I've been very busy working on a book that will be coming out in April. You will be hearing more about that later.

This painting is all about the light. I love the shade in the foreground, with a tiny couple of slivers of light on the pasture.

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Patchwork River, 16x20 Oil Painting Landscape on Canvas

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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.

Carol, Donna, Denette and I were airborne. We were The Flying Grannies.

A Gift from the Sea, 8x10 Original Oil Painting Still Life Coastal Decor

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When I lived in Bermuda I collected antique bottles. In the old days Bermudians used to dispose of bottles by tossing them into the sea or burying them in shallow holes. It's great sport there to dive for bottles, and I lucked out finding this one, a Cobalt Blue Castor Oil bottle, pre-1900s.

This is oil paint on a metallic gold background.

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