Reunited & It Feels So Good

work-in-progress
22" x 30"
watercolor on aquabord

It's so good to be back painting again!  Not too much has changed with this one yet . . . just working on minute details that hopefully will come together and lend some more realism to this one.

Thank you for stopping in!

detail

Painting #10 - "Big Blue"

"Big Blue"
6" x 6"
(watercolor on aquabord) 

Click here to bid.  Starting bid:  $75

This is my 10th painting in Leslie Saeta's "30 Day Painting Challenge."  Thank you for stopping by.

(what this painting could look
like when framed)

#6 - Uncle

"Uncle"
6" x 6"
(watercolor on paper)

Click here to bid.  Starting bid:  $75

You're probably wondering why I've named this painting "Uncle." Well, I'll tell you.  I was very close to calling Uncle" on this one before finishing it.  I really feel like I've lost my painting mojo.  The last few paintings have really been tough.  And it's early in the game . . .  oh boy.  

Thank you for visiting.

(what this painting could
look like when framed)

Double Take

Enamel Coffee Pot
6"x 6"
watercolor on paper

Click here to bid.

If this painting looks familiar you're not crazy.  I painted this a few years ago but recently had some students who want to try painting it, so I decided to do it again.  Painting it again will help me teach it properly.  I probably should have changed up the background color, but since they will be painting it in blue, I kept it the same.  The original piece sold at a local art show.  I never tire of these simple graphic images on printed backgrounds.  I need to work on more references of this type.

Thank you for viewing my work.  

New Hydrangea

"Hydrangea" - wip
6" x 6"

Please excuse me . . . I think I'm stuck in some kind of new painting vortex.  I just keep starting these new paintings and not finishing anything.  I promise I will get some things done this week.  In the meantime, here's my latest.  Still has a ways to go, but I'm having so much fun!  Oh and it's on aquabord.

A New Watercolor Adventure!

Polish Pottery and Blueberries
5" x 5"
starting bid:  $75
Sold

(what this painting could look like framed)

Click here to bid


Ok . . . so I've wanted to experiment with Ampersand Aquabord for a while now and I finally did.  Here's the scoop for those of you who aren't acquainted with it.  It is a thin panel (masonite I think) coated with a white surface for watercolor.  The surface is very conducive to lifting color out, which as you know by now, I LOVE.  But what I think is so cool is that you can spray it with a fixative and varnish it to your liking so that it's protected and doesn't have to be framed under glass.  This gives it such a different look.  I opted for an acrylic gloss finish that has kept the colors very vibrant.  You know that look that your watercolors have when they're wet -- well that's what this seems to preserve.  You can read on the internet about what fixatives to use, varnishes etc, so that the work doesn't yellow or get cloudy.  Also, whether this is a method that will withstand the test of time.  I believe I read somewhere that someone's been using a similar technique for 10-20 years and their work has been fine.  If you're someone that worries about all that, maybe this isn't for you . . . but since I don't think I'm the next Andrew Wyeth or Edward Hopper, I'm not too concerned.  Of course I wouldn't want my work to fall apart within a lifetime after someone purchases it . . . I think this is a fine medium to explore and am not worried about its immediate longevity.

Addendum:  I just read that Aquabord is archival.  You can view their website here.

Happy painting and experimenting!

Embossing . . . gaaaaahhhh!

I'm working on this little ditty -- a 4" x 6" study on reflections and embossed surfaces.  Ugh.  The plate (actually a bowl) is embossed with little flowers that I can't seem to capture.  I've already scrubbed them out once and tried again . . . and am still working on them.  I'm determined to get this, but it's so hard for me.  Every time I have them in a painting I struggle.  Sometimes I hit it, but I'd like to be more consistent.  So stay tuned . . . 

Oh -- but before I go . . . Crystal Cook sent me this link (click here) that 100% accurately reflects my Zumba experience.  I LOVE it!  Thanks Crystal!  :)

So Close . . .

"Blueberry Bowl"
 approximately 6" x 6"

"Cookies and Milk"
approximately 8" x 10"

Ugh . . . I'm so close with 3 of my paintings.  I just need to finish and get them over to DPW for auction!!  Gaaaahhhh!  And these aren't the best snapshots -- I don't know, they look a little washed out to me, but I just wanted to get them up to prove I haven't been totally slacking.  Have a Happy Friday!

