30 paintings in 30 days!

'Rhino's Spot'

Click here to purchase

It has been quite a while since I've done a single painting in a single day for lots of days in a row. I've been so preoccupied with painting the dailies that I have neglected blogging or uploading them (although I am uploading them every night to my Instagram and Facebook, simply because it's so much faster and I'm usually soooo tired by the time I finish painting them at midnight haha)!

It has been incredibly FUN to have a new painting to complete every day. Sometimes I can get caught up in a big painting for MONTHS at a time. Which can result in really cool and impactful work, but can also be stressful. Incredibly stressful. I am enjoying the heck out of this challenge and approach each day with an excitement for painting that I haven't felt in years!

I've decided to paint all of them in oil, simply because it's faster for me and time is very, very short. I am learning a lot each day with each new painting. And it has been a great time of growth for me artistically. I'll try and share one thing I've learned each day. As often as I remember haha.

I'm very behind in blogging about these so I'm just going to start with my favorite one so far, not the first one. This sweet pup (Rhino) belongs to the family that owns the gym I go to. They bring him to the gym with them every morning and he is a huge hit with the gym family. Yesterday he was in just the PERFECT spot of sun and held still long enough for me to get some pics with my phone. We call him the gym mascot and he is the biggest sweetheart of a dog you'll ever meet.

With this painting I realized the importance of painting in your brightest colors first and then working around them. This resulted in the glowing ear, with no mud from mixing white or greys near it! Worked like a charm. I know I've learned this lesson before, but seems like I'm relearning a lot of things this month.

Listening to: Higher Health Radio

Watching: BBC's Sherlock (for the 15th time)

Reading: Love and Gelato

Drinking: Diet Dr. Pepper

Snacking on: Caramel flavored rice cakes

Bitten by the Painting Bug

'Frenchie'

6 x 6 oil on gessobord

click here to purchase

I miss painting.

I miss blogging.

Lately all I've wanted is to just paint my heart out. But time has not been my friend lately. 2017 is the year I change that.

How are you all? Does anyone still blog? Leave me a comment if you do and I'll come visit you too!

Fast and Furious - C is for Corgi

'Fast and Furious' 

5 x 7 inches watercolor on paper

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

When Brodie and I went on our honeymoon we stayed at a little bed and breakfast. It was in Park City, so of course the surroundings were gorgeous, and this little place was kind of an undiscovered find. Not very many people stayed there. It was very quiet and homey. The owner had a little Welsh Corgi that strolled around the B & B greeting the guests and hoping to snag somebody's unprotected bacon. Ever since then I have LOVED these little dogs. 

So naturally. C is for Corgi today. :) 

I also wanted to paint a corgi today because of some fun little lore I just found out about them. Some folk legends say that Corgi's where once very mischievous fairies who were turned into a little dog as a punishment. Other legends say that they were actually the mounts for small fairies. With bridles and saddles and everything. That's what the 'saddle' fur patch on their back is supposedly for. I may comeback to this corgi one day and draw him with a fairy rider on his back. :) Because that would be awesome. 

Reference photo by Blissfully - Blind on deviantART. 

Mood: Hopeful

Reading: Creative Thursdays (which I highly recommend) 

Listening to: You Me & Apollo 

Watching: White Collar

Drinking: chocolate milk

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? 

Understudy - Italian Greyhound SOLD

'Understudy' 

5 x 7 inches oil on masonite SOLD

I started painting this beautiful girl because of that dramatic lighting and that beautiful soul shining in her eyes. And then when I finished it I stood back and thought she would have made a great understudy for the girl in Vermeer's painting, Girl with a Pearl Earring. All she needed was a little blue towel wrapped around her cute head. I was tempted to go back in and give her an earring after I noticed that. Oh so tempted. Reference photo, with thanks, by Just Chaos.

In other news. . . 

My super fantastic sister got me the Most Awesome Shirt ever! Suits me don't you think? Pink, check. Cupcake eating reference, check. Nailed it!

Listening to: The National, A Terrible Love
Reading: The Great Gatsby
Watching: The Vampire Diaries
Snacking on: homemade white chocolate and dried cranberry cookies  (the sugar ban is a thing of the past. Moderation people. That's the name of the game now. I eat healthy stuff too. Most of the time. )

Haven - SOLD

'Haven'  SOLD

5 x 7 inches oil on masonite panel

For a while now I've been wanting to paint a series of girls and horses. A reflection on my childhood and teen years I guess. And somehow when I was searching for photos of girls and horses I found this one of a girl cradling her dog (Italian Greyhound I think). They both looked so completely content. So safe and secure. Although the title could refer to the dog wrapped in the girls loving arms, I think it also applies to the girl finding a haven with her dog. At least, that's how animals have always been to me.  A refuge and a safe haven from the world.

In other news this weekend was cold and grey, but our family got to spend all of it together! We went to the park so the kids could drive their RC cars, but we also ended up doing some exploring. Littlest Cook started making his own little rock collection after finding a small abandoned gravel pit, and all three kids came home with pockets full of rocks. We saw a herd of newborn calves and momma cows (including a darling pure white calf which I will be painting), and a ginormous beetle (which I may be painting as well).

