Painting Local Scenery

A few years ago I thought I'd try my hand at painting in water-colour some buildings in and around

my hometown.  This building housed a wonderful clothing shop for many years.  Before that it was a hardware/antique store.  And now there is a boutique of handcrafted items that helps to fund a charitable organization that builds homes, wells and provides educational material for villages in Peru as well as providing an outlet for local artisans.  On the second floor is a furniture and antique boutique and a caterer/café on the main floor.  I love this village that I live in!

A Funny Thing Happened....

This is the beginning of a  9" x 12" oil painting of our daughter Emilie looking at a painting of
Winslow Homer's "The Fog Warning" at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. We lingered in front of that one because it resonated with my husband (retired airline captain) as it represented the many times he had to calculate safe approaches into unfamiliar airports with heavy weather approaching.  We left the museum with our purchase of that poster.  It was left in various corners and closets waiting to be framed until I decided this would be a good Christmas present.  Then I remembered the photo I took of Emilie and thus began the theme for this year's gifts.  Now retired my husband had mentioned on more than one occasion the desire to try fly fishing.  The fishing rod became his main gift supported by the framed poster and my rendition of that day at the museum.  It's always fun when that happens.  So this week, I will continue and hopefully finish the year with this painting. (I had to wrap it in this half finished state!)

Season's Greetings, Happy Holidays and especially Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays or better yet...

Merry Christmas!

However you want to say it, that is what I wish for you!

Deck the Halls....

Well I thought I'd challenge myself to painting something other than silver that was highly reflective.

Not as challenging as I thought.  It was the colour red that proved to be the challenge, especially since it takes longer to dry.  And this was supposed to be a "daily small format" that actually needed 3 days to complete.   Since the pigments tend to be somewhat transparent, it can be difficult to get the range of values figured out.  But sometimes overthinking it is the real problem.  

This year's ornaments are out and I will set up some more subject matter like this.

A Little Christmas Show

An exhibition of paintings this weekend!  I love seeing them all together.  

I can't believe it's December 1st tomorrow!  But after the buildup towards Christmas is the

cocooning of winter which means time for books and more painting which is a good thing to

look forward to.

Silver & Gold Part II

18" x 24"

Oil and Acrylic

Collage on wood panel

Another one in the series of traditional subject on a fragmented field.  My previous post showed another format of this (8" x 24") and I think I like the outcome enough to pick it up again and

expand on it.  The painting from that post (Silver & Gold will be in the Small Format show at

Galerie Viva Vida for the month of December).... : > )

Revisiting

Here is a series from a year or so ago that I would like to continue with.  I had it in mind to pair up

abstract and traditional.  Definitely something I want to experiment with a bit more.  This panel measures 8" x 24" on deep wood cradled panel.

Next up.....

Charlie

6" x 6" Oil on Wood Cradled Panel

Charlie looks like a sweetheart and he is fun to paint too.  Taking a break from it today and tomorrow I'll balance out the colours here and there and add the finishing touches.

I'm looking forward to trying out the Christmas ornament with all it's bling and shine.  If I could manage silver objects I should be able to handle this......we'll see.

November Geraniums

November Geraniums

10" x 10" oil on wood panel 3/4" deep

$240.00

They've come inside for the winter.  I'm not that good with geraniums indoors but they have carried

on their momentum in my paintings.  

I was delayed in finishing this one because I searched for a vivid pink (something like Opera which is almost fluorescent).  Not finding any, I used Permanent Rose and lightened it with Gamblin's Radiant Magenta.  A warmer pink than I was aiming for but decided to go ahead and finish this one.  I am happiest with the cluster of petals on the right.  I'm still enjoying (because it's new to me) painting

silver objects.  

On My Easel This Thursday Evening

Well Halloween has come to an end.  The last of then trick or treaters have come and gone.  I'll do a little bit more on this painting tonight and finish up tomorrow.

