A New Old Start

Two posts back, I showed a work-in-progress photo of this painting.  As much as I was happy with it, the little pewter bird bothered me and I have since painted in out.  Because of the placement, I think it still needs something; maybe a fallen leaf or petal would be enough.  But for now, I am busy creating a few new paintings for a Spring art show next week.  I did like the paisley background, although I favour the left side more than the busier right side.

I thought it would be a good idea to use that paisley background again and now I'm wondering why!?
I think it will work out in the end but because of the lighting of the current painting, the paisley pattern is darker and I still have the problem of the dominance of the pattern asserting itself in the wrong places.  Since I have artistic license, you would think that I could solve the problem, but most likely not until I finish it as it is and then decide.

Backgrounds have taken up more importance lately in my painting.  I love the fact that there is still so much more to learn.

Iris and Nectarine

Iris and Nectarine

6" x 9"

Oil on Canvas

What a beautiful color combination, Iris blue and all the peachy pinks and yellows in the nectarine.

It is a work in progress (almost there) and I'm picking up my paint brush and tweaking little bits even as I write this post.

Two Tulips Up for Auction

I have two tulips paintings up for auction this week.  It's the start of the busy season and the search is on for gift giving.  Perpetually blooming flowers in the form of a painting are a good way to start.

The auction (or buy it now feature) are at the Daily Painters website as follows:

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/449871 for the pink tulips and

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/450107 for the red tulips

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.

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.....

New Paintings for Fall

This is really why I haven't posted.  I've been painting........

Each of these paintings measure 14" square and are on stretched canvas, finished on all edges meant to be displayed frameless but would look great framed as well.   With this size, I like the idea of having a

wall of a grid of paintings, for example nine paintings hung 3 x 3.  Either with color or subject matter

as a unifying theme.

They will be on exhibit at the local Hudson Artists Association Fall Show at the Steven Shaar Community Center on Main Road, Hudson, October 15th through the 17th.

The second painting of the pears and yellow daisy is a small version of the 40" painting that I did late this summer.