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]

Dahlia

This little painting was done through a challenge for http://rookiepainter.blogspot.com/. I love the concept of this site - an image is presented then artists are invited to share their art based on that image. It's so interesting to see the diversity in style. I felt proud like a little kid to see mine posted right alongside the artists' pieces.

[SOLD]

Stargazer Lilies

Stargazer lilies have a special place in my heart. I once bought some stargazer lilies for my mother for Mother's Day. They grew and flourished every year. When she and my dad moved from their home of 40 years to a new one, it was one of the plants that they dug up and brought with them. The transplant was successful because it continues to make me smile each summer when it blooms.

Thinking of You

There's really nothing funny about this still life, but it always makes me chuckle when I look at it. You see, I began by painting the curtain, the table, the peach, the napkin, the knife... and then life changed for a while. I fell (not a glamorous story - tripped over a suitcase) and broke my leg. After a few days of lying in the bed, I felt ready to sit up and thought painting was one thing I could do if everything was carefully propped. I finished the painting - the flowers and vase. Look again. Do you notice any difference in the styles? Yeah... like a different person painted that part. Hmmm... I suppose those pain medications took out some of my realistic precision and added artistic freedom. And, no, I'm not asking which style is preferred. That bottle of pills is long gone, and with it went the loose style that I strive to capture again - drug free, of course!

Caribbean Flora

Lovely... Brilliant white and pink blossoms....

These grew on the gate of a sea turtle farm on Grand Cayman Island.

It seems that everything is just a little too bright to be true in the Caribbean.

Have a look at these lovely items that have used the plumeria flower as inspiration.

A handmade guest book

http://www.etsy.com/listing/49511195/tropical-plumeria-floral-guest-book

Children's barrettes

http://www.etsy.com/listing/43326414/flower-bobby-pins-pinkyellow