Tough Choices - A is for Apple, a new painting challenge

'Tough Choices' 

6 x 6 oil on masonite

Not For Sale

For a while now I've wanted to do a series of paintings based on the alphabet and I thought that now would be a great time to do that since I've kind of felt like I needed a new creative challenge. And can I just say how EXCITED I am about this? I love thinking up new subjects or themes based on a letter. 

Last night I laid out all my photos (yes all of them, because I'm awesome and old school like that) and sorted them into piles of paintings I'd like to do based on letters. This is going to be a fun project. I'm excited. Wait. . . I already said that. 

Anyway, here is the first painting in my alphabet series, A is for Apple. This is a painting of my youngest son when he was about two. He simply could not decide on which apple to eat, so he compromised by taking a bite out of all three of them and then leaving them there with little mice sized bites taken out of each one, thus interrupting my still life set up. The cute little stinker. 

Enchanted Golden

'Enchanted Golden'

5 x 7 watercolor on paper

click here to purchase

Magic.
Sandra’s seen a leprechaun,
Eddie touched a troll,
Laurie danced with witches once,
Charlie found some goblins gold.
Donald heard a mermaid sing,
Susy spied an elf,
But all the magic I have known
I've had to make myself.
― Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends

Fess Up Friday: For a very long time, probably since I was a little thing, I've wanted to create gorgeous fantasy worlds with my art (and words, truth be told), rich with details and never before seen magic. 

I just reminded myself of this the other day while browsing through Barnes and Noble at all the fantasy art books. So here is a baby step of mine towards that goal. A magic Golden doggie. :) The painting I did a few weeks ago of a little girl with fairy wings was another step towards that. 

In other news school is officially out!! Boo yah!! And Huzzah!! 

I'm looking forward to lazy summer days spent with my boys and nieces and nephew. I want to slow down this summer, paint more pieces that tap into this inner child that is clamoring to be set free, read fairy tales on a blanket in the shade, and just enjoy these days when my boys are all around me. It's going to be a good summer. 

 Field day at school with my middle boy and his good friend. :)

 Field day with my oldest (how did he grow up SO much?? He's 11 but looks 16 here!)

My sweet littlest Cook. We took a day and just played, savoring these last free days just the two of us before he starts kindergarten in the fall. *sniff sniff* 

What do you guys have planned? 

Prisms and a pep talk

'Prisms' 

5 x 7 inches oil on masonite

$65 plus $7 US shipping, or $15 International

Revisiting my favorite glass bottles again, this time in oils. The bottle on the left is clear glass but for some reason I saw lots of purple and warm reds in the glass. I don't know what it could be reflecting, unless maybe I was wearing a pink shirt again, which is actually very likely. :) 

In other news, my son came home from school the other day dying to show me this youtube video he had seen in school. So we watched it. And watched it again. And again. It is SO awesome and inspiring. So here I am sharing it with you in case you need some motivation on a Thursday (because really Monday's aren't the only days we need it right?). 

Enjoy, a pep talk from Kid President. Huzzah!! :)

What Lies Ahead

'What Lies Ahead' 

10 x 14 inches

watercolor on paper

$300 plus $10 US shipping, or $20 International

Lately I am fascinated with the back view of a person. I like the mystery and the unknown of what they're doing and thinking. And I am in love with back lighting. My favorite kind of lighting I think. 

I wanted there to be that unknown quality with this painting, so I made the forest background more suggested than detailed (also because I don't like painting detailed backgrounds :). There was a point when I was working on this painting where I felt like I was never, ever, ever going to be finished painting that dress. It took many, many layers.

So even though midway through I felt like pulling my hair out, in the end once it was done I felt more like doing this:

Because it turned out exactly like I pictured it in my head.  Which pretty much never happens. So I'd call that a success right? ;)

Until tomorrow friends! Huzzah!!

Reference photo by Jessica of Faestock on DeviantART, thank you! 

Classic Beauty SOLD

'Classic Beauty'  SOLD

6 x 6 inch oil on panel

Another black and white oil study. I thought this woman had such a classic beauty and grace. I've sketched her before so I thought it was about time she made it into a painting. :)

Thank you so very much to all of you for your comments about yesterdays post. I'm a little embarrassed that I spilled everything that had been on my mind, that's what happens when it's three in the afternoon and there's no chocolate in the house. So thank you, for reaching out to me, and offering me your thoughts. It meant a lot to me.  Just knowing you guys are there, means so much. Thanks. :)

Still feeling a little unsure of what direction I should go in concerning my art work. Right now I just finished up a commission, so I'm keeping my eyes and heart open to whatever speaks to me to know what to paint next. It would be great if I got a huge big sign that said "PAINT ME!!" in big neon letters right? Life hardly ever works that way though doesn't it? I guess that's something we need to learn, to decide what to do even when the choices aren't clear.

