Sunset on the Cape

I want to give a big thank you to Kim from Kim's Daily Paintings for hosting this painting challenge.  It's fun to see the variety of styles that can come from the same original image.  Click over and have a look!                                             I love flipping through blogs, but I'm very choosy about which ones I follow.  I love blogs that feel "real." When I find one I enjoy, I like to go all the way back to the beginning and read it from beginning to present. That's how I ended up finding Kim's blog and this challenge. I'm glad I did.

I've been thinking about the quote, "Comparison is the thief of joy," by Theodore Roosevelt. When I decided I was finished with this painting, I loved it.  My eyes went to the sun then traveled all around the canvas. I loved the sweep of the clouds, the reflections in the water, the splashes of color... it made me smile... I was proud.

Then... I took photographs, uploaded them onto my computer, and clicked over to submit my piece to the challenge.

That's when it happened... I scrolled through all the others... they were really good.. and... I lost confidence... didn't submit.

But, I know better!  I spend every day encouraging my students to have pride in their work and in its individual voice or style.

So... yes... I do love it.  And... yes... I do love the others too.  And, yes... I will add mine to the rest.

Original Oil Painting - 16"x 16" 

Flamingo Portrait

Painting with pinks and oranges and reds was fun!  I've got to find more reasons to use them!  Maybe I'll do another flamingo or two.  

I became enamored with flamingos when we went to the Tulsa Zoo a couple of months ago.  (If you were there that day, you might have noticed us... We were the ONLY couple there who was neither pushing a stroller nor pulling a wagon!)

While I worked on this, I kept having Christopher Cross songs go through my mind...   

It's funny how images and songs bring back long forgotten memories...   When I was in college, I took a course called Art for Elementary Teachers.  One of our assignments was to create a monochromatic piece (an entire piece using only one color in varying dark to light shades).  I borrowed this album from a guy I knew, drew a grid right on it, and re-created... well copied...the image on a poster. Although I did change his eye to red... Hmmm... Well... Looking back I'm pretty sure that was plagiarism... Oops!  Since that was over 30 years ago, I'm hoping the statute of limitations has run out.  For what it's worth... I'm pretty sure I got an A... although now I'm feeling kind of bad about that... 

My apologies to the guy whose album cover I ruined and to Christopher Cross for stealing borrowing his image.  

I still love your music, Mr. Cross!

Original Oil Painting - 12" x 16"
Click "Flamingo Portrait" to purchase this painting.