At Month's End

"No White After Labor Day"

6x6    $95

Today's painting is for a monthly blog challenge to paint something that relates to September.  Not wearing white after Labor Day was a chant I always heard from my mom.  So painting white shoes was an obvious choice.  I didn't realize that I don't really wear white shoes until I went to find some to paint.  So while visiting a friend last week, I asked if she had any white shoes that I might photograph.  Despite my strange request, we went rummaging through she and her daughters' closets.  She also didn't have any white shoes either but I took pictures of some darling non-white sandals that I could possibly paint white.  Try as I might, it didn't work but I did manage to get a picture of her daughter's cute white sandal.  So Caroline, sorry your shoes didn't make the cut for this painting but no worries, I have plans for your non-white shoes. 

Playing with Paper

"Name that Hue"

10x10

Reserved by Artist

I'm back to playing with oil on paper.  Lost a little bit of steam earlier this summer when I tried a different paper but I found another brand that I'm having fun with it.  It's funny how we artists get use to certain canvas, brushes, colors and then when we change it up, it can really mess with how you think and paint.  It's also a good thing to push ourselves & experiment.  Enjoying the way the brush skims across the surface picking up some of the paper's texture.  Can't get too detailed with this and that's what I love about it.  Still painting away for tomorrow's deadlines.  More to come.  By the way, the color is Quinacridone Violet.

A Second Look - SOLD

"Pursuits" 

6x4

I have 3 painting deadlines for this coming Monday.  Not quiet sure how that happened but I'm taking on the challenge and will have some new images to share.  But in the meantime, I haven't had time to do a daily painting, so I'm offering a second look to a piece I did earlier this year.  This is a painting that practically painted itself, love when that happens and in the process fell in love with painting "fly fishermen". 

Enjoy the your weekend, I'll be at my easel.

Simplify - SOLD!

"From the Fruit Bowl"

6x6     $95

Lots of thoughts lately about trying to simplify my life and instead I seemed to have simplified my painting.  It's funny how what you are feeling somehow shows up on the canvas.  So I'm going with the flow. 

No Pressure!

"Blueberries"

12x12   SOLD

Today's painting is one of my favorites and came out of an idea I explored last summer taking a different view of fruit. The series was titled "Through the Orchard".  I entered the titled piece into a juried show called "Carolina's Got Art" with another piece and was honored to have it accepted and now it's time again to enter again.  A small hitch in the plan this year, I've had no time to create new pieces to enter and I now have 7 days to do so.  Been busy teaching workshops & classes, being a full-time caregiver of a parent and this weekend, I got the flu. Is someone trying to tell me something, like don't bother entering the show?  Maybe I should listen and let the show pass, yet that's not in my DNA.  So I'm going to put my head down and see if I can't create a worthy piece or two to enter.  Not feeling 100% sure that it's going to happen.  No pressure here!  Wish me luck. 

Playing with Knives II SOLD!!!

"Day on the Marsh"

6x8   $95

Another "knife" crazy kinda day.  Happy weekend.

Playing with Knives - SOLD!

"Lone Tree"

 8x6

It's such fun to pull out my palette knife and paint away.  There's freedom that happens and not that the fundamentals aren't still necessary but you can get away with a bit more with palette knives.  It's a way of loosing up, not taking such a serious approach to painting.  I like to use palette knife paintings as studies for more serious works.  I find that once I've done a study, I sometimes lose interest in the larger piece but a palette knife study feels different.  Maybe it's because its such a different technique from how I usually paint. I have a couple of commission studies I need to work on, so you will be seeing a few "Playing with Knives" paintings.  Who knows, there maybe a series in the works.  

  

Through the Palms

"Through the Palms"

6x6   $95

Eat, Drink, Zone Out!

"Searching for Shells"

6x6      $95

An exhausting but productive week.  Hired an assistant, taught a workshop (which included the eating & drinking portion of today's program), painted a commission, started another, and then did all the necessary things in my "other" life.  Not complaining just explaining while I zoned out last night.  I was going to post some paintings from yesterday's workshop but just couldn't manage to push a button to upload a photo.  So sad.  Both pieces were demos during the workshop and then "tweaked" a little bit.  Thanks to my wonderful workshop students who worked hard and ended on a high note.  Now I'm off to "Eat, Drink & Zone Out".  Happy weekend!

"Carol, study"

8x10   $150

Living the Beautiful Life!!!!!

Today, I began another workshop for my students.  The workshop is learning to paint figures to place into their paintings, i.e. landscape, etc.  I hope to post a demo from tomorrow's class but I thought I would share the special treat that we had today.  For the past year and a half, Carol has regaled us with all the wonderful dishes that she creates, so much so, that we leave class starving.  Yet for all the talk, we never tasted her food.  We were beginning to suspect that it was all "talk".  But for lunch today, she arrived with 3 delicious dishes, beautiful plates, colorful napkins, silverware & crystal. I've included some pictures of our meal without dessert.  None left to photograph. We also drank Blood Orange Juice with Prosecco with floating sliced strawberries and to finish our wonderful meal, an almond favored cupcake with cream cheese & coconut frosting.  I don't know about my students but the meal might have trumped day's workshop and I'm okay with that.  Go head and be jealous.  Unfortunately, we have to bring our own lunch tomorrow.  Thanks so much, Carol.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

Drinking at Lunch with
Blood Orange Juice & Prosecco!

Asparagus & Gruyere Cheese Tart &
Shrimp & Orzo Salad

Blissfully Unaware

"Sunset Over the Bridge"

6x6    $95

I have an assistant.  Yippee.  I feel, oh so, professional now.  Okay, she will  work only a few hours a week but I have an assistant.  The wonderful thing about "M" is that she & I think alike.  She has been a student of mine for a couple of years and  I find her to be so delightful and funny.  It wasn't until I received an email from her several months later, that I discovered why we got along.  Her "tag" line of her email is Blissfully Unaware.  Woohoo.  This is not to say, that she or I are incapable of accomplishing things, we are.  But our dilemma will come in trying not to be "Blissfully Unaware" at the same time.  So as time goes by, any errors on this blog can be directly attributed to a bad day at the studio by both of us.  Poor "M", already getting the blame for future mishaps.  Welcome to the studio!

What's in the Box? SOLD!

"Pink Box"

6x6   $95

Little did I know that when I starting blogging, that one of my best friends would become another daily painter 3000 miles away.  We talk daily (usually several times) about everything from the disasters at the easel, what sold, why something didn't sell, what's bugging us that day and cheering/encouraging each other's artistic growth.  This past week, she's been on vacation and we haven't talked except by email.  But on  Monday, a box arrived.  It was filled with my birthday painting that she had painted & posted (supposedly for sale), still life props and some painting supplies.  So despite the fact that we couldn't talk, I felt her presence.  Thanks for everything Julie except for the "annoying" photos of your lovely vacation views.  Today's painting is this darling little box that her sweet daughter included for me.  Thanks, A.  And Julie,welcome back to the real world.

It's Not Mexico. SOLD!!!!!!

"Hint of Water"

6x6   $95

 A girlfriend and her family are on vacation in Mexico.  She's been so kind to send me beautiful photos from her balcony.  But I'm not waiting for her sunset photos.  I painted my own..  J, I know it's not Mexico but it's the best I can do.  Happy vacation and stop sharing the views & send me some salsa & Margaritas, EXPRESS!

Cool Down - NFS

"All in Yellow"

8x6

The heat has abated but a gloomy day appeared.  Needed something cheerful & could think of nothing happier than a field of flowers.  Enjoy the day.