How's that for a vague blog post huh? Looks like it's three in the afternoon and we're out of chocolate again. . .  Nope, fraid not. It's only 11:34 in the morning, but still somehow we're out of chocolate. Grrrrrrr. . .

I think this calls for a battle cry, and some positive thinking, along with a trip to Target for some chocolates! Onward and Huzzah!!!

This is painting. . . . I actually have no idea. :) Oops.  Somewhere around 16? in the 30 paintings for 30 days challenge.

Reference photo by la farfalla, thank you!

Little Wise One SOLD

'Little Wise One'  SOLD

ACEO size 2.5 x 3.5 in. watercolor on paper

This little owl was very fun to paint. Owls are always fun to paint though. :) At least in my opinion. The colors are not as true in the photo below as the top one, it's just a way to show you the size of the painting. This is painting 9/30 in the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. 

In other news, today is a SNOW DAY!! In Utah of all places. I mean, it's not like we're not prepared for snow, so that must tell you that the storm we had last night was a doozy. I swear we got about twelve inches.  When the kids came up to get ready to go to school and I told them that it was cancelled because of the snow you should have heard them shout 'YESSSS!!!' There was general fist pumping and merry making. Twas awesome. 

Here's our Giant Schnauzer, Heart, enjoying the snow this morning. See how deep it is? And she's not exactly a teacup poodle. Crazy. 

 That dog loves snow. She eats it like she would eat bacon. Silly girl. :)

I'm off to enjoy a blissful day of no school with my boys! Which means I'm going to have to throw down in a Mario Kart match with them. Huzzah!!

Listening to: Radioactive by Imagine Dragons
Reading: The Secret of Ella and Micha
Snacking on: spearmint gum
Watching: Pretty Little Liars ( I KNOW, what can I say? I love teenage angst)

Frosty

'Frosty'

5" x 7" watercolor on paper

$100 plus $7 US shipping or $15 International

This painting is from a photo I took at that book launch I talked about in a previous post ("Wind Chill"), the one where I got pelted with marshmallows remember? I sure do. ;)

The light was so gorgeous that evening that I tried to take as many photos as possible, but everyone was moving around so much (to avoid death by marshmallow I presume) that I didn't get a whole lot. But I did get this one. And I love the light in this one, that rim around her hair? *le sigh* Makes me so happy!

The background, made up of those magical wet into wet washes (along with a little dry brushing) really caught the look of frost in the air I think. And I feel like I can't take credit for that because it was mostly the watercolor doing all the work for me. :) I was just a conductor, coaxing it ever so gently into the right place.

This is painting 2/30 for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. Onward to number 3! Huzzah!!

I'm Not Tired, and I'm Thankful for You

'I'm Not Tired'

6" x 6" oil on panel

click here to bid

Reference photo by Christopher Woo, thank you!

 

You know how right before bed time your kids profess, so ardently, that they're not tired? Yeah. That's the look this dog is giving me. 'But, but, but. . . I'm not tired!!' This dog is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Quite a name, but an absolutely gorgeous dog! My son and I are headed to a dog show this weekend and I plan to get lots more canine mug shots. So far they're my favorite thing to paint with oils. Fur with thick brushstrokes is fun. :)

 

And I just want to tell all of you who read this blog, whether every single post, or just when you have nothing better to do, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much. For your support, friendship, kindness, understanding, cheerleading, and yes thank you for buying my paintings too. :) Your feedback, and just knowing you are there motivates me and fuels what I do so much. And I can never thank you enough for that. So. . . thanks. You're all rock stars in my opinion.

 

I'll see everybody next week! Happy Thanksgiving my American friends! My husband has agreed to make my very favorite dessert, creme brulee, so I'll likely need to run about a hundred miles since I plan to eat my weight in the glorious stuff. Heh heh. :)

 

Huzzah for feasting, pilgrims, and gratitude, and not knowing how to spell gratitude but taking a wild guess anyway! Huzzah!

 

Hugs,

Crystal

Keen Sight

'Keen Sight'

6" x 6" oil on panel

click here to purchase

Reference photo by Geoffrey Fairchild

I always think that when my dog looks at me, like staring and studying me, sometimes without blinking, that she sees exactly who I am. . . And she's okay with that. And that is very comforting. :) This isn't my dog, but there's a very keen perception in her gaze that makes me wonder just how intelligent dogs are you know?

