Thoughtful ~ White Horse Portrait

Thoughtful ~  6" x 6" oil on panel 

For sale on Daily Paintworks

CLICK HERE to bid

bidding starts at $35

Happy Solstice, everyone! And happy new beginnings. According to the Mayan calendar, today doesn't mark the end of the world, but the end of a cycle. Today is the first day of the new cycle, which is supposed to be characterized by enlightenment, where great changes take place to thrust us into a new age of evolution as individuals and as mankind. I wish you all peace on your new journey.

Today also marks the shortest amount of daylight this year...Thank goodness as of tomorrow the days will be getting longer! I can't wait for the sun to come back. But really, isn't winter a time to settle in, slow down, ruminate, and recharge? Just like the plants do under the soil. They rest so that they can return, with more growth and beauty than before, when the sun returns. 

Orange Crush - the sequel

Orange Crush ~ the Sequel

6" x 8" oil on canvas

This is the next in my vintage bottle series...It was really fun to do. I was a bit afraid of the texture on the bottle, but it turned out to be easier than it looked. 

This one is the eighth painting in my 100 paintings series and is  up for bid on ebay right now

Click below to try your chance at winning this one:

BID NOW

Pepsi Cola and New Wheels

Pepsi-Cola 6" x 8" oil on canvas

Hi Y'all...I'm having such a great day! I'm the proud owner of a new (to me) blue mountain bike! It's amazing what makes your day:) But seriously, I haven't had a bike in about fifteen years. What's up with that!? I rode so far!! It's nice to not have to just depend on my two feet anymore. It takes sooooooo...long to get anywhere by running. Now I can get to the store, the post office, friends' houses...I don't have to be just a lonely, house-bound painter...Yay! And to top it all off, as I was riding home, I looked into the clearing at a little creek where I like to sit for a break and a drink sometimes when I'm on a run, and there was a momma deer and her baby. The weren't afraid and I sat and watched them for about ten minutes until they decided I was boring and walked away into the forest. So Cool! It made me feel so blessed to live in a place where I can experience something like that at any random time. Who needs Starbucks?!

Oh yeah, I'm a painter...that's what this blog is about;)  My new ebay offering and practice pic is another old bottle we found in the dirt at the same old farmhouse as in the previous post. I guess they like Pepsi and Orange Crush. Lucky for me...now I just need a Coca-Cola and a 7-up bottle to finish up the series. I do have one more pop bottle to paint tomorrow. It's really cool, and really old. I can't wait to share it with you. 

Anyways, this one's up on ebay right now...CHEAP...too cheap, but if you want it click below...Please! Lol!

BID NOW

Orange Crush, vintage bottle still life

Orange Crush - 6" x 8" oil on canvas

About a week ago, I decided that I was going to ditch the photo references for a while and paint from life. It's something I've never done consistently, and I know that it's an imperative skill to learn, as it helps fill in the blanks for you when you are painting from photos. Photos lack depth, their range of values is short, and the colors are never true. 

So, this is an excercise. I'm not going to stop painting what I usually paint, but I'm going to try to fit in one of these little guys every day, as well.  My goal is "100 paintings in 100 days". I'm going to try to post one every week day (I take weekends off to hang with my kids.) And they will be up for auction, starting at a very reasonable price.

A few years ago, we were living on an old farm from the fifties and my husband found this vintage bottle buried in the dirt. I thought it would make a great still life subject! And to make the play on words, I added the orange. I placed the bottle and orange on a piece of glass in my black covered shadow box to create the reflection...

BID NOW

Coffee break- original horse oil painting

Coffee Break 6"x6" oil on canvas panel

 $150.00

Here's my newest daily painting.

I love horses. I've always loved horses. I started drawing them when I was about five and the obsession hasn't ended. And workhorses speak to me of a time when life was simpler...more real...more in touch. I miss it in a way.

Anyways, you can now purchase it straight from me with paypal, using your bank account or credit card. It's totally secure. Isn't technology wonderful?, Lol!

back to a painting a day!

