City Park, New Orleans

Is it just a little too pretty?

Sky too clear? Reflections too perfect? Trees too green? Path too clean?

That's because it WAS a little too pretty!

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 16" Wrapped Canvas

Click City Park, New Orleans if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Wise Old Owl

How about that attitude!

I love him... although I don't think he'd give a "hoot" about me...

I posted YESTERDAY that it was my 18th paint-iversary.  Since my first painting done from my own photo (twice) was an owl.  I though I'd honor that by painting another owl (or two).

It's amazing how quickly 18 years goes by. 

It's amazing to think I've done over 700 paintings in that time.

It's amazing that I still have so much to learn!!

It's amazing how a few dabs of color can turn into something worth looking at.

   My whole palette for this owl.    

Thanks Pexels for having great photos available for artists to use as references.

Original Oil Painting on 7"x 9" Canvas Board
Click Wise Old Owl if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Great Horned Owl

 It's my 18th Paint-iversary!

I'm forever grateful for my art teacher/mentor Cheri. How blessed I am that she's also my dear friend.

When I walked into my very first painting lesson 18 years ago, I was so nervous.

When I walked out of that first painting lesson, I had a finished painting of a tree.

That week I painted the tree again.

Next the class painted a white cup then a white daisy.

The 5th painting I did was to be from a reference photo that I brought from home.

I gave him another try for my 6th painting.

In honor of those first attempts of painting an owl, I thought I'd paint another.

We hear an owl fairly often, but it's a rare treat to spy one.  No matter how much I smile up at them, they look down with such haughty disdain. I love them.

You know those big plastic owls people put on poles in their gardens to scare the birds away from their vegetables? I might have a few of them... upstairs where the grandkids play with them.  Mine look down on the garden with haughty disdain from their perch inside where it's never hot or cold or rainy.

**Stay tuned!!**  Since I did that owl twice, I thought I should paint two again!

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas.

Click Great Horned Owl if you'd like to purchase this guy for your own wall.

Life Book 2023 (September, October November) Part 1

Yes, I'm aware that it's 2025. And, no the 2023 date on the title isn't wrong. 

I'd been an oil painter exclusively for 15 years when I dipped into mixed media art.  Actually I didn't dip, I jumped in with both feet. I did every lesson for most of the year...

The lessons from the first sessions in January, February are HERE.

The lessons from the second sessions in March, April, May are HERE.

The lessons from the third sessions in June, July, & August are HERE.

Then....l I guess I ran out of gas.  Or, I just needed to get back to oil painting my own things instead of doing other teacher's lessons.

Anyway, I had these lessons (below) that I had finished but never posted.  

And, I'm determined to finish those other 2023 lessons I never got to. I'm writing it here, so hold me to it! 

One more thing, I've already started a few of them, and thought I'd add them to this post, but I noticed something that completely shocked me.  The ones I'm doing now are so much better than these I did 18 months ago.  Interesting... I guess practice does make a difference!! How about that!  (** Ok... that wolf one was pretty dang good...)

Give me a few weeks, but stay tuned for the last batch of 2023 lessons!

Pretty Poppies

 It will be many weeks before we see bright red flowers growing.  

I did see that the daffodil shoots are thinking about making an appearance.  They better wait though, more snow's on the way. It's pretty gray outside these days... and by "pretty" gray, I don't really mean pretty at all.... blah...

Maybe I just needed some bursts of brightness.  I'm finally coming back to life after a week of the flu. (Yes, I had the vaccine.) It's been a long time since I've been so sick, and fatigue is real. It's kind of not fair how long it takes to build up muscle and stamina and how quickly it goes away when you lay around for a week.

Before the bright reds wave in the breeze, we'll have the yellows and purples of March and April first. Then there will be some whites and oranges in May and June.  In the meantime, these pretty poppies can brighten my wall.

Original Palette Knife Oil Painting on 12"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

Click Pretty Poppies if you'd like to purchase this painting to brighten your wall.

I Like... (2/25)

 Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 

I like my backyard in every season.  
By the way... the hens were NOT interested in coming out and enjoying the snow.

I like a good snow day... even if I am retired!

I like these two guys! 

I like having an amaryllis to brighten up winter. 

I like catching up with friends I haven't seen in a while.

I like Magic Kingdom... and EPCOT...
and Animal Kingdom... and Hollywood Studios...
in every kind of weather!

I like these sweet little hens. Only 6 these days.
Fancy-Like, Pauline, Twinkle, Ruby Jean, Eleanor, Marie

I like sharing our space with our deer.  
They just lay down and watch me through my kitchen windows.
I suppose I'm entertaining.

I like having chickens... but who laid this itsy-bitsy green one!

LeeAnne's  get-to-know-you writing topics this month:

What’s one of the most exciting things you’ve done in life so far? The first thing that comes to my mind is that I got to spend 10 days in villages in Indonesia about 6 years ago.  I got to participate in three different schools, with different community groups, and in an orphanage.

What is something you have always wanted to try but haven’t yet?  I'd like to write for publication.

Do you give yourself the same compassion and understanding that you give to your family and friends? Yes, I think I do.

Do you compliment your mate and does he compliment you? What kind of compliment feels best to you, and to him? Ha ha... I misread it as "complement."  We do complement each other.  He's good at the things I'm not, and I'm good at doing the things he's not. It works out just fine. And, yes, he does compliment me, my cooking, my art all the time.  He's a keeper.

Willowing Arts: A Year of Light (January)

It's good to be a lifelong learner!