More Stuff

Not much to say . . . just thought I'd post my progress today.  I started a couple new things, a strawberry study and a pretty bowl of blueberries.  I couldn't resist.  I thought you might like to see the first layers on each.  The blueberry painting (bottom) is on some Arches cold-pressed I had.  I thought it would work well for working layers on layers.  I like to pull out color on the blueberries, so this is going to take some serious planning on my part as the cold-pressed won't work the same as my soft-pressed paper.  However, I was really interested in layering the shadows on the bowl and putting the pattern on top and figured this paper would be good for that.  

The sneaker is almost done -- yes, I'm crazy . . . just a little more obsessive tweaking on the laces and some stitching.  And the strawberry is a study for a larger painting.  I have to go to bed, so I didn't measure these out for you.  I'll get you the dimensions tomorrow.  Have a good night.

New Stuff

Here are a couple of new paintings I started for my demonstration the other day.  Just a little more work and they'll be done.  I'll post them when they're finished.  Happy Friday!

More Blueberries

"Simply Blueberries"
(approximately) 5.25" x 6.25"

Click here to bid

I give lessons on Fridays and my students are painting blueberries.  I decided to finish my sample yesterday and post it.  Below is what it could look like framed.  I think sometimes less really is more . . .

Enjoy your weekend!

Wrapped and Ready To Go

3 commissioned pieces -- 10" x 10" each

I hope all of you who celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday had a wonderful day.  My brother and his wife handle Thanksgiving every year (he's a tremendous cook and she bakes and handles decorating the house and setting a beautiful table -- I should've taken pictures, everything was just beautiful.)  We also stopped by and visited with my husband's family before we headed over to my brother's.  It was a great day . . . and I'm looking forward to some leftovers today (we all leave with care packages - so good).

I thought you might like to see all three of the commissioned paintings together so I snapped the photo above.  They are wrapped and ready to go -- yippee! While I was painting this series, I painted two "Stand Outs." Because I didn't think the first one I painted fit in with the other two paintings as well as it should, I painted the one shown above that I think works better. The second one that I painted is shown below and that one I'm posting and auctioning off over at www.dailypaintworks.com.  So if you're interested in seeing it up close and personal you can check it out by clicking on the "click here to bid" below where you'll be able to zoom in and scroll around the painting. 

Anyway . . . have a great day and let the Christmas season begin - Fa-la-la-la-laaa La-laaa La Laaa!  :)

Click here to bid.

"Stand Out II"
10" x 10"

(what this painting could look like framed)

Blue Pitcher

"Blue Pitcher"
5.75" x 6.25"

Years ago I thought "hey . . . I'm going to make a quilted table runner . . . how hard can sewing a bunch of random squares be?  Little girls in 4H do it all the time!"  Well those little girls ROCK!  Because sewing little squares together so that they line up is wicked hard.  (At least for me it is, although that's not saying much.)  I never got around to backing and quilting the squares, but it has still served me well, appearing in some of my still lifes . . . and well, here it is again.  Although I haven't yet, I'll be putting this painting up for auction over at DPW in a couple days.  You know how I love messing around with "virtual framing" . . . so here's what this could look like.

Anyway . . . I've been jumping around working on about 4 different paintings at once (very exciting! . . . truly satisfies the ADD in me), and preparing some others for upcoming shows. So back to work and I must gather my supplies for class tomorrow -- Weeeee! Have a good day.

Last Bits of Summer

"Black-eyed Susans"
(image size:  4.5" x 6")
just an example of what this could look like framed
SOLD

$70 - Click here to bid

I changed the cropping on this and like it so much better.  The "virtual frame" above is just an example of what this could look like with a double mat and frame.  For a close-up of this painting you can click above to be taken to it's auction page over at the Daily Paintworks site.

Diggin' the Blues

"Stand Out"
6" x 6"
SOLD

Click here to bid

What can I say, I'm lovin' the blue paint these days.  As I explained over at the DPW site, I'm not in a "blue mood" though, (in case anyone is worried), even as we hunker down for the hurricane.  Yeesh!  Hoping that it doesn't do any damage, to us or anyone else out there in its path.  Perhaps it will diminish its strength significantly and/or change its course. One can always hope.  Be safe out there.

Something Old, Something New . . .

"Something Blue"
6" x 6"
SOLD

Click here to bid


This is my entry for the latest DPW Challenge: Paint a Superstition.  I put a little twist on the wedding tradition:  "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue"  I used an old linen napkin, the bowl is borrowed from my friend Annie, the blueberries are "new" and well -- you can figure out the rest.  :)  I hope you enjoy it as I had a lot of fun painting it.  Have a great day.