Probably more than me. :)

I've been dying to try oil painting again and yesterday I decided why the heck not? So I did, and it was so much fun!! More fun than I've had painting in a long time. Sometimes to keep creatively fired up I just need to let go and do something fun, that I want to do. Even if it is an abysmal failure.

But this time it wasn't. (How bout a Huzzah for that eh?) I really like how this painting turned out. I want to do more of these small close-ups of dogs and other animals, and people too, in oil right away. I'm very excited to do another one, I can't wait to get back to painting, and I just realized today that I had kind of been dreading it for the last few weeks. Not good.

I'm still in the smitten stage with oil paints right now. It's still new, so I don't know all their bad habits yet, like chewing gum with their mouth open and what not. ;)

In other news, I have officially commissioned my very first painting. By this young artist below. 

I asked my son to paint me a large canvas for our family room and here he is hard at work. He was so excited that I asked him. Of all my kids he's the one who LOVES art as much as I do. And that is very cool.

Later my friends!

Gentleness - sold

'Gentleness'

6" x 6" oil on panel

sold

Last week I received the most amazing gift in the mail from my dear friend Sandra Busby. I had talked of wanting to try oil paints and she had some water-soluble ones that she didn't want to use any more so she sent them to me. Isn't that sooo kind and generous?! I was thrilled when they arrived and couldn't wait to try them.

Monday mornings are usually busy, I end up having some paintings to pack and ship, and the resultant chaos from having my family home all weekend to clean up, but this morning I really needed to paint. So when my kids were busy cleaning their rooms I set up at the kitchen counter and painted away! It's kind of nice to have the kids big enough to clean up their own messes now. ;)

This is the first time I have ever painted with oils and although at times they were a little frustrating (just because I wasn't used to how they behave. . . like that they didn't dry super fast like acrylics) I really, really enjoyed them. :) I do think that I need to find a good medium to use with water soluble oils but I'm not sure which one. Does anyone have some good recommendations for me?

I can't wait to paint with them again! :)

Huzzah!

Miles

'Miles'

11" x 18" watercolor - sold

private commission

I started this painting thinking that it would be a complete breeze. First of all because the little boy is darling, and secondly because the lighting was right in the photo reference, his features were clear with a great sparkle in his eye. And, and, it was a only a close up of the little boy's face.

Easy peasy I told myself.

Well. . . I was wrong. It was not easy and I spent most of the week agonizing over the proper colors to glaze on top of each other and if I had the shape of his lips right. The mouth is always the hardest part for me.

But, now that it's over and I'm standing back looking at it, I really like. It turned out well, and most importantly my client already told me that she loves it.

What else can I ask for? A challenge to tackle, the feeling of success of pushing on and not quitting, and a happy client.

Not a thing, that's what.

Now I think I shall go have a cupcake to celebrate. No, no I better have two, I will eat one in your honor and pretend that you are here to celebrate with me. :)

Huzzah!!

Lashes Sketchbook Saturday and some Huzzahs

I started this little sketch in the car (I swear I do my best sketching there, it's almost like I can't sketch anywhere else!) yesterday, trying to be quick and expressive. I never erase these sketches in my sketchbook either, what you see is exactly what I lay down the first time I touch pencil to paper, which perhaps explains why they aren't exactly perfect, but I like that.

By the time I had to stop drawing in the car I had finished her face and just barely laid in a few strokes to suggest her hair.I should have left it as it was. I came home and filled in the rest of her hair and I wished I hadn't. I really think it would have been better to just keep my initial impression of her instead of filling in every last detail.

A good lesson to learn to translate to my paintings I think. Stick with my initial impressions! Don't go back in and over work! Something I say over and over again when I teach workshops. Ah well, lesson learned. :)

Happy Saturday all! :)

Huzzah!

Had a question from LW Roth who asked me what I mean by shouting Huzzah all the time, I wrote a blog post about it some time ago, but here in a nutshell is what it means:

 

Huzzah

huz·zah also huz·za (h-zä)

interj. n.

Used to express joy, encouragement, or triumph.

1. A shout of "huzzah."

2. A cheer.

 

There you have it, and so I leave you with yet another. . .  Huzzah!! :)

 

 

Aqueous SOLD

'Aqueous' SOLD

6" x 6" watercolor on watercolor board

A painting of what I paint with. Except my water container is never that clear, and it's not a pretty glass mug either, but you get the idea. :) I thought it would be fun to do a painting of my watercolor set up.

