Revisiting

Generally there are so many photos to be inspired by, that I don't often do repeats but this painting was one of the first few I did when I started these small formats.  I was curious to see how it would compare to the first one done about a year and a half ago.  I didn't strive to make it different from the first.  This is simply how I painted it now within my comfort zone.  And lo and behold, it is significantly different.  I have adopted this more painterly approach after almost 100 small format paintings and am pleased to have evolved.  This was the point after all.

Channelling Spring

Pink Tulips

6" x 8" Oil on Canvas Board

$90 (framed)

I painted tulips while it looked like this outside.... 

I have a cheery yellow frame with linen liner to go with this painting and is included in the price.  Can't wait to do more.  I'm not sure if tulips suit my painting style or vice versa but they are a joy to paint.

My other favorite thing....

Scissors on Patchwork

6" x 6" Oil on Wood Cradled Panel

$80

Late last summer I drove to Kennebunkport, Maine and spotted these scissors in a little home decor boutique that was about to close down.  I only bought the one pair but now I wish I had bought several.  I enjoy sewing but I enjoy fabric shopping even more.  These scissors just called out to be painted as I walked past my sewing machine and enjoyed the look of the brass against the patterns of the fabric.  I'm sure they will make their way into more paintings in the near future. 

A Painting for the Children of Africa

Over at the Daily Paintworks website they have started a "Children of Africa" challenge and this is my entry for this auction.  Bidding started today and will run for a week.  It's nice to know that there are ways we can help (if only in small ways) and DPW is making this happen.

I've been working on my smaller format paintings again but haven't been posting.  So here is my latest. (sorry about the glare)  His name is Kodi.   The painting is a wedding gift to a friend of my son's whose wedding took place a few weeks ago.   I've tackled a few cat portraits but this is only my second dog.  Fur is still a challenge especially with the short haired variety.  I wish I could do my two miniature dachshunds but they are both predominantly black and unless I get lucky with the lighting, they may never get their portrait painted.  A Yorkie may be next.  Lots of long hair and beautiful brushstrokes to describe it.

Kodi

6" x 6" x 2" Oil

Wood cradled panel

So Far, So Good

Still working on my small format paintings.  Except for a few weeks where I switched to watercolors as you have probably noticed from previous blog entries, I have been working on more of the 6" x 6"'s in oil.  The list is growing for all the ideas that evolve from this endeavour and I'm pretty much busy for the rest of 2011.  But I'll always make room for the next great idea.  At this point, I'm collecting ideas for themes with 9 in each category.  Animals are my current theme and seasons were another as you might have noticed from the fruits and vegetables pictured above.  Cherries have been photographed and so have plums and I still want to do something with watermelons....and on and on!  And I did want to do a series of landscapes.....

Catching Up

I've been anxious to get back to my small format paintings.   The summer weather slowed me down a bit but although I didn't work oils I did quite a few watercolors in the last two weeks.  

The painting I'm posting today was 98% finished several weeks ago but I did need to tweak a few things about it and I still might.  It is a study for a larger vertical format painting that I would like to do of a tall vase of white gladiolas and I wasn't sure about the color palette but now that I've done this smaller version, I think I like it enough to continue.

White Jug, Green Apple

6" x 6" x 1.5" Oil on wood panel

My new favorite fruit......to paint

I love the range of color when painting grapes.  The muted hilites on the exterior and the semi translucent interior that absorbs the light seemed daunting at first but I found it enjoyable.  Would like to do more soon but I have a few new subjects to explore first.

6" x 6" on wood cradled panel

Oil

$80

...and back to the small format paintings

A little grouping with two of the vases I purchased at the local Library that holds a rummage sale every Saturday morning.  Similar to one of my recent postings but this time with a pear.  These two paintings were my breakthrough paintings as far as loosening up with the brushstrokes but I have since returned to my tighter style.  Having said that I do like the end results.  I will simply have to focus choosing subject matter that I don't feel compelled to work too much detail into.

5" x 7"

Oil on Masonite

Getting There...

Okay, now that I've started my third small format painting,  I'm curious to try different substrates to see what effects I can achieve.  Stretched canvases I already had on hand, but I hadn't painted on the wood

cradled panels with oils before (only acrylics for mixed media pieces).  I'm liking this!  This is more like what I've been trying to achieve.  But at this stage, I'm not yet in my comfort zone.  Pre-mixing my key colors also helps with the spontaneous brushstrokes.

Chrysanthemum and Green Apple
6" x 8" Oil on Wood Cradled Panel
$80.00

In search of a brushtroke....

Another little 6x6 oil painting of tangerines in a silver footed bowl.  Would you believe the reason behind

these little 6x6 canvases is so that I can explore methods and hopefully loosen up a little bit.  Eventually I would like to learn to stop the blending and "nitpicking" in favor of gestural brush strokes (as much as one can gesture within a 6" x 6" space!)  But for now this is like my safety net.....More to come in the days ahead.

Tangerine in Silver Footed Bowl
6" x 6" Oil        

Back to painting......

I'm never very far away from my easel anyway but I haven't posted new paintings for awhile so here is a little 6x6 oil painting...  Seeing it here, I can see there is a little tweaking to do here and there....

Blue Pot with Tangerines
6x6 Oil on canvas

Signed, sealed and (almost) delivered...

From little labels measuring 2" x 4.5" to a painting measuring 3 x 5 feet. Finished this week, a request for fields, fence, pink flowers and horses. These photos were just before the finishing touches.

Penny stopped in to give her approval...