Monday, January 30, 2012

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! :)))




34 comments:

  1. Crystal-
    I love all of your offerings today! Beautiful cloudscape, and the blizzards look great (love the light). Your son looks like he is on his way with this wonderful work of art!

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  2. Go you with the landscapes, Crystal! It's wonderful - it has a loose, abstract feel to it that is very effective at giving the feel of the sun breaking through the breaking clouds. I always love it when that happens.

    Carrie did a "wow" job with her interpretation, too! Those look tasty but incredibly fattening ;).

    And, I love seeing art by kids; it is so uninhibited and fresh. Tell MC to keep up the good work.

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  3. The dark clouds with the sun breaking through is beautiful and it's hard to believe you don't paint landscapes all of the time. Your MC is quite the artist; it looks like he has been taking lessons from Mom. As for Carrie's work, it's making me think of taking a DQ run later this morning. It's fun trying new things, isn't it?

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  4. I can alomost feel the light hitting me from behind the clouds. Well done Crystal. The best part of this painting is that though you were painting a subject that you usually do not do still your style is written all over it.
    And yes Carrie's work is really smart and really cool. But the best painting that you posted in this post has to be Middle Cook's. I just LOVED it..

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  5. Crystal, your landscape is "hopeful", with those warm colors peeking out from the clouds. And I love your son's Komodo dragon! :)
    I just read Sandra Busby's blog. That was so very kind and thoughtful of you to send the sketch of Codi. You are a wonderful person, Crystal!

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  6. Well done on the landscape painting . . . great clouds! It screams "cold, winter sky." And I love your son's painting. As a former elementary school art teacher, I'm VERY impressed! I love all the textures he achieved with his dynamic brushstrokes. Beautiful job. :)

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  7. I have just seen this on Carries blog - and it reminds me so much of the view before me when I reached the summit of Ben Nevis a couple of years ago. It was spectacular - as is your painting. Such beautiful colours... I would love to see some more!!! :0D

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  8. Lovely artwork!
    But my fav is the Dragon one!!
    :)
    (found u through the blog team)

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  9. The "cloudscape" is lovely. Cant believe its your first!
    I think the young artist featured here has a lot of promise. If he does so well at seven imagine how good he is going to be when he grows up. Sure will keep an eye out for him.

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  10. Lanscape- skyscape is beautiful and dramatic, another subject you have mastered. I wonder where your son gets his talent from hmmm let me think ;)

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  11. Love your painting Crystal!! The sky is amazing and I love the cool colors with just the right mix of warm.

    Your son's work is fantastic!!!! I hope you frame that one! He even managed to get a multitude of greens in there, definitely a professional!!

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  12. cool dragon + mountains ...great challenge crystal ... treat to see a landscape love your dramatic sky

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  13. Aw, your little guy MC looks so into his work. I can tell he is going to be a serious artist one day. Tell him I said his Komodo Dragon looks JUST LIKE one my son used to have when he was a boy.

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  14. MC's painting is awesome. So is yours Mom (but that's a given). How wonderful he chose a form close to your heart. I can feel your pride vibes over here.

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  15. Who said you don't do landscapes?? This is wonderful! It has movement and dynamic intensity - not your run-of-the-mill meadow and sky thing...And your boy's painting impresses me too...great brushwork on his part! The apple doesn't fall far from the tree as they say:-)

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  16. Wow! Great landscape--I can't believe it's your first one. And Carrie and your son's painting are WONDERFUL too!

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  17. Love those dramatic clouds and you are spot on with the lights and darks. Tell MC that his painting is brilliant.

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  18. Oh Crystal, This is stellar! You must feel pretty darn good to have your first landscape be such a knock-out. All that wonderful cloud drama. And yes, light and dark ; ) I look forward to this being the first of many, yes? : ) And please, follow through on your cough syrup idea! As soon as you mentioned it I thought it needed to be done.
    And please tell MC that is painting is spectacular. Truly.

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  19. Its amusing..how both of us decided to deviate to landscapes at the same time :) I am finding them tough because I have not done any real ones so far.Yours is wonderful! And its great to have a budding artist in your family.Must feel great to have passed your genes ( the right ones!)My son hates Art :(

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  20. That boy is definitely a chip off the block! Loved his painting . . .

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  21. He did such a great job! Running true to course :-)
    Girl you have got to paint more landscapes, what a powerful piece, hard to imagine that it's the first you've done. Love your sense of humour though, can just see the light reflected in that amber bottle of cough syrup!

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  22. What a fantastic sight to see while commuting to the schoolhouse. I love mountains scenes so this is a winner in my book. And what an inspiration you are to MC. I have kept a lot of the artwork my kids did and still have it proudly displayed around the house. Great post.

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  23. That sky is absolutely amazing...such a good job.

    Your MC is so lucky to have a such a talented mom to teach him art appretiation and skill!

    Those blizzards almost look real. How does she do that?

    Have a good week! And yes, I still want a B&N get together. I will let you know that next time I come north. :)

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  24. Great paintings from all 3 of you. ;-)

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  25. i'm moving in if this is what you see driving the kids to school!! stunningly painted i might add!

    the battle between light and dark continues! i'm reading a book that basically says dark only exists if we believe it does. so many beliefs, so little time. great post.

    carrie's blizzard is gorgeous. i so look forward to your challenges, it's wonderful to see such gifted artists come together each month! huzzah! and MC has the juice too i see! great painting MC!

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  26. You guys are so talented! I think I might look into painting for my daughter, she loves anything to do with drawing and coloring!

    Really enjoy your blog. I am your newest follower. Please check my blog out and follow me if you like it! Thanks =)

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  27. All of these are just beautiful, and not only is your son handsome but talented as well!!!

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  28. Lovely capture of the clouds!!! colors are trademark Crystal :) And wish you son all the joy of art in his long, wonderful life !!!

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  29. Hats off to you, crystal, I can't believe it's your first landscape! (Want to see what my first landscape looks like?... Well, I can assure you that you don't. :-P)

    I've been in Utah in winter and early spring many times and I think you have captured very vividly the rolling bellowing clouds! I love the effect of sunlight peeking through behind them.

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  30. Have you updated this post? I commented on your landscape but have just come back to have another look and have spotted this masterpiece from the middle Cook! It's so lovely that he enjoys painting too - and his dragon is fantabulous!!

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  31. I'm enjoying looking through your blog, thanks for sharing :-) Tell your boy he's got talent too! Christine from Denmark

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  32. I found your website the other day and after reading a handful of posts, thought I would say thank you for all the great content. Keep it coming! I will try to stop by here more often.
    https://twitter.com/OGradysLand

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Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment they really do mean so much to me! Because not all bloggers have their email enabled so I can reply directly through email I will try to reply here in the comments. If I don't please forgive me, life must have been hectic that day! :)) Huzzah!!

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