I can't help but think, when I see that plain old mug of water, that watercolor really is magical. I know I've said it before, but come on people! What other medium gets the same results of brilliant colors and life with the most humble of supplies?

Probably the most magical of any art medium, at least in my opinion (no offense oil, acrylic, pastel painters! I love your work too!). Brush, water, paper, and color. Those four simple things make some pretty amazing magic in an artist's hand.

This was a fun painting to do and I really, really like how it turned out. But holy rusted metal Batman those tiny details in the glass were beginning to make my eyes cross! I think I'll stick to a face for my next painting. :)

Huzzah!

Always Striving - sold

'Always Striving' - Lauralee

6" x 6" watercolor - sold

When I first started painting portraits a lot of my painting time was spent thinking. What colors to use, how much water should be on the paper and on my brush, what shape did I see, etc. etc.

It was exhausting. Painting then wasn't really a stress reliever, but a stress inducer. Now painting a portrait is very stress relieving, because I don't have to think as much. I've painted faces so many times that it seems almost instinctual for me. Sometimes I think that if I closed my eyes my hand would still know where to place my brush.

Or maybe it's just that I've stopped noticing how hard I'm actually thinking while I'm painting. I've grown accustomed to it, it's just part of the process. 

Maybe it's like learning to drive a car that way. In the beginning all you can think about is all the rules you need to follow and all the steps it takes to actually make the car go: turn key in ignition, check rear view mirror, put car in reverse, don't hit the car behind you, check rear view mirror, place hands at ten and two on the steering wheel, step on the gas just a little, check rear view mirror, don't hit the car behind you, step on the gas, DON'T HIT THE CAR BEHIND YOU, etc. etc.

Stress inducing right? 

Once you learn how to drive it's actually kind of pleasant to go for a ride in the car, driving around the borders of glassy lakes and fields of green grass full of fat and glossy animals. You are so used to following the rules that you've stopped having to think about it so much and you can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

But sometimes we feel so safe in our routines that we stop reaching, striving, growing. We're comfortable where we're at and trying something new, learning a new set of rules to follow, sounds about as fun as a double root canal with no anesthetic.

But still. . . that feeling of stepping outside of what's comfortable is exactly what we need sometimes. Striving for new levels of growth is the only thing that will compel us to create our finest work.

 It's in us, just waiting to be let out, but we won't be alert to what it is, won't be able to hear its whisper if we've stopped worrying about hitting the car behind us.

Huzzah!!

Felt like it was about time for another Motivational Monday post, albeit on a Thursday. :)

Penumbra

'Penumbra'

6" x 6" watercolor
$100 plus $7 shipping

I love shadows. I love the contrast between the darkest darks and lightest lights. It's why I so often paint a face in full sunlight, letting the light side be practically overexposed.

 I like leaving some of that information blank, because so much of what makes a face look like a face when in sunlight is what's revealed in the shadows.

And of course colors in skin tones are quite simply bea-U-ti-ful in shadowed areas.

One of my favorite things to do is to paint a simple face, with a simple pattern of lights and darks, with some basic, simple primary colors.

I'm kind of a simple girl I guess. :)))

Huzzah my peeps!

Martha

'Martha' SOLD

6" x 6" watercolor

Yesterday while I was painting this sweet girl I had the thought that I was doing something that was just right for me. Painting faces. It felt so natural to smooth my brush down the contours of her face and catch the highlights in her eyes.  

For all that I love to try new subjects and new mediums I will always come back to my watercolors and an expressive face.

They feel like home to me. :)

Huzzah. :)

Acceptance SOLD

Acceptance

6" x 6" watercolor

click here to buy now SOLD

$100 plus $6 US shipping $15 international

What initially caught my attention with this woman was the beautiful patterns of light and shadows created by that knock-your-socks-off sunlight filtering through her gauzy head covering (for lack of a better word ;).

And those alternating warm and cool colors of her skin tones were unbelievable. I'm a sucker for any excuse to charge some blue into cool skin tones.

Then, when I saw her eyes I was captivated by her peaceful gaze. She has a look of complete acceptance on her face that I have seen on very few people. Like she would never judge anyone harshly, no matter who they were or even what they did. Her expression is full of peace, love, and understanding. It reminds me of my mom, and home, and just looking at this woman makes me feel safe.

Photo reference used with permission by Steve Evans.

Until Thursday my friends. Huzzah!!! :D

P.S. My back is feeling much better, thank you so much to all of you for the well wishes and good thoughts you sent my way!

