Wedding Table

 

It was a lovely evening to paint wedding memories, in such a beautiful place.  The Root restaurant in Augusta hosted the wedding dinner, and this lovely table welcomed guests with the Bridal bouquet and memorial photo.  How special is it to be part of such a meaningful celebration.  Painting number 5124 in 5124 days. 

Suburban Lawn and Garden

I couldn't resist these tables full of blooms, tropicals and succulents!!  Garden centers are wonderful places full of plants, pots and structure - an ideal place for an artist to compose and paint - and this place is one of my favorites!  Suburban Lawn and Garden is a gracious host - offering sustenance as we sketch.  What a treat to spend the morning inside among the flowers on a cold, winter day!  This painting is number 2602 in 2602 days!

Geraniums on the Table

At every turn, this Greenwood Vintage Market offered up another wonderful scene!  After taking a quick pass through the main areas, I jumped right in, hoping I could paint three before lunch!  I love the way the geranium branches fell over the edge of the pot, heavy with blooms.  The color was so rich against the antique cupboard and chair.  Again using this new lighter weight cotton rag paper, I start with inking the lines in my sketchy way.  I float the watercolor in with less water than the first one, to keep it where I want it.  I finish with a few more ink lines with India ink, as my orginal lines were quick and light.  Perhaps they rubbed off a little with the watercolor work?  Too soon to tell if it is a trait of the paper.  Next, I'll have to try a larger size, and see how it behaves!  It's like I'm interviewing this paper, and I keep calling him back.  Not sure if he's got the job, yet!  Painting number 2374 in 2374 days.

Wine for Two

Although I rarely get the chance, I love to paint en plein air at night.  This table set for two, complete with wine and glasses made the perfect subject for a nocturne painting.  I start with a dark panel, and begin by laying in the light masses where I find them.  Trying to pay attention to the temperature of that light is trickier when done in low light.  I do not like artificial light for night painting, so I use a porch light to see what I can on my palette and panel.  I never truly know what I have until I view the painting in the light of tre next day!  Painting number 2317 in 2317 days.

Flowers for Sale

The Art Mob met at Suburban Lawn and Garden this morning for painting, sketching, and fellowship.  This place is full of all things garden - blooms, pots, statuary and more!   I stopped at the first table that caught my eye - and started drawing in pen and ink.  I loved the market style table loaded with plants and pots!  Once sketched, I pulled out my watercolor pans with a water brushpen and filled in.  How fun to paint in such an environment!  To top off this lovely morning, the staff provided a pizza lunch complete with cookies!  Painting number 1506 in 1506 days :)

Magic on the Cutting Table

Magic on the Cutting Table
Oil on wood panel, 12x9
Craig Sole Designs, Shawnee Mission, Kansas - Stems
purchase here

Craig's floral shop is FULL of treasures!  Every view is a painting, and there were many things drawing me in - but THIS view grabbed me and didn't let me go!  So picturesque was the composition of chair, table, awning and all of those pots and buckets of greenery!  I set up in a tight spot, and painted in the shade - with an ice cold glass of lemonade served to me while I worked!  Ahhhh - life should be like this every day!  Painting number 888 in 888 days :)

A Chair Among Flowers

A Chair Among Flowers
Watercolor on 100% rag paper, 6x4.5
Purchase Information

I am trying something new today - painting a street scene in watercolor!  And, I am trying a new paper - 100% rag by Whatman.  Well, let me just say that the paper accepted the paint wonderfully, and I loved the texture.  Then, it came time to rub off the Pebeo, and yikes - the paper absorbed the pale blue shade of the resist!  So, where I wanted white paper showing, I now had pale blue!  Also, the rubber cement remover did not work well, so I used the rubber-like wine cork to pull off this resist - and a little color at the same time!  The cork is a subtle eraser, removing paint without damaging the paper - but I had to go back in and darken areas which had been fine until I removed the Pebeo.  It is pretty unnatural for me to paint a street scene in watercolor!  I have only used oils for this, and the method is SO different!  I think I like the results, and the french flavor of this painting - I'll just have to let it rest and see how I like it tomorrow!  I will not be using this paper for applying resists again - but it may still be a good watercolor paper.  Painting number 600 in 600 days!  Hooray!

Wine and Wedding Cake

Wine and Wedding Cake
Oil on panel, 8x10

Back in December, we attended my cousin's wedding down in Springfield.  We had such a good time, with so much of the family together to celebrate.  During the reception, my youngest daughter took this photo with my phone, posting to facebook a clever little phrase about my empty wine glass!  I've looked back at the photo several times, really loving the pink and red light radiating from the dance floor - capturing the mood.  My parents and I had all stepped away from our places - maybe we were on the dance floor or getting some cousin photos in.  So, today, I paint something different from my "normal" style.  I don't know if I've ever painted wine glasses before, so these may be the first.  I started with a midnight blue underpainting, sketching in with hard stick pastels (as usual).  I next moved to placing the reds, pinks and whites, pulling some of this color into the darks.  I'm going to let this one rest for now, and revisit it in the morning with fresh eyes.  I feel like I may need to break up some of those hard lines and add a little more white.  Painting number 405 in as many days, and it is snowing again!  Maybe I'll go back to painting snow tomorrow.......

