No better way to relax than to paint these beauties during the Golden Hour! After a long day of hard work, immersing myself so completely here, with only the focus of what is before me, restores me in a way nothing else does. The experience fills me up, and I can go forth with love and light for the world. Painting number 4977 in 4977 days.
I'm working on something new for the upcoming Buttonwood show - and herefords are on my easel! Throughout my painting journey, I feel compelled to move in different directions artistically. Lately, I feel drawn to western themes. I've always loved cattle, likely due to childhood memories of Grandma Frank's and Great Uncle Richard's herds. Or maybe because we have horses again..... but whatever the reason, I think I'll paint more of these. It feels like honoring history and the ranchers that work the cattle still. Painting number 4975 in 4975 days.
Our beautiful Starlight Green Egger hen, Mabel, is actually a rooster - so we changed his name to ABLE. He's a beauty to sketch in my special chicken sketchbook! This paper is in my Mr. Ellie Pooh sketchbook, which is made from actual elephant dung, in an effort to save these elephants in Sri Lanka. With this sketch, and the one before it, I used more water on the surface with the gouache than previously. The result is a splattered, sparkly appearance on the reverse side, which mimics a spray of shiny kamar varnish, on sprinkles! Though the paper does not work very well for watercolor, I am finding other mediums that will! I love exploring the possibilities! Painting number 4939 in 4939 days.
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.
I loved painting these sweet chickens at Sunflower Hill Farm- and just realized I forgot to share them! I paint so many paintings at a plein air event, that one or two slip through the cracks at times. This handmade paper is particularly rough, and it soaked up the paint like crazy! I thought I was finished a couple times only to go back in with more color. Watercolor can fade so much on this handmade cotton paper! Painting number 4894 in 4894 days.
Painting these sweet alpacas just makes me want to take them home! They make sweet noises to each other, and come to check up on me every so often. It was super fun to spend the morning with them, learning their forms and manners. Their temperament is so docile, too! I think our chickens and horses need some aloaca friends!! Painting number 4874 in 4874 days.
It's fun to spend a little time sketching with the girls, especially on a very busy day. Mom and I had Goodies with Grandparents with Layne this morning, and he was adorable - and so mannerly at preschool! I had to run to the Buttonwood Gallery, then girl time, and we finished with the Best Pet Show Ever musical to watch Gus in his second grade performance! After dinner with them, we returned to close up the coop and finish a few chores. It was 91 degrees today and it will only get to 56 tomorrow. Maybe, I'll get more painting done, then.... painting number 4832 in 4832 days.
Sweet and sassy Beans is a Black Star beauty, and super fun to paint in my brand new Chicken Art Journal!! I started this in ink, but when I tried to move that ink with water, it did not move at all! Hardly any color deposited from my watercolor brush, so I moved to acrylics. I had limited colors in my travel kit, and found I needed more. They were not staying wet long enough to mix on the very porous paper. This sketchbook is going to be an exploration of mediums for this specific elephant poo paper, lol! Painting number 4814 in 4814 days.
I feel like it's already Easter with these chicks in the house! It's so fun to cuddle and paint them, and they are showing their unique personalities, too! We brought them home last Thursday, and they are already growing. Michael and Tess gave me an artisan made Chicken sketchbook, so I have decided to fill it with chicken sketches and paintings. The paper is made of recycled paper and ELEPHANT POO!! There's a whole backstory to creating these sketchbooks and turning poo into funds to support the elephants and their community. The paper is porous, so I've sketched in ink and colored with acrylic. Watercolor does not move at all in this paper. The cover is a three dimensional rooster head, which is the inspiration for the theme of this journal. I can't wait to try more mediums on these pages as I capture all my girls, one by one. Painting number 4810 in 4810 days.
These little Starlight Green Eggers are yellow on the bottom with markings on the top - AND they'll lay green eggs one day! I brought them home yesterday, and it's been so fun cuddling them between chores! I just HAD to paint their cuteness before they double in size! Chicks grow so fast at this age! I hope to paint them all many times before they are full grown! Painting number 4805 in 4805 days.
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This kitty painting is on my easel tonight - and he is the sweetest, most affectionate half grown kitten! We have adopted siblings, a yellow tabby and a calico from a friend who's granddaughter found them and one other along the road. It's funny how stars align and the perfect pets drop right into your lap. Painting number 4803 in 4803 days.
It can be hard to paint a moving target - especially this affectionate new kitty! She loves attention and winds around our legs as we walk. If we're still, she's in our laps and climbing to shoulders, which also makes for difficult painting, lol. So, I wait for her to settle, then start my process. When I'm ready for a photo, she's on the move again, making it nearly impossible to get a pic. She's a beauty and I look forward to painting her in the years ahead. Painting number 4800 in 4800 days.
This is my first sketch of these cuties, who just joined our family! Teddy's granddaughter picked them up on the side of the road, along with their brother, and found them homes. It's been almost 12 years since my oldest daughter had to take our two young kittens, because our new lab (Beau) was too rough with them. Those two were also a calico and a yellow tabby. What a coincidence. Already fixed and socialized by her 6 great-grandchildren, they are the perfect additions to our family. I only had time for a sketch tonight, but I hope to commit them to oils one day soon! Painting number 4762 in 4762 days.
I love sketching the hens, and getting their critiques as I work. Carlotta is full of opinions! They are all very social, so I need to give them plenty of attention before I begin. After greens, treats and scratch, they will let me work for a while without jumping on my lap. What did we ever do without these little darlings and the wonderful eggs they give us? Painting number 4755 in 4755 days.
It's fun to sketch this sweet hen while she's at play! Carlotta is the keeper of the egg box in this flock, always rushing up to the egg box when I go to gather eggs. She waits for my praise and clucks her thoughts to me as I collect each one. She has even alerted me to an egg in the corner that had been pushed out of the nest! She's very sweet and loves the attention she's gets each day. I never knew how unique and different each hen's personality is before raising them. What fun we're all having with these sweethearts! Painting number 4751 in 4751 days.
