Did It Again!

"Tropical View"

6" x 18"

Stretched Canvas

I am available on Etsy!

I am on a roll!  This is another one that just sort of jumped off of my brush and threw itself onto the canvas.  Truly, even my brushwork looks a little spontaneous and free -- just like I think I might actually be if I were on this island!  I have had a hard time breaking out of the blendy-blendy painting habit, but the clouds are really helping with that.  I love painting them and I think I am going to move slowly from an island vibe into a cloud- y one!  Maybe my brushwork will affect my personality a little and I might be able to chillax this weekend........nah!  Have a wonderful holiday, everyone!

Outta My Head

"Calm Before the Storm"

10" x 10"

Stretched Canvas

Look for me on Etsy soon!

I am so excited!  I was still on my tropical kick, groovin' on the clouds, in particular, and this painting kind of just happened.  No reference photos of sky or surf.  No inspiration but a paintbrush and a some yummy globs of color on the palette.  This is a BIG deal for me because until now, I have never painted "out of my head" -- I have always used a model and/or reference photos.   Gives me hope that there may be something in my head, after all!!

"Summer Storm II"

8 x 10

Stretched Canvas

Look for me on Etsy soon!

I guess I am just in a tropical kinda mood, since Jim is spending the week in Hawaii (without ME, boo hoo -- thus the storm on all my horizons!).  This was fun to paint and I am still in the mood to paint more scenes.  Jim IS tasked with the job of taking pictures of sun, sand, and surf for me to use -- hopefully he will have time after doing all that hard work on the island to take a few shots.....*sigh*

Wish I Were There...

"Summer Storm"

8 x 10

Stretched Canvas

Look for me on Etsy soon!

Yes, even if it were storming, I would rather be there, digging my toes into the sand and picking up shells along the shoreline.  I am certain that there is a sweet beach shack or pavilion just out of the line of sight and if it rains I can run there and have a pina colada while the worst of the weather passes over.

Or, I could just sit here in my hot, humid yard and slap mosquitos.  Either way....

One of the Girls

"Bockers"

8 x 10

Stretched Canvas

Look for me on Etsy soon!

I painted this picture from a photo of one of my son, Spencer's, "girls" -- a trio a Buff Orpington chickens that he loved from chick to hen.  In this picture, she was standing partially under a tree, so the shadow of it fell over her shoulder.  My first impulse was to remove the shadow and just paint her golden, but I kind of liked the way her feathers looked jewel-toned in that area.

Spencer still misses his "chucks", but until we move out of "clipboard village", there will be no livestock.  Heck, we can't even put out a pot of flowers unless it is "approved".  And yet, you can have a freaking huge ugly, trampoline in your backyard....but I digress...

Interestingly, when a friend saw this picture she was sure to note that I was still painting food.  It took me a minute, but then...  Don't tell Spencer, okay?

Summer!

 "Summer!"

5 x 7

Stretched canvas

Summer has not reached some of my northern friends yet, but it is already here in Houston and other points south!  The kids are looking forward to making a big splash next weekend and some of our neighborhood pools have already opened for the season.  Wish I had one in MY backyard, but instead I have a stupid house in Nashville.  Hmmmm.  How is that a benefit to me here, I am wondering?  Perhaps I should have painted a great big mortgage payoff check, but, in view of the fact that the world will be ending tomorrow anyway, I thought a pool scene would be more fitting.  Par-tay, everyone!!

Sunshine on the Half Shell

"Sunshine on the Half Shell"

5 x 7

Stretched Canvas

Look for me on Etsy soon!

This painting was such fun!!  I love the light and dark contrast, but the best part was using some pure pigments in the orange -- they are so bright and happy!

Recently, a friend that still lives in my hometown, Dreary Erie Pennsylvania, was complaining about the dark and depressing weather there and I was thinking that folks that live where there is a lot of gloomy days should surround themselves with bright colors to perk up their moods.  They don't tend to, though.  When we were in London last year we looked like a family of circus freaks with our brightly colored rain jackets -- purple, three greens and only one darkish blue.  It seemed like everyone in the city was dressed in crow's colors -- black, darker black, grey, blue so dark it was hard to tell it was blue.  The effect was somber and really, kind of depressing.  They all need  a little orange in their lives -- even if it just hangs on a wall!