Carolyn's (Almost) Daily Paintings

Josie, custom dog portrait

2012-01-25T18:55:00.002-06:00

Today's custom pet portrait is of Josie, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. My first Duck Tolling Retriever. How often do you get to say "I painted a Duck Tolling Retriever".

8x8 oil on Raymar canvas panel

You can see more custom pet portraits in the Pet portrait Gallery of my website, or purchase a custom portrait of your pet from my Etsy shop.

Henri, custom pet portrait

2012-01-22T19:45:00.002-06:00

My apologies for taking so long to post. Life got rather complicated for a while. But, hopefully, it's a little more normal now.

Henri is a very regal young man. His full name is Henri Tomas Bonaparte.

8x10 oil on Raymar canvas panel

See more of my pet portraits on my website or in my Etsy store

Nitro, custom pet portrait

2011-12-26T19:03:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. We celebrated with the grandkids on Christmas Eve and spent a quiet and relaxed Christmas day with each other.

This is Nitro. He is 7 months old Deutscher Wachtelhund. He is a great family dog. He's smart, active wants to follow the rules but also likes to see what he can get away with. He loves stuffed animals whether they belong to him or not. Very good with the sad face when in trouble.

8x10 oil on Raymar canvas panel

See more of my pet portraits on my website or in my Etsy store

Della, custom pet portrait

2011-12-18T16:45:00.001-06:00

Della is an English Springer Spaniel. Oh, those eyes and ears.

10x8 oil on Raymar canvas panel

See more of my pet portraits on my website or in my Etsy store

Max, custom pet portrait

2011-12-15T19:00:00.000-06:00

Max was a challenge. The only photos the owner had were older printed photos. She mailed them to me and I scanned them in, but no amount of manipulation in photoshop could do much with them. And the one she really wanted to use was the worst. It was essentially a black dog shape with two eyes and a bright yellow tennis ball (with no shading). However, between the clever use of several black labrador reference photos and a goodly dollop of imagination I painted this.

14x11 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Stella, custom pet portrait

2011-12-11T18:06:00.001-06:00

I still have a few more pet paintings to do for Christmas delivery, which would be cutting it real close, except one of them is local, which means it's only cutting it close. After this I expect business to slow down. Maybe I'll paint something different for a change. I love painting the "puppies and kitties" but a little change every now and then is nice.

10x10 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Poopsie, custom pet portrait

2011-12-08T18:57:00.001-06:00

A member of the community choir I sing in asked me to paint this portrait of her little dog. I love his name.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Roman, custom pet portrait

2011-12-04T17:09:00.001-06:00

From the purchaser. "My mom's cat's name is Roman and he is very special to my mom I found Roman the year my dad passed away, and this little guy has brought my mom so much joy. He's quite the character, he's very refined, but also mischievious. He gets into things all the time and keeps my mom busy. When he is not getting enough attention he tends to knock things off the counter. All in all he's my mom's baby (corny I know, but true)"

8x8 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Bella, custom pet portrait

2011-12-01T20:59:00.001-06:00

Bella sure looks comfortable. When I saw this photo I really wanted to paint it ... I love it when a client like the same pose I do!

6x8 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Hazel, custom pet portrait

2011-11-27T20:05:00.001-06:00

Every so often, I do a painting that I think is special. This painting of Hazel, a Bengal cat, is one of those. I try and figure out what makes it special and how I did it ... it's a mystery to me. But that magic moment when it all comes together is fabulous!

I've been pretty busy with my custom work. I haven't posted all of them. Some people have asked me not to, they worry the recipient might see it and spoil the Christmas surprise.

8x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Zoe, pet portrait, sold

2011-11-24T18:48:00.001-06:00

Zoe is Wash's sister. Her owner says, "She is our little girl - she is a lot smaller than her brother - but her personality is so big! Wherever there is something going on in the house, she is there. If you open a cabinet, or a closet, chances are she'll be inside of it before you can blink."

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Wash, custom pet portrait

2011-11-20T18:23:00.001-06:00

Wash's person says, "Wash is such a sweetie, and is also our most independent cat. He might be just as content to "hang out" with us from across the room while everyone else is on the couch, but when he wants love and pets, he will come at me with 100% intent to get them. He has never met a string he didn't want you to pick up and play with him as he runs after it in circles - endlessly!"

Wash is part-tabby, part-Abyssinian. I've always found tabby cats a challenge, but I've done a few of the lately and I think I'm starting to get the hang of it.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Cooper, Sold

2011-11-15T21:58:00.001-06:00

Cooper is a yellow lab, if you couldn't tell. His portrait will be a Christmas present for the buyer's husband. Luckily he (the husband) doesn't read my blog, so it's safe to post.

11x14 oil on panel

Sophie, pet portrait, sold

2011-11-13T18:08:00.001-06:00

A friend asked me to paint this for his wife, who is grieving the loss of her sweet dog, Sophie.

