From the Pantry Series, #2

"Olive Oil Bottle"

6x8   Oil on museum quality panel

$95

This is 2nd in my series "From the Pantry".   However, I have to say in all honesty, that the olive oil bottle wasn't from my pantry.  It was sitting on the counter next to my pantry.  I had something else pulled from the pantry to paint and couldn't remember where I put it.  Does that count?  I'm going to enjoy this series if I can only remember to bring my pantry items to the studio.  My bad memory may be the downfall of this series.

En Plein Air

"Frolicking"

6x6   Oil on museum quality panel

$95

My partner in crime, Julie Hill, has been trying her hand at plein air painting the last few days.  While painting from some lovely sites, she's been "kind" enough to share her photos with me.  Living in California with beautiful scenery and wonderful weather has made me a little envious given that I'm currently landlocked and hot!  So while she paints the scenery, I've to decided to join in by painting her daughter playing in the stream.  Thanks for sharing Julie and tell Amanda that she is the perfect model. 

"From the Pantry" - New Summertime Series

"Spicy"

6x6   Oil on museum quality panel

$95

With summer comes my desire to find good, fun, easy on the brain kind of books.  So in that vain, here's my new series of fun, easy on the brain kind of paintings.  In cooking they say if you can hit the salty, sweet, sour, spicy & crunchy notes in a dish it's a good thing.  So I hope to hit all the right notes in this series.   Not so sure about the crunchy but I'll give it a try.  Happy Summer!

Knock at the Door

"Penny's Flower"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

$95

I recently moved & have been unpacking, getting organized & trying to "decorate".  All things that I love to do, NOT!  It was so nice to take a break from 'house duties" to get back to my studio.  Last Friday, a knock at the door brought a beautiful bouquet of flowers from a friend & fellow artist, Penny.  I was surprised that she had sent flowers since our last conversation was about how I wasn't inspired to paint flowers at all.   I'm sure she knew that if I sat and looked at these gorgeous flowers all weekend  that I'd be painting them again.  Penny is one smart cookie.  Thanks Penny!

Never Painted That Before

"Looking for Dinner"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

$95

Chicken & cows are subjects that a lot of beginning artists paint.  So, I'm not sure how I missed out on painting them when I first started.  But since picking up the paintbrush again, I seem to be searching for new subject matter.  It's kind of like, as an adult, trying to do the things that you wish you had done as a kid.  Unsure whether I'll attempt another chicken but glad to cross it off my list.  The good news is that it's much easier than climbing that giant oak tree that I always thought I should attempt and now I get to have a stiff drink when I'm finished.  Cheers!

P.S.  I have added a couple of new workshops for this summer now listed on the left side of my blog.

Balancing Act

"Precariously Balanced"

6x6   Oil on museum quality panel

$95

This is for this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge.  The title so describes my day in the studio.  Balancing the tubes of paint, balancing my thoughts as I get back into painting & balancing the panel which did not seem to want to stay on the easel.  It always seems to work out but some days it just shouldn't be this hard. 

Rumors of My Demise - SOLD!!!!!!!

"From the Flower Shop"

6x8   Oil on museum on panel

I can't believe it has been 2 months since I've painted.  Frustrating doesn't even begin to explain how my day at the easel went.  Wiped one but was determined not to leave without a completed painting.  If I hadn't pushed through today, tomorrow would probably have been a bigger disaster.  I think I set my expectations too high.  Wanted to try out a different color palette, work on my edge quality & anticipated painting flowers that weren't available at the florist.  In the end, I was just happy that I remembered how to mix colors and which end of the brush to use.  Getting that first piece behind me is a good feeling.  I'll be back at the easel tomorrow with slightly less ambitious goals. 

P.S.  Thanks to all who emailed or called me during my absence to make sure that I was still alive and hadn't given up painting.