It was such a great weekend, I was sad to see it come to an end, but happy for the memories we made. Until tomorrow my friends. :)

Cold Nose, Warm Heart SOLD

'Cold Nose, Warm Heart'  SOLD

6 x 6 inches oil on masonite

I've been going through a lot of old art magazines lately trying to decide if I want to cut them up and put the paintings that inspire me in a  journal, or leave them as is. I've found SO many amazing articles that I never noticed before. I've found a painting demo by Richard Schmid and Scott Burdick (two of my favorite oil painters), an article about why an artist would want to paint in more than one medium (can I get a Huzzah for that?), and an article about painting with passion by Alvaro Castagnet, who always brings out my inner fangirl. 

So I've decided to not cut them up for now. Reading through them was one of the main reasons why I wanted to do an oil painting again. I keep telling myself that I *should* just stick with watercolors, because that's what I know, but I just can't. I was feeling really sorry for myself yesterday about some recent painting fails (watercolors no less) and at ten o'clock last night felt this strong desire to try and put some of what I'd learned from the masters about oil painting in the art magazines into practice.Which lead to 'Cold Nose, Warm Heart.'

And now I feel happy about my art again. Isn't it funny how much our moods can reflect how we're feeling about our art? Or am I the only crazy one like that? :)

Reference photo by sskennel, thank you! 

Tasty

'Tasty' 

5 x 7 inch watercolor on paper

$65 plus $8 US shipping, or $20 International 

I can't ever get my own dogs to model for me. The minute I get down to take a photo of them is the minute they think I've just invited them to climb into my lap. This is my niece's dog, a cute Chihuahua named Chica. She is a great little model because she's always watching my niece, not me. :) I caught her mid slurp a few summer's ago and have been wanting to paint it ever since. 

In other news, my blog post I wrote at the end of last month about what I've learned from 30 paintings in 30 days is now included in this free Art Byte at Daily Paintworks that is all about artist's blocks and how to get past them. Carol Marine, Liz Wiltzen, Brenda Ferguson, and Cathleen Rehfield also wrote about it. You can check it out right here: Collective Insight on Blocks. It is full of awesomeness. 

And last of all my computer is giving me fits again so I've not been able to comment or respond to comments hardly at all. :( I still love you guys and will be around when I can. Hope you all are having a fantastic day! 

And now I shall leave you with this most geeky photo of me posing for my article about artist blocks: 

Until tomorrow! Huzzah for computer's getting fixed speedily and for friendly artist's helping each other!!

No Concept of Personal Space

'No Concept of Personal Space'

6" x 6" oil on masonite panel

$65 plus $7 US shipping, or $20 International

Anyone else have a dog like this? Up in your face all the time, with their nose touching yours? Climb in your lap all the time (or try to)? Yeah. Me too. But when your dog is the size of a small pony (ahem, Giant Schnauzer anyone?), unlike this darling little Pomeranian, the concept of personal space becomes a bit more of an issue. :) 

I really wanted to paint this image of this little dog with his big eyes and huge nose, but I was worried that it might be too hard because of the foreshortening and camera distortion from the photo. But when has that ever stopped me before huh?

Nevah!! Never I say. What is the fun of being an artist if you don't push your limits every once in a while?

And I think this little pom turned out pretty dang cute. :) 

Huzzah!! 

Tomorrow I'll be posting about what I've learned in the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. This is me warning you to prepare thyself as it might be a long post. :)

Reference photo by The Classy Kat, thank you!

A Good Dog - SOLD

"A Good Dog"  SOLD

5" x 7" watercolor on paper

“All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed.
For after all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog.”
― Charles M. Schulz

When my son and I went to a dog show last spring we saw this older Boxer boy. He was competing in agility and he was so. completely. AWESOME. Not at agility (although he was pretty good at that too) but just who he was. He stayed right by his owner's (who was an older gentleman himself) side without a leash, keeping his eyes trained on his face. It was devotion I tell you.

But the best part about this dog? When my son asked his owner if he could pet him, this dog (who in my mind is named 'Brutas') reached up and licked my son's chin, then gently, SO gently, placed his paws on my son's shoulders so they were face to face. 

I'm pretty sure my son wanted to kidnap him and bring him home with us. Who am I kidding? I did too!! :) 

And now I shall leave you with one of my favorite dog pictures I found on pinterest. Just for funsies. 

 

Dawww. :) 

This is painting 3/30 in the 30 paintings for 30 days challenge. Huzzah!

Around the Corner

'Around the Corner'

5" x 7" watercolor on aquaboard (will not require framing behind glass)

$65 plus $7 shipping



Earlier this year me and my son (who's crazy about dogs) went to a dog show. His favorite part was the agility course and my favorite part was the cute fluffy dogs! I found this one spot behind the scenes where I could take photos without being noticed (or being in the way) and that's where I saw this lovely Golden Retriever girl.

She was getting all gussied up to go into the ring but she kept her gentle eyes on me the whole time I was there. And I wasn't exactly close to her either! I was using my long lens so I was pretty far away, but still she watched me. I wonder what she was thinking.

In other news, last Friday was my oldest son's birthday, he turned eleven years old. Happy Elevensies my sweet boy!

Birthday hugs :)

His requested birthday pie (apple of course), that's a lot of candles! I didn't keep track I just stuck a bunch on there to light that baby up! :)

We're full on in Christmas preparation mode around here. Brodie went out and bought some small trees for each of the boy's bedrooms and tonight Grandma is coming over to help decorate. So naturally I had to make a delicious and sugary treat to go along with the festivities. :)

I'd share but. . . well it's kind of hard to do that through a computer screen. But trust me it's delicious!! Have a great week all.