Picking up Chicks

 

The antics of chickens are so much fun to paint!  I paid for premium pullets, but 3 months later, Mable started to cockle-doodle-doo!  So,  ABLE is now an adolescent, and beginning to bother ALL of the chickens.  The older girls aren't having it, but the young ones think he hung the moon.  So far, he's mainly been a gentleman, and I'm hoping for the very best.  He's been handled and cuddled since birth, and he must remain gentle with everyone, or get his own bachelor pad. This painting is headed to Gallery Zeke for the upcoming Art Squared.  Painting number 4938 in 4938 days. 

Libby

 I love getting to paint special requests for others - especially when it is for one of my best friends from high school!  Commissioned by her husband, this portrait is of her horse, Libby, an equine therapy horse. This one was a bit of a challenge, as the reference photo had a lot going on in it.  I simplified the masses to bring the focus back to Libby, and painted this one in acrylic.  I've been doing acrylic paintings lately, stretching my boundaries again.  I use it full strength now with no water, almost in a dry brush technique way, and am enjoying that process. The best part is the quick dry time - allowing me to add layers the same day.  I hope this this painting will be a treasure for all the years to come. 

Ray

Ray
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, 12x12

colors in progress...

So, I have probably lost my mind, but I am having great fun with color as I get wild with Ray Charles tonight! What possesses me to go after this portrait in such a way?  Painting daily takes away all fear when it comes to trying new things!  I’m undaunted when I slap down a strong, vivid stroke, the unexpected is just that much more exciting, and most of all - it is sheer, undiluted fun to push those boundaries way, way back!  I chose Ray Charles, because I love the infectious joy that his smile exudes......and it kind of goes with the music theme I had going with a few paintings last week.  I got my new catalysts yesterday, and I have used three new styles on this painting - the square, the arrowhead and the large chisel edge.  I love each of them!  I used the tip of the arrowhead for those little choppy hair curls, and the others throughout.  I probably used the square head most of all!  I think they are SO much better than palette knives, and I may never pick another knife up!  This wild and crazy painting is the 1154th in 1154 days :)

first sketch over old landscape!

Contemporary Cat

Contemporary Cat
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, 12x12

Goodness me - I have taken a trip to crazy town!!  Painting with such vivid color is exhilarating!  When approaching a painting in such a way, my biggest question is what color to choose.  I am letting my intuition guide me, as heaven knows I have not done anything like this before!  I start first with colors that are really there, the whites, the warm yellows, cool shadows - and then exaggerate those colors.  I pushed the yellow to cad orange and cad red light, the shadows to purple.  The landscape in the background has it’s roots in the true colors, the foliage is green - although I’ve pushed that to yellow green with cad yellow highlights.  The sky blues are also present - turquoise to violet blue.  As I block in the masses, I try to be mindful of how I use the warms and cools.  I’ve used the catalyst again here - and I am loving the variety of strokes that I can achieve.  I have more on the way - I can’t wait to take them out for a spin!  Painting number 1153 in 1153 days.

Surprise!  Another secret landscape underneath this first sketch of contemporary cat!! 

Thoroughly Modern Charlie

Thoroughly Modern Charlie
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, 12x12

Oh my!  My wild side is showing on this painting!  I don’t think I’ve painted like this since I was 12 years old....so I must be channeling my inner 12-year-old!  The desire to get into some bold paint has been nagging at me for a couple of weeks.  Ideas for paintings will pop into my head - and they are not my normal stuff!  Unable to resist the urge any longer, I have painted over an old landscape on this gallery wrapped canvas, and my country cat is now a city cat!! I have used brushes and catalysts here, and some little used colors, yellow green, perm. rose pink, turquoise, and cad orange AT FULL STRENGTH!!  Super fun.....and crazy!  My youngest son affectionately refers to this as my “acid trip art”!  This crazy painting is my 1152nd in 1152 days.

first marks - surprise landscape underneath!!

in progress