Murphy and Tabby, Sold

2011-11-08T18:56:00.000-06:00

Finally back in the studio and painting. This is one of my custom paintings. Occasionally, someone requests to see the photos I work from so I decided to let you see what I had to work from for this painting.

A bit of a challenge. Luckily my photoshop skills enabled me to make some adjustments and get enough information to make it possible to paint from, but Murphy's little nose is so black, it actually blends right into his fur.

Briki, Sold

2011-11-03T19:49:00.001-05:00

I'm very close to being done with my crushing work schedule and I'm looking forward to getting beck in the studio. And it's a good thing I will be, because I have a backlog of custom pet portraits to do. Which is also a good thing.

Sable, Sold

2011-10-26T20:42:00.000-05:00

I painted this for a friend of mine who is a successful local landscape artist, Carol Hallock. She does the most wonderfully loose and fresh paintings of swamps and cypress trees. (Take a look here.) I was honored that she wanted me to paint her little precious, but I was a little nervous. I admire her work so much and I worried that she might not be totally happy with it.
Long story short ... she loved it. And while she was at my studio to pick it up, she bought one of my little still lifes, too.

EXCITING NEWS

My Atlanta gallery rented two of my paintings as set dressing for a movie being shot there. The working title of the film is "Call Me Artie," and it stars .... wait for it ... Billy Crystal, Bette Midler and Marisa Tomei. Talk about big time. Of course I will go see it when it (finally) gets out. The hard part will be to not stand up in the theater and yell, "That's my painting," when I see it. (If it doesn't end up on the cutting room floor.)

Mayleen, sold

2011-10-23T16:16:00.000-05:00

This is Mayleen, a Siamese mix, 28 toes Hemingway cat. She's lovable but... very mischievous, likes to get into things she's not supposed to !!!!!! That innocent look on her face doesn't fool us at all.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Zulu

2011-10-09T17:16:00.000-05:00

In any other part of the country this little dog might have been named "Pierrot" or "Harlequin". But in New Orleans his black and white face evokes the black and white painted faces on the riders of Zulu on Mardi Gras.
One of the things I've found in painting largely (or all) white animals, is that the subtle lights and darks in the white areas need to be exaggerated in order to create dimension.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with folding wrought iron scroll stand.
Click here to bid

Mildred Fierce

2011-10-06T17:27:00.004-05:00

Since kittenhood, Mildred has been fearless in her pursuit of helpless socks and pantyhose.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with folding wrought iron scroll stand.
Click here to buy $90

Glass Hat

2011-10-02T17:49:00.001-05:00

My husband and I just got back from a week at the beach. I took my paints, fully planing on getting a lot of painting done. But I quickly realized that what I needed most, was a vacation. So the week was spent reading, relaxing, walking on the beach, wading in the waves, eating and napping. It was blissful. Luckily I still have this painting that I had not posted yet.

This peach is just a little too big for the sugar bowl I put it in. When I put the top on, it looked like a glass hat.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with folding wrought iron scroll stand.
Click here to buy $90

Panda Snack, Sold

2011-09-22T19:30:00.000-05:00

I think we all love Pandas. They are so appealing. My husband is especially fond of them. In fact, he had a Panda costume that he wore on Mardi Gras for many years.

Eye Update
I went to the eye doctor yesterday for a follow up, and he was very encouraging. He said there were none of the symptoms that would indicate an increased risk of retinal tear or detachment. The floaters are still with me, it will just take time for them to completely clear, but I must be getting used to them, because they are not as annoying as they were at first. I've learned that what I have is not uncommon, and that 65% of us will experience it by the time we are 85. Those who are severely nearsighted (like me) are more likely to have it. For some people it happens so gradually that they don't even notice it. For others (like me) it happens suddenly and can be pretty scary.

I want to thank everyone for their kind thoughts, comments and emails. So many of you commended me for being "brave" or "strong". I don't consider myself particularly brave or strong, I just figure whatever happens you have to find a way to deal with it. I remember that Monet continued to paint long after he began losing his sight, and much of his later work is very moving and beautiful.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with folding wrought iron scroll stand.

Da Juice, Sold

2011-09-20T18:16:00.000-05:00

Sunday evening, after I posted, I had a very distressing experience. I had a sudden, massive amount of dark matter appear in my eye. Since my other eye has already lost 90% of its vision, I'm very protective of the one that works. I called the office of my ophthalmologist and the doctor on call told me to go to the emergency room. I was already aware that the symptoms I was experiencing could be caused by a retinal tear or detachment, so I was not surprised when I heard this.
Luckily for me it was not. It was instead a Posterior Vitreous Detachment, which means that the Vitreous (the gel-like substance in the eye) had pulled loose and the fibers that normally attached to the retina were floating around in my eye.

