White Horses

I actually DID work on the Three Dancers again, but it is not quite ready to post. I am having somewhat of a dilemma trying to decide just how closely I want the dancers to resemble one another. I do not want this to look like a "cookie cutter" painting with just a repetitive figure; rather, I want each dancer to have her own unique features. At least, that is my goal.

Fall is around the corner, and the weather is soooooo beautiful right now. Plein aire painting in the mountains would be great at this time of the year. We'll see.

Anyway, I am starting another large horse painting, featuring grey and white Arabians. Just getting the sketches done, but I am excited about this one. (I know, I know...I always say that.) Will post the work in progress within a couple of days.

See ya!

A Personal Break Through???

Okay. Here's the thing:

Two thousand years ago when I was in school, I was encouraged (by my high school art instructor) to submit into an art show an "unfinished" piece, along with several completed works. Specifically, it was my version of a "sun god" sculpted from clay. The large piece was completed insofar as the sculpting, but was technically still "green ware" as it had been neither fired nor glazed yet.

Following this juried show, I received what I considered to be mixed reviews from the judges (who were respected art professors from the university). I was praised and awarded for my batik art pieces, along with a pen and ink drawing. But to my personal horror, these much admired geniuses of the art world (my perception of them as a seventeen year old), mentioned in their printed article regarding the Show that they were "surprised at the number of unfinished pieces that were included in the exhibit". ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I AM RUINED!!!

Of course, they could only have been talking about me...how embarrassing...would I survive this??? At least they didn't mention me by name, I thought to myself, trying to grasp at straws and to the tiny speck that remained of my self-confidence. (It would be years later that I learned the truth in the theory that in order for a person to absorb and learn from a criticism, they must receive and accept 4 or 5 positive comments first, in order to properly absorb the shock...but perhaps the calculation is ten-fold when you are a shy, insecure teenager).

To make a long story short (ha!)...

I have never posted or presented artwork that was unfinished. Now you know the reason. But to show how much I have grown (now an insecure adult???), I have thought about it and have come to these conclusions:

(1) I enjoy looking at other artists' blogs who show the actual painting process, with "before" and "after" photographs of their work.

(2) I believe that it is helpful to other artists, and perhaps interesting to the buyer of the piece, to view the actual art in its progression, from a concept to a finished canvass.

Toward that end, I am (gasp!) going to show some of my artworks now in progress, in hopes that you will learn, or perhaps be entertained, by the process. (But, please don't tell those university art professors that I am posting unfinished work. It will be our little secret).

I have been working several days on this fun little painting/sketch that I may be calling "The Three Dancers". Yeah, I know. Not much to look at yet, but I think that I have gotten the basic sketch pretty much like I want it. Details will come later, and the background will, more likely than not, go through a multitude of changes in both color and texture.

We'll see. Stay tuned...

Bright Spot of Color

There is such beauty around us. It is literally everywhere...

Looking around my room at this very moment, I can see the incredible shadows cast by the last of the day's sunlight seeping in through my blinds, the infinite shades of green in my pothos house plant, and the shocking red color on the ladybug surveying one of the longer leaves.

I could never run out of subjects to paint. There are too many interesting subjects out there! Sometimes it takes a friend to help us see that. I really hope that I can make a difference in helping others to appreciate more of the beauty around them.

I believe that is why I choose the bold colors, contrasts, and "every day" subjects and compositions that I choose...landscapes, trees, flowers, horses...

I have been doing a tremendous amount of traveling lately, and have made a concerted effort to collect lots of photographs which I am planning to share with you through recent paintings that were inspired by these venues. I have tried to emphasize the bright colors and textures that actually motivated me to create these paintings in the first place.

My recent trips to the beautiful gulf coast, and to the North Georgia Appalachians were eventful. (By the way, did you know that Boxers apparently can have life-threatening panic attacks induced by not being allowed to ride in the car with their head out the window, i.e. not "getting their own way", and that one of the most delicious desserts in the world may just be a home-grown and home-made fried peach pie from Ellijay, Georgia?)But, I digress...

Looking Up at the Changing Tree

Acrylic

24" x 48"

Here is a bright, bold painting that I hope will be a "picker-upper" for anyone needing a little "bright spot" in their day. If it makes you smile, then all my efforts are worth it, and I feel amply rewarded.

