Searching For Clarity

Duck Out Of Water

Drink Me

I painted the top one and though I love the color, I thought I could do better by trying to stay conscious of my tendency to add more than necessary. Not that the duck is unnecessary but I felt I may have used more brushstrokes and fussed with details in having mindless fun so I took another shot at it. That said, I learned that I like them both. Do you have a clear preference? If so, please feel free to weigh in.

Cara Cara In The Moonlight

Summer's end. We are going to spend a week by the sea. Just like these wedges of reddish oranges, basking in the light of the moon. Heh heh. I could use a vacation about now.

UPDATE: vacation was lovely. And in other news...

I'm pleased to say this painting was just accepted to this juried exhibition and sale. If you're there or going on your own vacation, stop in and take a look! It won't be too early to begin holiday shopping.

Paco Plays with Pizza

My daughter's cat, Paco loves toys and people to an insane degree. I've never met any cat like him. Garfield has lasagna and here is Paco guarding his pizza. Painted for Cute Cat Challenge on DPW. Come and get it. Gone!

Tea and Berries

A summer breakfast of berries with tea. Keeping it light for more time to paint.
Click here to purchase.

Glassy Again

Another go at the same glass subjects. This time with a few minor changes. Can you spot the differences? Take 15 seconds. Time's up! This time the little bottle didn't make the cut. AAww. Different spectacles and it's only 6x6". Extra credit if you could divine that last bit. But the main difference is subtle. I tried to use what I'd learned on the first and use fewer strokes and make it simpler to see what I prefer. I'm not sure. What do you think? Available here.

Cat Nap in Dappled Sunlight

Discovered this guy on a park bench under some trees doing what I like to do in a patch of warm sun. It's a challenge painting dappled light and add to that he is fairly dappled himself with stripes and spots so I just went a little crazy with the brushes and I think it worked! Available here.

Tea With Mickey

Painted as a possible companion piece to the earlier Cup and Book. This is a much loved and very old Mickey Mouse book given to me by my daughter, Maddie, in which Mickey works on a newspaper. I've done that. Disney has Mickeys hidden all over Disneyland and I've hidden one here too. Can you find it? Use your imagination!
Available here.

Cup and Book

Teacups and picture books sized for baby's hands. Happy things in happy colors stacked haphazardly. Painted loose and messy, like my days with Baby Lyle.

It was fun scrambling to find items and stack for quick photos to paint for The Second Stack Challenge. Just when I got something set up near the window downstairs, the right light was gone. So I dash upstairs, with cups clattering and various items scattering but I caught that last ray! Available here.

Shy Rose

This week's Daily PaintWorks Challenge of 'chunking', i.e. simplifying values/tones and color, proved to be quite challenging. I like a challenge particularly when I feel as though there is something worthwhile to be gained from it. So here is a second go at it and I'm pretty happy with it. I was less happy with the first and that's why it is not posted here. It is up on DPW if you really must. Available here.

Elementary Memories

I've been reconnecting with friends and sharing whatever memories we can summon up from our earliest school years. It has me wondering why we remember and forget the things we do. Available here and now.

Tough Luck

Or, You Can't Always Get What You Want. Available from my gallery on DPW here.

Foiled Kisses

This one was inspired by the Daily PaintWork's Foil Challenge. And a challenge it was! So fun. As I've mentioned, I do love painting shiny things and I'd never thought to attempt foil. The trick was to keep the contrast high and the edges sharp with little or no blending. I don't know about you but I'm delighted with it! Available here.

So Gifted!

This is the first gift I've wrapped for the rapidly approaching holiday and I did it just to paint it. Shows where my head's at but it's time to get it in the game! December 14, gasp!!! I do work best under a little pressure; just 'gifted' that way, I guess. This little prize was painted this morning for the DPW challenge and a good way to get back to the easel after all the showing/selling activity in recent weeks. "So Gifted" is available here. I may just make this my Christmas card.

Decision

I made up my mind a long time ago and it wasn't difficult. During this particular election time so much hangs in the balance and there is a lot to lose. Vote.
Click to purchase.

Be In The Present

Basic shapes in Tiffany blue. It's good to get back to the easel. I've been away almost a month and in that time was fortunate enough to become a grandma and celebrate a milestone birthday! This little package was only one of these many gifts. Thank you. SOLD.

Coffee and Formica

Same diner visit but a more intimate shot. I don't drink coffee. I never have and probably never will. Although I shouldn't say never...I am now a tea drinker which came as a surprise and rather late in the game. This is the coffee of my husband and I've spent many hours staring at someone else's coffee and waiting for the check.
Click to buy.

Light In Flight

I've taken many of these photos but this is the first I've painted. I get seated over the wing or just behind it quite a bit but I don't really mind. I snapped several, intending to paint one and the light was changing beautifully with each. I may just have to do a series, larger in size, sometime. But for now, this is available for sale here. Painted for Daily Paintworks' Colorful Light Challenge.

Dairy Queen On The Right!

Arriving late to our Outer Banks house rental, I shot a quick photo as we passed the landmark DQ. I was hoping to text it to the caravan of our kids, driving an hour or so behind, as a means of hope at the end of a 12 hour drive. Also, it's a little game they've played since they were backseat passengers: "There's a Dairy Queen!" It's loud glare of fluorescence encroaching on the otherwise serene location makes its own statement. Click to buy.

Near The Pink House

We passed this little house early each morning as we left our rented pink house. The sun coming up hit that delicious yellow trim just right and my friend stopped her car so I could take pictures. Again. That's a friend. Click to buy.

Destined For Daquiri

As promised, a move further into impressionism and toward abstraction, a little bit. I'm delighted with it. The paint went on as juicy as the berries and I think the fun I had shows in the final work. Always a good sign. *wink*. Click to bid/buy.