Enkindle - SOLD

Enkindle

6" x 6" watercolor

 SOLD

photo reference by Chris Willis (tibchris on flicker)

I've been on the lookout this year for new faces to paint. I've had sessions with two fantastic models (and by models I mean daring friends who graciously agreed to undergo the torture of posing for me. Thanks guys!), I went to a live figure drawing session with a real life ballerina (awesomeness!), AND I have gathered up a serious bunch of courage, intestinal fortitude, what have you, and have started asking people I randomly meet on the street if they'd be interested in modeling for me.

As surprising as it may seem, this last tactic has so far proven highly ineffective. Of course this may have something to do with the fact that I am all babbling awkwardness when I approach them and say something like, "Hey, you have a very paintable face, wanna pose for me?" to which they politely say "HECK no crazy lady!" while internally they are running away screaming.

True story.

I've also been searching through photos online that allow artist's to use them for paintings. And that's how I found this beautiful girl.

She reminded me of a character from one of my all time favorite books (I happen to have a lot of those), she has lovely, expressive features, and a mysterious kind of look that makes me wonder what has captured her attention. Doesn't it make you wonder too? 

And here's a pic of one of my figure drawings. We worked in short sessions (I had to leave before they did a long one), this drawing was around ten to fifteen  minutes. I'm not exactly sure since I spent the first ten minutes procrastinating out of fear looking at the model and figuring out the best way to get started. It's been a loooooong time since I've drawn the figure from life, except for those rare occassions when I've convinced my husband and kids to hold still for me for two minutes. Which is really not the same. :)

ballerina study

charcoal on newsprint

See you next week everybody! Huzzah!!

Of things with wheels, little dogs, and green slime

'Keep Up' SOLD

6" x 9" watercolor

I sometimes think that I am more like the little dog in this painting than the woman. Trying my best to keep up with my ears flapping in the wind. Well. . . maybe not the ears flapping, but you get it right?

I've been sitting here staring at the computer for nearly an hour (in between packing lunches and kissing loved ones goodbye for the day) trying to come up with something clever, motivational, or funny to write about and I just. . . got nothing.

This could be because of all the angst I felt yesterday while painting. I kept going back and forth between loving the painting I was working on and hating it. I even hid it in the closet at one point.

Oh yes, I really did.

It made me think of the Wizard Howl, from Howl's Moving Castle, who has a complete meltdown and turns himself into green slime when Sophie rearranges his potion bottles in his bathroom causing him to accidentally change his hair color.

Green Slime. That's me when I feel like the painting I'm currently working on is not working.

Having spent all my life being an artist I have yet to figure out how to not be overcome with feelings of "I am the worst artist who has ever lived. Period. The End." (or as I shall call all such times henceforth: Green Slime) whenever I paint something that is less than what I think it should be.

Even though, now, in the light of day, I know that one bad painting does not a bad artist make.

But today is a new day, a new chance to paint something extraordinary, and slam the door on any and all Green Slime-like feelings.

Huzzah!! 

Until Thursday friends. :)

In Which I Paint a Landscape For the First Time - SOLD

'The Storm Breaks'

6" x 6" watercolor

SOLD

This month's theme for the Cook-Waller challenge was winter.  I chose the theme this time and can I just say how hard it was for me to finally pin down what I wanted to paint??

I had all these ideas from pink bottles of children's cough syrup and asthma medicine (a constant in my house in the winter for my youngest son) to kids building snowmen, and finally settled on this landscape (cloudscape?). I was driving my boys to school last week and watched these big dark clouds get broken apart by the sun rising over the mountains and it was SO pretty.

It had a very optimistic feeling too I think. The light was stronger than the dark and was smackin' it upside the head. Take that darkness!! Hi-yaaah!

Seriously though, I love images and themes that have to do with light overcoming dark. It makes me feel hope. Because I think that all of us, whether we're aware of it or not, are fighting our own internal battle of light vs. dark.

And I have pictures of another artist's work that I simply have to share. Here's a shot of the artist at work:

My middle child (who's seven)  painting a project for his first grade class about Komodo Dragons. He worked so hard and was so proud of himself. He had the choice of how he wanted to represent his animal from dioramas to sculptures, and everything in between, and he chose painting.

Can you tell how proud I am? :)))

And here's the finished painting:

Komodo Dragon by MC (middle child) Cook 

acrylic on canvas panel 11" x 14"

Hope you all had a great weekend! See you guys on Thursday. Huzzah! :)))