Swan Lake?

6 x 6 oil on gessobord

I am not really sure what ballet this is, I'm guessing Swan Lake.  The reference photo was found in an old pile of reference pics I had and I thought I would attempt.  This is more abstract impressionism to me and a style I prefer so that the imagination can supply the details.  I was just attempting the gesture and mood.  

The Back Porch

11 x 14 oil on stretched canvas

As my husband and I were riding around the countryside taking photos (he was indulging me), I spied this old kitchen chair set up on the back porch and turned sideways to view people driving by.  I loved the blue trim on the house and the chair itself.   This looked a lot better about 2 hours ago but I was unable to leave well enough alone and fussed with it a bit too much.   I did learn some things while painting it and also learned not to have a border around your picture because when you photograph it and try to crop, the border gets chopped off unevenly.

DPW Challenge - Blackeyed Susans

 5 x 7 oil on canvas board - SOLD

This is my submission for this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge.  We were to set up outside, 1 to 5 feet from some flowers on the ground and paint them in one session.  This is called en plein air.     Only 3 colors plus white could be used:  Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red Light and Ultramarine Blue and we had to complete it within an hour using only 3 brushes!  I was glad for the hour to be over because it was miserable outside with the humidity this morning.  I have never painted outside before and that's why - can't take the elements!  It was a great challenge though, not enough time to fuss with it too much, which is a good thing.

Yearly Visitor

11 x 14 oil on canvas board

This is one of our regular visitors to the Reservoir.  I took the reference photo a couple of years ago; I haven't seen any lately so I'm not really sure when they show up.  We have sea gulls from time to time, pelicans, many, many Canadian geese, plenty of mallards and various and sundry others.  I love to go out walking and watch them.   When my granddaughter was here last week, we went every day to feed the mallards and the geese.  They like bread and she enjoys feeding them.  I want to paint one of the geese soon.  Years ago I sculpted them out of papier mache and have always thought the Canadian geese were pretty although very messy!!!!

Pink Wedges

5 x 7 oil on canvas panel

Spotted these in a local shoe store and wanted to give them a try.   I'm so glad wedges are back in again, they are so much more comfortable than pumps/heels.   I took several photos of shoes but the pink ones were calling me to paint them.    

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini

 5 x 7 oil on canvas panel

It's been about two weeks since I last painted and it was hard to get back into it.  The Daily Paintworks Challenge this week was to paint a song and I chose this one from my past.   It kept playing in my head as I was painting.  I took the reference photo a few weeks ago on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the subject had a striped bikini on that I modified to yellow with a few polka dots.

Just Doors

8 x 10 oil on canvas panel

Practicing.....I think I really just wanted to torture myself on these door mullions.    The reference photo was taken in Fairhope, AL a couple of weeks ago as doors and entrances are appealing to me  and I thought I would try to do a few.

White VW

6 x 6 oil on ampersand panel - SOLD

My first car was a 1969 navy blue volkswagen.  I have looked everywhere trying to find a photograph of one but so far,  no luck.   I spotted this one at a local repair shop.  It was the owner's who was restoring it.  I probably fiddled with it too much.  I started off loose but alas, I got carried away.  Oh well, this is a learning process anyway.