Margarita

My husband made us margaritas the other night using limes from our tree. It was yummy. But as I was looking, I loved the play of the orange in the tequila bottle contrasted with the blue on the glasses.

Margarita

Buy Now

7x11

Beachside Mug Day 9

I am starting a new larger piece and have been agonizing over the colors. Found a Sorolla painting with the colors I want to use for the beach scene. Before I start on the studio piece, I thought I'd try the colors on this study. Looks beachy to me!

Beachside Mug

Buy Now

11x7

Onions? Day 8

These onions were sprouting, so we can't eat them... but they are SO pretty! I worked in a new palette: cool muted. Really like the colors and the way they turned out. i almost "finked out" and used my brush on the color study since the knife is such a pill. But stuck to my resolution to do 30 days with the knife... Still don't have the control I'd like.

Onions?

Buy Now

11x7

Blood Orange - Day 7

We have the most wonderful oranges in our yard. Beautiful and sweet. I wanted to paint it while really fresh - I thought I'd chosen the palette correctly; once I did the orange, I hated the original background. Had to warm up the whole thing!

Blood Orange

Buy Now

11x7

Scottsdale Rose - Day 6

Roses are red... This one certainly is. Used the warm clear palette. Still working edges and "grays" in the clear palettes. Roses are hard!

I took this photo at the Scottsdale Artist School in the Women's rest room.  During rose season, there are always beautiful roses on the sinks!

Scottsdale Rose

Buy Now

11x7

Yellow Candle - Day 5

Day 5. Life got in the way yesterday! I love working with the 4 color groups from Susan Deihl's workshop. Makes choosing and mixing a palette so much more sensible! I chose warm muted for this painting - the metals on the candle sticks just seemed that way. The palette knife is still a challenge for me, I just don't have the control. And am working on getting a variety of edges.

Yellow Candle

Buy Now

11x7

Rose & Vase - Day 2

Day 2 of the 30 Day Challenge.  I love this long glass vase, and am working on flowers... Yellow rose.

Rose & Vase

Buy Now

7x11

Day One - Omelet

Leslie Saeta has once again set up a daily painting challenge.  I (and 1000 others) have joined her, beginning today for the next 30 days.  I've decided to do value and color studies.  I will do two paintings together - the first a quick 3 value study.  The second will be colors using a palette knife.  I have a really hard time controlling the palette knife, but I like to use it to get enough paint on the canvas.

Buy with PayPal

Here's Day 1 - Omelet
11x7

P-397, "Almost Guacamole"

Buy Now

Firsts today.  I thought I'd do a series with palette knife, but decided to combine with a brush. What I'm really working on is color studies and brushwork.  I loved the process in my last workshop with Michael Stiernagle; block in very roughly with thin transparent paints then go back with the heavier brush work.  I'd like to get down to the minimum number of brush strokes for each shape as an exercise.

This little piece is called "Almost Guacamole, " since I'm missing the jalapenos and mushing!  I got these amazing, huge avocados at Costco's yesterday; couldn't resist painting it!

Linda Fisler #3 - Edges

The assignment was to have one hard edge in the painting.  This one was a challenge! (I guess that's what it's all about)  I had hoped to finish in one sitting.  Unfortunately, in my attempt to keep / make edges soft I ended up muddying it and not getting the colors right.  I'll have to go back later to clean it up.  Linda Fisler’s comments were really helpful and encouraging.  A couple of them are quoted: “

-      Remember that two colors exactly on the same value sitting side by side can actually read as a soft edge with little or no blending. 

-      … two colors side by side and then with the clean dry brush and a light touch dragged the brush gently between the colors creating this nice small halftone between them--viola a soft edge

-      Saying all that, you are only a few brushstrokes away from creating a wonderful painting here…  The areas that you think are muddy, really don't bother me too much and I actually like that they mute … into the shadows and lay back. 

-      take this one out again and have another look.  Look at where you want your light to hit, and place some … clean, light valued color to represent the light, you'll have a really beautiful painting. 

Travel & painting #2

Set up in DeWi & Sarah's (son & daughter-in-law) sun room.  I had brought home fresh ingredients for a Gazpacho - and decided that would be the subject of today's painting.  So, before chopping it all up, I set up an arrangement with tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, garlic olive oil and vinegar.  Fun!