Bluebird

What triggers your memory from way back?

As I was painting this little bird, I kept thinking of a piece of song my dad used to sing to me in the mornings.  I haven't heard it in decades, and I can't even remember the tune!
All the same, it's a snip of a memory that makes me smile. 

Birdie with a yellow bill,
Hopped upon my window sill,
Winked a shiny eye and said,
"Aren't you ashamed, you sleepy head?"

I may have to go back and add a little more yellow into this little birdie's bill!

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

Slice of Cantaloupe

How do you paint silver?

It seems that silver isn't any color.  It's just reflections of the colors around it.  How odd... I have a tube of  paint called silver, but I don't think I've ever given it a squeeze.  

I found a recipe for silver (white, burnt umber, & black) in an old painting book called Leon Franks on Techniques that's proven to be valuable several times.  It tickles me that the book clearly says on the cover that the price was $1.00, and in the back it requests 15 cents for shipping.  I couldn't find a copyright date anywhere, but it's nice that some things stand the test of time.  And by the way, I checked Amazon.  You can purchase this exact $1.00 book for about $20.00 + $5.00 shipping.

I'm thankful that I have books (and the internet) to help me figure out painting problems, but I miss my art teacher so much since she moved to a different state.  I need a new painting partner... (insert sad face here)

I painted this to submit to the art challenge site Paint and Draw Together.  I always enjoy seeing the varied styles of artists.

Enjoy an Etsy treasury (collection of related art pieces and vintage items) celebrating Cantaloupe and Cornflower Blue.  

[SOLD]

Lemons II

Which tubes of paint have to be replaced most often? 

I paint with greens more than any other color.  It isn't really intentional.  I just paint what I know and what I love.  I like to paint things that look natural... landscapes, flowers where they're growing outside, kids engaged in something that holds their attention (often outside).  So that leads to using lots of greens.

I love green.  It's my favorite color, but sometimes I notice those other beautiful paint tubes that don't get squeezed often enough.  That's actually the reason I chose to paint these lemons.  I wanted to play with the yellow color family.  Blue is actually my least favorite color, (I know, I know... most people love blue best!) but it seemed like the perfect complementary color for my lemons.

Click Lemons, Lemons to visit an Etsy treasury (collection of related art pieces and vintage items) featuring lots of Lemons.

[SOLD]

Hey Cow!

How do you get a cow's attention?

Several years ago a friend told me about a silly game her family would play when driving down rural roads.  The rules are simple.  When you get near a cow, you roll down the window and yell, "Hey, Cow!"  If the cow looks at you, you get a point.  (Perhaps I should mention here that this friend is one of the most creative people I know.  She's also a teacher of gifted and talented students.... and this was the game she came up with... sigh...)  But the funny thing is, my husband and I have gotten a kick out of playing it ever since!  Yes... two grown people - even without kids in the car - will slow down and yell, "Hey, Cow!" then laugh hysterically whenever the cow looks.

This little heifer lived in a field beside the bed and breakfast near Pigeon Forge, Tennessee where we spent part of our Christmas vacation this year.  When we'd return home each day, she'd be there by the fence. Even though it was cold and frosty, we'd slow down, roll down the window, and yell, "Hey, Cow!"  
...She's looking right at me, so I guess I get a point, don't I... Yea!

We took many photographs of the Smoky Mountain scenery and wildlife, but this little cow got to be the first put on the canvas.

[SOLD]

Animas Forks

What makes an image special?

I love an image that tells a story and makes me wonder... a picture that really is worth a thousand words.

At a recent family gathering, I was looking through a book of my cousin's vacation photos when I turned the page and discovered this image.  
It stopped me, and the questions began...
Who lived here?
How did they make their livings?
Why did they leave?
Did they know how beautiful their land was?  
Was their life hard here?

He told me it was a ghost town near Silverton, Colorado called  Animas Forks.