However, before I knew this I was a little worried ... ok, I was petrified ... and not surprisingly, my blood pressure was rather high. So the doctors in the emergency room were worried that I might be having a stroke or heart attack. They had to draw blood and run an ekg before they would finally release me. We were there until 2 am.
Yesterday, I was so tired ... physically, mentally and emotionally ... that I didn't even try to paint. Today I decided to get back in the studio. Now, remember, I still have a lot of "debris" in my eye. everything is very "grainy" and there are clumps and threads of darker areas that move around. I can see, but it's very distracting and annoying. It's at its worst when I'm looking at a light surface like a computer screen, the page of a book or a blank canvas. From what I can tell, it will be weeks (or maybe months) before it finally clears. And there is still the chance that the "pulling" of the fibers on the retina could cause a retinal tear or detachment. So I have to be alert for those symptoms.
In the meantime, it's not going to stop me from painting.

So, today I painted. I had started this with a nectarine instead of the orange. After wiping it twice, and getting very discouraged, I decided to switch to the orange. And it quickly came together. I realized that the nectarine had been too busy and contrasty and was distracting from the glass. The orange worked much better. So if I start getting all whiny about how much I hate all this stuff in my eye, and how it's so hard to paint like this, you just remind me that that is not an good excuse.

8x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with folding wrought iron scroll stand.

We're Home

2011-09-18T17:29:00.000-05:00

I needed a little break from things in glass. What better break than cows.

10x12 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Click here to bid

Rosemary and Lemon

2011-09-15T20:20:00.001-05:00

I was amazed to discover the wide variety of martinis people make these days. Not being much of a drinker, I had no idea.
I found the softness and subtle tonal shifts very different from my usual subject matter. It made for an interesting challenge.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with folding wrought iron scroll stand.

Click here to buy $90

Dry Idea, Sold

2011-09-13T17:59:00.001-05:00

I had so much fun ... well after I got over the agonizing part ... painting the last one I decided to start a new series. I don't know how many there will be, but I'm calling it Things in Glass. Which makes for many possibilities. One of the fun things to do with things in glass is to add a liquid, in this case a martini. The refraction of the liquid lets you see what's in it from the top and the side at the same time!

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with folding wrought iron scroll stand.

Glass Houses, Sold

2011-09-11T16:13:00.000-05:00

It was time to paint another still life. It had been so long, I was afraid I had forgotten how. To make it just a little more difficult for myself, I picked this glass cup that has given me fits in the past. Naturally, it wasn't going too well, miserably in fact. When I wiped it down I was almost ready to just give up, but I didn't let myself off that easy. Nope, I stuck with it, and sure enough it paid off. I was able to figure out what I was not doing that I needed to do, and after a while it began to come together. Now I can't wait to do another one.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with folding wrought iron scroll stand.

Maggie

2011-09-09T21:32:00.001-05:00

I'm happy to say that Maggie is still alive and doing well. She belongs to the daughter of Frankie's owner and Maggie was great friends with Frankie, she wanetd the butterfly in Maggie's portrait, too as a reminder of Frankie.

8x8 oil on Raymar canvas panel
NFS

Phobe

2011-09-07T18:46:00.000-05:00

This painting of a little yorkie is another posthumous portrait. I can't believe how many I've done already. I expected I would get an occasional one, but many of my custom portraits have been of pets that have passed away. All I can say is, don't wait. Even if you don't want to get a portrait painted now, be sure you take plenty of photos of your precious companion. They are with us for such a short time and once they are gone it's too late. That way if you ever do decide to have them painted, you will have many to choose from and if not, you will still have all those wonderful photos to remember them by.

8x10 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Frankie

2011-09-05T20:47:00.001-05:00

This is a custom portrait I did recently. Frankie, a 17 year old Dachshund, passed away recently and this portrait will be a birthday present for the owner. The butterfly was found just when they were digging Frankie's grave and since butterflies are sometimes thought to be a symbol of resurrection or transition of the soul, it meant a lot to them.

I have a mix of emotions when I do a posthumous portrait. There is, of course, sadness at the loss of someones beloved companion, but at the same time, being able to be a part of celebration of their life is pretty special.

8x10 oil on Raymar canvas panel
NFS

Bovine Bliss, Sold

2011-08-30T19:14:00.000-05:00

I love the look on this cow's face. She looks ready to be kissed!

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with hand-crafted folding wrought iron scroll stand.

Don't Walk Under, Sold

2011-08-26T20:57:00.001-05:00

It's not a good idea to even walk near a ladder with a black cat on it. Or any other color cat, for that matter. There is something about being up high that triggers a cat's predator instincts. Suddenly, they are the mighty cat hunter perched on a limb, waiting for a helpless animal to wander by ... and then ... POUNCE!

I finished up my work today, and headed out to my studio to paint. I just couldn't wait. I decided to start with this entry for the DPW Challenge "Superstitions". Then I cleaned up and my sweet husband took me out to dinner (at my favorite restaurant) to celebrate my birthday. All in all a good day.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Wanna Spoon?