The Turning Tree - Large Acrylic Painting

"Turning Tree"

30" x 36"

Acrylic

I finally finished a new one. This is a large acrylic, 30" x 36". I have been doing some "fine-tuning" on it for several days - I just was not quite satisfied with the leaf colors. I think I finally achieved what I set out to do, though. My goal was to show a tree that had begun to change colors, and had different stages of leaf maturity (i.e. different colors) ranging from greenish yellow to a dark rust color. I think that I am okay with it now that I have simplified the background a bit. (It was really "busy" before).

I am working on two other paintings at the moment, and just happened to finish this one first. The other paintings include a very large canvas featuring 5 running horses, and a smaller canvas with a close-up of a single horse. I intend the larger painting to be a very loose, almost abstract, colorful canvas with lots of my favorite color: red!!!

Please check in again soon. Toodles!

I am back after a sort of "hiatus". Actually, I spent over a week working on a single painting - a landscape - that I still need to tweak just a bit. It is a huge canvas - somewhere in the neighborhood of 3' x 5.5'. Also, I had to set up a new, larger easel. This was a hassle since no instructions were included in the box. Geez, I would have settled for Spanish instructions...or even Japanese... if they had only included pictures. But, I think that the three of us (me, Mom, and Lucy the Boxer), ultimately got it assembled. The good news is that we only had 3 extra parts left over, not counting the 2 extra screws.

I am not ready to post the "big picture" yet, but for the last several days I have been working on a 24" x 30" canvas of 2 very colorful horses. This photo is not primo - I think the actual paint colors are much sharper. Still, you get the overall basic design. I think that this is one of my favorite paintings because of the freedom of choice I used in selecting color and style. The result is more expressionist than the usual impressionistic approach that I generally take in painting. I hope you like it.

"Horses Nuzzling"

Acrylic

24" x 30"

A Daily Painting: 8" x 10" Daisy Field No. 2

For the last couple of days, I have been busy with a few new projects. I thought that it was time for me to share at least one of these.

I had previously entertained the idea of painting another view of the daisy field - a smaller, more detailed version of my larger "Daisy Field" painting, posted earlier this week. This 8" x 10" painting was finished yesterday. The paint is acrylic, quite heavy in some places, providing a textured look to the flowers.

Also, I began work on another acrylic painting this week: a marina scene inspired by my recent travels to the Gulf coast. I am pleased (so far) with the way that this one is progressing. I hope to post it this weekend, along with another forest landscape from Wednesday.

Again, thanks for your interest!

Wednesday's Thoughts

Thanks, folks! I appreciate everyone who is looking at this blog, especially those who have chosen to "follow" my progress as a painter.

Yesterday I entered an art contest for the very first time in quite a while. I had been thinking about it for several weeks, as this gallery's website is one that I frequently visit, and from which I often draw inspiration and artistic energy.

I believe that the goals of the painters belonging to this gallery are well aligned with my own, as they strive...just as I do...to continually improve and inspire, posting new art each and every day, sharing with the world.

I will keep you updated as to the progress of this art contest, as entries move from one level to the next, either progressing or being eliminated. I am excited about the possibility of joining this talented group of artists, and I am really looking forward to the results.

Please stay tuned...

Pears with Dark Border

16" x 20"

Acrylic

Here is one of the few still life paintings that I have recently completed, as my concentration has been more on landscape and plein air creations lately. This was a commissioned small acrylic painting in which I chose to use large, loose brushstrokes. The idea was to show contrasting colors as well as texture. I added the 4 inch dark burgundy-esque boarder last, after much consideration, because I thought it "grounded" the subject and helped to tie the color palette together. This was a fun, new effort working with an old, popular subject matter! I think I will try some more of these on even smaller stretched canvases.

Daisy Field

16" x 20"

Acrylic

Happy Monday to all!

As promised, I completed "Daisy Field" this weekend. I am thinking about doing a smaller "detail" painting of these cheerful flowers, using thick acrylic paint.

It has been a challenge, though, to keep the yellow centers off my boxer's nose. Lucy loves to sniff flowers...buttercups are the worst...and daisies are no exception. And each time she sniffs flowers, a gigantic "projectile" sneeze follows. Why doesn't she ever learn?

