Jingle Chicadee

 

I think I've finally decided on a Christmas card theme! I found this little red bell at the Greenwood Country Tea Room today while lunching with Mom and the Tri-County Art League!  This is our annual holiday lunch, and I look forward to connecting with old friends that I don't see often.  Plein air season keeps me from many meetings until things lighten up this time of year. 

I hung a few bells where the birds come to my feeders, and I'm hoping to see plenty of play with these little bells as I wait with ink and watercolor!  Painting number 5028 in 5028 days. 

Cedar Waxwing in Ink

While visiting with my parents, I have my pen and ink in hand.  After having the family over all day, I am settling into the relaxing rhythm of drawing.  This very natural act quiets the mind, and let's the hand just take over, the pen is merely an extension of that.  I started this sketch journal, hoping to draw every day, and I have fallen short of that lofty goal.  But that's okay, just starting it has kept me coming back.  Which is more pen and ink than I have ever done, and I have found that I love it!   I am getting Michaela started with her own sketch supplies - and her favorite pen is also mine!   The Pitt pen - superfine.  Like mother, like daughter.  Painting number.....1274.   I have to catch up on my posts the next time I have good Internet connection.   So much for everyone in America having Internet :(

Cedar Waxwing in Ink
Pen and ink on paper, 6x7
purchase here

Watercolor Bluebird

Watercolor Bluebird
Watercolor on paper, 9x12
sold

This is the first in the series of bluebird paintings I did for my youngest daughter.  While waiting for the youngest son to return home, so we could all go out to lunch together - I was able to paint three before leaving the house!  It felt a little unnatural to get back into the watercolors after so much time in the oils!  I picked the 100% cotton rag paper for this first painting - totally forgetting how much a dislike painting on it!  It has a lovely texture that is pretty in the finished piece, but the paints seem to sit on top of it forever before settling in - and the colors mingle very slowly and with hesitance.  I had to leave it completely flat while working, or so much of the paint would have run completely off the paper!  In hindsight, maybe that is the best advantage of this paper.......I will have to try it for the very purpose of creating very drippy paintings! Michaela wanted all three paintings, so I framed them all up for her to take to her college suite.  I wonder how many of her friends are hanging original work in their rooms?  Painting number 1068 in 1068 days :)

Michaela's Bluebird

Michaela's Bluebird
Watercolor on paper, 9x12
sold

This is the second of the bluebird paintings that I worked up for Michaela.  Looking for a more contemporary feel, I am working under the motto of "less is more" on this one!  Working wet on wet, there is no layering.  Each area is painted in with very wet color, then extra colors are dropped in and allowed to mingle on their own.  I almost never mix my paints in watercolor, I simply drop them in and let them do their own mixing - come what may.  This 140lb cold pressed paper is holding me back, though.  I don't remember the maker, but I think it is English.  Not enough texture and not enough weight for me.  I must order some more 300lb paper!  It seems to be all I want for my watercolors now!  Getting back into this fluid media after such a time away takes a little bit to get used to.  I want to get loose, sloppy wet strokes, but I think I still need to warm up to that!  I really loosened up by the third - so I guess three really is the charm!  Painting number 1007 in 1007 days :)

Drippy Bluebird

Drippy Bluebird
Watercolor on paper, 10x7

My daughter had asked me for an abstract, watercolor bluebird painting a couple of weeks ago.  She told me she wanted it to be 6 foot tall for her dorm room! After responding that watercolor paper does not come that large, I didn't hear further on the subject.  She came home for the weekend, and the topic came up again, she was kidding about size - so I started working on a bluebird.  I haven't had my watercolors out for a while, and it as fun to be playing in the water again! This is actually the third one I painted today - and her favorite.  I used three kinds of paper, this an arches 140 lb cold pressed.  I looked high and low, but I think I must be out of my favorite 300 lb paper block.  I simply love the way the heavy weight paper allows the paint to mingle and spread - and I love the texture as well.  Another thing I LOVE about watercolors?  They are SUPER fast to work in - which is this busy girl's "go to" on a day full of lunch out with family, visiting Mike's parents, and getting home in time to frame before Michaela makes the long drive back to campus! This painting makes 1006 in 1006 days :)

Bluebird Pair

Bluebird Pair
Oil on canvas, 6x4

My daughter has requested an impressionist painting of a bluebird, so I am going to paint a few to see what she likes - as she wants a VERY large painting! This time of year, we have bluebirds that fly up and down the lane as we come and go.  I could always count on seeing them when we went down to meet the bus!  I have chosen more traditional colors on these little birds, but want to get loose and bright with some in the future.  This is Day 6 of the 30 day painting challenge, and my 979th painting in 979 days :)

Cardinal on the Cedar

Cardinal on the Cedar
Oil on panel, 6x4 - sold

Continuing on the bird theme of the last couple of days - I am painting another!  First cats, then birds, what next?  Once again, I am painting to fit my time window - small at 6x4 inches.  This is such a comfortable size to get done quickly.  This little guy was flying from feeder to cedar this afternoon - making him the subject du jour.  Tomorrow will be full - I will be getting the Christmas stuff down from the attic - and then the real fun begins!  I just hope we can get it all done over the weekend!  This cardinal makes painting number 699 in 699 days!