2011-08-11T08:29:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post, and I'm afraid the next one may be a ways off. I'm busy with the J.O.B. and I don't have very much saved to post.
The show did go well and my cow painting did sell!! (Also one other.) I found it interesting that the animal paintings got a lot more attention and comment than the still lifes did, and the cow painting was an enormous hit.
This painting is one that I did some time back and didn't post at the time. Somehow it got lost in the studio, but I came across it when I was framing the pieces I had in the show.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with folding wrought iron scroll stand.
Click here to buy $90

Great Grannies

2011-08-03T22:29:00.002-05:00

Well the palette knife painting I did seemed to break through my block. I found myself painting this similar set up with the loose, bold quality I had been trying to regain.
It's been a very busy week for me as I get ready for the show we host this weekend. Besides all the organizational things I do for it, I also had to get all my paintings for the show framed and ready. It's a wonder I found any time to paint at all. On top of that, next week I start back with the "job".

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with folding wrought iron scroll stand.

Click here to buy $90

Aurora

2011-07-27T20:30:00.001-05:00

Aurora is a Saluki. With their soulful eyes, long angular face and amazing mane of hair, they are a fascinating and challenging subject.

8x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

And now for something completely different ... my first attempt at a palette knife painting.

I needed to shake up my still life painting. I haven't been doing many because I seem to have hit a wall with them. So today I decided to try a painting knife instead of a brush. Wow, what a different technique. It was challenging and fun. I plan on continuing with them in an effort to learn more and improve my technique. I do like the loose and spontaneous quality you can get with it, but I struggled to get the paint where and how I wanted it. I would appreciate any tips you might care to share.

Lester

2011-07-25T19:00:00.003-05:00

I'm fascinated with black and white animals. I love the little black patch under Lester's black chin.

FREE Shipping within the US.
6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with hand-crafted folding wrought iron scroll stand.
Click here to buy $90

Out Standing, Sold

2011-07-20T19:27:00.001-05:00

Every year in August my church hosts a 2 day art show. I've been involved with it for several years ... preparing the paperwork for tracking the art in and out, setting up and hanging the show. And of course, I always have a number of pieces in it. Last year we sold over $7000 dollars worth of art in those two days. Amazing! And wonderful!

I was looking over my art to show this year. Lots of good choices, but I wanted an animal painting that wasn't one of my dogs and cats. However, and I'm not complaining, I've sold the good ones. So I decided to paint another cow. Then I got a little more ambitious and painted this. Since I'm going to have it in the show, I won't offer it for sale here until after the show.

14x11 oil on panel

Jocko

2011-07-17T18:10:00.001-05:00

Another black and white dog. It's been a busy week for me and I haven't gotten a lot of painting done. I've been at the doctor's and getting some testing done. Boy, that can take up your day, can't it. I've also been getting testing and fitted for hearing aids. (Which are horribly expensive and are not covered by insurance.) I'm struggling to get used to them and it has left me in a foul mood. Also not conducive to painting. Hopefully next week will be more productive.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with hand-crafted folding wrought iron scroll stand.
Click here to buy $90

Lucky

2011-07-13T19:44:00.000-05:00

Another of my black and white dogs. I just find them fascinating. I sure hope you are not getting tired of them.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with hand-crafted folding wrought iron scroll stand.

Click here to buy $90

Peaches

2011-07-10T16:18:00.001-05:00

Peaches is a bulldog pup. I find I like painting dogs best of all the things I paint. Perhaps it's because their faces are so expressive.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with hand-crafted folding wrought iron scroll stand.

Click here to buy $90

Paint Horse

2011-07-06T19:36:00.000-05:00

This is my first try at painting a horse. I will do it again, as I found the angularity of the head structure fascinating. I plan on doing a little research on horse anatomy to help improve further paintings. The title is both a description and the admonition I gave myself once I decided it was time to give it a try.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with folding wrought iron scroll stand.

Click here to buy $90

Hey Copper

2011-07-03T15:26:00.000-05:00

Two of the qualities I most like in my animal paintings that I don't have in many of my still lifes are contrast of value (as apposed to contrast of color) and complexity of surface (instead of simplicity of surface). I did this painting to see how I could work those two elements into a still life. I'm fairly happy with the results. Of course the other big thing I like in my animal paintings is expression, but I don't know how to get a group of grapes to smile winningly.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with hand-crafted folding wrought iron scroll stand.

Click here to buy $90

Still Spotted

2011-06-30T18:39:00.001-05:00

They say a leopard can't change his spots, but then why would he want to.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with hand-crafted folding wrought iron scroll stand.