Back to the painting: I enjoyed the loose style and contrasting colors. I may try this again, using a palette knife instead of brushes. This would keep the color fresh and the painting really loose. H'mm...maybe tomorrow...

This Weekend: Daisies, Daisies, Daisies!

This weekend I shall be completing a painting that I am calling "Daisy Field". I began this painting last night, from a photograph, and decided that I needed to do a little paint layering. Of course, this means that I need to let this first layer dry before continuing. Therefore, I probably will not post it till Monday. (We'll see). I do like the contrasts that I am using, though, of the lightly colored petals against the dark green background. I am still a prude when it comes to posting "paintings in progress", so I will await the posting until I feel that it is "finished". Have a good weekend!

Another Cactus Painting

Detail from
"A Desert Family"

16" x 20"
Acrylic

I decided to try something a little different from the norm. I was scanning through old desert photographs when I discovered a number of close-up pictures of several different cacti. I was particularly inspired by prickly pears, Joshua trees, and Sedona plants. I researched them a bit,to become more familiar with their structure.

My goal was to create a painting that was loose and colorful, with perhaps a lot of contrast to give it a playful look. My studies led me to paint several different venues. Two of these I have already posted on this blog, including "Prickly Pears" and "Cactus Mountain". I am posting here a close-up of a third painting featuring several cacti highlighted with multi-colors. I really did not add a lot of detail to this one, keeping it very loose. It was fun to create. In fact, I plan to create another one as soon as possible, a larger perspective painting, featuring the incredible Joshua trees.

Painting Wildflowers under Cloudy Skies

I typically choose to paint bright, sun-drenched plein air venues; however, I decided that I wanted to use lots of blues and purples for a change. Combining these thoughts with my love of wildflowers, I began this painting with the purplish-blue background in different cool shades of acrylic. Greens came next, as I blocked in the naturally growing wildflowers from a close-up perspective in this extraordinarily colorful field.

Eventually, I did add a few golden colors to warm it up a bit, but I wanted the overall effect to be inspired from a primarily cool palette.

Wildflowers under Cloudy Skies

24" x 30"
Acrylic

I really like the way purple and green work together. I think that I shall try more challenges in this color scheme, with energetic brushstrokes to enhance the "loose-ness" of style.

This painting actually took 2 days to complete, as I had to allow some drying before finishing the details of the flowers to circumvent that yucky "muddy" effect.

Again, thanks for looking!

Reflecting on my Reflections...

Large Tree with Red Border

30" x 36"
Acrylic


Well, I admit that I got a little long winded yesterday on this blogspot. But I have an excuse... I had a particularly productive weekend painting, and I was in a reflective mood, thinking about how I came to the conclusion that painting every day is a "good fit" for me. I am also discovering that this process has made me more color-conscious, and my brushstrokes more purposeful and deliberate. (That has to mean that I am evolving...doesn't it?) Anyway, here is a new one for you to view. Comments are welcome, as always.

Another Daily Painter is Born!

Fall Foliage

8" x 10"
Acrylic

I am really excited about my newest painting challenge. I have decided that daily painting is both enjoyable and helpful to me! For some months now, I have been painting daily; however, my paintings have typically been reasonably large canvases.It was quite difficult to complete such a painting in a single day, much less a single sitting.

I have always considered anything under the dimensions of 24" x 30" to be "small". In fact, I just couldn't imagine forcing my art - particularly my landscapes - into an 8" x 10". It seemed to me rather like forcing a square peg into a round hole. But, then I decided to try a "painting a day" challenge.

I felt like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs...nervous and tentative, I thought that I would first attempt a very simple still life acrylic painting on a 10" x 12" stretched canvas...H'mmm, let's get these green apples rendered correctly...are the shadows right??? Bold color is needed over here...that's looking pretty good...Hey, what's going on here? This is actually fun! And I am not limited creatively, as I thought I would be. I can choose the level of detail that I want. Wow!!! This is also challenging...I can complete impressionist images, quick and loose, or detailed images in this smaller format. WHY DIDN'T I TRY THIS BEFORE? (H'mmm... "there is nothing to fear , but fear itself").

Apples led to more apples. Then I decided to try a smaller carousel horse painting. Can I really complete a whole painting in a 6" x 6" space? That just seems so impossible! Take a deep breath. Is my paint ready? Brushes ready? Okay, now, breathe in and out, in and out. (So far, so good.)