Then more questions...
Were there families and children running between these cabins?
Were there just rough miners with picks and shovels?
How did they manage in the winters?
Was it ever lovely and charming when the people still lived there?

I knew from the first second I saw the "story," I wanted to put it on canvas.  

Visit an Etsy treasury (collection of related art pieces and vintage items) celebrating the beautiful sky blue colors at Sky Blue Weather.

[SOLD]

Bowl of Tomatoes

What is it about some paintings that make you want to keep looking and looking?

I wish I really, really knew the answer to that so that I'd make sure to do it again and again.  
I read what master painters and artists I admire say... 
"It's about lost edges..." 
"It's in the harmony of color..." 
"It's the drama of the point where the darkest dark meets the lightest light..."
"It's the pleasing placement of subjects - always an odd number..."
"It's a movement created by lines..."
"It's the highlights and shadows..."
"It's the texture of the paint..."

I do believe all those things, and I do try to keep them all in mind as I paint.  But, I suppose I'm too much of a beginner to the world of art to comprehend why some paintings work and some don't quite work.
I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I love this painting.  I finished it yesterday, and I just can't quit looking at it.  Yes, I'm going to offer it for sale on Etsy, but I'm going to enjoy it on my own wall every day until someone decides to give it a permanent home.  

Visit a  lovely Etsy treasury (collection of related art pieces and vintage items) that includes "Bowl of Tomatoes" called March into Life!

"Bowl of Tomatoes" was done as a submission to the Paint and Draw Together January Challenge.  Each entry was done from the same reference photo image.  I love to scroll through and see how every painting is exactly the same... yet each is completely unique and different from the others.

[SOLD]

:) A Very Merry Christmas

Just what I wanted!  
...a hand-crafted stained glass.




...family together for dinner.
...to surprise my husband.
...my son joining us from the other side of the world.

Snow Cardinal II

Shouldn't things be easier the second time around?


That wasn't the case for me and this painting.  I'd actually painted this little guy before, (Click "Snow Cardinal" to see the first version.)  but it sold.  Usually I'm thrilled when paintings sell, but I really missed this one.  I decided I'd whip out another one just like the first; however, I ran into all kinds of frustrations - problems with the colors in the background, issues with the snow on the branches, headaches with the balls hanging from the tree... one thing after another.  I had to put it aside and almost gave up several times.  I was about ready to scrape the whole thing off when I received my Tip of the Week video from Daniel Edmondson: the title was "Don't Scrape Off Your Paintings."  Perfect timing... As it turns out, the whole thing wasn't a mess, just a few parts.  I'm not sure he's perfect, but I'm glad to have him back on the wall - at least until someone buys him for their own wall.  

 
This little bird and his wife teased me during a snow day last winter.  Right outside my window they'd flit and fly.  They'd rest on a perch; then off they'd go.  Finally, just once, he sat still long enough for me to snap his picture!


Also visit a lovely Etsy treasury (collection of related art pieces)  celebrating winter called Winter Wonderland where this little cardinal got to be a part of the collection.

Pitcher and Pears

Where do I begin?

Well, in the case of still life paintings, this is where I began.  I learned... make that... I began to learn about soft edges and shadows.  It was also my first attempt at a metallic color... yeah, looks like I needed a little more practice at that; my pewter is a little (ok, a lot) purple-y.  I did learn about placing the objects in a pleasing way (overlapping, not straight on), but I hope my next lesson was to use the whole canvas - not just the middle!
I love looking back.  Right now I'm very discouraged with the painting I'm working on.  Seeing how I have grown as a painter reminds me that learning is hard!  Maybe looking back is the encouragement I need to move forward.

[SOLD]

Pink Daisies

What's in your backyard?

These pretty little things grow in my parents' yard.  I think they're called echinacea - pretty fancy name for a pink daisy. 


[SOLD]

Remember When

Do you remember when...?

That's a phrase that begins many conversations between family and friends.

