Pretty Boy

Pretty Boy

oil on cradled wood panel

10x10 inch

available here

The shape of these trees changed dozens of times, inspired by arborvitae of the most unusual green.  However, that hue in oil paint was elusive.  

The title was the easiest part.  

New Painting: Discussion With Two Cats

 

Discussion With Two Cats
oil on cradled wooden panel
10x8 inch
available here 

I have been painting every single morning since October 27, 2023.  This is the longest consistent stretch since I began painting over 12 years ago. I used to just steal time wherever I could and often many days would go by where I didn't paint at all.  Now I wake at 5 am, sometimes earlier, sometimes later, make coffee and get to it.  It's my favorite time of day.  Quiet, dark, peaceful and meditative.  

And it's snowing today.  Extra bonus.  :) 

Some June Paintings

Separation Anxiety
mixed media on wood 

                                                                                    

   June has been a prolific month of painting for me and it did not really register until I uploaded these images.  We have been in our new house for four months now and being settled has had a very positive effect on my time in the studio.  Somehow I managed to plant flowers in a few pots too.  How about that? 

Man Wearing Green
oil on wood

Summer is off to a wonderful start.  A friend of mine visited last week from Colorado.  We had an amazing time of walking, talking, eating, and laughing.  She is Dutch and it is always so interesting to hear about her culture and customs.  She loves America and never wants to leave. 

Meditation (sold)
oil on linen panel

I have been bouncing around a lot on subjects.  I paint whatever I am in the mood for.  Painting freely suites me because I like change.  I get can get bored easily, so I try to vary my life and my life in art as much as possible. 

Roses in a Blue Pot (sold)
oil on linen panel 

Flower paintings are a great way for me to explore color without having to think as much as I do when I am painting figures.  My figurative art requires a lot more concentration, but flowers are just color and shape which makes it easier to play around. I use a palette knife a lot for my flowers. 

Dream Sleeper
oil on linen panel

Dream Sleeper started out as a small landscape, but ended up being a whole lot more.  I love it when that happens.

Little Red Bikini
oil on linen panel

Little Red Bikini was going to be a portrait of a woman in a dress.  It went in a different direction too.  I like that it did.  I don't want to be shackled to any style or preconceived ideas in my painting.  This one is a subconscious testament to that I believe. 

Life is a Peach
oil on linen

 Life has been a peach lately.  For this I am grateful.  

Until next time.

Paintings are available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

Absorption in Variation

Absorption in Variation
oil on birch panel 12 x 16

 I have been doing small works on paper lately, but every now and then I feel the need to paint larger.  I can add so much more detail on a surface that is 9 x 12 inch or larger and over time I have learned that those little details are what I love most about painting.  Those little surprises added for the viewer are like hiding easter eggs at an easter egg hunt.  There was a time when I loved painting faces the most, but lately I have been more interested in adding less detail there and more in the surroundings, unless I am working on a portrait.

detail

detail

detail

This scene is almost autobiographical.  My husband and I do position ourselves in these spots on the couch and our dog Hurley is usually asking for my attention (and getting it).  Vic never reads a newspaper (does anyone?), he is more of an internet reader, and am usually reading a book rather than staring off into space.  Though I DO do that from time to time! 

This room composition is based on a sketch of my living room.  Most of the furnishings and decor are added.  I do not own a fish lamp, but after painting this I would not mind having one!

Men in Paintings

Fahreinheit's Books
oil on canvas panel 9 x 12 inch
NFS

I do not paint men in my paintings very often, but I do enjoy it whenever I do.  So different from the female figures.  These two paintings are inspired by people I have seen while out and about.  One man was at a used bookstore that I went to with my daughter in-law, and the other was seen while passing by on an evening walk.  

Evening at the Office
oil on canvas panel 9 x 12 inch
available here

Three and a Dog in January

Three and a Dog in January
oil on board 5 x 5 inch
available here

I like the number 3.  Always have for some reason.  It goes way back to those School House Rock jingles that aired on Saturdays during morning cartoons.  Anyone remember those?  My favorite was "3 is a Magic Number" and I just found it on YouTube.  You can find anything on YouTube.