Autumn Blue Jay

Autumn Blue Jay
Oil on panel, 6x4
purchase here

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!  After a full day of family, food, and visiting, the house has settled down and most of our company have headed for home.  As the dishwasher runs, I come to my easel rather late tonight.  I needed my "artistic fix" - something to help me unwind from the very busy day.  Pulling the brush through the paint is soothing for me, therapy in action with every stroke.  Once I finish, I can sigh with relief.  A day well spent with family - and this - the icing on the cake!  Painting number 698 in 698 days.

Little Goldfinch

Little Goldfinch
Oil on panel, 6x4
purchase here

With so much cooking for Thanksgiving to do, I'm in a bit of a rush today.  Therefore, I am painting small - and painting this sweet little bird out the window.  The winds are blowing in a cold front, and he is looking for his feeder - which has been moved by our giant puppy!  In my hurry, I dropped this little guy on the carpet - face down - and he now wears a few dog hairs!  I will have to pick them out when the paint is a bit drier!  This painting makes 697 in 697 days - now back to the kitchen I go!

Tiny Cardinal in the Tree - miniature

Tiny Cardinal in the Tree
Acrylic on canvas - 2x3 with easel
GOT Art Gallery Holiday Trunk Show
sold

What a wonderful and busy weekend!  My cousin married the love of his life last night at the Stone Church in Springfield.  An amazing venue - I longed for my paints as we arrived after sunset, with 5 inches of snow on the ground, and the lights glowing from the windows.  I did not have them.  I will have to attempt that painting from memory, when I have time to put it to canvas.  Being out of town for the weekend puts me behind on everything!  Arriving home tonight to one son back from the Air Force - yay! - and my parents following me from the wedding, I had a house full of family until just now! I have been swimming in family time all weekend!  It was so fun to sit around sharing stories with my cousins, aunts, uncle and parents - it was hard to pull myself away!  What an amazing family I have been blessed with!  Sooooo, now I need to be a painting machine to get finished all I want to do, all while keeping everyone entertained!  Wish me luck!  Painting number 343 in 343 days :)

Miniature Cardinal

Miniature Cardinal
Acrylic on canvas, 3x2 with easel
GOT Art Gallery Holiday Trunk Show - sold

Painting in this miniature size is so much fun!  On these busy days, I have been working on much larger pieces between the little ones - and these small ones are like taking a vacation!  It is like a sweet escape in the midst of lots of work - truly a joy.  I bought supplies for nine more this afternoon, and will have to prime them all and paint the easels tomorrow - before ever laying down the first strokes.  Now, I must get to writing my Christmas cards.  I love to send out long, personal messages in each one, so it takes me forever to get them all written!  But, the rewards are endless, because each family knows just how special they are to me - which is priceless.  Seize the day!  Painting number 338 in as many days :)

Cardinal in the Pine

Cardinal in the Pines
Acrylic on canvas - gallery wrapped, 4x4
GOT Art Gallery Holiday Trunk Show

I now have over 30 paintings showing at Got Art Gallery on 3rd St. in Lee's Summit, MO.  After setting these up today for a speical holiday "trunk sale", and a wonderful Christmas party for our Summit Art group, I am finally home to post what I had painted very early this morning.  This is one of the many cardinals that visit my feeders, flying from branch to branch.  The feeders are right outside my kitchen window, which is a wide bay - giving me the perfect spot to paint the great outdoors from the comfort of my home!  I am working in acrylics for the second day in a row, because this was one to be delivered today!  It was much easier to move into the groove of this medium today than it was yesterday.  It was even fun - I always loved a challenge!  Painting number 332 in as many days - come see me tomorrow night at the gallery 5:00-9:00 :)

Three Little Doves

Three Little Doves
Oil on panel, 8x6

I have always loved animals.  My youngest daughter works at a pet store, and we have brought many little creatures home, as a result.  Two little diamond doves were up for adoption in the fall.  Their little voices are so sweet, making a little train whistle sound that is always pleasant.  We have added one female to the two males since then.  They sit in the large kitchen window, with the garden as their backdrop, as well as the many wild birds that frequent the feeders.  Here is a little painting to capture their sweet spirits.  Painting number 171 in as many days.