Studio Revamp

Being new to what a studio is and how it should be laid out.. Has been frustrating.  I have been putting paintings in a pile because I was not quite sure what to do with them.  People would come and ask to see certain pieces and they would watch me dig about.  That was then.. This is now!

Karla's Blog Life On The Flip Side had a little blip on how she did her studio walls.  I thought it would be perfect, and it is.  Hubby was skeptical and decided that he would get enough molding for one wall.  He put it up last night and when he saw how well the system worked it was a no-brainer.  Went to Lowe's and got enough to go around my whole studio. Thanks Karla!

The Wave

Another WDE piece.  Li was kind enough to host with some great pictures.  My first wave.  I thought it would be an easy ref. to paint and thought I would use it as a warm up study to start the day.  It was not the case!  Waves are hard!  Took 7 hours.

The Wave
8x10 Acrylic
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Red Rock Mesa

Just a quick one to break up the monotony of the afternoon.  Southwest Art Forum at Wet Canvas has a monthly challenge that I have been joining in for the last few months. Laurie is the host for April and this particular ref. photo really caught my eye.  I guess I am procrastinating a bit.  There are three paintings just on the verge of being finished.  Just can't seem to get them done.  I think its a fear of maybe ruining them that has me hesitant to do more than just dab.  Promised myself that I would work on them tomorrow.

Red Rock Mesa
9x12 Acrylic
Knife work on canvas paper
$45.00

Winter Pines

Winter Pines
11x14 Acrylic
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From a Wet Canvas WDE (Weekend Drawing Event).  Bonnie was kind enough to host and had lots of wonderful reference photos to chose from.
   I do hope that this is the last cold spell of the year!

Blue Bird

Blue Bird
9x12 Acrylic
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Fowl have always been a favorite of mine.  Chickens free range here most of the summer.  Love to watch them do their thing. 
This fellow was done with knifes.  I have found that I really enjoy using them to paint.

Black Eyed Susans

Black Eyed Susans
5x7 Acrylic- Hardboard Linen

Sold

You will find this piece on DPW  The artists of DPW are donating their artwork to charities that are helping in Japan's crises.  Monies bid on my piece, "Black Eyed Susans",  are being sent to Save The Children.  Please go to the DPW site and donate.  Not only will you get a fine work of art. (You don't have to bid on this piece.. There are many to chose from.) You will be helping a worthy cause, the people of Japan who are in need of some assistance at this time in their lives.  So.. Please help out.. Buy a painting!  Not only will you have the pleasure of the work of art.. but also of donating to a worthy cause!

Also.. This is from a WDE event.  Bonnie had some great ref photos to pic from.  The flowers are my husbands favorite and answer the challenge of home for the DPW.

Done with acrylics and palette knives on hardboard.

"Model T"
5x7 Acrylic

I'm not sure if the car is a model T or not.  Sounded good though.  Both were fun to paint  and I finished them for a show last month in our area.  Thought it would be nice to have a little something painted from that people would recognize.  I didn't realize we had a grist mill so close!  

"Youngstown Grist Mill"
5x7 Acrylic
$35.00

Pelicans

Pelicans
5x7 Acrylic on Canvas hardboard

Just for fun..  Taking a break from a painting that needs finished, but can't seem to put a brush to it.  Painters block.  So this one came up on the Southwestern forum at Wet Canvas.  Thought I would give it a go.

"Gardens Edge"

Gardens Edge
5x7 Acrylic
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I have been playing with knifes.  ;-D  Sounds dangerous, yes?  I really enjoy the impasto painting and it is something that I never really had the courage to attempt.  But after getting a few under my belt its starting to really appeal to me.  Love the impressionistic look and feel.

Tetons Mountains

Tetons Mountains
8x10 Acrylic

Another Tetons piece.  I love the sharp peaks and wonderful orange and blue hues that fill the landscape.  This was done for a Southwestern Challenge on Wet Canvas. 

Grand Tetons Vista

Mountain Vista- Grand Tetons
5x7 Acrylic- Mounted Paper Canvas
$35.00

The palette knife as a brush has interested me for the last year.  Love the impressionistic feel to it.  Since surgery I find I can hold onto the knife, though still don't have the control I should in my hands.  But it really has been fun.

Cow In A Field

Another WDE selection from the Wet Canvas site.  This piece is done using a palette knife, no brushes were used.

The photo looks a bit grainy because the heavy impasto paint created shadows on the surface. I'm not sure how to correct that with the camera.  Sure looks nice in a frame though!

"Cow In A Field"
Feb. 2011
11x14 Acrylic  Linen Hardboard
$80.00

The Arch II

"The Arch II"
11x14 Acrylic- Linen hardboard
Feb. 2011
$80.00

Finally finished!  Could not get it just right.  Put it away for three weeks got it out and took a fresh look.  What was bothering me popped right up.

Sunset and Boats

Sunset And Boats
11x14 Oil- Linen hardboard
Feb. 2011
$80.00

This was done for a Wet Canvas Weekend Drawing Event. One of the challenges to this event was to use your non-dominate hand to paint with.  This piece was done with my right hand.  I'm one of those lefties. :-D
This was also the first time I have ever used a palette knife. You want to talk about lost!  The exercise made me concentrate not only on color but placement of paint on the canvas.   I am quite pleased with the outcome. The picture posted doesn't give justice to the shimmering water and the blues in the sky.

Hot Cove

Hot Cove is a bit a deviation for me from the realism that I enjoy painting.  It was fun to change up a bit from that style of painting.  Though not quite correct, if one considers the piece from a technical standpoint, it sure is pleasing to look at!  Love the mix of cool and warm colors.

8x10 Acrylic  February 2011
$50.00

Autumn At The Lake

One of the first study pieces I ever attempted  was for a Wet Canvas Landscape Challenge. I revisited the piece 5 months ago and decided to paint what I envisioned from the study.

Autumn At The Lake18x20 Acrylic with linen frame.

$200.00

My first show- Artist's of The Rust Belt

The show was held at B&O Station.   I sold a few painting and met lots of really nice people.  Here are some of the paintings that I had with me.

Mountain Reflection
11x14 Oil- Hardboard
$80.00

Field of Autumn
9x11 Acrylic- Mounted paper canvas
$60.00

Misty Morn
11x14 Oil- Hardboard$
80.00

Sunflowers In A Copper Pot
11x14 Oil
$150.00

Tennessee Foot Hills
8x12 Oil- Hardboard
$65.00

Rocky The Rhino
11x14 Oil- hardboard
$80.00

Here Kitty, Kitty
5x7 Acrylic
$35.00

  I am just discovering watercolors and have been a bit shy in really doing them.The two watercolors posted here were done for a artists trading card project.  I loved the little ones so much I painted them in a larger format 11x14.  Both have been sold.

The Garden

The Garden  Oil, 11x14

Done on hardboard panel.  Loved the play of light on the foliage and flowers.

The Arch

The Arch
9x12 Oil- Linen Hardboard
SOLD

"The Arch" Was one of my first paintings where many different elements of technique came together with excellent results.  I loved the reference photo and plan to do a larger version in the future.

The Cabin

Since 'The Farm' sold right after the fair, I had to paint a quick one for the Hookstown Fair. 'The Cabin' was a fun painting to do and I enjoyed using the acrylic.

The Fair

These are recent paintings I did for show in the Columbiana County Fair. Both took first in the respective classes of acrylic and watercolor. The Farm took Best In Show in the art division. This was my first time letting others see my work. I was both, excited and scared.

The Farm
16x20 Canvas Acrylic
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Windmill
16x20 Watercolor