Speaking of YouTube, last night I was exploring some new music to add to my iPhone.  I always have music playing whether I am in the studio or cooking or doing housework, and of course while driving.  I try to listen to podcasts from time to time, but my mind drifts too much while I am busy doing other things. Anyways, last night I stumbled onto this really great video with Martin Sexton and these other amazing musicians.  I once saw him in concert in Wichita and he was really good.  Here they are performing John Prine's Angel from Montgomery.

Until next time!

♥ Lisa

Winter Sisters and Their Cat

Winter Sisters and Their Cat
oil on cradled board 5 x 5 inch
available here

I actually started this painting last year and then set it aside and forgot about it until I was picking up my studio recently.  I used an old photo dated 1925 of two little girls unknown to me and I've been calling this series "Past People" portraits.  I love painting them because it feels a little like honoring their memory. I find myself wishing I could somehow look through a window and see the real moment these photos were taken, to understand a little more of who they are and where they lived.  

Now that most photos are digital, don't you wonder what will happen to the memory of us once time marches on?  Fewer of our photos will end of up in a box at some antique store, and what about our blogs?  Our facebooks?  Our own computers where all our photos are stored?  The other day I uploaded 3,000 photos!  What will happen to those in 100 years?  It would be interesting to know, wouldn't it?

Until next time!

♥ Lisa

Bedroom With Harbor View

Bedroom With Harbor View
oil on cradled board 9 x 12 inch

This is the third painting in my Cape Cod inspired series and there are three others in progress.  Colorado is gorgeous right now, so I am a bit distracted by the outdoors.

The week before last, I got to spend some time in New Mexico.  I had a wonderful time looking at some really beautiful art in Santa Fe.  I also had the pleasure of meeting an artist who's work I have admired for several years now...Gigi Mills.  Meeting her and seeing her art in person for the first time was absolutely delightful!  Her art is so soulful to me.  I just love it.  She is best known as a painter, but her sculptures are very special too - take a look at the link to see some of her work at GF Contemporary. 

I also got to see my dear friend in Las Cruces, Julie Ford Oliver.  Julie and I first met through our blogs, then met in person in 2014 shortly after my mother's passing.  Julie has a heart of gold and reached out by inviting me to her home so that I could attend a workshop she was teaching at her studio.  It was medicine for my hurting heart.  Then the following year she came to teach at the gallery I was in at the time Tessera Fine Art Gallery  in Wichita, Kansas.  Julie's art is extremely beautiful, always sells out, and her skill as a painter is very evident when you look at her work. 

Until next time,
♥ Lisa

Prelude to the Sweetness of Reunion: The 5th Work in the Finding Faith Series

Prelude to the Sweetness of Reunion
oil on canvas
30 x 24 inch

Prelude to the Sweetness of Reunion

video (click to play)

 I have finally finished with the 5th project in my Finding Faith series and this one was near and dear to my heart.  Prelude to the Sweetness of Reunion is about that tender time just before the arrival of a loved one or loved ones you have been separated from for a while.  I know many can relate to this story.  As a child, I was separated from my family and those days of anticipating the arrival of my siblings in Kansas are pretty special.  I remember my mother busily cleaning house and getting things just right for company.  And now that I am older and my sons live in other states, well...that sweet reunion is always a joy...right down to baking the muffins.  :)

I think Katie did such an amazing job in this.  She is so patient during the shoots and her sweet demeanor was perfect for this story.  Thank you Miss Katie!  And a huge thank you goes to my long time friends Kathy and Jerry who let me use their beautiful home for the shoot.  It was just the right setting.

I am keeping all the works in this series in one place and they can be found in the Finding Faith tab at the top of the blog if you wish to view the others.

Take care...until next time...

♥ Lisa

Sketchbook Work and Inspiration

sketchbook work in acrylic
inspired by front porches in Riverside

I have been working in my sketchbooks and lately I am loving houses and noticing especially front porches.  I have seen some lovely spaces that are so inviting.  You just want to take your cup of coffee and book and sit for a spell.