Leo 6 x6 oil on canvas  SOLD

I decided to do a close up of a lion for some reason yesterday...not really sure, I just liked the pose.  Maybe that's the way I should work, lol! Just paint whatever strikes me at any given minute. It might work. I would probably have about 90% of my paintings be ones of my children, but you know...the odd lion, or swan or dumptruck might get thrown in there...I suppose it would give me a good lesson on what inspires me.

Odd questions on an odd day. I just finished a big painting today. I'm pleased with it today, but might not be tomorrow...The day before yesterday I liked it, yesterday I scraped the face off...so by tomorrow, I'll either be satisfied and post it for you all, or I might scrape the whole thing down and start all over!

Flamenco 2

"Flamenco" 6" x 6" oil on canvas panel

NFS

This is the final painting in my flamenco series. It was fun, other than I don't really know what to name them all. I finally got some good pictures...I stuck them in the scanner, and they all worked, whaddya know! So I replaced all the pictures in my previous posts with the new ones. Enjoy! Now, on to bigger and better things:)

Senorita - painting a day

"Senorita" 6" x 6" oil on canvas (new photo)

Click here for your chance to bid

I'm working on a series of 6" x 6" dancers, this is the second in the series. 

Thanks for looking, now I have to go paint, Cheers!

Work Buddies painting a day

"Work Buddies" 6" x 6" oil on canvas

A new painting I did today. I've been working on a large one for the last week, and it's giving me some trouble, (as usual...sigh...) so I decided to turn it to face the wall for a week or so, and do some tiny little one-off's to make myself feel better!

This one will be active on ebay on Sunday at 6 or so...

Cheers! G'night:)

Serenity - painting a day

Serenity oil on panel 6"x6"  For sale on ebay April 3-10 

SOLD

Hi all, not much to say today, I'm actually on my way out the door, but I wanted to share. I'm really happy with the way this turned out so I was excited to post it. 

The link is active now, so check it out if you're interested.

Cheers!

Tahirih

The Irish Busker painting a day daily painting for ebay

"The Irish Busker" 8"x10" oil on canvas

I came across this delightfully eccentric looking Irish busker in Galway, Ireland in September. I just had to take a picture. I finished painting him in one sitting while attending my table at the above mentioned Arts and Crafts Fair.
Oh yeah, bye the way...I went to Europe...for a month...ahem:) I forgot to mention it. I guess I was worried if I started to write about that trip, I wouldn't be able to stop. I saw sooooo much! The Uffizzi, the "real" David, by Michelangelo...I climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I went for a Gondola ride in Venice, I saw Newgrange in Ireland, and Stonehenge in England...so much! If you want to see some Europe photos feel welcome to check out my Facebook album at: my facebook page.
Anyways, this painting is now for sale on ebay at a very special reduced starting bid, just for you christmas shoppers:) If you want to bid click on my ebay link in the scrolling gallery when the pic comes up. (My hubby is selling a whole bunch of music equipment too, if you're interested.) Happy Bidding!

Hey Horsey!

I was absolutely horse CRAZY as a kid! I drew horse after horse after horse, I talked about horses, dreamed about horses, and finally, when I was twelve, my parents got me my very own horse. But, I think I must have got sick of drawing horses, because this is the first horse I have painted in about 15 years! I made it look just like mine, Miss Peeti Poco. I miss her. She died when I was 27, and coincidentally, she was 27. Our birthdays were only a week apart. I really enjoyed painting this little thing. I may have to give horses another go! This is another ACEO for ebay. The detail is difficult, though, so it's quite hard to make it look polished, and the picture doesn't do it justice. 2.5" x 3.5" is so small!
Well, I have a portrait commission that I have to start work on tomorrow, as well as an assignment almost due for my writing course, so I don't know when I'll next be able to post. Maybe if the weather is good enough for pictures, I'll post some in progress ones of the commission. So, ciao for now.

