My New Obsession

"Pomegranates"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

Reserved - Randy Higbee 6x6 Show

I've drank pomegranate juice, I've painted whole pomegranates but I've never cut into a pomegranate. It's different experience cutting into yourself.  Pomegranate juice running & seeds rolling everywhere.  This is one the most exhilarating experiences I've had at the easel in awhile.  You could say I'm "pumped"! 

No Flowers Today

"Blazing Color"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

Available at Open Studio Sale

Decided to take a break from posting my floral series today.  On a rainy day last week, I came across this beautiful leaf on the ground.  Love how gray days always intensify color.  Having never painted a leaf before, I found it a bit of a challenge to keep it from appears too flat.  Think I'll really enjoy looking at this piece come winter, when the trees are bare.  Now I'll go back to painting some more flowers.

Is a full night sleep really necessary?

"Blue Flowers"

6x6  oil on museum quality panel

Available at Open Studio Sale

Click for Invitation

The first part of the week I got less than 4 hours sleep a night and was very productive in the painting department.  Example, today's painting was done yesterday.  Last night, I got a full 8 hours and couldn't paint $&((@# today.  So I guess I have a choice... Really reduced sleep =  Productive Painter OR  Full sleep = Productive person in every other aspect of my life.  Happy Wednesday. 

Ummm, it looks like a...?

"Peachy Keen"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

Reserved for Randy Higbee 6x6 Show

Here I go again.  Painting a flower that I have no clue it's name.  Now in my defense, this is a silk flower and sometimes it's hard to tell what it is.  Ok, so you're not buying that excuse.  How about I lost my glasses and can't see what it is?  Not buying that either?  Alright, lets just call it what it is...I have soooo much knowledge in my head, no room remaining to hold names of flowers.  Yeah, that works for me.  Well, I'm now off to work on my PhD in Nuclear Science. 

Justification

"Green Bottle"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

Available at my Open Studio Sale

Click here for your invitation

Life seems to be getting busier & busier.  I find myself juggling the role of a full time caregiver, trying to paint for 5 different events, teaching & all the other daily chores.  I'm not complaining at all.  I just did something for myself that I would have "never" considered doing.  I just ordered groceries online.  Someone else is shopping for me.  Woohoo!  If you know me, you know how I despite going to the grocery store, except to shop for still life props,of course.  Of all the things that I do, shopping is the most daunting task.  So today, I celebrate a great day.  I painted, cleaned, paid bills & will shortly drive to the store, open the trunk & let someone else load the groceries.  Justification is a beautiful thing. 

Last Night

"Pear in Thirds"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

$95

This is the piece that I demonstrated last night at the Charlotte Artist Society.  I did a few tweaks today, cleaning up some edges and adding a few bits of color.  Doing the finishing touches is a little like, brushing your hair one last time & putting on your jewelry before dashing out the door.  You just hope that you're not wearing blue shoes when you meant to wear black.  Have a good weekend and thanks again to the CAS for inviting me. 

Full Circle

"Pears in Blue"

6x6   $95

Today was a good day.  Not in the way of  sold lots of paintings (did sell 4) & not in the way that I lost 10 lbs. (that would have been a miracle).   But in the way of a surprise reconnection of the first group of artists that I painted with 10 years ago.  I did a demo at the Charlotte Artist Society tonight and was delightfully surprised to see faces from my artistic past.  These are the men & women who knew me when I didn't have a clue about how to paint.  We travelled and painted together for several years & on which I look back fondly.  While I have definitely aged, I now understand value & color.  I'll trade a few more lines for that knowledge any day.  Thanks guys for coming and not heckling (such restraint).  I feel like I've come full circle.

Kelleywarp Again

"Red Barn"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

On reserve by artist

What is it about a red barn that makes it irresistible to paint?  Is the complimentary colors of reds & greens or is it that barns & farms represents a quieter life.  I seem to be seeking some quiet, so I guess since it's alluding me, I can at least paint it.  As far as Kelleywarp goes, my camera battery is back on the fritz.   I was lucky to get a couple of  paintings photographed before it completely died but not all.  Paint a little quiet and then life says Oh, Kelley, you need a little chaos.

