Red-orange with hydrangea #114

     Just couldn't resist getting one more out of these flowers.... also, I couldn't resist this vibrant red-orange to go with them !!  Thanks to Leslie Saeta for hosting this wonderful challenge.....

Palette knife hydrangea #113

 

 

     Thanks to Leslie Saeta for her sponsorship of the great 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge !  Also for my confidence to complete at least one palette knife painting during the challenge.!  I've been wanting to do one, but never got around to doing it. This seemed like the perfect time to try it.Thanks for the inspiration, Leslie !

Cropped JCS #112

     Changed the background to try these again.   A little different perspective and use of negative space.....
     They had a photographer at the Gala event the other night,.  Here is one of the 2 photos they took.....

JCS centerpiece #111

 

     This is the flower arrangement from the table at the Gala the other night.   I was wondering how to get the subtle off white of the flowers in shadow, knowing that there was not much color or contrast.  It was a challenge, for sure.   I bought a couple full sheets of matboard to use as backgrounds.  This periwinkle is one of my favorite colors !

Hyacinth tops in swirl vase #110

 

     Finally was able to get this picture on my front porch, which earlier was so covered in a sheet of ice.  These blooms separate as they age.  There are spaces between the smaller blooms that I didn't see before.  Painted this before my son and I went to this huge Gala fundraising Event for the Injured Military Heroes of  Iraq and Afghanistan.  It was so great to be part of it. My son was in on the beginning stages of this organization, called JCS (Joshua Chamberlain Society).  This year they had over 350 people attend.  awesome.

Spiral vase #109

 

 

     I always loved this vase, but I had forgotten about it, tucked way in the back of my cabinet.  My friends delivered it to me filled with flowers awhile ago when I was recovering from surgery.   It was the perfect fit for my double bouquet, I thought.  I did have to place it lower on my work table, though, so I had to try and work with the background, which was my horizontal shade.  I was worried about doing the shade, but then I thought maybe it would add some interest.... Well, here it is, and I like it  ! ha

Cropped bouquet #108

 

 

     For today's challenge I just picked a portion of the tulip bouquet, trying to make a composition without the vase.    It was challenging, alright.   I like the way the flowers go off the edges.  The soft inner colors were a test for my eye... ha ha

Forward reach #107

 

     These are the second batch of tulips I purchased at, of all places, Walmart.    I was at a friends the other day and she had the most gorgeous vase of flowers.    She had gotten them at the market at Walmart.... who knew that I'd be giving them good 'press'?.. ha ha 
     Again, they moved during the night (I got them started after dinner), but this time I made sure I had the petals well established before turning out the light !!

Tulip dance #106

 

     Still one of my favorite flowers.  These tulips had such a natural sway to them, almost a dance. (and I LOVE dance !)  Anyway, I started them late last night, and by this morning they had certainly changed positions.... just like a dancer to never stand still !     I love this goodwill rectangular vase, so much fun finding the values and reflections !

Hyacinth tops #105

 

     Smaller version of just the tops of these beautiful, fragrant blossoms.  They were tied together, and I just left them that way.  The color was so delightful to look at on this cold St. Louis morning. 

Hyacinths in January #104

 

     I remember these being one of the first blooms of spring.  I have a variety of them that come up some time, maybe around May... How do they get these into the stores in January?   Maybe they grow them and force the plants in greenhouses.... I do not know, but I loved painting them !
     I'm just getting finished with my painting for the challenge today.... whew... just made it !

Stargazer lily #103

 

    I painted stargazers years ago in watercolor, and it's funny how remembering that feeling of painting them came back to me on this one.    In oil, the colors continually mesh, blend, whatever you want to call it, and it's hard to maintain the integrity of the petal... (There is also a LOT of detail in each particular petal.)  The shape, texture, color and value have to be given utmost consideration..... ha !

Little blue vase #102

 

     You would think that this little blue symmetrical vase would be simple, but try as I might to add foreground (vase) and background (muted turquoise) the shape inadvertently changes and becomes what almost surely seems impossible to rectify.....taking off my reading glasses helps to keep it enough out of focus that I can better get the 'gist' of the balanced symmetry of it... !   (Does that make any sense to you out there ? )  ha ha ha

Iris variety #101

     These flowers have a very unusual arrangement of petals... they look awkward, but that's the way they grow....  I googled iris to see what variety they are and found there are hundreds of different ones !  I was really only familiar with the hybrid ones I've grown and the Siberian and Japanese ones.... who knew?

Afternoon snack painting #100

 

     Well, made it to 100, and it seems as only yesterday I started.... ha ha 
     
     I've found that adding the number REALLY helps me keep track of my paintings.   My daughter helped me organize the way I put them in folders by the DATE.... that helps, too, when you're looking for a particular painting, and you don't want to spend all this time trying to find it ! ha ! 
     I suppose I never thought I'd have so many that I couldn't keep track, but somehow, they mount up !  Love the daily painting gig.... ha !