H'mmm... I think this landscape is developing nicely. A few more highlights here and there. Oh, my goodness! I have completed a painting in a 6" x 6" space. And it is colorful, fun, and creative! I AM AMAZED! I can actually do this.

To make a long story short (oops - too late for that), another "Daily Painter" has been born! And I absolutely love this new challenge. It is so new to me that it has refreshed my art and my attitude toward the creative process. For weeks now, I have been completing daily paintings - many of them small 6" x 6" or 10" x 12" - but I still find time for my larger "sweeping landscapes".

I am so glad that I started doing this. I really want to share this journey with others, developing as a contemporary artist who truly loves the challenge,the profession, and the gift of life!

Path Through Aspen Forest

Happy Monday, once more! A friend asked that I post one of my large landscape paintings,"Path Through Aspen Forest" on my blog in a different format because she was having difficulty viewing the small picture in the previous webpost, and she thought that might be the case for others. I downloaded it this time as a large JPEG. I believe the clarity is improved. Here it is below. Hope you enjoy. I had a lot of fun creating this colorful one!

Colorful Forest Landscape

Landscape paintings are probably my favorite. Perhaps that is because I like to give myself a lot of leeway for artistic interpretation when I seek to record a sprawling natural landscape. My landscape art tends to go through many evolutions within a single setting. For me, this evolution process is the most enjoyable part. I don't simply want to mimic photography - I want to incorporate my own personal perspective - and create something that is really new.

Recently I completed this large and colorful acrylic painting. I use the term "completed" very loosely here, because I have not decided whether it actually "feels" finished. I will think about it for a few days while I work on some more smaller "daily" paintings.

Blue Wave Morning

16" x 20"
Acrylic


Here is the second painting that I completed while staying in this charming coastal town. This is another view from the porch, on a morning when the water decided to get a little testy. Again, I just couldn't resist painting those incredible tall pine trees that lined the edge of the dunes, as if to purposely frame the beautiful gulf view.

I was striving to produce different textures while using several different kinds of paintbrushes.I decided to keep this one to remind me of the great trip we enjoyed!

View from my Florida Sundeck

16" x 20"
Acrylic


I have (fortunately) returned to Florida on 2 different occasions within the last 6 months. Both visits proved wonderfully restful and rejuvenating.

The unique pines that grow along this particular stretch of Florida coastline absolutely fascinate me: they are so very tall, yet have only a few limbs, and a big "poof" of needles on top! (I believe that Mother Nature has a real sense of humour).

Also inspiring was the crystal blue ocean just before dusk every day. Once the sun descends on a clear day, there appears this orange/pink glow in the sky, juxtaposing the incredible pale blue of the water. This is my favorite time of day!

Here is one of two acrylic paintings that I created on my first visit to this small seaport. It is the view from my second story sundeck. And believe it or not, the colors are true-to-life!

Carousel Ponies

24" x 30"
Acrylic Painting


After creating a number of acrylic paintings featuring genuinely existing horses that I have seen and touched - horses that are traditional shades of brown, black, etc. - I decided that I wanted to break the mold, and paint some very non-traditional, brightly colored horses. In particular, I wanted to paint a very striking red horse I already had pictured in my mind. From these thoughts, "Carousel Ponies" was born. Actually, the black horse in this painting was orginally a zebra, but after much thought, I decided I needed to simplify it. I then "removed the stripes" and modifed to create a flatter, simpler, almost cartoonish look that would make the intense colors, rather than the details of the horses, the "mane attraction". (So sorry, but I just could NOT resist that one!)

Recent Acrylic Paintings: Abstract Horses

I cannot remember a time when I was not in awe of horses. As a young child, I attempted to draw and paint them...in fact, I would even try to mimic them, "galloping" about the backyard. An inspiring combination of strength and beauty, the horse remains a popular artist's subject. And I remain in awe of these creatures.

I find that my drawings and paintings of horses have become considerably more abstract and colorful over the last few years. One of my favorite is this young pony, (shown in a previous post).

I have also worked on a few other acrylic/mixed media abstract running horse paintings, including this large one seen here.

Goldie and Shadow

24" x 30"

Mixed Media

Also, this large acrylic painting was completed about a month ago, featuring 2 young ponies, Sadie and Brooks.

