"Safety" --- SOLD

I'll be gone for a couple of days - we're spending the remainder of our vacation camping. I should be able to paint again on Tuesday - here's hoping! In case I don't, Happy New Year everyone!

"Tiny Bells" --- SOLD

I did this painting last night and didn't have daylight to photograph it in. I'll post another this afternoon.

I found these miniature bell peppers at Central Market yesterday and couldn't help myself. It took me forever to find a composition I liked, however. At first I was just randomly tossing them about hoping they would land in a pleasing order. : ) Generally after about 20 minutes or so I start to get panicky. But lately, I've accepted that it takes time to set up a good still life, even something simple like this, and that I should allow for it rather than being frustrated by it. Just having that thought has calmed me down and, I think, led to better paintings.

"Sun Bathers" --- SOLD

I am really enjoying the translucent qualities of the grapefruit insides. The red even invaded the shadows and reflections on this plate. Love it. My husband has been giving me title ideas lately, that's why they've been more creative than usual. Thanks, sweetheart.

"Progress of a Slouch" --- SOLD

This was my second attempt for the day. I did the first one on a 6x8 and it was ok, so I painted another - this one. I liked it so much better I wiped the first one. I find I really like the orange showing through the blue, and I don't usually think about that. The light, although it was coming generally from the left, shone through the grapefruit slices and lit the "shadow" sides and made them almost as light as the "lit" sides. I like that too.

"Surrounded" --- SOLD

Merry belated Christmas! I didn't get to paint at all after the last one - too busy with family and cooking and card games, etc.

I started this painting off with the polka-dot fabric as is. I liked the blue color and didn't have the same shade in my paper backgrounds. I figured I wouldn't put the dots in if it looked ok without, but I got everything else done and it just needed something. The slices are from the same ruby red grapefruits I painted on Saturday. I have quite a few - this may be a series. : )

"Sugar Bowl" --- SOLD

I'm glad I painted, but I was WAY out of my comfort zone with this one. I didn't have my "fancy" still life box with controlled light (this was sunlight), I was working on a small portable easel with a tiny palette, and this panel has a new surface I've never worked on - gessoboard. The paint acted totally different on this surface: sucked up the paint and every stroke mixed right away with anything underneath. So far I really prefer canvas. I borrowed this sugar bowl from my mom (who made it) - she calls it the bluebird of happiness sugar bowl - don't ask me why. At least I got to eat the cookies afterwards. : )

"Bowl of Ruby's" --- SOLD

This is my 400th daily painting. I did a large painting on Thursday that included this bowl of grapefruit and really liked it, so I did a small version. I love all the different shades of orange.

We are visiting my folks for the holidays - just got here today. I plan to keep painting here, even if I don't post anything, just so it doesn't take me so long to get back in the swing of things when I get home.

"Howdy" --- SOLD

This is another one that just fell off my brush. I didn't once think about rules when composing, in fact I never stopped to think at all through the whole thing. It just happened. I live for this. I asked my husband what I should call it and he said "it looks like the flower is saying 'howdy' and waving its leaf." So there you are.

Below are some little alien sculptures (~2" high) I made out of Sculpey and painted. It was a fun project I did with my stepdaughter.

"Grapefruitarama" --- SOLD

I've been experimenting with this more traditional approach lately, and although I like the dramatic nature, I'm really missing working more with color and unusual compositions. I'm wondering if there is some way I can combine the drama with my usual stuff. I'm working on it ...

"Grapefruit in a Fish Bowl" --- SOLD

I did a large painting today, and when I was "done" I didn't want to take down my setup right away in case I wanted to go back and change anything. So I used my stool and set this grapefruit in a fish bowl on it with a spotlight, looking almost straight down. It took me 20 minutes to paint and my stepdaughter said "eh" about it, so I am going to start the bidding at $50.

