Can't Reach - SOLD

'Can't Reach' SOLD

4.5 x 6.5 inches watercolor on paper

Spring always means newborn foals to me. Last year when my husband and I were out driving around we saw this field full of mares and foals.This little girl kept trying to scratch her belly and flanks, but couldn't seem to quite reach. I got a few different shots of her attempt. She was so dang cute, and her baby confirmation is already showing that she will be a looker when she grows up. Tomorrow's painting will show her second attempt. :) 

Diaphanous - sold

'Diaphanous' sold

5" x 5" watercolor on paper

This is a rose from my mom's garden. She has tons of roses. Like TONS. Of all kinds of varieties. This one is one of her favorites. Or at least, she says that it is. But I suspect for her it's a little like trying to say which child is her favorite. :)

Roses will always remind me of my mom. She's the best. I hope I'm a little bit like the mother she's always been to me.

This was this week's DPW challenge, to paint a rose. And honestly I wasn't planning on painting a rose, but last night felt this restlessness when I sat down to paint. I've been working on a colored pencil drawing that is really coming along well, but did not feel like doing that.

So a rose it was. Anyone else ever get that restless feeling when they sit down to paint? It's like I'm being drawn to paint something but I have no idea what it is, just that it's not whatever is currently in front of me. Weird right? *sigh*

Huzzah. . .

Sliced - sold

'Sliced' sold

2.5" x 3.5" ACEO colored pencil

click here to purchase

Decided to try something a little different this time. A smaller size (holy cow was that tricky!!), a different point of view, and a bit of an edgy feel to this portrait.

I kinda like the results. Although I don't know how often I will do these itty bitty pieces (do you have any idea how difficult it is to draw a face that small?) but it was fun, so I guess that means I will have to try these ACEO's again. One day. :)

This was last week's Daily Paintworks challenge, paint a miniature. And honestly I had no idea how hard it would be when I attempted it, or I probably would not have.

It seems to betray all logic that something so small was so blasted difficult doesn't it?

Yep. I thought so too. Have a good weekend everyone! Huzzah!

reference photo by Kelsey's love fusion on flickr, thank you!

Moose - SOLD

"Moose Man" SOLD

6" x 6" watercolor on paper

"When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive. When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile. When I am happy, he is joy unbounded. When I am a fool, he ignores it. When I succeed, he brags. Without him, I am only another man. With him, I am all-powerful. He is loyalty itself.

He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant.

His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever—in case I need him. And I expect I will—as I always have. He is just my dog."

Gene Hill

My friend Carrie Waller sent me a photo of her dog Moose when I put a call out for dog photos on my facebook page. Don't you just love his face? All love and devotion. He has very soulful eyes. He's a bull mastif I believe, and quite large, but a real sweetheart with her two small boys (sounds just like my dog :), even if he is large enough to eat the breakfast off their plates at the dining room table. ;)

This is my entry for this week's Daily Paintworks challenge, which was to paint a close up of an animal. That's kind of my thing so I just had to do it right?

See you next week everyone! Huzzah!! :)

Solemn - For Mothers Everywhere SOLD

Solemn

7" x 9" watercolor

SOLD

all of the proceeds from the sale of this painting will be donated to Every Mother Counts

photo reference by Steve Evans

Daily Paintworks is hosting a fundraising challenge called Every Mother Counts. I saw this challenge posted a few weeks ago and really wanted to donate a painting, then almost at the same time I found Steve Evans photography (babasteve on flickr) which I completely fell in love with.

I looked at the photos of these children he has from all over the world and was moved to tears by their innocent, unguarded expressions and very humble living conditions. 

I thought of my life with my three children and how blessed we are with good health, and also how I may have taken that for granted at times.

The DPW auction site states, "Every 90 seconds a woman dies from childbirth. Fully 90% of those deaths are preventable. The aid organization Every Mother Counts  is training midwives in Afghanistan, opening health clinics in the Democratic Republic of Congo and shipping unused medical supplies to South Sudan. These are tangible, practical projects designed to combat maternal mortality and injuries worldwide."

I wanted to help. Every mother deserves to live, when death is preventable, through pregnancy and labor so she can hold and love her child.

Every child deserves to have their mother to protect, care for, and love them throughout their life.

I've had my share of emergencies and health problems with my pregnancies. With my last son I vividly remember sitting in the emergency room and waiting in fear for hours, when unknown problems developed, just so I could see my baby's rapid little heart beating in the ultrasound, assuring me that he was still alive and safe and that I was too. I had a doctor I could rely on and medical care was constantly available when needed. 

