Black-eyed Susans in a Vase

I would say that this painting may not be my usual style or doesn't have my usual color palette.  But then I realize that I've done so many crazy-different styles and used so many different mediums through the on-line classes I've signed up for this year, that I don't know what my style even is any more.

2007-2021 - I worked in realistic oil painting pretty much exclusively (although I did do an occasional acrylic).  

2022 - I began trying to figure out how to paint with the palette knife.  

2023 - I've done a little of everything: watercolor, acrylic inks, pen & ink, collage, fabric applique, and so many things with mixed media. I've grown in appreciation for each.

I have to say, though... I think smearing paint with a palette knife is my favorite.  I love the process. I love the end result.  I want to keep looking at it. I want to run my fingers across its surface (once it finally dries). I want to do another.

My Weekly-ish Challenge was "Just Put Them in a Vase." 

Thanks to Wendy of Pieceful Thoughts for letting me use her image as a reference.

 Original Palette Knife Oil Painting on 9"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Sunflower Mural on Fence - Redo

If you've followed me a long time, this might seem familiar.  The fence that I painted five years ago had to be replaced, so I got a do-over!

Ladies arrive at Welcome Home Retreat ready to both relax and get to work on their projects. Last weekend there were 5 quilters, 3 scrapbookers, and me...I just had one painting project to accomplish... a big one.  My sister was there to keep me encouraged and entertained.  

I had to let a few happy friends join.

Thursday night- Sunday morning schedule:

When it's not raining, keep adding to the mural.

When it's storming, stress over whether the rain will make any paint run.

Besides that... rock in the chairs on the porch, eat wonderful meals, visit with my sister, and relax.

Ta-da!!! 

Just like that, a plain fence is a colorful mural.

Sunflower Bouquet (Palette Knife)

I was in the mood to play with paint, and this felt like a good image for doing that.  The only materials I used, were  palette knives and a cheap beginner's oil paint set because I wanted to let myself be lavish with the amount of paint I applied each time I laid it down on the canvas.

True, sunflowers aren't exactly in season right now.  That's okay.  I used so much paint, it may be next summer before it's completely dry!  Mmmm.... I can't wait until it does dry so I can run my fingers across the texture of the paint on the canvas.  And, yes, whenever I'm in an art museum, I have to remind myself not to touch!

What fun!  How long did it take? Oh, a little more than one football game. (Go Hogs! Woo Pig Sooie! Well, they lost, but we're loyal anyway.)

It was also fun to revisit a reference photo that I'd painted ten years ago.  

In 2010 I wrote, "A flower is just more beautiful if you put the seed in the ground yourself, watered the sprout, kept the weeds away, and noticed the first bloom."

Very true. I love that.

Original Oil Painting on 9"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Sunflower Shine

At midday, when the sun is high in the sky, the color shimmers off each petal as it reaches upward.  All day long, their faces follow the sun's path across the sky.  I stand quietly at the edge of the garden and watch their silent nods, a show that gives me pause, reflecting on a season well spent.

Photo by Sara Harley

I was inspired by both the image and the writing from this month's Inspiration Collaboration image.  Sara wrote, "Late in the day, when the sun is lower in the sky, the light bounces off our small outdoor fish pond and into our home. For a short time, the glow dances across our living room ceiling in shimmering aerial ballet. I sit quietly in my chair and watch the silent performance, a shape shifting show that gives me pause, reflections and afterglow of a day well spent."

Original Palette Knife Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas.

[SOLD]

Autumn Still Life

I'm not sure I ever slowed down enough to really enjoy autumn for the first half century of my life.  The older I get, the more I love fall.  I've been noticing that  feeling in the air lately... the tinkling sounds from the wind chime on the back porch... leaves beginning to let go and flutter down... grass and woods a little less green... garden looking sad and needing to be put to bed for the winter... chickens molting to get ready for their cold weather feathers... a full freezer of the summer's harvest... sunset earlier and earlier...
I love autumn.

I painted this still life with one of my favorite human beings in the entire world.  How lucky I am to have Cheri for my art mentor / teacher / friend!

I haven't posted new paintings lately, but it's not because I haven't been painting!  One day each week this month, I've joined Cheri in her studio.  When the opportunity for painting lessons presented itself, I was not going to pass it up. Cheri inspires, helps me... and pushes me way out of my artistic comfort zone.

If you happen to be near Shawnee, Oklahoma, stop in to Inspire Studio and Art to see her beautiful work in person.

And, if you aren't near there, you an still see it here.

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 12" Wrapped Canvas
Click "Autumn Harvest" if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Sunflower Surprise

Sunflowers really are the happiest flower, aren't they!

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 8" Wrapped Canvas
[SOLD]

Summer Sunflowers

Why plant sunflowers?

My dad planted two long rows of sunflowers last summer.  He thought he'd harvest them for the birds.  

They were absolutely gorgeous, and his plan worked.. sort of.  He didn't have to have to worry about doing the work of cutting them down and drying them to save the seeds.  The birds decided to save him the trouble.  They helped themselves to the seeds before he ever got around to harvesting them. 

The thing I loved about painting this was that I never opened a tube of green paint.  I had a huge blob of blue paint left over from the little boys shirt in the last painting.  And I had another huge blob of yellow that I'd squirted out to use up an old tube to use for the flowers.  I mixed those two and a little ochre to make all the greens.  (I love using things up!)

I had the hardest time with the actual petals.  I just haven't had that much practice with yellows to know just what to do without some trial and error.  Actually, I was pretty heavy on the "error" side for a while.  Each petal looked like a banana; they were all just too pretty.  It's hard for me to add that muddy, shady color that has to be there.

Who doesn't love sunflowers!  I love them!

[SOLD]

Sunflower Swallowtail

Where do you get your painting inspiration?

I love to paint what I love, and I love what I see around my own home.  I grew a row of sunflowers at the back of my garden last year.  They were gorgeous.  One day this little butterfly danced, flitted, and posed as long as I was willing to take pictures.  So, I had 30 photos... all nearly the same... to choose from.  I loved this one because the little butterfly opened up and showed off his beautiful wings.

So what will be next?

This is what I saw from my porch yesterday...

[SOLD]

Sunflowers & Butterfly

How do you decide which reference photo is just right?


This is a question I asked on the post from August 28th.  I finally chose this one.  I chose it because I thought the sunflower in the background showed that there was more to the scene.  I also loved the angle of the sunflower.  It showed the three-dimensional parts of the sunflower's center.  There was also something graceful about the leaves that I loved.  And finally, not seeing the full face of the sunflower allowed the butterfly to be the star of the show.  


So, I began painting right away.  Then I got distracted... by the beginning of school... by a commissioned piece, I Am the Legacy... by a really good book, The Help... by a challenge painting for RookiePainter...  a Christmas painting of the same little boy from Little Boy in a Big Fedora...  more school work... and all the time this painting sat half finished on my cedar chest showing a lovely background, some stems and leaves and half a butterfly.  It is very hard to go back to finish a painting after a time.  But, I finally did.  And I'm glad I did.\

[SOLD]