In Pursuit of the Perfect Wave

~In Pursuit of the Perfect Wave~ 16" x 16" original oil on canvas $400.00

This is a horrible photo of this painting! The colors are off, and the big white glare in the middle doesn't exist, it's from the light in the room. I can't get a good picture because I can't remember the last day that it didn't rain here! I finished this painting last night, and I really wanted to post it, so this photo is temporary, until I get a good day.
It's quite a bit larger than anything I've painted lately, but I really felt like I needed to breathe...take a break from the mini paintings and stretch my painting arm! How can you tell it's winter?...I'm painting beach scenes! I'm dreaming of the ocean, the sun and holidays! I can't wait till January.
This was from a black and white photograph that my sister took at Long Beach in Tofino, B.C. Check out more of her photography at www.ArtWanted.com/Karie.
TIP: For photographing your artwork, the best light is outdoors on a slightly overcast day. It gives a soft, even light which doesn't seem to affect the colors as much as trying to shoot indoors, under artificial light. Put your painting on a flat, even surface, or hang it on a wall. I usually try to zoom as much of the painting into the frame as possible, then crop it in photoshop to get clean edges.

Our Own Island

It was such a great day yesterday that I was able to finish two paintings! I completed this one last night after the kids went to bed and put the finishing touches on it this morning.
I feel like I've hit a new learning curve. There was something I was hearing for a long time, but it never really sunk in. With these last few paintings, I think I've got it. It's that when you start, do a general block in of shapes and values. It sounds very logical, but I think that I may have not been really doing it before. Not generalizing the shapes and values enough. Maybe it's all of the practice that almost daily painting provides, I'm simply getting better.

Beach Baby

Ahhhh...to paint!!!! What a wonderful day I've had. For the first Saturday in forever, my husban didn't work, and I was able to paint in the daytime, before I was exhausted, and for more than an hour. What an incredible experience!! I feel refreshed, inspired and re-energized. It helps that the baby is sleeping almost through the night these days, too. (KNOCK ON WOOD!!)

I am really pleased with this painting. It was from a photo I took a few years ago at Okanagan Lake in Kelowna, where I got to go for a family reunion. It was my son's first time at a beach, he was 2, and in heaven. A really great memory, and it turned into a really great painting.

The Little Artists

I have actually been painting up a storm lately and have been keeping very busy. I seem to have a hard time finding the minutes to get my images uploaded and keep updating my blog. Nothing is particularly new and exciting in my life, just mothering and painting. This is a picture of my two darling children, Jacob and Rhiannon. It seems they have inherited my desire to create. They both love to draw and paint and I try to encourage them as much as possible. I praise their silliest little doodles. That's what my dad did, and I've been an artist ever since!

Svisdahl Homestead

"Svisdahl Homestead" 6" x 8" original oil on gallery wrapped canvas $80.00 CAN

This is my latest "painting a day". I took my kids for a walk in the stroller the other day, in the rain. This is one of the places on our walk. It is listed as a Heritage Site in Bella Coola, being one of the oldest existing farms from the old Norweigan settlers that first came to Bella Coola. The sky was really neat. Heavily overcast on one side, with the sun trying to peek through on the other. I thought I'd try to capture it, so here it is.

October

October ~ "6" x 8" original oil on gallery wrapped canvas $80.00 CAN

So, I had a nice visit to Quesnel. I took lots of pictures of the incredible fall foliage, and this was one of them. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. It's called "October." I'll be listing this one on ebay soon, so be sure to check out my auction.

I'm still not getting much sleep, trying to recover from the flu. I really want to paint more, but it's just not happening.

When I Grow Up

When I Grow Up ~ 6" x 8" original oil on canvas panel $60.00 CAN

Here's my new painting for tonight. When I scattered the blueberries on the table, they looked like they were following the plum...it reminded me of the Pied Piper...LOL! This one's for sale on Ebay, you can click on the link below and it will take you straight to my auctions.
Gotta go work on my painting for tomorrow's post before I fall down from exhaustion.
Goodnight all.

Three's A Crowd

Three's a Crowd ~ 6" x8" original oil on canvas panel $60.00 CAN

Here's the next in my tomato trilogy.
I have no words of wisdom tonight. My bed is calling me.
Ciao.