"High Tea" --- SOLD

I found this interesting tea pot at the thrift store recently. I didn't notice the crack on the underside of the spout until today which makes it unusable. Good thing I only want to paint it. : )

I've gotten several emails today from people who haven't been able to view my website properly. Unfortunately I didn't test it on all the browsers before I put it out there, and there appears to be a bug when viewed in Firefox. I'll get that fixed soon - sorry about that. I also wanted to mention that I've just gone through my ebay store and lowered some prices on paintings that have been there a while.

"Little Cakes" --- SOLD

I went on a date last night with my husband. We stopped by Whole Foods to eat and I saw this big display with tons of beautiful little cakes. For some reason I had never seen them before (this is the central WF and BIG), but they called to me and I got these 3 to paint. I did 2 paintings today: a larger one and this one, and these cakes are in both. I couldn't resist. They're so cute. And they tasted good too. : ) By the way, I'm photographing my larger paintings (slowly) and putting them up on my regular website in case you're interested. The latest ones are in the "still life" category.

"Cherry Pile" --- SOLD

I was on my way to setting up a more complicated still life than this. I had a vase and an apple and it still seemed a bit sparse - so I added some cherries. And I thought they looked so cool with the little bit of white cloth reflecting back up on the edges of the dark red cherries all stacked up and balanced that I zoomed in and cut everything else out.

"Three Cherries" --- SOLD

Click Here to Bid

My internet connection was down for some reason last night, and I wasn't able to post this. So I will most likely post two today. These cherries may look simple, and you might think I could whip it out in 5 minutes, but I guarantee you I didn't. In fact I slowed down with this one and studied every stroke. This is one of my favorites yet, I must admit.

"Orange Stack" --- SOLD

I was really attracted to the reflections on the cup in this setup. I think the trick to getting reflections "right" is keeping them real. What I mean is that reflections are usually fairly subtle, and I really try to take that into account. I try to look at the actual value and try to recreate it. I've learned that if I stay as true as possible to value and proportions, my paintings are most successful. Then I can be as creative as I want with color and composition.

"Black & White" --- SOLD

I think I'm finally gaining some confidence with cups. It's the rims that are the toughest. They're usually rather thin, but not so thin that I can treat them the same as highlights. Also, getting the elipses right is always a major challenge. One thing I talk about in my workshops all the time is how everything is relative, and so to get things "right" you've got to constantly compare everything to everything else: shapes, distances, values, etc. It's really easy to get so focused on one little piece of the composition that we forget to look at the bigger picture. But if one little part doesn't relate to the rest then you're sunk! I have 2 main tricks for making myself look at the bigger picture all throughout the painting: squint, and back up.

"Blue Vase" --- SOLD

You'll have to take my word for it - this one is better in person. I found this blue vase at a junk shop yesterday. It was next to a whole bunch of small vases that were very obviously hand-made by an amateur. The bottoms were thick and the glazes drippy. But they're perfect for painting, so I bought several. I did a larger painting today with this vase and flower and several others, and it seemed fitting to use them in a small one too. Unfortunately, the dark background shows a ton of glare and obliterates any subtlety there. The small things are tiny onions - I was going for minimal strokes.

"Trail of Orange" --- SOLD

I'm pretty sure I've talked about this before, but one thing I really try for is to have a dominant color. I feel it makes my compositions stronger than if I don't have one. I learned the idea from a book by Harley Brown. I hear he has a new book out. I would love to hear what anyone thinks of it if they've bought it. I haven't seen it in a bookstore to browse.

"Disassembled" --- SOLD

Things are easier now that I'm not so afraid of white. I use it sooner and with less fear. I really liked how light these orange pieces were on the white plate - almost no darks in or around them.

These last few days have been really difficult for me. My husband and I decided to pull our son, Jacob, out of day care. He was sitting in the corner every day by himself with his blanket over his head. When I dropped him off he would shake and scream and apparently this never got better after I left. So we figure either it isn't the right environment or he's not ready or something. We're now looking for someone to come to the house 2 days a week to watch him while I paint upstairs in the studio. So if you know anyone in Austin...

Sorry about the comments

Because I am a nincompoop, I did something funny to my comments and it took me this long and a question from a friend to make me realize it. I just fixed it and have published all the comments I've gotten since I made the mistake. Sorry about that. I LOVE getting your comments - please don't be discouraged by this!!!

