Stargazer Lily

What is the most beautiful flower? 

The answer is simple... the one that's blooming in your own flowerbed or garden right now.

I love the flowers that bloom in my flower bed, but I do not love the work it takes to keep them happy and healthy and gorgeous.  I wish it did, but I just don't.  So... I tend to go for flowers that aren't needy.  The stargazer lilies put on the best show a few weeks ago.  Every time  got home, I'd go snap a picture thinking surely that day they were the most beautiful ever.

This week, I'm snapping pictures in my vegetable garden thinking each day that this may be the most beautiful ever.

Look at the fantastic dewdrops on this tomato!
And, how about the height of these amazing sunflowers!



Click Stargazer Lily to purchase this little painting.

Yellow Bowl of Tomatoes (Dark Background)

Where does your eye go first?

I've read that where the darkest dark meets the lightest light is the first point of focus in a painting.  After that the eye should travel around the canvas then back to that place where the darkest dark meets the lightest light.  (I just kind of like saying that... the darkest dark meets the lightest light...)

If you first looked at the highlighted side of the bowl, then up to the big tomatoes, over to the leaves, around to the little tomatoes, and back to the place where (I'm going to say it one more time) the darkest dark meets the lightest light, then I think I succeeded.

This image was once a challenge piece for Paint and Draw Together.  There's so much that I love about it, that I've used it as a reference three times.







Click Bowl of Tomatoes to read my thoughts on the first one.
Click Yellow Bowl of Tomatoes to read my thoughts on the second one.


Click Yellow Bowl of Tomatoes (Dark Background) if you'd like to purchase this little painting.

Caribbean Sunset

What words come to mind?

  

...Tranquil... 

     ...Peaceful... 

          ...Calm...

              ...Paradise...

                    ...Serenity...

                         ...Harmony...

If it's the emotion words of feelings that you think of first, then I think I feel successful with this painting.

If it's the objects... water, sun, clouds, leaves, sand... then maybe I better go back and work on it a little more.

I did this piece to submit to the artist challenge at Paint and Draw Together. Go have a look.  It's fun to see the diversity of artist styles. Every piece is exactly alike... and completely different...

:) My Art Space

I recently discovered an amazing artist named Lisa of Lachri Fine Art. I have learned so much by watching her videos and have been mesmerized by watching her work.

Last week she put out a call for her viewers to show their art spaces.  I LOVE my little art space, so... I did it!  I sent in a photo of my space.

Let me give you a little tour... from left to right... here we go...

• The Medusa (snatched from my son's room when he left for college) lamp lets me put light where I need it.
• Taped to its stand is whatever I’ve drawn up and am working on.
• The brown drawers hold my paints (I have a lot...  I get a kick out of finding them in lots at estate sales or on ebay...)   
• Top drawer – neutrals, blacks, whites, grays, metallics,
•  Next one down, earth tones, 
• On down – blues & purples,
•  And down – greens, 
• Down – yellows, 
• And – Reds,
• Bottom two – tools like pliers, scissors, etc. and wipe clothes
• Under those brown drawers are some old newspapers.
• On top of those brown drawers are other essentials
• Wet wipes,
• A pack of gum,
• The dinosaur headed cat squirter... ‘cause sometimes the cat just needs a reminder,
• And my Atelier sign.
• Behind the white drawers are some large canvases waiting their turn.
• On the wall is the bag I bought at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a few paintings waiting until some one claims them for a permanent home.
• The white drawers
• Top drawer – small brushes, 
• Next drawer – large brushes, 
• On down – Liquin, mineral spirits, etc.
• And the bottom, scraps of cloth and old socks.
• A trash can
• There’s a foot stool you can’t see, but it makes sitting comfortable for a short person like me!
• The easel shows what I’m working on now.
• My computer has its share of paint splatters... all... over... it... but shows me my reference photo and plays my favorite country music on Pandora.
• My purple chair which is brand new, and it's changed my life! It swivels, and raises, and lowers, and turns, and rolls!  Love it!
• And finally comes my tv tray where I put my paint palettes.
• Last, but not least, my Sonic coke... essential...

 

I love my little space...

My Atelier - noun. \a-t^əl-ˈyā\  [from Old French] 1. an artist’s workshop 2. an art studio 3. a space for creativity to flourish

 By the way...

The way I got my husband to remember how to pronounce Atelier... I use my best Redneck Southern accent and say “I tell ya’!” and it comes out pretty close to the French pronunciation. (Although don’t tell anyone who’s actually French.  They might not agree.)

Thanks again to Lisa from Lacri.com for giving me the idea to take a good look at my space.

Cottage by the Sea II

Are you there, Miss Rumphius?

Do you know her?  She a character in a children's book who goes around planting flowers and making the world more beautiful.  I remember that this story was in a basal reading book that I used to use in my classroom years ago; I hadn't thought of that story in ages. It wasn't my intent to recreate her setting. But, after this painting was finished, I thought of Miss Rumphius; I'm sure she'd approve.  

There's one other reason this painting might look familiar... I've painted it before.  Yes, there's another Cottage by the Sea out there somewhere.  It hung on the wall in my bedroom for a long time because I loved it.  The day it sold was a happy/sad day.   I got an identical giclee to put in it's place.  Eventually that sold too.  Nothing has looked just right in that spot on the wall since.

So... yeah... I just painted it again.  I like this one even better. It makes me happy. I can think of so many stories that might take place in this setting...

This painting was fortunate to be included in a lovely Etsy treasury (collection of related vintage items and art pieces) called Stages of Thought.  Click and have a look.

Original Oil Painting on 16"x 20" Wrapped Canvas

You can click "Cottage by the Sea II" if you'd like to purchase this painting.

"Cottage by the Sea" can be purchased in several forms.

Contact me if you'd like to purchase this image as a giclee, a print, or note cards.

Happy Calf

What do cows think about?

They don't seem to think about anything... But this little guy looks like he's grinning about something.

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas
[SOLD]

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

What's the best color combination?

For me it's always going to be green and purple.
Any day that I get to paint with green and purple is a good day.

Today I got to paint this little guy twice.
This square one is for my daughter... she's learning to fly a helicopter and is working on the skill of hovering... just like a little hummingbird.





Here are some other paintings that made for good days.  :)

Original Oil Painting on 5"x 7" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]