Caw! Caw!

I've been playing with the palette knife again. 

I finished the first one then just wasn't quite finished with this guy and painted him again.

I can't decide which one I like more.

I love the attitude of the first guy. I love that the second one and his background interact.

I was watching a crow outside my studio window yesterday. Is it an age thing? I never used to pay a bit of attention to birds. Before I know it, I'll probably have a field guide and binoculars! Surely not!

My Weekly-ish Challenge was "Crow." So... no tricks here, just a simple crow... or two.

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 8" Wrapped Canvas

Original Palette Knife Oil Painting on 8"x 8" Canvas Board

Click HERE if you'd like to purchase the first one.

Click HERE if you'd like to purchase the second one.

Tweet! VII

This little bluebird has been my partner over the years to guide a lot of different people through their first oil painting.

Which means I've put him on canvas a bunch of times.

Yesterday I got to bring my little bluebird friend back to the canvas with these three. They thought they could never do it, but... voila! Aren't their bluebirds beautiful!

My little Tweet! VI is going to live on the wall of my good friend Wendy of Pieceful Thoughts.

The blog world is an amazing way to make friends from all over the world, friends that you know you'll never actually meet in person... unless... Unless one day you DO MEET IN PERSON!!

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 8" Wrapped Canvas

[GIFT]

Parrot

I don't think I know any parrots personally.  

They're pretty.

It's amazing that they're that beautiful and just go about their bird business in the rainforest.

It's fun to see someone walking around with one on their shoulder.

I'm not a fan of seeing them in a little cage.

It's crazy that they can "talk."

I wonder if they have personalities.  My chickens do, so surely parrots do too.

Their feathers are simply fabulous.

The very first watercolor I ever attempted was about a year and a half ago.  It was a feather.  I thought I'd give that first lesson another try. If you zoom in and look closely, there are some hidden words on that feather... some goals... reminders to myself.

The little painting trio I'm in finally chose a name for ourselves.... Wordspark. (I'm not sure if that's the name of the project or the name of the group.)  Each month we'll get one word then see what kind of creativity sparks from that word.

This month's word was "Feathered." 

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 16" Wrapped Canvas

If you'd like to purchase this painting, just click Parrot.

Whooooo's Got Pretty Orange Eyes?

I haven't painted much lately.

I've had the I-can't-think-of-anything-to paint syndrome.

Is that like "writer's block" only for brush and canvas instead of pen and paper?

My Creative Companions project is finished.

We're taking a little break from our Weekly-ish Art Challenge.

The on-line LifeBook 2023 painting class is over.

So... I was on my own to decide what to paint next. How about going back to the beginning?

These are the first six paintings I ever did.  

The first four were from the 6-week beginning painting class.  

1st 2/07 - Trees in summer

2nd 2/07 - Same trees done in autumn colors

3th 2/07 - Value study in black and white

4th 3/07 - Seeing the color in black and white

5th 3/07 - My choice... An owl from my backyard

6th 3/07 - Same owl, second attempt

How about another owl!  

It's always such a treat to spy an owl in the trees around our place.  We hear them often but rarely catch a glimpse of one.  When we do see one, he's staring  glaring down with such an attitude of disdain and superiority.  I just love him anyway. Ours rarely give permission for their photographs to be taken, but every once in a while, I get lucky.

While I don't know this particular orange-eyed owl in the painting personally, I do like his spicy attitude.

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 10" Wrapped Canvas.

Click Orange Eyed Owl if you'd like to purchase this painting.

With a Chick Chick Here and a Chick Chick There...

This is my lovely hen, Dominique.  When she was just a chick herself, my dad said, "Oh, that one's a "Dominicker." Her breed is usually called Barred Rock now, but I think Dominicker suits her.  

Dominique is a good mama.  She's raised three broods of chicks for us. Here's how it works: I know she's broody and wanting babies when she refuses to leave the nesting box for days.  I (along with my granddaughters) go to the store and pick out half a dozen chicks of different breeds. That evening after dark, I slip the babies under her one at a time.  The next morning she's clucking with protective pride at her new family.