My son didn't take a nap today :( so no painting.

"Fall Leaf"

I live in a relatively new community, and the one downside is teensy little trees. I'm not sure what kind of leaf this is, but it must have blown onto my porch from some neighbor's teensy tree, as we only have Pin Oaks and a Bradford Pear. It was all by itself, and so perfect - I thought it must be a sign. Or maybe an ambitious leaf looking for fame?

"Dappled Silhouette" --- SOLD

First of all I'd like to announce a new website: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/. It's a collection of daily painters, with whom I'm proud to be associated. The website is updated with the latest paintings posted by each of the 12 artists. The site also features artist videos, upcoming workshops, and a daily email signup.

The title for today's painting was a consensus between my 2 stepdaughters, 12 & 16. The fact that they could agree on anything is a new one for me - must be because they haven't seen each other in a few weeks. One's been here while the other one's been with their mother. I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder even when it comes to siblings!

For those interested, the new brush I am trying (I painted this one with just it) is a Silver Bristlon Bright 6. The flats for this brand were a bit long, so I went with a bright because it's about the same length as a flat Monarch, which is what I usually use. I like it. I haven't decided if I like it better than the Monarch's yet - I don't think I do ... but it is cheaper.

"Strappy Shoes" --- SOLD

These are the fanciest shoes I have. I've had them for about 2 years, and I've worn them exactly 2 times. Since I knew the whites and blacks in this were going to be rather cool, I picked a warm brown as a ground. I used my new brush on this too, and I swear tomorrow I'll tell you the brand ... I'm too tired to climb the stairs again tonight to look. But I'm feeling better, and I hope to paint again tomorrow. This one was an extra I did right before I got sick.

"Carnation Cup" --- SOLD

I am finding that my wonderful new Windsor & Newton, Monarch brushes are wearing out. They're getting a bit frazzled on the ends, even though I clamp them in cardboard every night. So, I figured since it had been quite a few months, I would go out and buy some new brushes. And it's like magic all over again! This one seemed to paint itself - such a wonderful experience. Thanks to all of you who have offered such kind comments about my daycare and sick experiences!

"Buncha Slices" --- SOLD

I'm going to blame this unimaginative title on the fact that my head is pounding - sinus headache. And I'm going to blame the fact that I'm getting sick on day care. And now I'm going to bed.

"Orange on a Plate" --- SOLD

I actually did this painting yesterday. And you can probably tell that I cut up my orange some more into these tiny bits, and discarded the rest. : ) Today I did another big painting, as it was my son's second day of day care and I had all day to paint. We are both recovering from the trauma of day care. I expect since he's never been before that it'll take him a while to adjust. Right now he hates it. Argh.

"Mandarin on the Side" --- SOLD

I got really frustrated trying to arrange this one. I started with a whole mandarin on the plate. Then I cut it in two - still on the plate. That wasn't working. So I took them off the plate. No go. So I cut a half in two - back on the plate. Nope. I tell you I tried so many combinations I thought I wouldn't have any time left to paint. And then suddenly I came upon this arrangement and it was as if it had been waiting to happen the whole time. Ahhhh. I love it when that happens. Too bad it took so darn long.

"Pears in Formation" --- SOLD

I have to be honest - I overworked this one. And -gasp- I think I went TOO light with the pears. As with any painting I'm happy with some parts, but not all of it. I can get down on myself about it or I can console myself with the fact that I can't paint a winner every day! So I am starting the bidding on this at $50, in case someone else sees only the good bits.

I've Been Tagged

Bear with me. I've been asked to expose some "things" about myself. Frank Gardner tagged me - thanks a lot Frank! ; )

Here are the rules: 1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog. 2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird. 3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as wellas links to their blogs. 4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here goes. 1. I grew up in a dome house with no indoor toilet - just an outhouse. 2. I graduated from HS in a class of 18 - not a private school, just small. 3. My husband, David, was adopted from Germany. 4. My son, Jacob, was adopted here in Austin, TX. 5. I'm a felon. : )

I'm tagging you: Bernard Garcia, Sharman Owings, Brendy Vaughn, Jennifer Bellinger, and Kim Edge. Have fun!