I also am working with vintage photos again and the photo below is a composition using three different photographs as inspiration.

I also have the 5th Finding Faith work planned out. Katie and I just need to work out a convenient time we can do the filming and photo shoot.  Her dress is so pretty.  I can't wait to paint it.  Stay tuned.

sketchbook work - acrylic and watercolor
inspired by vintage photos

See you soon.

♥ Lisa

They Have Come to Bring Us Spring

They Have Come to Bring Us Spring
oil on 30 x 24 inch canvas
available here

Hello friends, and Happy New Year!  It has been a while!  A busy life keeps me away from blogging these days.   However, we can connect on Facebook and Instagram if you are there too.  Sometimes I miss the lazy days of blogging and reading blogs, but then life was going at a different pace then.

This painting began last fall and was finished a couple of weeks ago.  Long ago my mother in-law and father in-law happily dropped off this large canvas they had found at a garage sale.  It had a painting of a teddy bear on it with a blue blue background.  They asked if I could use it for my art, and I said of course!  

When finally getting around to painting on it, all I knew was I wanted to paint multiple figures wearing green dresses.  So it began with one figure in the middle-ish area and went forward from there.  There were six women originally, but it looked unbalanced.  Adding the seventh figure on the far right seemed to correct it.

The wooded scene evolved from there becoming obvious to me that the dresses represented the green that was to come on the trees.  

One serendipitous quality of this piece is that the figures and trees sort of glow in a dark room.

Here are some close-ups.  You can see the lines of texture from the underpainting.

Until next time!

♥ Lisa

PS:  I have created a site for The Finding Faith series.  The tab at the top of my blog will link you there.  This will be where you can view all the paintings, photographs and videos in the entire series.  

Finding Faith: After The Rain

After The Rain
oil on canvas
30 x 24 inch

detail

After The Rain

video (click to play)

After The Rain

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About the Creation of After The Rain

This is the third completed project in my Finding Faith series of works that include video, photography and painting.  The idea for this one has been stirring in me since Spring,  It began when I came upon a tee pee constructed of large fallen tree branches in a wooded area I often visit during my daily walks.  It stood about 15 feet tall and I wanted to incorporate it into the work somehow.  However, it was difficult to find the time for the shoot.  Faith works full time and was very busy with her upcoming wedding (which takes place next weekend!) and preparations to move to another city.  The shoot would have to wait until her schedule opened up.

In June Faith was able to commit to a date, which would take place on a Saturday morning, early enough to avoid the Kansas heat.  In the meantime I walked the area several times to check out the condition of the tee pee, worried that someone would come along and tear it down before we could get there.  Actually, it did start to fall little by little, but that was not my biggest problem.  To my horror one day, I realized that the path leading to the tee pee along with other paths that were going to be in the shoot were covered with poison ivy!  There was NO WAY I was going to risk it with Faith's wedding around the corner.  Another problem I had was coming up with a story that made any sense.  All I knew was I wanted to use that tee pee.  I dreamt up everything from a bird doctor of some sort living in the woods, to a lost girl finding her way, to some sort of mother nature being who pranced about making the wind blow, the birds sing, and the bees buzz.  (Oh brother...rolls eyes).  What I am saying, is that the story did not come easily and all my ideas seemed ridiculous.  But I really wanted to photograph and paint Faith in those woods! 

Well, the idea came suddenly and it all started with going grocery shopping of all things.  What happened was, it was pouring rain that day and I was obsessed with my project, deeply disappointed because of the poison ivy situation.  I had already invested hours in testing the area out, breaking it down to where we would shoot, taking practice shots of it.  I had also already shopped for and hand-stained and painted Faith's clothing.  I made a practice crown out of leaves too.  I just had to find a way to make it all work.  I knew the tee pee was definitely out, but I could not let go of wanting to do something using the woods as the backdrop.  I could have waited until another day, but I am not a patient person sometimes.  Especially when it comes to a vision.  I didn't have a solid story, but my vision of how Faith would look in an earthy tattered white dress among all that lush green was clear as crystal in my mind.  