Running Ponies

24" x 30"

Acrylic

Paintings inspired by my Western Travels...

Prickly Pear

20" x 24"

Acrylic

Traveling is such a great source of inspiration for plein air paintings. I have spent a considerable amount of time in Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, and Montana. I found each of these areas inspirational in their own right. I discovered that the cactus plant can be quite an interesting subject, just as the beautiful western mountain ranges can be.

I have decided to share a few of these paintings that I created during these travels. I hope that you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed the creative process.

The first (above) is a close-up view of the prickly pear cactus, which is a natural beauty in bloom. The juxtaposition of the sharp, dangerous needles and the delicately colored blooms is amazing!

This acrylic painting encompasses a much broader perspective, and includes a number of local flora.

Cactus Mountain

20" x 24"
Acrylic

Poppies I and II

16" x 20"

Acrylic Paintings

Here are a couple of acrylic paintings inspired by the wildflowers in California. These paintings are available as a set, or separately, as stand-alone paintings. Loosely rendered, impressionist appearance overall.

A Few of My Most Recent Paintings

I decided to get busy this weekend and post a few of my most recent acrylic paintings. The first of these was actually completed about 6 weeks ago, when I was in a "wintry" sort of mood. I thought it would be fun to capture the last light of a cold snowy day. The next 2 are small paintings that I did indoors. These were quick brushstroke paintings of green and red apples. The fun was in trying to get the reflections and shadows accurate, while using more than one light source. I actually enjoyed trying these smaller paintings, and found that they were much more challenging than I imagined!

Today I am working on several different projects; unfortunately only one of these involves painting. It shall be a busy weekend, but I really hope to get a few more paintings posted on this blog over the next few days. I have a picture in my mind that is screaming to be painted: it is a marina scene from a photo I took last week along the Florida coast. I'm really trying to get to it this weekend. Here is one of my more recently completed large acrylic paintings of a young horse, primarily created with large brushstrokes. I am pleased with the overall "looseness" of the painting, and the brightness of color. I believe the final result it is an improvement over the earlier work of two running horses, more tightly rendered in acrylic/mixed media.

Continuing...

Well, I admit that I have been much more dedicated to the creative process of painting than I have to blogging or posting anything new. Good grief! I just noticed that I started my last post over two months ago and just got around to finishing it. I will try to improve on this in the future. Actually, I have created a number of new landscapes during this time, including several fall foilage scenes, along with a few "staged" pics with apples and pears. I'll get those uploaded asap. (Please be patient with me...I am a novice at this blogging thing.)

A View of the World

I have always wondered how other people view the world. I can look at an image and be moved by its compelling beauty, utter simplicity, or gut-wrenching horror while another onlooker can pass by the same image with apparent oblivion.

Granted, the reverse can also be true. But still, I wonder how many of us pull over to the side of the road to watch the sunset, stop to take a deep breath of the fragrant pink honeysuckles trailing along the old wooden fence post, or notice the errant daisy struggling to grow - against all odds - through a small pavement crack near the median.

Now, I am not suggesting that we all rush out to do this, causing traffic jams for miles. But, I do think that we often dismiss the importance of these simple observances of nature at its best - or its worst.

I love creating art images. I always have.

I could never understand why the creation of art seemed like such an apparent mystery or a seemingly special gift to so many people. When asked how I "drew that" or "painted this", I would always reply that I simply recorded what I saw...whether transfering that from my visual cues or my imagination. My real task was only to move the image to the paper or canvas, because (at least for me) it already existed.

I have recently gone through my own personal rennaissiance, in that I have re-discovered the true joy and release that the creation of art provides to me. I have become a prolific painter of late, and have especially enjoyed creating both large and small landscapes splashed with color. Animals...horses in particular...are also a favorite painting subject. I enjoy both realistic and impressionisitic approaches to the challenge, and usually resolve my painting challenge via acrylic paint or mixed media.

Even more pleasing to me than the actual creative process of my art is the reaction it evokes from the viewer. To move someone emotionally by way of my paintings is truly gratifying. Of course, uplifting the human spirit would be my choice; however, even a negative reaction - when honestly felt - still trumps indifference.

For now, I will continue my evolution as a painter and an observer of nature. It is a pleasure to share my view of the world with others.