'Maroon Flowers" --- SOLD

I tend to focus very much on HOW I paint, and spend less attention on WHAT I paint. I suppose the how is what draws me more. Perhaps as I get better at the how I'll spend more time on the what. I'm just glad I never have trouble with the why. : )

"Three's a Crowd" --- SOLD

I really enjoyed painting the reflections so I thought I'd do it again. That and the goose. And of course, an apple. Ok, actually I did this yesterday right after I did the first one, and did a big one today. I've decided to finally post some larger ones here that I've been working on, but not the most recent. The one below I did a couple of months ago. I recently got some fancy new lights and have just this evening photographed a whole bunch of paintings, including this one, which will go to the gallery soon (15"x15").

"Light Reflections" --- SOLD

To set this up I took a sheet of glass and put it over a white piece of paper. I really like the reflections I get, but it sure gets complicated when you add the shadows into that. : )

"Just an Apple" --- SOLD

So, I've been working lately on value - specifically on getting the lights light enough. To really experiment I did a few with very little color. Now I'm getting back to full color, here especially. I doughted myself about halfway through this one and almost wiped it off, but in the end I finished it and feel so much more confident about value.

"Goose" --- SOLD

My mother gave me this goose last time I saw her. She's always looking out for things I might want to paint. I'm not sure if it's ceramic or stone, but it's really cool. And green.

I mentioned my still life box yesterday and got a lot of questions about it. Here's a picture of my box. My husband made it out of pvc pipe (so it's light) and mounted it on top of a sturdy tripod. I cover it first with a white cloth, and then a black one. The white lightens up the shadows of my setup just a little, and the black keeps my painting light mostly out of it. I'm really happy with it, though someday I'd like to have some way that's easier to raise and lower it - like a foot pedal or a crank.

"Double Row" --- SOLD

This setup was a bit of an accident, but perhaps my favorite apple painting yet. I have a box that I set everything up in to paint. Sometimes while I'm arranging, I'll push a bunch of things to the back as a kind of staging area. These apples were there lined up in about this order and they looked so nice with all the various colors together. So I pushed everything else away, put them in exactly the order I wanted, and proceeded to paint. One thing I really like about it is that with the background a gray, the eye really focuses on the mix of color.

"Golden Apples" --- SOLD

I got a comment today from someone asking to see these larger paintings I've been mentioning. I swear I'll post them soon. They're a bit different than the larger paintings I've done in the past, so I guess I'm worried no one will like them. : ) But I'll get over it. You'll see them here soon. Meanwhile I'm off for a date with my husband. Toodles.

"Apple Journey" --- SOLD

I've got a bunch of extra apples on hand at the moment (did you notice?) because of a larger apple painting I did recently. I've got a variety of colors and am having a good time arranging and rearranging them with various colored fabrics. And every time I think I've come up with every possible arrangement, something new occurs to me and then I've got a whole new avenue to pursue.

"Orange Stripes" --- SOLD

I picked up some cool new fabrics this weekend when I was out visiting my folks. There is a cool craft store nearby with remnants in the back. Remnants are just relatively small pieces of fabric, and they are always different and usually interesting. And with these blue stripes I thought these orange bits would be perfect.

"Golden Blue" --- SOLD

So I thought - if I can make a light painting as light as it needs to be (see previous posts), can I do the same with a dark painting? And this is how I came to tackle these glowing yellow apples. I'm happy with them. I especially like the little bit of teal at the bottom right. This is the kind of thing that just happens. I can sometimes spend an hour fiddling with a still life and never get a nice moment like this, and sometimes, like today, it just happens and I go with it. It's magic, and so far I haven't figured out how to make it happen every day.

"Tumbled" --- SOLD

This is another one that just fell off my brushes. I LIVE for these. I was still going for lighter lights here (see previous few posts). I even added white to the lit part of the apples - something I usually don't do except for the highlight. I suppose if it needs it, it needs it. Duh.

