Sailing Away on Something Different

Oil paintings on 8"x8" Gallery-Wrap Canvases

Commission

Here is another commission that came my way from a Sunfish sailboat enthusist from Texas.  These small, 8"x8" canvases were fun to paint.  They have 2 inch gallery-wrap sides, so they are hefty little guys.  The woman wanting the commission really wanted the sunset and reflections to say color!  I can't wait to see a photo of them hanging on her navy blue walls in Texas!  It will be interesting to see how she decides to arrnage them.  Sail-on!

Commissions - Something Different

Oil commission from black and white wedding photograph

Logo design

I have been working on several different commissions this summer.  Some of them have been very different from what I am normally working on.  I am posting two of them here, more to come.  The top painting is done in oils, and was done as an anniversary gift.  I painted it from a 1950's black and white wedding photograph.  Very different, in that it is more representational than much of my work, and of course centers around the figures.  Fun to do!  The second one here, is a logo design that I created for a natural horsemanship equestrian center in Sweden.  I met the wonderful owners at a Parelli course one of our daughters was taking a couple years ago, in Florida.  The bottom one is the final design they chose.   Check out the lovely Swedish scenes, and what Lina and her mother, Åsa, are up to, Dalpraktken Sweden

Clementine, Harrisonburg, VA

"Riley's River" in Clementine restaurant in Harrisonburg, VA

Photo via "i love my burg" blog

Today I received an email showing me that one of my oil paintings, "Riley's River", that is hanging in downtown Harrisonburg, VA at the Clementine restaurant, was showcased in a blog called 

"i love my burg".  Although the photo was taken in black and white, it was fun to see someone else enjoying the painting on their blog.  I have had many comments on this painting, and it is still waiting to find a new home with someone.  Head on down to a great eatery in the 'burg and check out my paintings, as well as other artists' work.  They also have great live music at different times.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Ron Boehmer, who won second place in the Quick Draw at the Mountain Maryland Plein Air event.  Ron has been instructor extroidinair, who I've taken many, many classes from over the years.  Way to go, Ron!  There is an article in Plein Air Today, an  e-newsletter which comes out from
Plein Air Magazine, see the article in Outdoor Painter, an online newsletter.

Painting in Wildwood Park

 Grey Day Sicamores

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

 Wildwood Park Dam

8:x10" oil on canvas panel

 painting the dam

set up on the penisula, looking towards the dam

Back in the winter I "organized" a group of people who wanted to paint en plein air occaisionally.  Organize is used in its loosest of meanings.  We have really only met about three times since last February.  The way it works is, I send out an email to a list of interested painters, and whoever can come, shows up.  We go to a different place each time, and are hoping to do a late evening paint out in July.  Today there were two of us who showed up at Wildwood Park in Bridgewater, VA.  It was calling for rain, so the weather was a little iffy.  I got there around 9:00 and set up near the dam, then moved on over to the pennisula that sticks out into the North River, looking back towards the dam.  I found some nice trees leaning out over the river, and had a go at them.  I took the photos of the paintings right there, and the light was getting darker and darker, so I can see they don't show up very well.  I have been very intent lately at "painting light", as opposed to painting things and shapes.  It is giving me a different way of thinking about the objects I paint.  

Just Gave Myself an Idea!

Tiny Blue

oil on panel, en plein air

5" x 5"

I have just given myself an idea!  While sitting out on our deck this morning, drinking my morning tea, I was perusing my emails, and looking at all the great posts by the artists I follow.   One of my favorite artists, Karin Jurick and painted a great little studio painting of a green house.  I commented on her painting, on her blog, and just as I hit the send button, I thought what a cool group of paintings it would be to have the subject of tiny houses!  I mentioned to her that my husband had given me a book about the tiny, crooked houses in Savannah, GA one time.  My father's family lived in Savannah, and we have been there many times, so their crooked houses really interested me.  So now I have had an "ah-ha!" momentand idea!  So, thank you Karin, for your part in spurring on my muse for the an idea, even before I was done with my tea!  The painting above was done on Topsail Island, NC, en plein air.  It is the epitome of small houses, with an even tinier house in behind it, both painted this really amazing blue.  The search is one!

Another Painting Just Started Today

Just begun, in the "blocking-in" stage

Here is a painting I just started, this morning. It is in the VERY BEGINNING, blocking-in stage, not a pretty stage at all. It is the time when things are being "mapped out" on the canvas, when I figure out where things go, and get a sense of the over-all feel.  This will be one of the paintings in the group of paintings for the equine show in September in Orange, VA.   The trick with this one will be to keep it from being too "tweedly" as the English say. I don't want it to become "too cute", so the trick is to paint the light, not the subject, if you get my drift!  Part of the interest is the little girl, in her pink boots and pink jacket with her beloved pony.  BUT ... the problem can arise where it just is all sugar and spice, and not meat.  I want the meat, and I'm not even a big meat-eater!  By taking these photos early on, and posting them, scary in itself, it does help me see them differently.  I see things in this one that will most certainly be changing!