Click here to buy $90

Missy

2011-06-26T15:29:00.000-05:00

“My little dog -- a heartbeat at my feet.” ~ Edith Wharton

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
FREE Hand-crafted folding wrought iron scroll stand.
FREE Shipping within the US.
Click here to bid

Dash, Sold

2011-06-22T19:27:00.000-05:00

I just realized I've been painting a number of black and white animals lately. Dogs, cows, all black and white. I like the contrast, but I also like exploring the colors in the white and in the black as well. It's amazing how much color there is.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Blackie, Sold

2011-06-19T18:14:00.001-05:00

This is Blackie, Boston Blackie to be precise. Obviously because he is a Boston Terrier.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

The Moo End, Sold

2011-06-15T07:29:00.003-05:00

Ogden Nash wrote this little ditty:

The cow is of the bovine ilk;
One end is moo, the other milk.

And that's where I got the title. Cows continue to appeal to me as a subject. I've got to get more photos to work from, because I want to paint more of them.

6x6 oil on museum quality panel
Free Stand and Free Shipping

Wren

2011-06-12T16:27:00.001-05:00

I got back in the studio today. I rested from my toil yesterday, and just couldn't wait any longer, so out to the studio I went today. I will admit that I struggled for a while. In fact I wasn't sure if this one was going to make it or not. But about halfway thru, I found the flow, and ended up really pleased with the result.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with wrought iron stand
Click here to buy $90

Minnie

2011-06-07T18:15:00.002-05:00

Well, the worst of my "dawn til unconscious" paying gig is behind me. This week I will finish. The work I'm doing is time consuming, but repetitious and tedious but not nearly as stressful. I do have to pay close attention to what I'm doing or I find that the last 20 or 30 steps are out of sync and I have to go back and redo them. It's boring. I general work until my eyes roll back in my head, take a short break and go right back to it. Next week I'll be back in the studio!!! Until then here is Minnie of the soulful eyes.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Comes with wrought iron stand
Click here to buy $90

Dot, Sold

2011-05-29T10:55:00.002-05:00

Dalmatians are fascinating. I've been wanting to paint one for a while, but didn't have a photo of one. Then I noticed a new twitter follower who included "loves Dalmations" in his profile. I contacted him and he sent me a photo of "Dot". And she is a beauty!

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Leap of Faith

2011-05-26T18:26:00.001-05:00

I'm totally engulfed in my paying gig right now. But I wanted to share this painting of a tree frog.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Click here to buy $90

Baaad Sheep

2011-05-22T17:43:00.001-05:00

Sheep are not easy. That woolly coat they wear is very difficult. While I was painting this I kept asking myself, "Why am I doing this?" This may be the last sheep I paint. But maybe not. Hard as they are, there is something about them that is very appealing.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Free Stand and Free Shipping

Click here to buy $90

My Book

2011-05-17T19:38:00.000-05:00

I made a book of some of my favorite Pet Portraits. I did it mostly to have as a promotional tool ... something I can carry with me in my purse and show people who are interested. But I thought I would offer it to you as well. You can see a complete preview here (and buy it if you are of a mind to). I combined the portraits with some fabulous quotes about animals that I found. I had a lot of fun matching the quotes to the pictures. I'll be interested in hearing what you think about it.

The Kid, Sold

2011-05-15T17:30:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure if this young goat is "Billy the Kid" or "Nanny the Kid".

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Fair Warning
I’m going to raise my prices. I’ve been thinking about it for months, ever since several of friends told me they thought it was past time for me to do so.

So starting next Sunday, May 22, my prices are going up to $90. BUT, it will still be an incredibly good buy because I’m going to ship FREE within the US (cheap to outside the US) and include a lovely wrought iron stand with every purchase.

No Escape

2011-05-13T11:56:00.001-05:00

Finally blogger is back up! I was going to post this yesterday, but had to wait until today.
This is a companion piece to the one I posted earlier this week. When I paint something I really enjoy doing, a lot of the time I will make a change in the set up and paint another one. This seemed like a natural progression. After all, if I was a tomato in a chain gang, I would try to escape.

8x10 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Click here to buy $90

Chain Gang

2011-05-08T18:53:00.002-05:00

This is my submission to the Daily Paintworks "Paint Your Vegetable Challenge". The question is are tomatoes a vegetable or a fruit? I figure if catsup can be a serving of vegetables then they are a vegetable. (But I know they are really a fruit).

8x10 oil on Raymar canvas panel
Click here to buy $90

Up Close and Personal

2011-05-02T20:16:00.000-05:00

My contribution to the Paintworks self portrait challenge.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Stand and Stare, Sold

2011-04-28T18:39:00.001-05:00

While I was painting this, I kept trying to remember the poem it made me think of. It took me a little while, but I finally found it. It's by William Henry Davies.

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

Who would have thought looking at a cow could remind be to take the time to look for what is beautiful around me.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Habibi, pet portrait

2011-04-26T21:05:00.003-05:00

Habibi is a Bengal Cat. The Bengal is a relatively new hybrid breed of cat, formed by the cross of a domestic feline and an Asian Leopard Cat.

