THE COUNT

30th Painting!!!

The Count
8x6 Oil on c/p
NFS


Not the Count of Montechristo ... ha ha. Hot off the presses and another
request from my husband. Having trouble with iphotos. Oh well. Will try

to update later.
I have had so much trouble trying to finalize this blog picture. Computer
just would not co-operate at all. Maybe just didn't think Dracula was a
good idea, who knows. Was only able to capture the head shot and not the
full painting.
I have had a great time in this challenge and I am spending the 1st of February
reorganizing my kitchen from the chaos. Time to get back to a more regular
routine but one that includes painting every day, EVERY DAY!

SCARY SISTER

29th Painting

Scary Sister
8x6 Oil on c/p
$65 US

Yesterday's bride had too much white on the face so I thought I'd try again.  Sure
took a long time, that is when you have to change the eyeballs around! Ugh. One
more painting to go. It is had to believe that the whole month is already gone.
Spent so much time at the easel I kept forgetting to eat, and lost about 6 pounds,
felt like it should have been a hundred :) Hope you like my new girl.

MORNING MIST

27th Painting

Morning Mist
6x8 Oil on c/p
$60 US

This view on the Puget Sound was always on of my favorites. The sun almost
breaking thru the mist. A whole low of those cold mornings in Olympia, WA.
Don't miss the rain, but sure miss the water. Only 3 more to go!

BUTTERFLY TEA POT

26th Painting

Butterfly Tea Pot
6x8 Oil on c/p
$45  US

Looks like I have a couple more of tea pots to paint.
I guess everyone will know it's me if there is at least a touch of orange somewhere.
Orange keeps sneaking back into my work. Ha ha. ONLY 4 days to go in Leslie
Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days! It's been work, it's been scary, it's been fun, it's
been worth it. I now have a desire to paint, actually paint, that I lacked before. Truly,
I am so excited.

THIRD of THREE

25th Painting

Third of Three
6x6 Oil on c/p
$40 US

This sure ended up traditional as requested by my husband. It is still so interesting
for me to try different styles and colors. Good, gooood practice for me who has
hardly painted before last October (just a few per year). Wow, 5 paintings to go!
I have sure been burning the midnight oil just to finish a painting and to get my
brushes cleaned up. This experience has done wonders for my desire to paint.
Thank you Julie Ford Oliver for the encouragement and thank you Leslie Saeta for
the opportunity.
By the way, still a little photo glare in the background above the red apple ... ugh.

AGAIN WITH THE APPLES

24th Painting

Again with the Apples
6x6 Oil on c/p
$40 US

It was an accomplishment to blur some edges, but the picture is so fuzzy. The
original is not that fuzzy. Frustrating. Will try again tomorrow with more palette
knife. All these experiments have been invaluable, just trying to remember the

basics sometimes is as hard as anything else.

THREE APPLES

23rd Painting

Three Apples
6x6 Oil on c/p
$40 US

This painting is by my husband's request. Well, not exactly.  I have another set
up he helped me put together but we had company until 7pm so I had to make
it a whole lot less complicated. So now I know what to paint tomorrow.

GARDEN SUNSHINE

20th Painting

Garden Sunshine
6x6 Oil on c/p
$45 US


Today I told myself, get loose and try to spend less time on the painting, just a hour or so.
Not. Oh well, I am enjoying the process and trying to experiment. Probably going in too
many directions at once. I'll think about it for awhile.

SURE IS GREEN

19th Painting

Sure is Green
8x6 Oil on c/p
$65 US

Today is the green I thought I was painting yesterday! And this painting is more neon
in real life than the picture, go figure. But, I am having fun painting ol' Frankenstein,
just as long as I don't start dreaming of him! Ha! Which one do you like the best?

FRANKIE

18th Painting

Frankie
8x6 Oil on c/p
$65 US

I was going for a green Frankenstein and ended up with blue and yellow.
How does that happen? Being way over there in the right brain has its
own ideas I guess. Had to laugh. Hope you like it. Trying for semi-graphic.

CRABAPPLES AGAIN

16th Painting

Crabapples Again
6x8 Oil on c/p
$35 US

These paintings have been quite a challenge for me. I am trying to break the mold
but when I see them on the web, they seem too similar. Oh well, I think I'll give
these poor little apples a rest.

