Happy Father's Day

8 x 10 oil on canvas board

Thinking about my Dad today.  He died on New Year's Eve in 2000 and I still miss him.    I painted this picture of him 34 years ago and I shudder when I look at the colors I used in this and how I tried to make it so smooth,  but it does look like him or how I remember him.  Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there.  

Reservoir at Sunset

 8 x 10 oil on canvas panel

This is a scene I see almost everyday as it's just a block from my house.  I love to see the sun set over the reservoir.  Some days the colors are spectacular!   I'm not much of a landscape painter as it is very difficult for me to edit all the things my eye beholds so I end up laboring over every little detail.   This one was starting to get a little muddy so I decided to quit.   I just like the mood of it.

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.

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.  

Delft Home on Canal

8 x 10 oil on canvas board

During our visit to the Netherlands in 2009, I took the reference photo for this in Delft, a quaint and picturesque town.   I loved the old architecture and the way people could make beautiful gardens out of such small patches of space.  

Waiting to Show

8" x 10" oil on canvas board

This was a horse that was showing at the Dixie National Rodeo a couple of years ago.    I don't even know what kind of horse it is but thought he was pretty.   I'm still working with the palette knife but just on the background - didn't have the courage to tackle the entire horse.  I painted on top of a black ground and started to leave the background black but it looked like a painting on velvet that way so I decided to add the yellow background. 

Afternoon Break

8" x 10" oil on canvas panel

While shopping before Christmas at a bookstore where my niece is employed, I spotted another employee reading on her break.    I asked if I could photograph her and she graciously allowed me to take several shots.  I loved the way the light was coming through the door and falling on her hair and shoulders.  I'm afraid I didn't do her great looking turquoise bag justice; I loved it but I was really trying to play up the figure and not the bag.

Modified Abe

8 x 10 oil on canvas board

A few weeks ago for the daily paintworks challenge, we were supposed to paint Abraham Lincoln from an old black and white photo.  We could either paint him in color (make it up) or we could use a 3 color palette of only burnt umber, ultramarine blue and white.  After submitting, I modified mine a bit and added the red tie - it needed a little color!!!!  I didn't place him so well on the canvas, I wish more of his hair showed.   That's why I like these daily exercises, you learn something each time.   We have been busy today setting up for the show at St. Richard, lots of artists there working in many different mediums - glass, pottery, photography, painting, custom clocks, you name it!