This chimney sits along the road that goes between my two brothers' houses.  It just sits there in a little field all alone, but it's not lonely.  Imagine what this old chimney has seen.  I can imagine it kept  a family's cabin warm for years and years.  I can imagine the farmer who stacked the logs and built the fire.  I can imagine his wife who poked the logs and kept the fire going.  I can imagine the children doing homework in front of it.  I can imagine a cat curled up on the hearth.  I can imagine stockings hanging from the mantle year after year.  I can imagine... can you?

Click "Christmas Past"  to see this chimney at at Christmastime.

[SOLD]

Fuschia

What's your favorite color name?


Fuschia, chartreuse, magenta, azure, viridian, cerulean...


I painted this as a challenge for Artistic Sentiment.  Go see the varied artistic styles of this lovely little flower.

Original Oil Painting o 5"x7" Canvas Board
[GIFT]

First Christmas

When do you decorate for Christmas?

We do it the day after Thanksgiving, and it has become a tradition we love.   It seems like just the other day, we had a toddler bringing ornaments to put on the tree, and a baby helping to hang his special ornament. Now, one has a husband, and one is on the other side of the world.  Some parts of our event change over time; some stay exactly the same year after year.

• We usually have Chex mix.
• We put the nutcrackers all over the place, but the kids argue over who gets to put the ugly one on top of the refrigerator facing backwards.
• I put the stocking hangers that spell N.O.E.L on the mantle.  Then someone sneaky rearranges them to spell. L.E.O.N.
• We buy an ornament to represent something special from each year, and we have the same conversation as we put the each "special ball" on the tree. 
• "Awwww... here's mine from when I was born!"
•  "I want to hang the one from when I was born!"
• "Here's the first Disney one!  That year the castle was pink like a birthday cake!"
• "Remember that trip to Yosemite?  We need to go back."
• "Here's the Key West ball.  Remember those roosters?"
• "This one's from 1994, what were we doing then?"
• "Be careful with this Mount St. Helens one.  Do you think that's really ash on it?"
• Then we get to the ornaments the kids made.
•  "How come my Pokeman ornament on the toilet paper roll has to hang on the back of the tree again!"
• "Ohhhh.... Look how cute I was!"
• There was a moody teenager on the couch for several years in a row.  It was odd a couple of years ago, when we noticed everyone participating again.  (My husband volunteered to lay on the couch and play the moody teenager role - just to keep that tradition alive!)

Our tree is very beautiful - no nothing matches, and no it doesn't have a theme.  But, suits our family perfectly.  

I don't think we get to decide which traditions will stick.  I think they just sort of happen - then happen again, and again.

Thanks to Micah for letting me paint him as he put ornaments on the tree for the first time.  I wonder what will traditions will become important in his family...  

[SOLD]

Canoe in the Smokies

How often does something truly exceed your expectations?

We wanted a "grown-up" vacation, but we weren't  sure what that meant or how to go about finding it.   
So, we started with questions.  
Where's a calm area of the country?
Where's a beautiful area we haven't seen?
Where's an airport that doesn't block our free air miles on the days we want? (Actually, this is the one that trumped the others.) 
We settled on the Great Smoky Mountains.

It seemed like a good time to try a bed and breakfast, so I did a Google search, found one with a room available, clicked, and we packed our bags.
We'd stumbled onto a place called Berry Berry Springs Lodge. I"m not sure how to explain it without sounding like a paid advertisement.  

I can start with adjectives... tranquil, calm, peaceful, beautiful, quiet, lovely, fresh, charming, serene, romantic, pristine...
It completely exceeded our expectations.

This painting was taken at one of the ponds on the property.... sigh...

Enjoy a beautiful and peaceful Etsy treasury (collection of related art pieces and vintage items) that includes this painting.  It's called Gimme a Break.  Then click Olaces We Dream to Go then dream about going to those dreamy places!

[SOLD]

Gaillardia

What do you miss about summer?