CRABAPPLES THREE

15th Painting

Crabapples Three
6x8 Oil on c/p
$25 US

I am experimenting with different colors and values. I wondering if I know
where I'm headed? I can't seem to reach the vision I have for this still life. I
am going for it again before the apples rot out.

CRABAPPLES TWO

14th Painting

Crabapples Two
8x10 Oil on c/p
$55 US

Still experimenting. Trying to get loose. Trying not to use same old colors I always use.
Wow, am I tired today. I thought, well, same subject how hard can it be, Ha!

WITH CRAB APPLES

13th Painting

With Crab Apples
6x8 Oil on c/b
SOLD

Actually, I had fun with this painting. We had company all day and didn't get started until
after dinner. Wanted to be looser and definitely not black and white. So I went for a blast
of color but the picture doesn't pick up all the color variations. Has anyone been totally
successful with the picture process? I don't have Picassa ... does that make a difference
do you think? Sure is frustrating.

THE THREE MUSKETEAS

12th Painting

The Three Musketeas
8x10 Oil on c/b
$75 US

This painting took a longer time than I thought it would take. Didn't get to bed until 1:00 am last night washing out brushes. Wasn't happy with it then, but the morning light perked me up and I was able to  find the look I was going for at last. Whew! So much for trying to get a painting ahead. Back to the easel.

POMAGRANATE COUPLE

11th Painting

Pomagranate Couple
5.5x8.5 Oil on canvas
NFS

Well, this is a painting that I have been tweaking and tweaking for over a month. I know it didn't start with our challenge but just today I was tweaking on it. So I hope that makes it OK.

FIRE BIRD

10th Painting

Fire Bird
6x8 Oil on c/b
SOLD

Had fun painting a cardinal again, but it sure
looks bright on the web. Now my friend has
a choice of two paintings. Maybe I will try to
cool down the background next time.

WITH TEA BAG

9th Painting

WITH TEA BAG
8x10 Oil on c/b
SOLD

It was so much fun to do the black tea pot, that I decided to add
a little something to it, with a touch of color. This is a little larger
painting and it was somewhat easier to paint. Maybe I am used
to a little larger size. Seemed to take about the same time as the
previous smaller ones :)

BLACK TEA ANYONE ?

7th Painting

Black Tea Anyone?

6x8 Oil on c/b

$50 US

Well, it has been a full week, and as Leslie said, we have 

completed 25% of our goal. Today I thought I'd do a value

study, black, white, and somewhere in between. Looking 

around for more teapots for tomorrow.  

COOL TEA POT

6th Painting

Cool Tea Pot
6x8 Oil on c/b
$25 US

Used some deep purples instead of the true
black of this tea pot (coffee pot?) 

HOT TEA POT

   

5th Painting

Hot Tea Pot
6x8 Oil on c/b
$50 US

I enjoyed the fact that many of the artists
had a theme for their paintings, while I am
wandering around looking for inspiration.
Then all of a sudden, I have some tea pots
to paint. Hooray, I have a theme too :)
                             

MORNING OLEANDERS

                 
       
4th Painting

Morning Oleanders
6x8 oil on c/b
SOLD


Quick study all about flowers before the sun. Took this picture while
on a walk with my husband in our retirement community. Such a nice
day. I went for movement in the composition this time.

TEA TIME

3rd Painting

Tea Time
8x8 oil on c/b
$45 US

Today was a real learning lesson for me. Do NOT
change the color of your background 4 times! It is
frustrating and that's an understatement. Hope you
like the final version.

REMEMBERING PINK

2nd Painting

Remembering Pink
6x6 oil on c/b
SOLD

Still trying to tweek image, this one shows
a little brighter than the original.

COMPLIMENTARY BOUQUET

First Day, First Painting

Complimentary Bouquet
8x8 Oil on c/b
$100 US

Well, here we go. Today is the first day of the 30 paintings a day for 30 days.
I am excited in a scary way to produce some work. I am so thankful to Julie
Ford Oliver, my artist friend for the encouragement. The hard part is trying to
match the photo to the real colors of the painting.

                                                         
                                                           
                                                                   

THE NEW YEAR

Well, here goes. This is my very first blog, so I wish every one a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year. I will be joining a painting a day for 30 days challenge group that starts tomorrow so I'll say goodbye and start painting! Bye bye.