Obsession with Produce - SOLD!!!!!!

"Cantaloupe in Blue"

6x6    Oil on museum quality panel

$95  SOLD!

Confession time, I have an obsession with produce.  I don't mean love to eat it,  can't wait to cook with it.  I use to think my family just didn't like to go to the grocery store with me.  I now realize it probably had something to do with how I linger in the produce section...picking up different fruits and vegetables, laying next to each other.  I see other people just pick up the produce, place it in their baskets and off they go. I just think they don't get it.  Hate to image what they're thinking about my way of choosing produce.  It has come to my attention that I might have a problem because when I arrive home, unload the groceries and more than half my bill is produce & the produce is not for eating.  Yikes!! Has anyone started Still Life Painters Anonymous yet?

Elvis is in the Studio

"Calla Lily"

8x6  oil on museum quality panel

$95

One of the hazards of doing a demo are comments from the "audience".  I've been doing some for my classes this week and one of my students chose the Calla Lily as one of the demos.  As I was finishing my sketch, a student said how the initial drawing looked like Elvis.  The rest quickly agreed.  Not exactly the response I was expecting.  They tried to get me to see it...see the hair, the collar.  Nope, not seeing it!  Despite the laughter, I continued on.  My initial thought was to paint a purple background to compliment the yellows but that started another round of laughter about the morbid trend of the painting and talking about burying it.  There was also a brief discussion whether Elvis' favorite sandwich was peanut butter and pickle or p/b & banana.  I guess it goes without saying that the painting was finished after class.  I hope some lesson was learned during this demo, just not sure what it was but as least we had fun.  I left the studio humming "Walking in Memphis" with a whole different attitude. 

Clueless

"Hyacinth"

6x6   oil on museum quality panel

$95

This is one of the demos that I did this week for my students.  I've been trying to show how I start paintings with simple shapes and allowing the definition of the subject to come at the end of the painting.  I'm  much less concerned with kind of flowers these are and more about capturing my emotional reaction to the colors and shapes through the design and brushwork.  I think it's a good thing that I had no clue that these were Hyacinths because I might have been more likely to paint an exact replica.  Sometimes, clueless is a good thing.

"In Blue"

"Kiwi in Blue"

6x6 on museum quality panel

$95

This the second painting in the "In Blue" series that I'm working on for my Open Studio Sale in a few weeks.  I usually don't paint dark backgrounds but I'm kinda liking the change.  We'll see how long it lasts.   I've been busy getting my studio revamped.  Actually, I've not been busy at all, a wonderful student/designer spent  last week totally reworking my painting studio space.  Thanks, Mel.  It looks wonderful and I'm now totally inspired to get back to painting at the studio.  I'll post some photos soon.   

Back at the Easel - SOLD!!!!!

"Grapes in Blue"

6x6    $95  SOLD!

Oil on museum quality panel

It has been almost 2 weeks since I've painted and that is way too long.  I get kinda grumpy when I can't paint.  So needless to say, friends and family will be relieved to know that I'm back at easel.  Busy getting ready for my Open Studio Sale in a couple of weeks, so I'll be posting some preview pieces.  Have a great week from a "blissfully" painting away artist. 

Feeling Like Fall

"In the Pumpkin Patch"

NFS

Been enjoying the fall weather and looking for those pumpkins patches.  It's my favorite time of year, especially with the miserable hot summer we've had.  I like the way I handle pumpkins...no knives, no mess to clean up and no rotting pumpkins.   Happy October!

Still Here- Sold

"Silver Cup"

Sold

I seem to have been missing in action for the past week and half.  But the good news is I've known where I was.  Life has interrupted my "travels" but never fear I will be back at the easel this week.  New paintings & destinations await.  Thanks for checking in on me.  See you soon.