Somewhere in Croatia

I finished this work this afternoon.  You can see the progression below.  I had difficulty deciding how to add the script to the sign over the door.  It's not perfect - but after all, it's not a photograph, it's a painting!

Finished work

 

Low Tech Retro

I was looking for some inspiration for an oil painting this morning.  I remembered the old phone that was in my childhood home for years and now sits on a bookcase in my studio.  It was my "aha" moment of the day.

I believe in waste not want not.  I scrape off "salvageable" oil paint from my palette and store in the freezer - works for me!  Get some incredible neutral grays that way too.

Painting Small...

Yesterday, I took a Zoom class with Amy Brnger.  It was fun.  Amy demonstrated her technique and provided us with a photo of a flower arrangement.  Then we were on our own.  I felt a bit intimidated.  I was still mixing my paints when the class was over.  I don't do well in a classroom situation.  I like to watch and think about the process.  This morning I bit the bullet and painted away on an 8x8 canvas.

Lillies and Hydrangea

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park

My husband and I took a drive to Fakahatchee Strand on July 4.  It was a pleasant day for a drive.  It's located in a remote area of the Everglades about 41 miles from our home.  We didn't see any wildlife except for a couple of vultures on a tree branch.  There were only a couple of other cars at the park.  The road is quite narrow, rutted and uneven.  Obviously, we drove very slowly.

I only took one photograph - I liked it well enough to try painting a landscape - something I rarely if ever do.

My inspiration

quick sketch with oils

Finished piece

A dash of orange...

This piece needed a little something.  Since orange is the complementary color of blue, I thought a dash of orange would perk it up.

Fun with Abstract Painting

I wasn't sure what I would do with this relatively large canvas (24x36).  Finally, I decided to mess around with a limited palette and NOT think about it.

This is far from finished, but the paint is so thick and wet, I've got to let it set up a bit before I decided what to do next.  I love the marks I made and the movement - It looks like a seascape although that was not my intent when I started.  It'll be fun to see the end result.

Working Small...

I decided not to waste paint - using leftovers from my palette to create more orange flowers.

Abstract flowers

When I paint, it's usually a portrait.  For a while now I've thought about painting some florals.  Amazingly I find that very intimidating.  I'm not completely thrilled with what I've accomplished here.  I painted over and scratched out most everything at least once...it's okay, but...

Acrylic over gesso

mapping out

this sucks!

end result

I've got to remember nothing is so precious it can't be painted over.  I've got tons of canvas - it's a process - I'll get there eventually...

Windswept Hair

I enjoyed painting again.  It's hard to remember how afraid I was of oil paints when I switched from acrylics.  I haven't completely stopped using acrylics, however.  Most of my backgrounds are done with acrylics followed by foreground in oils.

How I started