As I drove near the woods on the way to the grocery store, my obsession made me pull over.  I grabbed an umbrella and my camera to look for a Plan B.  Maybe there were areas without poison ivy.  When I approached the pond (seen in the video) it looked so peaceful in the rain.  I watched it for a while thinking, and then started to take video.  I decided to scope out the area some more to look at other places that were supposed to be part of the shoot.  I was so excited to see that one of the paths I had chosen originally, was not covered in poison ivy! It was the path with the large tree seen in the photos and video.  I have always loved the look of it on the edge of the path, woods beyond it so deep and dark green.  Lucky luck!  It was surrounded with a lovely ground cover type of ivy.  Not poison ivy!  I took multiple video shots and decided I should leave since it was lightening.

The rain started to slow down.  I decided to visit the river and see if there were some possibilities there to help create some sort of tangible story.  It was when I saw the geese gently floating on the water, that the story hit me.  I wasn't going to need the tee pee after all.   I had plenty to work with.  The story would simply be about nature...loving nature, being in nature, and wanting to be one with it at times.  It would be about the peace that is present in it, and how it makes us ponder and think and remember. It would be about how nature soothes and calms our spirits when we are troubled.  A simplistic idea, but with different and complex meanings to everyone.  Who doesn't feel something when they are in it?

My next thought was that I could use the rainy video clips I had just taken if  by chance Faith could do the shoot that evening.  This way there would be continuity in the colors of the photo and video takes.  I sent her a text asking her to call me when she got off work. I was worried she would think I was crazy to twitch gears so suddenly, but she said she could do it!

 There were more storms out there, but as luck would have it again, the storms moved north.  The clouds remained, giving us perfect conditions for our shoot.  Faith got ready and was at my house in a blink. We had already discussed how she needed to do her makeup earlier in the week, and her hair is naturally curly, so no work required there.  I made her a fresh crown with cuttings from a bush in our front yard.  We grabbed some props to use and dashed away knowing our daylight was limited.  

Faith looked stunning and the surroundings were magical after the rain.  I always joke about the "art gods" looking after us, because on all three projects we've completed so far, it amazes us how things come together so smoothly.  There was no one around for the most part which makes things easier, especially for Faith.  We were also blessed with a sunset and the Canadian geese were cooperative.  Well mostly...they tried to go after Faith to take her basket of crumbs.  She looked quite graceful trying to run away from them.  :)

It took a very long time to choose only a few photos out of the nearly 200 taken!! There were so many good ones.  

When it came to the painting, all the green that would be required was intimidating.  I suspected it would take a long time and it did.  I took the advice of my friend Julie Ford Oliver.  She said to start with a thin transparent red oxide in order to tone down the harshness of the greens.  I did that and it did make the painting seem warm from start to finish.  I also stayed away from sap green and other ready-made greens until the end, even then using them sparingly.  I used ultramarine blue, ultramarine violet, Indian yellow and cadmium yellow light to make the greens.  The palette knife came in really handy too.

I did freeze up a few times on the painting.  I just get so afraid to move forward, afraid to botch it.  In the end, it came together just as the photo shoot did.  Happy Lisa.

I might post a making-of video and some photos soon.  Would you be interested in that?  I plan to continue with the Finding Faith projects, however don't be surprised if you see some new faces in the future since Faith is moving away.  People have asked if the paintings are for sale.  They are not as of yet.  Many have suggested I do a show with these works, and that is exactly what I hope to do some day when I have enough of them completed.  It would be a dream to have a exhibit including video, photos, paintings and the props used in each one.  Who knows!  It may be 2020 before I get around to it, but it is something to work for.  :)

Thank you so much for all your comments and visits here and on my Facebook and Instagram sites.  It is SO meaningful to know that people look forward to these.  

♥ Lisa

Picasso Inspired Works

Amy
acrylic on paper
4 x 6 inch
NFS

This week besides refinishing kitchen cabinets, I painted these small color studies inspired by the works of Picasso that are found in this book.  I love the book and it is one of my very favorites.

