Rose, again...

One Rose, 5x5" Oil on canvas

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Another rose - this time just one, with a sort of post-impressionistic style. The photo shows to some extent the thicker application of paint, and there are a variety of colors included in the foliage as well as the flower. I like the outline effect in places - which reminds me somewhat of VanGogh's style.

The studio has been busy - although I've also been working on a commission.

3 Pink Roses

3 Pink Roses - 8x8" Oil on Canvas

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The paint has dried enough to scan and post. It is 8x8" with a deep gallery wrap, painted around the sides, so no need to frame. The color scheme worked out well on this - I love the warm green and the fact that the pink roses pop!

Thank you to my friend, Linda, who brought these flowers to my daughter during her convalescence from oral surgery! I nabbed them for a day to my studio to paint... they were just beautiful!

In the meantime ~

Turnips - mixed media, approx. 11 x 14"

Its been a long and difficult weekend - from my daughter's oral surgery on Friday... and her later bad reaction to the pain medication which has prolonged her recovery to a quick and unsuspected illness of our kitty which resulted in needing to put him down yesterday afternoon. Very sad... With all this going on, it has been good to paint - though only a little time for it. The paint is drying and I hope to be able to post it tomorrow. In the meantime - here is an older painting - mixed media, quite experimental.

Ink and white glue were mixed and used as a drawing medium, over color (Golden Acrylic) washed paper, with acrylic color added in as paint. I liked the effects of it. It is almost a "cartoonish" drawing of the turnips - rather different than my typical style, but I like it. Its fun to break out of normalcy sometimes. :)

Inspired by the season ~

Red Leaf, 3.5 x 5" Watercolor/Acrylic on paper

The leaves have not turned the bold varied colors as much this year in our area, but I found this one yesterday and it was outstanding! The ribs reminded me of lightning streaks. This is a small watercolor study - almost abstracted with the color of the shadows against the leaf color.

 

A Pile of Peppers

Pepper Pile, 6 x 6" Oil on canvas

The paint is dry and ready to show. These came from my garden and are in varying stages of maturity. I really loved the variety of color! I was interested to capture several qualities in this painting. First, I loved the floppy leaf "top knot" - almost like a head of hair - on the green peppers, so wanted to show the garden freshness with that. I also liked the reflective qualities of the skin in its various colors and how they each picked up the surrounding colors and reflected light. I also worked a bit with the overall composition - primarily with color and value to keep the eye moving throughout the picture. So, here it is! I think the outcome achieved the overall effect I was looking for.

Once again... waiting for paint to dry!

White Callas - 24" x 24" Oil on canvas

I'm waiting again! So, in the interim, I'm posting an older painting - part of a set of white flowers done in a rather O'Keeffe-ish style. I really am attracted to the spiraling design qualities of calla lilies. And of course, painting white is never really painting white! This obviously has a lot of lavender in the recesses and there is a good deal of thin yellows and pinks throughout.

In the meantime, in spite of a very busy week, while concurrently working on a commission - I do have a small daily painting that is drying and will be ready to post in a day or so!

After the Bloom.

After the Bloom, 5 x 7 Oil on Canvas

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It is fall in Northern Illinois. The leaves are falling - but not so much fall color this season as in previous years. And the crab apple trees, which are clouds of bloom in the spring, are now showing their small berry-sized fruit. This was a challenging painting, more so than I'd expected, because of the curling leaves which are already speckled with brown. It was challenging for another reason, I discovered.... I painted differently than I usually do. Instead of a close up investigation of my subject, this was much smaller. The details (which I enjoy seeing and painting) are all very subdued or perhaps not even visible. So, in some ways, I struggled through this one. Also, the background and what to do with it was a little challenging too... so - all in all - this one didn't "fall together" quite so easily. I like the overall effect, but there are parts that seem in need of more to me. Well, let me know what you think. I may not be done with my work on this one!

Inside Out!

Inside out, peppers 6 x 6" Oil on canvas

For those of you who saw my post a few days ago, I was working with some ideas from a few years ago. The idea I started from was more abstract than this one turned out ... and so, this may be an idea I continue to working. Anyway, this is a pepper from my own garden, cut in half. I thought the seed configuration was interesting and the various interior membranes were also rather interesting. It was fun to paint (although a bit frustrating in places). But, overall I was happy with the result!

Along the way ~

Journeying, 9 x 3" Mixed Media

I was thinking about this yesterday... We don't really see our lives very completely. We see the right now pretty well, but not so easily how all the various parts assemble a whole. And yet, by taking the time to look at different times and places in life, they do seem to come together to form a sort of pattern, a tapestry perhaps, too large to see with just a quick glance.
This is true of my life, and I suspect true of the whole human condition. There are difficult passages along with times of great beauty. But, woven throughout - in each passage, along each bend, in the wild rapids, and in the calm quiet areas, is one constant - God's pursuit of our hearts. It takes looking for it to see it, sometimes ... because the wild rush of life is so much upon us. Sometimes it doesn't seem as if he's there at all, that maybe he's walked away and left us in the wilds alone. Yet, that is not what God says. He says he is there with us, waiting, watching, protecting, working ... because he is passionate about his relationship with each one of us. That is a strong word from a trustworthy God! May we all stop for a moment in the wild rush of life - and experience the passionate pursuit of God for our individual hearts.
(ideas from Exodus and in particular, Ex. 34:14)

This small tryptych is meant to be seen as a whole, though each part is different. It is mixed media - acrylic and oil pastel. Though you can't see it well here in the photo, it uses metalic and interference paints in places to create a shimmering appearance. I have tried to capture a sense of beauty and mystery in each of the 3 different sections, some darker than others. And I've tried to capture the idea of a meandering river changing course and direction, but always heading toward a destination. All that being said, it may not be a finished piece yet... time will tell if more needs to be done!

Tiger Stripes? Pumpkins?

Mini Tiger Striped Pumpkins, 5x7" Oil on Canvas

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I'd never seen these little pumpkins before... but here they are! I loved the speckled colors and found them an interesting subject. Amazing what one can find in the local grocery store!

Working out some new ideas

Red Pepper Abstraction 5x7" Colored Pencil on Illustration Board

While waiting for paint to dry (one of my frequent "issues" on this blog), I got some of my examples out from a class I taught a year and a half ago and think maybe I'd like to take this idea and expand upon it for a new painting. It just so happens, I have a beautiful red pepper from my garden and have to do something with it pretty soon. My plan is to eat it... but before that, I think maybe I could paint it too! So, with that in mind, I've gone back to some older ideas of abstraction via simplification and exaggeration. Stay tuned!

I think its kind of funny that growing up I didn't really like abstract art. (Many of my students don't either!), but I've come to appreciate it in my adult years. I find it is very challenging to do well - and what I like about it most is that the essence of shape and line and color can really be explored, and emphasized, and just played with without restrictions! That being said, a quick glance backward through this blog will also tell you that I really like working in many styles. I have recently come to peace with that ... and don't feel so strongly that I need to limit myself to one type of work. It is fun to explore and play!