Arkansas has a law, a real honest-to-goodness law, that says you have to buy chicks six or more at a time... not five... not three... not one... Six.

AR Code § 5-62-121 (2012)  (a) It is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to sell or offer for sale, barter, or give away living baby chicks, rabbits, or ducklings under two (2) months of age in any quantity less than six (6).

So... hmmm.... If I only had to get six, why are there seven in the painting? My husband asked a similar question... "Why are there seven chicks here?" Really? Seven? Are you sure? Well, how about that! Hmmm... You know it's hard to put a tiny chick back once it's already in your hand and peeping... Seven is about six anyway, right?

Fun fact - You can tell what color eggs a chick will lay by looking at the color of its feet!

This painting was my response to my weekly-ish art challenge.  The challenge was "Our Feathered Friends."

Original Oil Painting on 9"x 12" Wrapped Canvas
[SOLD]

Cardinal in Snow

Maybe not the image I'd expect to be painting on July 4th weekend, but why not! 

I Googled whether or not cardinals migrate.  They don't.  I think ours are pretty happy living here. Why would they want to leave!

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 8" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Hummingbird & Maltese Cross (mini)

 

It's been such a long time since I've sat in front of the easel holding a brush... about three months.  Why? Oh, this and that... Sometimes life stuff simply doesn't leave time or energy for creativity.  I believe I've come through though and am emerging on the other side of one of life's difficult seasons. 

I've never taken such a long break and was oddly nervous to paint again. But, paint again, I did.  And, paint again, I will... soon!

Thanks @saraharley.studio for creating an image that just begged to be painted.

Original Oil Painting on 5"x 7" Canvas Board

[ART EXCHANGE]

Winter Cardinal (Palette Knife)

 

I've been thinking about the beginning of Inspiration Collaboration and the closing of it at the end of this year. 

There was an idea... Sara wrote, "... it would challenge me to get out of my comfort zone... get my brain working in different ways."  I replied, "I've had a restless feeling that it's time for something new... different... challenging..." 

72 hours and countless e-mails later, our idea had a name, a blog, an Instagram account, a Pinterest board, and participants were invited. 

In the last 24 months, I have indeed been challenged to think and create outside my comfort zone.  I know I've grown as a painter, writer, and friend because of my work with Inspiration Collaboration.  

My first inspiration image was SnowCardinal.  Winter Cardinal brings me full-circle as my last inspiration image.

I was prompted to do this cardinal painting for my weekly-ish painting challenge with my art mentor/friend.  The topic was "Winter Scenes & Winter Things."

Thanks to Annie Troe for her very helpful YouTube lesson.

Palette Knife Painting on 8"x 8" Wrapped Canvas

[GIFT]

Signs of Summer

One of my favorite signs of summer is seeing the little hummingbirds show up at our feeders.

I know there are many different kinds, but we only have the little green ruby-throated hummingbirds here in Northwest Arkansas. I love hearing their little hmmmmm and seeing them dart in for drinks. 

Our particular little guys are an opinionated bunch.  We have four feeders... all just alike... all hanging in a row on the back porch... all containing the exact same nectar water stuff... And, do they visit them all equally? No, they do not.  They like the third one.  What's up with that?  Oh, they visit the other three, but the third one is always the cool hangout spot.  It's like the restaurant with Coke while the other three have Pepsi.

Even if we switch them around, the third one empties out first. Go figure...

I did this painting for this month's Inspiration Collaboration submission.  Signs of Summer was my response to Sara's photograph Signs of Spring.

Original Oil Painting on 5"x 7" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Peacock out for a Stroll

In April my granddaughters (and their parents) moved from 20+ hours away to 6 minutes away.  Instead of getting to see them every month or two, we get to see them every day or two. My heart overflows with the joy of that.  