  

Late Supper
acrylic on paper
4 x 6 inch
available here

As I painted with a strong focus on color, I tried to pay attention to values more than I usually do. There is also a common theme:  they are all seated at a table and they all have coffee cups.  I love coffee cups as much as I do chairs.

Harmony Brew
acrylic on paper
 4 x 6 inch
available here

I also thought about hands and how they seem to be important somehow in art.  I realized not too long ago that I am very drawn to figurative art with interesting or strong hands.  So I worked on that a little bit.

Companions
acrylic on paper
4 x 6 inch
available here

Besides working on kitchen cabinets and painting Picasso/color studies, I spent time with various companions this week.  I watched movies with my husband, had a wonderful conversation over the phone with a special friend, and attended my very first Golden Globe/fondue/birthday party.

I plan to further my Picasso/color studies, but the next round will be with an emphasis on mother/child.

Wish me luck.

♥ Lisa

Sleepy Scenes and Their Inspiration

Sleeping
acrylic and ink on paper 9 x 12 inch
available here

Last year I painted these imaginary bedroom scenes in my sketchbook and this week they came to fruition.  When I sketch rooms like this, I sometimes draw inspiration from catalogs like Pottery Barn or some other place like that.  If my memory serves me, the above scene was inspired that way, but the painting below was 100% made up.  You may be able to see the difference in the drawing that is there, I know I can. 

 Lately I've been very inspired by a huge stack of interior design coffee table books that I bought at a local used bookstore sale.  The sale was $5 for a sack full of books, however it was a plastic grocery bag and I chose big hardback books.  You should have seen my bag!  It almost didn't make it out the door!   It was tearing as I walked it to the register and I felt like a kid trying to get away with cheating, but they said it was still fair to stuff it full the way I did and out of the store I marched with my bargain books and a happy grin on my face.  I think I made it home with about 10 beautiful coffee table books.  Happy me!

In a Red Bedroom
acrylic and ink on paper 9 x 12 inch
available here

After spending quite a bit of time looking at my new books, I was really in the mood to revisit my sketches to see what I could do with them.  In both of these I started with a very bright yellow and orange underpainting.  I was tempted to go over these with some oil paint and maybe cold wax, but they both came to a point where they looked finished, so I stopped while I was in a good place.  

Have a good weekend everyone!  Thank you for visiting.

Ammi

Ammi
acrylic on paper 4 x 6 inch
$25 plus shipping
available here

Ammi was inspired by a love for folk art and Victorian clothing. The name Ammi is originally a Hebrew boys' name meaning "my people", however people today are naming their girls Ammi. I think the name is so beautiful.

I am still working on the 16 x 20 oil portrait.  Actually, I have not touched it since the last post as I have been working on another piece and projects around the house. I hope to finish it this weekend.

I hope you have a really good one.  Thank you as always for visiting!

The Bluebirds of Joy

 The Bluebirds of Joy

oil on paper 16 x 20 inch
SOLD

This painting came together with ease...the colors, the faces, the design, even the birds...and doesn't this make the artist happy?  Not all of them go so well.

 detail

 detail

 detail

The decision to make the birds blue came after my art instructor Brian Hinkle discussed how different background colors can really change the mood and feel of a painting.  He pointed out a smudge of blue that was in my already dark red background, suggesting that it would make the mood light and happy.  It was an ah-ha moment for me, not for the background...but for making the birds blue.

Did you know that bluebirds are a sign of joy and a good omen?   Thank you for pointing this out Julie!  After Julie told me this, the title came swiftly.

 detail

 detail

Up close, I always see things I want to change...like uneven eyes or perhaps a crooked nose.  However, there are other things that seem very right to me, so leaving it alone seems to be the lesser of two evils.  Reworking areas often can lead to disaster or lost loves.  I admit I do not paint fearlessly, but I am working on this.

detail

This piece was painted on Daler-Rowney Georgian oil paper.  It stays flat and feels great to paint on.  It will be mounted to a cradled hardboard which makes a very nice and inexpensive presentation and omits the need for a frame.

Have a beautiful rest of the week!

♥ Lisa