And I am so thankful for that.  Every mother deserves the same.

If you feel so inclined to share this post I would be so touched. :) It's not for me, but for mothers everywhere. Every little bit helps.

Safekeeping SOLD Daily Paintworks Challenge

Safekeeping SOLD

5" x 7" watercolor

click here to bid

This week's challenge at Daily Paintworks was the Superstition challenge. Now I'm not really much for superstitions, but I really wanted to paint this black kitten so this was a pretty good reason. :)

It makes me sad that almost all black cat superstitions are negative ones, so I looked for some positive ones and here are some that I found:

Many people believe that anyone who finds the one perfect, pure white hair in an all-black cat and plucks it out without being scratched, will find great wealth and good luck in love. (Good luck with that one)

In Britain wives of fishermen believed that their menfolk will return safely if a black cat is kept in the house.

In the south of France, black cats are referred to as 'magician cats', they are said to bring good luck to owners who feed them well and treat them with the respect they deserve.

And my personal favorite is this one: "In Egypt, it was once believed that the life-giving rays of the sun were kept in a cat's eyes for safekeeping."

Admittedly I am more of a dog person than a cat person, but seriously? Kittens are too cute not to paint. It can not be helped. Must. Paint. Kitten.

And a very special thanks to Jenny Martinez Photography for the reference photo of this very cute kitten.

See you next week everyone!

Beauty Inside SOLD

Beauty Inside SOLD

6" x 6" watercolor

click here to bid

Kiwi's are ugly little beasts aren't they? Well, at least on the outside. I wonder what in the world possessed the first person to slice that hairy brown *thing* up and take a peek?

 Hunger induced madness? Pending zombie apocalypse? Or just plain old curiosity?

I don't know, but I would have loved to have seen the look on their face when they saw the beauty trapped inside. Because they are beautiful once you slice them open.

Jewel bright and shining with all those lovely unorganized, yet sort of organized black seeds. And that gorgeous semi-transparency that lets sunlight flood in and just sparkle and glow.

*sigh*

Yessss, precioussss. The inside of a kiwi is very pretty indeed.

This is technically my first official still life*. And I rather like it. It was a lot of fun to do and I can see the value in painting subjects that I don't paint very often. It forced me to do some experimenting with color mixing and value.

And probably most important, it gave me a chance to really push myself and see how much drama and interest I could come up with when painting something other than a human face.

So, keep an eye out for future still lifes from me. I'm already thinking of what I should paint next. Ideas anyone? ;)

* I credit two artists for inspiring me with a desire to paint a still life. The first, Kim Rempel, for her lovely brushwork, exciting color combinations, simple-yet-striking composition, and her ability to turn something very ordinary into a thing of beauty. And the second, Carol Marine, for much of the same things that I admire about Kim's work. This painting was created in Carol's honor for her birthday at the Daily Paintworks Challenge.

Without Guile, Daily Paintworks Challenge

'Without Guile'

watercolor 5" x 7"

I talked a little about this before in my post Sunshine, so I won't elaborate too much (or try not to anyway, I'm rather long winded have you noticed? ;)

Last week the challenge for the Daily Paintworks was The Color of Music. I'd been thinking for a while about one of my favorite songs by the Black Keys, 'Everlasting Light', and how it reminded me of my third son. This song could apply to all of my children really, but I associate this song with my youngest.

After he was born I fell into a deep depression. Which seemed so unfair since my heart was full of love for this baby, and all I could think of was that every little thing about him, his soft downy hair, his snuffling sounds against my cheek, his sweet smell that I still can't define filled me with nothing but joy. But still, there was this incredible sadness that I felt weighing me down.

It was the thought of his smiling face waiting for me that got me out of bed every morning. So I let household chores go and sat and rocked him and felt him heal my heart. He's my everlasting light.

Let me be your everlasting light

Sun when there is none

I'm a Shepard for you

And I'll guide you through

I'll hold and never scold

In me you can confide

When no one's by your side

Loneliness is over

Dark days are through

They're through

A train going away from pain

Love is the coal

That makes this train roll

Let me be your everlasting light

by the Black Keys

Still Life Interruptus #3, Just A Peek

Just A Peek

#3 in the Still Life Interruptus series

8" x 10" acrylic on masonite

Last week the Daily Paintworks challenge was to paint a gift. So of course, the first thing I thought of was a set up of my son and a big ol' wrapped present he could wreck mischief and mayhem with. This is how it went down, step by step:

1. I went to the store, bought some shiny pink wrapping paper, a ginormous curly-ribbon bow, and a small box of treats for my son's modeling fee. 