I got back from my workshop last Thursday, but between catching up on all the email, etc. that I missed (no internet where I was staying) and Easter, I didn't get back in the studio until yesterday. I fully intended to paint, but by the time I had gotten it straightened up and everything put away the day was gone. So today bright and early I was out there painting this for you to see. I'll tell you more about the workshop tomorrow.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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MULTI MEDIA WORKSHOP WITH CAROL NELSON

I have to let you know about this fabulous workshop opportunity with Carol Nelson for July 23-24, 2011. Would you like to spend two days with Colorado artist Carol Nelson learning exciting mixed media techniques in the high country west of Denver? This two day workshop will be at Wrenn Boulton’s fabulous Studio Three on Squaw Mountain at a cool 10,500 feet above sea level. Click here for more information.

Bones

2011-04-16T18:18:00.002-05:00

Bones is a Bull Mastiff. He looks formidable, but he is a pushover.
I'm off to the plein air workshop with Jill Carver tomorrow, so don't expect to hear from me for a few days.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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The Look, Sold

2011-04-12T20:28:00.002-05:00

I don't know what kind of chicken this is, but it sure has a compelling stare.
The Daily Paintworks challenge this week was a chicken. I've had the photo of this guy for a while now, pulled it out to paint several times but didn't. It seems like the perfect time to finally paint it.

6x8 oil on Raymar canvas panel

The Road

2011-04-07T19:56:00.002-05:00

The latest DailyPaintworks challenge is a landscape. Not my strong suit, but I hope to get better at them. Later this month I'm taking a workshop with Jill Carver.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Trapper John

2011-04-05T18:58:00.003-05:00

I finally got back into the studio today!!! I'd planned to start yesterday afternoon when I'd finished work, but I was just too tired. So bright and early this morning I was out there painting. Then wiping. But, I still felt really good about it. After lunch I went back out armed with conviction, determination and the knowledge of what I needed to do to get it right. The result is Trapper John.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Huddle

2011-04-03T18:24:00.001-05:00

I think the cup is the quarterback, but if he's expecting the tomatoes to go left and right, he's going to be disappointed. Seriously folks, I just liked the contrast of the turquoise cup with the bright red tomatoes.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Spillage

2011-03-31T18:38:00.001-05:00

Here are those peppers again. This time with a yellow cup. I've been posting paintings that I kept back for the last 2 weeks or so, because I've been up to my ears and eyebrows with the j.o.b. and have not been able to paint. But it looks like I'm going to get finished with it this weekend and will be able to get back into my studio next week. Yea!

I'm pleased to say that the painting I had in the Help Japan Challenge on DPW has sold for $176. It's wonderful that doing something I love can make it possible to help others. Wow, what a great feeling!

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Get Down from There

2011-03-29T18:49:00.002-05:00

There's always a risk taker in every crowd of peppers.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Some In, Some Out

2011-03-27T19:01:00.001-05:00

I enjoy seeing all the different ways some items can be combined.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Macki, pet portrait, Sold

2011-03-24T18:29:00.002-05:00

Macki is a Border Collie. You can see the devotion in his expression.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Chloe, Pet Portraits, Sold

2011-03-22T18:42:00.002-05:00

Chloe is a tabby. She has such a sweet expression you'd never know what a mischievous cat she really is.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

The Porch, in the Help Japan Challenge, Sold

2011-03-20T20:10:00.001-05:00

I've posted this painting before, but when the Daily Paintworks challenge asked for a painting that came to my mind when I think of home, I knew that this one was it. I hope you will help by buying or biding on this painting, or any other in the challenge that moves you.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Baby, pet portrait

2011-03-18T20:23:00.002-05:00

Baby is a chihuahua. I love these little dogs. They give the expression "all ears" new meaning.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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The other day Kathy Cousart asked me to do a demo on painting a pet's eyes. Well, I haven't done one, but I thought I would show you a few details of eyes I've painted and talk a little about why I do what I do. All of these are paintings I've done recently but haven't posted yet. (If you click on the images, you can see them even larger.)

The first thing to remember when painting eyes, and this is true for people and animals, is that eyes are liquid. They have a thin layer of tears that act to diffuse what you are seeing when you look at them. That's why eyes should never have any hard edges, especially between the iris and the pupil. Hard edges will make them look like glass eyes instead of living eyes. Leading to the "taxidermy school" of portraiture.

If you give the eyes a "glow" by adding a small amount of lighter, more saturated colors it will make them look more lively and expressive. I usually use yellow for this, either cad yellow med or lemon depending on whether the eye color is brown or green.

Eyes are not just round they are spherical, and the eyelid has thickness, that means the top of the eye will usually be darker than the bottom. That difference in value, even when subtle, give the eye dimension.

The whites of the eye are never white. Usually they are a fairly dark shade of gray, occasionally with a little pink. One of the most common errors in painting faces, human or animal, is making the whites too light.