A Trio of Pumpkins

Many years ago I painted the top image with my cat named Heidi.  She had this one lazy eye and the good one looked menacing so when I saw her perched beside the Halloween pumpkin, I knew I had to take that photo.  I'm happier with my painting style now.  It is, as I had hoped,

a little more interesting as far as the brush strokes are concerned.

Pumpkin on Blue Gingham

Pumpkin

9" x 12"

Oil on Wood Cradled Panel

The finished version...There's something appealing about painting pumpkins.  It has colour and wonderful texture with shadows and highlights.  Having said that though, I think my favourite part was the leaf that fell onto the pumpkins.  Now I'm thinking I have to get out there and collect some beautiful leaves before they've all been raked away.

On My Easel This Sunday Morning

Pumpkin on Blue Gingham

9" x 12"

 Oil on wood cradled panel

Digging through my files I discovered some photos I had forgotten about and discovered just in time.
I'm just approaching the last stages where everything starts to make sense (hopefully).  For example, right now the pumpkins is just floating and needs to be settled into place with the use of shadows where it meets the gingham cloth and then maybe some value adjustments.

I used the photo and did a little digital collage too....just for fun....but the quote really speaks to me.

Simply Complicated

Single Geranium in Glass

$85.00

What a deceptively simple flower.  A single bloom but it contains many smaller florets with variation of depths of colour throughout.  Not too simple, not too complicated.  Just nice.

Art Work to Fabric

I feel like I haven't posted much lately mostly because I've been sewing up some artwork.  Printing my toile designs I started last year in color and on different fabrics has kept me busy.  The first three are commissioned and use sketches made of this family's waterlilly garden as well as local scenes that depict our hometown.  The next four are printed on a tan velveteen and incorporate patchwork using rich damasks, velvets and suede.  One idea lead to another and....well, I'll be looking forward to creating more.

     

     

        

              

Geraniums in Silver with Apple II

6" x 6" x 1.5"

This was a spur of the moment painting using the paint left over from painting the larger version.  (see previous post)  I felt I needed to paint the previous image larger than the usual 6x6 because of the multi petalled geranium but perhaps because I was now familiar with the approach I decided to try the smaller version.  Sometimes simpler is better?

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/joanna-olson/geraniums-in-silver-with-apple/174238

Geraniums II

Geraniums in Silver with Apple

10" x 10" on wood cradled panel

$275

My latest painting as of this morning.  As I mentioned earlier, I did enjoy painting silver and this particular arrangement intrigued me.  The warm glow of the reflections in the silver was my motivation.

I'm anxious for the paint to dry as you can see the matte/glossy paint in the background does not make for a very good photo.  I may finesse this one a little bit more once I've had a day or two away from it.

I do have another version of this that I'd like to do with the apple cut into smaller pieces.   I was afraid the apple was too much competition for the arrangement.  We'll see once I've painted the other one which one works better.  

Pink Geraniums in Silver

6 x 6 x 1.5

Oil on Wood Panel

$85.00

It was tricky to not overdo the geraniums as they are made up of small petals to create the full flower but having painted hydrangeas before, I was confident going into it.  Not too simple but not too complicated either.  I love
painting silver objects. Will definitely follow this one up with another containing something silver soon.

It's Fall and I Love It!

....and one more thing!  I have been captivated by Polyvore!  If you haven't tried it yet, it is an online collage/shopping site.  At the center is a painting of mine (for sale on Etsy) surrounded by images from the Polyvore site to compliment the theme.  Some of the images are to support the design and others are actual items for sale by others from many different sites.  Shopping and creativity in the same place!

It's Fall and I Love It! by joannaolson featuring wall art

Wall art
nordstrom.com

World Market wall art
worldmarket.com

Accent chair
brookstone.com

Fall Harvest by joannasart on Etsy
etsy.com

First Full Day of Fall?

NFS

I just realized how appropriate this painting is to be posting on the first full day of Fall.  The orange background really makes this little black and white cat

look like he's ready for Halloween.  He belongs with Chablis, whose portrait I posted last week.