2. Came home, wrapped up a box (which happened to be one of his older games that he hasn't played with in a few months, and I wrapped the treats too, because it would just be mean to have him open up a big box of nothing right?) and set the shiny present in the perfect spot of sunshine.

I did all of this without my little model underfoot, thinking he would be more excited and interested if he didn't know what I was doing. . .

3. I bring my son upstairs and show him, very nonchalantly of course, the shiny little present on the floor and stand back, camera at the ready for what I'm sure is going to be the biggest bunch of cuteness I've seen in weeks.

4. He stands there, prods the present a little bit, then walks away and comes to ask me if he can go back downstairs to play with his brothers.

5. My jaw drops. I'm flabbergasted. For real. Wasn't expecting that lack of interest. Hmmm. . .Change of plans.

6. I bring out the much smaller box of wrapped treats I got for him and let him open it. A-ha!! Now he's interested. He heads for the other present and in about fifteen seconds has it completely unwrapped.

Pretty pink paper lies shredded all over the floor.

But somehow the curly-ribboned bow managed to survive.

And there's now a smudge of chocolate on my son's face as he brings me the newly-unwrapped-old game and asks me to play with him. 

So I do, of course. :)

He beats me, 2-1.    

A little later, when I'm holding my boy on my lap, I wonder if John Singer Sargent had this much trouble with his models? I kinda doubt it. But, I bet he didn't have as much fun either. :)

Value Study SOLD and Painting Stats

'Shiver' value study 7" x 9" gouache  SOLD

photo courtesy of Jenny Martinez Photography

my homage to Maggie Stiefvater's novel 'Shiver' one of my favorites :)

Number of acrylic paintings attempted within the last week: 5

Painting attempt number 1: marginally successful (still a work in progress)

Painting attempt numbers 2-4: epic fail (in other words, too hideous to post)

Painting attempt number 5: successful (early work in progress, too early too post, not sure you'd see anything in it that resembles art yet)

Artist state of mind after 5 acrylic attempts at artistic genius (or at least something that's pretty. Shallow much? Nah. Not me. ;) : borderline terminally frustrated

Number of possible solutions to this problem: four 3 (stated as follows)

1. Quit  Not an option

2. Try again. Think of a different strategy. Baby steps. No rushing allowed

3. Start a new watercolor painting with GORGEOUS-knock-your-socks-off-sunlight

4. Join in on the Daily Paintworks Challenge fun and start yet another painting for their value study challenge.

Solutions attempted: numbers 2-4

Artist state of mind after implemented solutions: tentatively optimistic

Until next week my friends! Huzzah!

What I'm listening to: October by Broken Bells (because it has rained for almost a solid week (week?! I mean month. . . or two) here in Utah which may or may not have contributed to my artistic state of mind in the beginning of these stats)

Ten Things I've Learned From Painting A Self Portrait

'A-Punk, self portrait'

8" x 10" watercolor

1. You're not as bad looking as you thought you were.

2. It's nearly impossible to pose for your own self portrait with anything other than a big smile, a goofy expression, or something else that you hope looks introspective and mysterious, but is neither because really it's just you raising your head a little too much so you can see through your crooked glasses.

3. While strong sunlight from the side, is your favorite way to paint portraits of other people, on you it is just plain un-flattering. 

4. It's somewhat unsettling to look at yourself for so long. To really see all the good and bad parts of your face that are you. (I kind of feel like it's been ages since I actually looked at myself)

5. Just in case you ever start to take yourself too seriously, just paint another self portrait. That'll humble you.  It's HARD. :) 

6. Your hair looks good. Wild, but good.

7. A portrait, of anyone (including you), is about likeness it's true, but it's even more about expression. And truth. Who is this person really? It's your goal, as a portrait artist, to find that out and paint it.

8. You are now COMPLETELY sympathetic with all those people you have asked, or will ask to model for you. Poor unsuspecting souls.

9. You probably need to paint another one of these, with that strong un-flattering sunlight. Just for fun. You know how much you love sunlight!

10. You can never have too highly developed drawing skills. They are a MUST for a self portrait.

So, I decided that it was finally time I jumped in and tried a painting challenge from the Daily Paintworks site. I'd been thinking about doing a self portrait for a while and figured now was as good a time as any. I think you all should do one too. :):):)

What I'm listening to: A-Punk by Vampire Weekend