State Fair Pool

5 x 7 oil on canvas board

Every fall we have a state fair in Jackson and there are usually  3 or 4 pool tables set up along the midway.  This guy was so serious about his game that he didn't notice me taking his photo.  I much prefer the candid shots over the ones where they notice you and either pose or contrive to look as if they aren't paying attention.  The foreshortening of the arm gave me fits but I'm ok with this one.   

The Old Mill Challenge

6 x 6 oil on canvas board

This is my submission for this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge.   We were given a photograph of a mill scene and we could crop, edit, etc. however we wanted.   Lots of cropping and editing on this one. I think that's why landscapes are so tough for me - too much information hitting me at one time and trying to figure out what to cut!  

Tough Times

9 x 12 oil on canvas board

Since I have been out of town for most of this week, I haven't had a chance to paint so I am posting another painting I did last year.  I saw this man when we exited the interstate and pulled into a convenience store.  He was sitting on the curb with his mat and duffle bag and had a blank look on his face.   The reference photo was taken a few years ago during the height of the recession and he appeared to be homeless - so sad.   The cropping on the photo isn't very good, there is actually more of his foot and duffle bag in the painting and the painting is not so fuzzy as this.   As you can see I still hadn't figured out how to remove the date stamp on my camera either.  I'm a slow learn!!!!

Stage Fright

9 x 12 oil on canvas board

Since I haven't painted in several days and won't have the opportunity for the rest of this week, I thought I would post an older painting I did from some dance recital pictures I took in Atlanta.  We had gone there for my granddaughter's recital and the expression on this dancer's face caught my attention.  She looks like "why am I here?"  "I want to go home".  

Shoe Tree

 8 x 10 oil on canvas board

This is my feeble attempt at this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge.  I couldn't get inspired and my photo had no contrast because I used artificial light and natural light.   This is me holding a stack of shoe boxes.   We were supposed to paint something "balanced" and I just didn't see anything that really motivated me that was stacked or balanced.  

Hand Study

 6 x 6 oil on canvas panel

I realize that there is not a big market for paintings of a hand however hands are a HUGE challenge for me so I thought I needed to work on one (I was overwhelmed by the thought of painting two).   I asked my patient husband (Blitz) to model for me one night when he was enjoying a glass of wine.   This was a difficult study for me because they are so hard to do - keeping the fingers from looking like little fat sausages.  Hands and fingers have so many joints and bones and it's tough to make them believable looking - but here is my attempt.

Imperial Revisited

6 x 6 oil on canvas panel - SOLD

This is another version of the first Daily Paintworks Challenge.  I sold the original painting in a recent art show and another person wanted it so I re-painted one for her.  I actually like this one better.  I approach each painting differently and I couldn't even remember the colors I used on the first one, so I feel like this is an entirely different painting although it's the same subject.

Home Again

6 x 6 oil on canvas panel

Hot, hot day again in Ridgeland, MS - 100!  This is a scene from the front entrance to our subdivision.   Right now it's lush and green but if this heat hangs on I'm afraid everything will start turning brown.  I have been studying other painters I admire and am attempting to pile on more paint, very difficult for me though!  I love palette knife work but so far it just seems awkward when  I try it.

Courtyard View

5 x 7 oil on canvas panel

This is my entry for this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge.  We were to paint a view from one of our windows and submit.  This was painted while I had painters here this week.  They had rearranged all of the furniture and plants and I just took the reference photo with their arrangement.  

Mother's Chair

6 x 6 oil on ampersand panel - SOLD

Another chair!  It has been miserably hot in Mississippi the last week, 100 today!  I haven't even wanted to paint,  it's  hard to come up with any energy when it is so hot and humid!