And of course there is the highlight. This is critical for making the eyes come alive. There is frequently more than one highlight, but usually only the main highlight will be truly white. If one of the eyes is mostly in shadow, the highlight in that eye will not be as bright as the other. A very bright highlight in an other wise shadowed eye will look unnatural (even demonic). Even the highlights should have a little softness, but not too much.

And that's everything I know about painting eyes.

Topper

2011-03-15T19:36:00.001-05:00

I had this sitting in my studio from a couple of weeks ago and I forgot to post it. Now I don't remember what I was thinking when I painted it.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Jep, Sold

2011-03-13T18:15:00.002-05:00

Jep is a border collie. I just fell in love with his expression and had to paint him.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Don't Look Now

2011-03-10T19:51:00.001-06:00

I painted these penguins from a photo I took at the Dallas Zoo last fall. I kept hoping some of them would turn and look at me, but they didn't. I finally decided they were saying, "Don't look now, but there is some lady with a camera."

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Lincoln

2011-03-08T18:24:00.001-06:00

I did this for the DP Challenge. There is something about painting in monochrome that really appeals to me. Maybe it's the focus on value or maybe it just takes me back to the days with I did fashion illustration. Almost always for newspaper black and white ads. Monochrome reduces it the to essence.

6x8 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Silverback

2011-03-06T18:37:00.001-06:00

I painted this gorilla from a photo I took at the Dallas Zoo last fall. He was not a happy camper and I was lucky to get a good photo of him. Mostly he only showed us his backside.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Ultamato

2011-03-03T19:12:00.002-06:00

I had so much fun with the last tomato I painted I had to paint it again. In fact I could wait to get back in the studio to paint it. It is wonderful to be excited about painting still lifes again.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Passion! and the Big Duh!

2011-03-01T18:06:00.003-06:00

I painted this tomato for the DailyPaintworks challenge. I choose a favorite subject matter, and kept the composition simple in order to focus on the brushwork challenge. This particular exercise in Carol Marine's arsenal has been one that I learn a lot from, and find very difficult. I did not learn to paint mixing each brushstroke worth of color at a time. I learned to mix the main colors in fairly large amounts and modify them as I went. Constantly adding new colors and changing (slightly or dramatically) the ones I had on my palette. (And Carol gave me a hard time about it in my last workshop with her.) Mix as you go is a difficult concept for me, and I think this is the first time I really did it the way it is suppose to be done.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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The Big Duh!

For quite a while now, I have not been happy with the still life paintings I've done, and I have not been able to figure out what is wrong. In fact there are a number I've done and didn't post because I just didn't like them. They were good compositions, the brushwork was good, they were well rendered, but I didn't like them. It's been driving me crazy! I was talking with my husband about my frustration, and he said "Maybe it's your subject matter." Today, painting this tomato, I suddenly realized just how right he was.
For a while now, I've been composition driven rather than subject driven. I'd go into the studio thinking, "Today I need to paint a composition that is yada, yada, yada whatever." And then finding something to paint that would give me that composition. Instead of going into the studio, or roaming the grocery store, to find a subject that I wanted to paint. I had lost my passion. No wonder I didn't like them. Big Duh! (that sound you hear is the artist's forehead hitting the keyboard ... repeatedly.) And that also explains why I was happy with my animal paintings. I was painting them because I loved them, because I wanted to paint them. Well, I think I learned my lesson. Follow my passion. I still may not like every painting I do, but it's got to get better. Duh!

Tiny and Friends

2011-02-27T18:39:00.003-06:00

I found this tiny watering can in a thrift store and knew it was destined to be painted.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Zee Zebra, Sold

2011-02-23T18:33:00.000-06:00

And here it the last one of the custom series. Painting a highly patterned animal offers the challenge of distinguishing pattern from form. It's especially difficult when the pattern acts to hide the form as happens with some wild animals where the pattern acts a camouflage, blending the animal in with it's surroundings. The way to do it, of course, is to pay close attention to how the form is affected by light and shadow. In the zebra, The black stripes are only truly black in deepest shadow and the white stripes only truly white in the brightest light.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Sparky, a Challenge

2011-02-21T18:30:00.001-06:00

I painted this in response to a Daily Paintworks Challenge. It was subject I would not ordinarily choose and the challenge required limiting my palette to Ultramarine, Burnt Sienna and Titanium White, but I'm rather pleased with how it turned out.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Long Tall Fellow, Sold

2011-02-20T15:25:00.000-06:00

Here's the second one of the group. It's a giraffe, but you might be able to tell that.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

The King, Sold

2011-02-18T17:19:00.000-06:00

The buyer of "The Tiger" asked me if I would paint her a lion, giraffe and zebra to go with it. Naturally I said yes. Here's the first of the series.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Loving Cup, NFS

2011-02-15T18:16:00.001-06:00

I meant to post this yesterday, but time got away from me. I painted this for my husband for Valentines day. He gave me the little heart a couple of years ago, and I've been wanting to use it in a painting for a long time. I tried a bunch of different set-ups with it this time, I kept making it more an more complex, and it just didn't work. I finally took everything off except this one cup and put the heart in it. Finally I was happy with it. Sometime simple works best.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Painting a Beagle

2011-02-13T17:39:00.000-06:00

Daily Painter Originals has a new Video Blog, and this is my first post to it. Check it out. DPO members will be posting videos to it regularly.