Lime green plate painting #99

     I have plates and bowls I've collected in almost all colors.  I love the lime green.  I painted my old kitchen cabinets this exact color when we moved into our first house in the 1970s...

Pink Ladies painting #98

     My favorite apple, by far !  It used to be 'fuji' until I tried these babies... I love 'em.  Fuji apples taste too sweet to me now, although I love the crispness.   The girls have a cut up apple in a ziploc to eat on the trip home (about 20 minutes) every time they come over.   We have so many traditions like that ... ha h a

No more retouching, ever !

I'm going to vow today to NEVER retouch another painting, trying to make it work.... (it never works... !) ha ha ha
     Even though former drawing instructor used to say..., " If it's not working, touch it again"

 I don't think that's what HE MEANT !  ha !

No pears painting #97

 

     This was an acrylic painted I started awhile back.  While cleaning the studio I thought I'd paint over with oil and finish it.  It makes me think I want to get some bigger canvases and use bigger brushes to cover more areas.   Set up my larger easel, while cleaning up in my messy studio, and think the change will do me good.

Time for a nap painting #96

 

     I know I've become addicted to pears, but I just had to do one more before they completely bit the dust!   I've really tried to work with the economy of strokes here, going so far as finding myself holding my breath as I apply the stroke, hoping it will do exactly what I want it to !! ha ha 
     I've thought a lot about how I'm applying the paint (especially since I've been on a regiment of daily painting for the 30/30 challenge)   I realized during this one that I must be conscious of putting MORE paint on my brush, instead of moving the paint around that's already on the canvas.... Each new revelation is valuable to me, with these 'baby steps' hopefully allowing me to move in the direction I want to go: to free up my work and make it fresh, communicating my subject without overworking the surface.....   I try to learn something new with each endeavor...

From above painting #95

 

     Long ago I did an 'above' point of view, and thought I'd like to tackle it again, to see if my skills had improved.  I really enjoyed making all the brushstrokes 'count' in this one.... 
     Also: reading a great art marketing book I just ordered from Amazon, and getting lots of pointers !  It's called,. I'd Rather be in the Studio.    Great argument in the book for writing an Artist's Statement.... I've never done that, but now I'm composing one gradually in my mind...  Try this book... good stuff for all artists !

New view painting #94

 

     I thought I'd try a different point of view for today.  It's always fun to look at something a new way, I think !

Big brother painting #93

SOLD

     Many varieties of pears, as well as other fruits, at Whole Foods.....  Here are two very different shaped ones.... reminded me of a big brother and his two sisters.....

the Andrew sisters painting #92

 

     I just had to get one more pear painting out of these.  They somehow looked like 3 singers on stage.  I've gotta stop before I have a 'pear series' ha ha .

Twosome painting #91

SOLD

     I really like the way these guys stand up, like they are having a conversation.  Here's to day 6 of the challenge... Now, I'm not 'ahead' anymore, gotta get going today. paint, paint, paint.....but first-(at lunch today we're all going to find out the gender of our new baby which is due in June..... woo woo !)

Single Pear painting #90

 

Sometimes simple is best, I guess.    I was trying to get several done, and in doing so, simplified-- ha !  I really liked the way this one turned out.

Persimmon trio painting #89

SOLD

     This is the first of the persimmon paintings.  The were VERY red, as I said before, but I think they still 'worked' for me, especially using the complementary blue-green for contrast..... what do you think?

Really red persimmons painting #88

 

I love to paint persimmons now.  The green tops are so distinctive.  These 3 sort of changed colors, I think, because they sat in the studio in a plastic bag for a day or two over the holiday.  I couldn't quite find the time to paint them, so they were very dark and red when I finally did.  Day 3 of the challenge already !

Time with Dad painting #87

 

     Here is DAY TWO of the challenge.   I had some fun reference photos, and wanted to paint them, but kept putting it off.  This seemed like the perfect opportunity to 'make it happen', as my daughter likes to say.  My darling, insightful co-worker (art teacher) used to say all the time, "The way to begin, is to begin."  and sometimes it's just THAT simple. !  Inspiration comes from DOING, not just contemplating what to do.... ha ha 
     I love to observe the interaction of children and their parents.  On this Saturday at Tower Grove park, I enjoyed watching this little boy and his dad.  They were mostly in the shade, with hints of sunlight, as they sat and splashed in the big fountain.

Tower Grove Playground painting #86

 

30 Paintings in 30 Days starts today.   I've enjoyed getting motivated by this challenge.  Here's my first one.... check out the others on Leslie Saeta's blog: http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/
     This is from a reference photo I took at the park this fall.   There's a great farmer's market at Tower Grove Park in St. Louis, and while you're shopping you can listen to live music.  Just on the other side of the pavillion there is this wonderful fountain that the little kids love to play in.   Luckily I had my camera and got a few good shots.