Girl in Red, White & Blue

Girl in Red, White & Blue - 16 x 12 Oil on canvas

This is a painting started at my weekly figure painting group, and finished at home.  I am happy with everything except her face.  It is a good likeness, but I just feel like it doesn't have the same painterly quality that the rest of the painting has.  Overall I'm pretty happy with it and have entered it in a local art show.

I have missed a lot of days for the 30 in 30 challenge, and will miss some more I'm sure due to the craziness of life, so I am not going to worry about finishing it, I'll just post when I can.  Possibly I will try again in January.

Demo #1 - Honeycrisp

Demo #1 - Honeycrisp - 6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord

30 in 30 day 13.  I started teaching a beginning oil painting class for the first time yesterday.  I was a little frazzled, but I think it went ok.  The painting above was the demo I started there (and finished at home.)  I'm not 100% happy with it, but I guess it's ok for being so nervous.  I have always been a studio painter, and not used to painting in front of people.  I know, it's something I need to get over -- and I'm sure I will over the course of the next 7 sessions, hopefully.

So I kinda fell down on the 30 in 30.  I missed days 10, 11 and 12.  Hoping to get back in the saddle again now that the class is prepped and underway!

Park Bench

Park Bench - 6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord

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30 in 30 day 9.  This is a quick painting of a photograph that my husband took at Kensington Park a few years ago.  There was a little (baby?) red-headed woodpecker sitting on the park bench, presumably waiting to be fed.  It is a spot where bird-watchers go to feed the birds, sometimes right out of their hands.  It is a beautiful spot and we are fortunate to live only a few miles away.

Portrait of Cecilia

Portrait of Cecilia - 6 x 6 Oil on Arches Oil Paper

30 in 30 day 7.  This is actually a portrait I did a few weeks ago at my weekly figure painting group.  I was having trouble with my canvas, as I had only applied one coat of gesso, and the paint was just getting sucked right in.  So I pulled out my Arches Oil Paper, which I had not had occasion to try yet.  Well, it kinda sucked the paint right in also, but I kept going and I am pretty happy with it.  Her face looks like oil, but the surrounding areas look like watercolor.

Another thing I found was that the paper doesn't take varnish well, it sucks the varnish in too.  So the areas with thicker paint are glossy, and the surrounding areas matt.  Well, I guess it was a good experiment.  I am still going to enter this one into a local show, along with another figure painting.  I haven't entered any shows in over two years, so excited to get back into that too.

Pastel Toiletries

Pastel Toiletries - 6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord

30 in 30 day 6.  I have decided to call this my toiletries series, and here is one more painting in the series.   I am liking the little bottles of colored liquid!  I have to admit that I pushed the pink a little bit, but it worked much better with the color scheme.  This will be hanging in The Menagerie Room Gallery in South Lyon later this month through October.

I found this quote that seemed appropriate: “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” —Pablo Picasso

3 Shades of Red

30 in 30 day 5.  Another in the series of lipstick paintings.   I think it’s the graphic designer in me, but I just really like things lined up and centered nicely.  (Slight case of OCD? No – too many things left unfinished:)  This will be hanging in The Menagerie Room Gallery in South Lyon later this month through October.

I am thankful to Leslie Saeta for promoting this challenge – it is a true motivator!

Evening Preparations

Evening Preparations - 6 x 6 Oil on Gesso Board

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30 in 30 day 4.  I had an email request a few weeks ago to do more paintings of lipstick or nail polish, and I have been meaning to for a while, so here is one with both.

Jellybeans and Bubblegum

Jellybeans and Bubblegum - 6 x 6 Oil on Gesso Board

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30 in 30 Day 3.  I'm not sure why I chose the bubblegum pink color for the ground on this one -- it's not really my style, but I like how it turned out.  I like the combination of the pink and mint green, and it lends a playfulness to a fun subject.  Jellybeans just make ya happy :)

Preparing to Paint

Preparing to Paint - 6 x 8 Oil on Canvas Board

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30 in 30 day 2.  I thought this one would be an appropriate start for the 30 in 30 challenge -- preparing to paint... a lot!  I painted it for a few reasons: I wanted something to use as a cover photo on facebook, and I wanted something I could use to advertise my oil painting class at the SHAC in Milford this fall.  Now it is ready to be auctioned off on DPW :)

Commission #3

Commission 3 - 8 x 10 Oil on Canvas

Well it's been a busy, busy summer.  I haven't posted for a while, but I have been painting here and there.  This is my third pet portrait commission, and I have a few more coming.  I probably won't ever do people portrait commissions, but I don't mind doing pets -- I love animals, and they are a little more forgiving than humans if the likeness is not exactly spot on!

I am thinking I will join the 30 in 30 challenge that Leslie Saeta is sponsoring on her website.  It may be hard to do something every single day, however, as I will also be teaching oil painting for the first time at the SHAC in downtown Milford, where I also work part time.  It will all be a challenge, but I will do my best.....