Painting a pet has different challenges and rewards. I paint the eyes first because the eyes are what makes the portrait come alive, if they are not right, I might as well wipe it and start over.

Sam, Pet Portrait

2011-02-11T20:30:00.000-06:00

Sam is a Black Labrador, and, as always with black animals the challenge is getting form and dimension while still keeping them looking like they are a solid black. There is a bit of glare on the photo, but I can't reshoot it is no longer in my studio, it's in Sam's home.

8x10 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Stacked

2011-02-08T18:10:00.002-06:00

The bottom cup has a dark blue rim on the interior. You can't see it, but the reflection of the blue is there, and it made the shadow on the upper cup a cool gray. This, combined with the reflections of the cherries, is what made this setup interesting to me. I seem to have run out of catchy titles recently. Hopefully this is just temporary.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Secrets, Sold

2011-02-06T19:16:00.002-06:00

I'm starting to get into the whole dark dominant thing. It really makes those colors pop.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Pandemonium

2011-02-04T19:25:00.003-06:00

After a couple of successful animal paintings, I felt ready to move on to a still life. I found this little panda in the thrift store and had to paint it. I'm still experimenting with a dark dominant composition and I'm beginning to feel more comfortable with them.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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The Tiger, Sold

2011-02-02T18:43:00.001-06:00

Not a pet if you know what's good for you -- and what's good for the tiger.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Man's Best Friend

2011-02-01T18:29:00.002-06:00

I painted this for Daily Paintworks new challenge. I was a bit anxious starting it because I have no experience with cars or cityscapes/landscapes. So I started in with my usual self talk, "don't think of it as a car, think of it as values, shapes and colors" but found myself thinking instead "think of it as a large, unusually shaped and rather shiny dog." So I did. Hence the title. It may not be my best work, but I'm mostly happy with it.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Mojo, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Sold

2011-01-31T19:01:00.003-06:00

You've gotta love the smile on this guy.

This afternoon, after wiping a still life for a while, I decided to paint this adorable dog instead. And it went so well! I was so happy I was ready to dance my "good painting" dance (it closely resembles Snoopy's suppertime dance).

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Two Cups of Flower

2011-01-30T19:17:00.003-06:00

As a change from my high key paintings I did this one with dark dominant. It's probably my least favorite type of composition and this is one of the few I've done that I really like. I've tried, unsuccessfully, to paint this little yellow flower before. I usually get too much detail in all the little petals, but somehow I pulled it off this time.

I've almost finished my deadly work schedule and by tomorrow afternoon I'll be back in the studio. I'm looking forward to it and dreading it in equal parts. Painting again after almost three weeks away is like pulling a cart with square wheels. A lot of effort for very little progress. I know if I keep at it, sooner or later the corners will wear off and it will roll smoothly, but the first week is so hard. So bear with me. I still have a few paintings I've held back, but once I've posted them I hope to have something decent to show you. If not, I'll just share the struggle. (Why should I be the only one to suffer?)

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Noble, pet portrait

2011-01-27T18:27:00.002-06:00

This beagle is Noble in name and in character.

6x8 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Mimi

2011-01-25T18:14:00.002-06:00

It's been a while since I painted a pet, and I thought it was time. This precious little dog needs a barrette to keep her hair out of her eyes.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel
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Uninvited Guest, Sold

2011-01-23T17:35:00.001-06:00

This is the last of the glass cup for a while. I haven't posted regularly this week, because I've been up to my ears in the "job". But the worst of it is over, and I should be able to start painting again in another week. I hope I remember how. I still have a few paintings haven't posted yet, so you will be seeing some more in the next few days.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Shine

2011-01-18T18:18:00.002-06:00

I continue to torture myself with this glass cup. Normally I'm not so masochistic, but there's something about this cup that intrigues me.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

You're So Transparent

2011-01-15T21:17:00.001-06:00

When I first saw this glass cup, I thought it would be fun to paint. I guess that depends on your definition of fun. It was a bigger challenge than I anticipated. Such a simple shape turned out to be rather complicated.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

King Orange

2011-01-11T18:32:00.002-06:00

Actually, this may be a queen orange, I've never learned how to tell the difference. At this time of year in New Orleans, we start celebrating the coming Mardi Gras with King Cakes. They don't have oranges in them, but they have been on my mind. A lot! I must not be getting my minimum quota of King Cake.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

The Duel

2011-01-09T18:16:00.001-06:00

The cherries on the plate are preparing to have a duel, but I don't think their weapons are loaded.

6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel