Blue Lace Golden Wyandottes!

 

Beans" wants to know why she isn't in this painting!!  I love her sassy personality!  All of our chickens have been named by the grandkids - so we have some fun names for these girls!  Beans is the first one looking for treats and nipping the fingers of my gloves for more!  Painting number 4610 in 4610 days. 

Jester Nutcracker

What fun this nutcracker had been to paint!  This unusual nutcracker has been shared with me from another collection - and what a gorgeous or it is! The purples and blues are a wonderful complement to his features, and that collar is amazing!  The eyes are dramatically painted - unlike any other with those sweeping eyelashes.  SO cool! This beautiful nutcracker is painting number 1447 in 1447 days :) 

Rooster in Ink

Rooster in Ink
Pen and ink on paper, 6x6
purchase here

Exploring pen and ink this month has been so rewarding!  I really wanted to improve my ink skills - since I have very little experience in this medium, and it was a big reason I chose ink over graphite.  Little did I expect to enjoy it SO much!  I have always loved the vintage look of those wonderful antique drawings - and I find that I lean strongly towards this style.  One big difference - I do not structure my strokes.  I simply let them fly out as they may, as I pull the pen over the surface of the paper.  I did try a new pen tonight - it has a chisel edge, making it fabulous for those darker strokes, dropped in for added interest! Every time I draw or paint a rooster, the old adage, "a rooster is good luck in the kitchen", floats through my head.  I think it was Grandma Bessie that first told me that, many years ago!  This drawing is special - the 1111th in 1111 days, and the 18th in the current 30 Day Painting Challenge :)

Summer Sunflowers

Summer Sunflowers
Oil on canvas panel, 10x8
purchase here

On my way home from the paint-in yesterday, I stopped by another shop to see what kind of sunflowers they had.  The ones I had picked up earlier were the traditional ones, and I was looking for some variation.  They had two bunches of these fancy blooms - and I snapped one right up!  What is more glorious than big, bold sunflowers?  Maybe the students in class will even want to paint them on Monday!  With our new back to school schedule (and Mike’s 3:30am wake-up time), I find I am up and ready to paint very early, indeed.  With most of my work done, I was able to finish this painting before my Zumba class at 8:30am.  Its great to feel like I have extra time in the middle of the day!  When was the last time that happened?  Never?  Painting number 961 in 961 days :)

Ruffled White and Lavender Iris

Ruffled White and Lavender Iris
Oil on wood panel, 5x7
purchase here

What a busy day this has been!  After the gym and teaching an oil painting class, I headed out for some yard work.  My - how the weeds have popped up while I was away!  My parents arrive Tuesday for Michaela's high school graduation, so I have been busy trying to get everything in order.  This beautiful iris has just bloomed - and many more are ready to open.  This is one of the starts I was given from an artist friend, Myrtie Gourley, years ago.  I love how so many of my flowers remind me of the friends who shared them with me.  Quite a few have been given to me by those who are no longer with us, and what a joy it is to see them open and bloom each season!  I have completely painted this with my new brushes, not even taking out my palette knife.  I may use my knife in a few days, when the many others bloom.  Perhaps I will go for a looser interpretation then.  I am having fun in the exploration of the iris petals, with their many ruffles and papery texture.  Each day, there  is something new to inspire me.  I simply love this time of year!  Painting number 861 in 861 days.