Apples in Crystal Bowl

Apples in Crystal Bowl
Watercolor on paper
12x9

Avery, very busy day has me posting a painting that is not quite finished.  This is a still life done in watercolor (yes, I did say watercolor).  I like to experiment with different mediums from time to time, and this is one of those experiments.  Watercolors are so very different from oils, and more difficult to work with for me.  I already see things I would do differently here, but I will save that for another day and another painting.  This is painting number 160 in 160 days.

St. Pat's Brownies

St. Pat's Brownies
Oil on panel, 9x12

For St. Patrick's Day, I wanted to paint something light and fun!  I picked these super delicious brownie bites up at our local shop - Butterfly Kisses Bakery.  The little brownies are iced with "leaves" complete with the most delicious candy flowers popping out the tops!  ALMOST too beautiful to eat!  I didn't want to actually paint every detail of the marble top table - so I tried applying the colors with a palette knife, just skimming the surface to give the illusion.  I wanted to play in the paints a bit - being a little impressionistic with the surfaces.  I like the way the colors "married" in this way.  I just found this frosted glass cake stand at a local antique shop - the top is shaped like a giant leaf!  It is the perfect surface to display sweet treats!  I am trying to finish my painting early today - I wish I could get it done in the morning, but that never seems to work out.  This is painting number 73 in 73 days :)

Of Grapes and Crystal

Of Grapes and Crystal
Oil on panel, 9x12

Once again, I did not get to start painting until late.  With daylight savings time beginning only last night, it seems doubly late to me!  I had to play catch-up with the housework (never fun!), attend Michael's last basketball game of the season (a real nail biter - still tied after overtime!), and family time filled the rest of the day.  Once I did get started, the going was slow.  I have never painted grapes before - and I had to look at EACH grape to see just where all of the colors landed.  Same thing with those crystal prisms and the cut crystal bowl - it is all painting those reflections to create the objects.  This painting is a collection of favorite things around the house.  The bowl was a "trophy" my oldest son won in a golf tournament, the lamp from a dear friend, the green cabbage dish was a special find while antiquing.  The whole reason I chose this to paint - when I took out the grapes to wash and eat for breakfast, this glorious clump was in the bag!  Instantly, I set up the still life with a sign in front boldly marked, "DO NOT EAT!"  This is the only way to save food to paint around here!  This the painting 66 in 66 days.  I should have painted Route 66 today!

Shakespeare by Lamplight

Shakespeare by Lamplight
Oil on panel, 11x14

I started late in the day on this one, first with a detailed sketch.  I used photo reference for the lamp (thanks, Chris!), using my own Tiffany lamp for the lighting in the interior set up.  I have always been drawn to this kind of art - but I have only just started to try my hand at it.  After the sketch, I had to stop, to later start for 30 minutes - to stop again for a meeting at the high school.  I hated to put down the brush - I was so in the zone!  By the time I returned, there were chores to finish - and I didn't go back to it.  I tried to sleep - but could not.  For three hours I tried - and I kept thinking out my next strokes, the colors, the mood.  It was hopeless, so I got up and finished this painting!  Sometimes, there is just a painting inside me that wants out so badly - I am simply forced to submit to it's will.  It is so exciting to go down this road - just as if the paintings are painting themselves and I am just along for the ride.  This is day 23 of the 30 day painting challenge - and dare I say this challenge may have changed my life?

Hot Tea and a Good Book

Hot Tea and a Good Book
Oil on panel, 8x10

Surprise!  This is my first interior painting ever!  Inspired by the artists on the 30 day painting challenge - I chose this setting in my living room for my subject matter.  I had SO much fun painting this!  I simply did not want to stop painting!  This is a table full of memories, my dad made the table out of his father's walnut, the lamp was a Christmas gift from my children years ago, the tea pot - a favorite find at a local antique shop, curtains from my parent's victorian home, and the teacup and saucer a gift from my sister-in-law's mother-in-law!  The book is on the beauty of impressionism, and the hot tea is my absolute favorite Teavana flavor - samurai chai mate!  This painting is total exploration - I have zero experience in this genre!  It was very satisfying to use the bold colors I rarely find in the landscape.  Could I have uncovered a new favorite painting style?  This is day 18 of the 30 day challenge......what will I paint next?