Sweet Geraniums

I enjoyed painting the silver bowl with pears a few weeks ago and had looked forward to painting more silvery things.  I'm also conscious of the fact that it is now Fall and my geraniums will have to be protected from frost until I can bring them in.  So the cycle begins, cut, arrange, photograph and hopefully soon after, paint!
I'll post the proper photo after I've contemplated this one.

Revisiting Journals

Birds from my journal

Closeup of bird applique

I haven't worked in my journals for ages and seeing them again makes me want to MAKE the time!  It's not as if I haven't been creating art in the meantime, it's just that the journals are just for me and the freedom to experiment is so special that I could never part with them.  The second image is a recent drawing/painting on fabric for the pillows I made for the local aviary fundraising event this past weekend.   

And Here's Charlie

Charlie

So Charlie is one of two portraits completed last week.  I did ask about their names. Puppy was the other one.  A happy little dog with a crooked smile.

RED SHALLOTS

RED SHALLOTS

And this is the final image.  I am in danger of over working my small format paintings.  Lately I've been going back to them a day or two or three later.

Which defeats the purpose.  Start strong, stay strong and walk away!  I do like this one though.

Painted AND Sewn

A slight departure from my normal posts.  There is a fund raiser for our local Aviary called The Nichoir this weekend.  And I decided to paint and stitch some pillows for it.  

Handpainted on unprimed canvas and embellished with free form stitching.  The birds are appliqued onto the background.  This was very satisfying to do as I can expand on this many ways and I can indulge in my love for fabric and beautiful embroidery threads at the same time.

As experiments do, this lead to my stitching up some Fall leaves using wool, dupioni silk and organza.  I'll incorporate these into wool scarves, handmade bags and more pillows.  

On My Easel This Monday Morning

And I thought this one would be a walk in the park!  Lots of greys in the cloth
and a constant battle not to over work.    So it's time to put the brushes down and come back to it in a little while.

Nasturtiums and Chablis

September!  The beginning of my favourite season.  Already I've re-organized my digital files, cleaned up my studio, took many new photos of the late season flowers in the garden, and looking forward to new projects.  

The photo of Chablis (the cat) has just been finished.  And the photo below is one of many that I took this morning that will be part of my Fall line up. 

Where There's a Will....

NFS

It doesn't seem right that I don't know his name.  I will look into that.  This was the image I was referring to that I initially had trouble with...the small size and low dpi (dots per inch at only 72).  But I went back to it and worked it out.  I really had to guess that he was a very light blonde in strong sunlight with a lot of greeny blue ambient light on one side of him.  I realized that even if the clarity wasn't there, it would be like squinting and seeing only the major

elements.  I like it now.  As always there are little things I will go back and correct but otherwise I think I captured a good likeness.

And this was another cherished member of the family.  Easier to do.  I quite like how he turned out.  I never considered myself to be a dog portraitist but so far so good.

Yellow Rose with Berries

6" x 6" x 1.5"

Yellow Roses with Berries

$80

I took this photo with my iPad so I will re-shoot during tomorrow's daylight.

I am bad at not keeping my devices charged.  I like this one better than I thought I would.   You know how it is when you lose interest in a subject and yet I started it anyway.  The color is a bit garish in this image.  It's much nicer

in reality.

I just finished one of a pair of dog portraits and decided to fit this rose painting in between.  The original photo of the dog is a 2 inch 72 dpi image of a dog that is no longer so re-taking the photo is out of the question.  It was a challenge to paint all the nuances when it is so pixilated.  So I guess I needed

to paint an image with good references

....have just added the better photo.

Scissors and Ribbon

Scissors and Ribbon II

6" x 6" x 1.5"

$75

And then there were two......

Slightly out of focus so I will replace with a better photo.  Wish I had a patterned background for this one.  I think I will re-shoot this combination

with a lovely damask fabric I just recently bought.

And here is the theme as it is shaping up.