One of the things I love about living in Northwest Arkansas is that we get a little of everything with the four seasons.  Right now we're at that kind of in-between stage.  Autumn was gorgeous, but the winds have blown in.  The leaves are brown and wet, and the lovely things about winter are a while away.  I guess these in-between weeks make us appreciate the best each season has to offer.

During this brown stage, I've been missing the wildflowers.

Mount Magazine State Park is the place to go in June if you love wildflowers and butterflies.  On a short stroll along the trail, you can see butterflies of all colors on wildflowers of even more colors.  
A little research helped me discover that this wildflower is a Gaillardia.   (I think!)  I would have just called it a red and yellow daisy!  Whatever they're called, they're lovely.

[SOLD]

Happy Boy

What makes you smile?

I smile...
...when my pup cocks her head sideways like she's asking a question. 
...when my students write something with real voice.
...when my husband buys me a Coke from Sonic.
...when the leaves are red, gold, yellow, and orange.
...it's Friday afternoon.
...my mom says, "You're my baby."
...I talk about my son or daughter.
...I get a message that someone likes (or even better buys) one of my paintings.
...When I hold a baby and look into his or her eyes.  
          How lucky am I that I get to do just that every Sunday morning.

[SOLD]

Kalaloch

How often does something truly exceed your expectations?

When my kids were about 10 and 13, we took a vacation to the Northwest.  We visited Seattle, a termperate rain forest, Mount St. Helens, Mount Ranier, and Olympic National Park. Every place we went was absolutely wonderful.  But the biggest surprise of all was a place called Kalaloch.  We stayed in a cabin that overlooked the gray Pacific Ocean. From this gazebo we went down stairs that took us to the beach and driftwood below. I remember the my son chasing my daughter with a dead crab, them crawling over driftwood like an obstacle course, wearing jackets even though it was July, people circled around driftwood fires... It was completely peaceful.  We only had one day and night in this place, but my husband and I have promised that we will return someday.

[SOLD]

Moo Too

How do you feel about cows?


They look so peaceful and calming in photos, paintings, and from a distance.  Up close they kind of have an expression of curiosity, even annoyance for being bothered.  
A farmer might feel soothed by their slow movements, snuffles, and moos.  As a farmer's daughter, I do feel all of those things too, but I haven't been off the farm so long that I've forgotten the less serene side of cows.  Things like the fact that they mostly like to get out of the fence on Sunday morning or Christmas day.  They also smell bad and don't do a thing to help that situation.  They usually choose to have their calves in the deepest gully on the coldest morning.  


Oh, all that's true, but for some reason, I have to watch whenever I pass a field cows.  I do have a fondness for them.  
Just look at this darling little momma and calf! 


Click on "Moo Too" if you'd like to purchase the painting.

Moo!

What's your earliest memory?


I have a very early memory about being a farm girl.  I must have been only 4-5 years old when I had the job of guarding the opening.  My dad was trying to get the cows to go into a certain place in the barn and of course the cows wanted to go anywhere but there.  So, someone had to block any possible exits that the cows might find.  Guarding the opening meant that I had to stand in a certain spot so that the cows wouldn't try to escape from that particular route.  I'd never felt so little!  I stood there, all of 40 pounds, holding a stick in order to intimidate any 1,000 pound cow who came my way.  I have a distinct memory of crying, bawling in fact.  When my mom came over I sobbed that a big cow had stared at me.  (Now, I know that the phrase "'cow eyes" means big, soft, and filled with love.  Well, as a tiny little girl guarding the opening, cow eyes were huge and scary.)  My mother told me, "Of course, she's staring at you!  You're so pretty!"  (...awwww... How do mom's know just the right thing to say?)  With a new confidence I was able to wave my stick and guard that opening until the job was done.

[SOLD}

Onions

What's in the bottom drawer of your refrigerator?

Potatoes, carrots, and onions...

This painting was done as a submission for Rookie Painter.  Have a look.  It's fun to see the varied artists' styles.  Each is just alike... and completely different!

[SOLD}