A couple of weeks ago, we took a day trip to the Tulsa Zoo together. What a wonderful way to spend the day!  The 9 month old was just happy. In the stroller or being carried, she didn't care.  The 21/2 year old was happy to watch the squirrels, to push the big buttons that opened the doors, to follow the geese on the sidewalk, to climb on big rocks, or to watch a turtle... Never mind about the big animals. (ha ha ha)

At the very end of our day at the zoo, this peacock came walking up to us as if he knew us.  I think he was saying, "Would you like to take my photo?  Here, let me turn this way. How about this way? I hope you've enjoyed your time here."

My weekly at challenge was Fins, Feathers, or Fur. My peacock friend made it obvious I should go with the feathers option.

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas
Click Peacock out for a Stroll if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Flamingo on Water

 

Flamingos are so fun to paint... bold and colorful and swish-y, so I've painted several over the years.  This is actually the second time I've painted this guy... but... The last one was really huge, 16"x 16", and this one is really tiny, 6"x 6".

 I've been thinking about what I want to do creatively in 2021.  I know that if I write my thoughts down like a to-do list, that will make them real goals instead of just fleeting ideas. One of those ideas (which is about to become a goal since I'm putting it in writing) is to paint more small paintings, ones in which I practice putting a stroke of paint down in the right place, leaving it alone, and moving along. I need to play with paint more. That's what I tried to do with this one.

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 6" Canvas Board

[GIFT]

Click Flamingo on Blue if you'd like to see the bigger one.

Flamingo II

Fun facts about flamingos

• That backwards bending knee is actually an ankle!
• They live 20-30 years!
• Their feathers are colored differently based on on what they eat!
• They build their nests out of mud!
• They spend a quarter of their day cleaning their feathers!

How about that!

This particular flamingo lives at the Tulsa Zoo.  

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 20" Wrapped Canvas

Click "Flamingo II" if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Tweet! VI

I love this little bluebird.  He's been such a good friend and partner.  How could I have ever known when I first painted him how much of a helper he'd be.  

Whenever someone asks me to help them learn to paint, I have a couple of go-to images that make great first paintings.  Because I usually paint along with a first-time painter, I've put this little guy on the canvas six times now. I love him every time. As soon as I put that tiny white shine in his eye, he greets me and I welcome him back to the studio.

8-18

4-18

1-16

10-13

2-12

Those painted by my friends, co-workers, niece, great-nieces, and daughter-in-law are priceless.

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 8" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Flamingo Reflection

Elegance & Simplicity... my favorite combination...

One evening as I was scrolling through Facebook (like ya' do...) I came to my friend Marquita's Christmas-in-Florida pictures.  I clicked to open then kept scrolling through (like ya' do...) when... Wait! Go back! Where was that one!  The next thing I typed was a quick private message to Marquita. "I love, Love, LOVE the picture of the lone flamingo with his reflection.  Would you give me permission to use that as a reference photo for a painting?"  Lucky for me, she must have been online doing her nightly scroll through Facebook, and she responded right away with a, "Yes, ma'am, you sure can."

Sometimes it happens.  

An image just calls out to be put on canvas.  

I love that. 

I looked through my paintings to find ones where that had happened, where I randomly saw an image and knew I had to paint it.

I wondered if there were some commonalities in what I loved so much that it was worth asking for permission to use it.

The daughter of a nephew.
Saw it on Facebook.

The daughters of two nieces.
Saw it in another niece's wedding photos.

The daughter and father of a friend.
Saw it on Instagram.

The daughter of a sister of a niece-in-law.
Saw it on Facebook.

A friend.
Saw it on Facebook.

My brother, sister-in-law, & their grandsons.
Saw it on Facebook.

Hmmmm.... It's pretty clear that I have a thing for images that show people from the back.

From a friend's hiking photos.
(A possum is my "spirit animal"... long story...)

From a blog friend's blog post.

From a blog friend's blog post.

From a blog friend's blog post.

From a blog post of someone I didn't know
(until I asked to paint his photograph).

So... Why did I find this image so captivating?

Elegant simplicity.  

Just one single beautiful flamingo... still water... no trees or reeds or waves or other flamingos or rocks. 

Elegant simplicity.

Original Oil Painting on 16"x 20" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]