Maybe July Will Be Cherry Month?

Me and my bag of cherries back at the cool studio today.  Lots of rain this afternoon along with thunder and lightening...it's wonderful!

"Cherries and Medicine Bottle"
4 x 4 Oil on Gessobord
SOLD - Going to NC

Love Painting Cherries

Lovely weather brings me back to the studio with a big bag of cherries purchased yesterday.  Eat a few cherries, paint a few cherries!

"Peachy Cherry"
5 x 5 Oil on Gessobord
Click Here to Collect this Painting

"Sherry Cherry"
4 x 4 Oil on Gessobord
SOLD

So Hot!

The heat has been oppressive to say the least.  While we are fortunate the fires are a good ways away from us, the heat and low humidty have made for some uncomfortable days and night.  Most vegetation has been baked, including my pansy pots on the patio. 

 While the larger pots seem to hold their own when watered daily (sometimes twice), the smaller pots just can't keep the heat out and the foliage looks like someone torched it.

No A/C at the studio means I paint at home.  I tried to paint at the studio last Wednesday and I managed to take some still life photos before I threw in the towel.  My brain shuts down at a certain temperature I'm sure.

These two small oils were painted on Friday here at my dining room table, just to get back into my routine of oil painting.  I've been working on pastels for a few months now.  I did have a major "wipe off that Gessobord surface..that's a horrible painting" moment halfway through the session, but regrouped when I was back to a blank surface staring back at me.

So happy and comforting to be back at my oils.....

"Granny No. 2"
5 x 5 Oil on Gessobord
SOLD

"Sublime Lime"
4 x 4 Oil on Gessobord
SOLD

Barely Pear 5 x 5 Pastel Finished

"Barely Pear"
5 x 5 Pastel on paper
Impressionistic Scribble Approach
Click Here to Purchase Painting

I had every intention of finishing the miniature rose painting today, but when I got to the studio I wanted to release some energy.  Nothing better to release energy than a scribble stroke.  I love all the subtle colors and marks of the pastel showing through. 

New Pastel with Miniature Rose



Work in Progress
Layering color and refining shapes

There's something Grecian-feeling about this still life.  Lots of atmosphere and light bouncing around.  A few more days to capture the beauty of the pitcher and the sweet little rose.

Apple-Ate-Cha 5 x 5 Pastel

"Apple-Ate-Cha"
5 x 5 Pastel on White Wallis Sanded Paper
Click Here to Purchase Painting

This was painted on Friday, but between the studio and home my computer died and I wasn't able to post it.

Today I have a loaner while mine goes off for 2-3 weeks to KY for repair!!!  My loaner fortunately has Photoshop bundled with it, but it's a brand new version and the version I am used to is 10 years old now.  Might be time to retire the old version and learn to use the new.

I watched the first night of the 3-part Hatfields and McCoy's last week.  My mother is a McCoy, but not those McCoy's.  But I believe we are related several generations prior to Old Ran'l McCoy.  My point in telling you this is the title, Apple-Ate-Cha, is a shout out to the Appalachian area of the country where the Hatfields and McCoys roamed.

Vintage Bottle and Tea Roses

"Vintage Bottle and Tea Roses"
8 x 8" Pastel on Sanded Paper
SOLD

I finished this one yesterday and contacted the "dibs" person this morning.  It is now officially sold and going to be heading to Long Island, NY.    This is the first painting I've "sold" before it was finished.  It was rather daunting to finish it knowing I could more than likely screw the whole thing up or get really stymied.  But all is well.

Quick Study of a Tea Rose

"Impression of a Tea Rose"
6 x 6 Pastel on brown sanded paper (Colourfix)
Click Here to Purchase Painting

I've been working on finishing a different painting, "Vintage Bottle and Tea Roses" and one of the roses was giving me fits.  So I decided - after a good dose of Starbucks - that I would work on abstracting the light and shadow of the rose on a separate sheet of sanded paper. 

There is something about the freshness and impressionism of this piece that I like.  Flowers are not usually my subject of choice but people do love flower paintings.

JunieB has gone back to oil painting from her pastel phase...can I be far behind???

So Close, But Not Done Yet.....Day Three

"Vintage Bottle and Tea Roses"
8 x 8" pastel on brown Colourfix paper
Someone has called "dibs" on the finished painting

When I went into the studio this morning, JunieB, my studio mate, announced I was close to being done on this piece.  Just had to work some specifics in the roses and adding that last layer of dust.  Well, I worked and worked on that left rose, and alas......had to wipe it out at the end of the day.  Just as I was walking out the door I brushed a little color back in.  Will have to finish on Wednesday.

A New York friend of mine has "dibs" on the finished painting.  So, unless I really screw it up (which is possible) the painting is sold.

New Pastel Painting Begins

I love going to the local antique mall, Brass Armadillo, and looking for simple objects to use in my still life paintings.  On Monday, hubby and I went scouting for some new things.  My eyes and my short attention span focused on this blue-green tinted vintage bottle.  I knew it would be a perfect match for the red tea roses that grow (quite wildly) outside the studio.  Here are the beginnings of the 8 x 8" pastel on brown Colourfix sanded paper.  It isn't titled yet.

Blocking In

First Layers