"Lightbulb" --- SOLD

Peter Yesis recommended that I paint something white on white, so I tried this lightbulb. I actually really like how it turned out. Pretty much every stroke required some mix of white, which was tough for me (by the way I used no black). I tend to leave out white until I absolutely can't do without it. It's something I'm really questioning. That said, I think a lot of beginner painters DO rely too heavily on white to lighten. But, this is me proving it's just as easy to go in the other direction. As with most things, I'm finding that moderation is the key. : )

"Pale Comparison" --- SOLD

I'm still trying to go lighter here (see previous post). My husband asked me yesterday why I'm resistant to this. I said I had a professor in college who said I used too much white. My husband was flabbergasted that a teacher I didn't even like could have such a profound effect on my painting all these years later. So, I am getting over my fear of white. I am finding it is very useful. I suddenly see that I was focusing so much on shadows and colors I forgot to really pay attention to the light side of things. I'm really enjoying this excercise.

"After Lunch" --- SOLD

I was REALLY trying to pay attention to the values here. I was going for accuracy of value, with sketchy strokes. I've said this, but I think I have a problem with not getting light enough on the light parts. So the next few paintings I will be specifically addressing that issue. I think what's happening is I start with the darkest parts, then I relate all the lighter bits to the dark bits. But I never get quite light enough. So this time I put in some dark bits - and then I put in some light bits - and then I put in the bits inbetween. :)

"Pear in a Cup" --- SOLD

I've seen a couple still lives recenly in magazines with polka-dot vases. I love how sketchy and suggested the polka-dots can be and still be recognizable. I think these are my most successfully sketchy dots yet. The trick was getting the cup totally painted without them, and then putting the dots in last.

Someone asked today in a comment about my medium. For those of you who haven't read it or heard it in my workshop, here's my recipe: 2 parts linseed oil, 1 part stand oil and 1 part turp/mineral spirits. I use Gamsol mineral spirits because it is my understanding that it is currently the safest choice because it's 100% pure. This medium works really well for me in extending my paint for more coverage. I like my paint a little thinner than straight out of the tube. Also, I like the slight gloss I get, even when it dries. In order to get an even gloss, I've got to use medium pretty regularly with every bit of paint I put down.

"Blue Daisy" --- n/a

Sometimes I don't notice an over-all cast to a painting. For instance, this painting is a bit blue. Did you notice? : ) I'm pretty sure this is what it looked like, but probably I exaggerated the blue a bit. Lately I've been struggling with my paintings being too dark in general. For some reason I am afraid to get too light. I have no idea why. I'm working on it.

"Happy Bell" --- SOLD

I didn't see it, but my husband took one look and couldn't NOT see a big smiley face. The seeds are the teeth. Now I can't not see it either.

"Bell Pepper" --- SOLD

I got these dark purple - almost black - bell peppers at the grocery store recently for a larger painting. I decided to cut them up and paint the inside, and then couldn't resist the purple/green combination. I actually did another one that's similar while I was at it that I will post tomorrow.

"Up or Down" --- SOLD

This was a fun one. Pears and glass - two of my favorites. I actually spent most of today working on a large painting. 20x28 ... the largest in a while. I'll be spending next week working on my website - catching up and reformatting a bit. After that the plan is to put Jacob in day care 2 days a week so I can do more large work, and in January I'll be shopping for more gallery representation. I've participated in several discussions lately about the whole gallery vs. online sales dilemna (can we do both?), and still don't know exactly what to make of it. I'd love to hear some opinions ...

"Yellow in Pink" --- SOLD

I have a friend who paints with mostly dull colors except for one or two splashes of color. It really tends to focus the eye. That's what I was going for here. And while I'm happy with the result, I have to admit the background was really boring to paint. I enjoy working with lots of color.

"Lost Shadow" --- SOLD

Please check out Vicki Shuck's blog. She took my workshop in Santa Fe and has been doing art in one form or another her whole life. She just started her blog and I think her work shows a true passion for art!

I went through my ebay store today and lowered some prices, so check 'em out.