Bonsai study

I'll probably only be posting a couple of times during the week, when I do have something done. It's not going to be every day. I haven't felt too well and my creativity is taking a hit. I spent today doing a little 5x7 sketch. It's nice to do those when your not sure of the subject and you don't want to waste a big canvas. I'm glad I did it because it turns out that I hated it. Another one of those "it looked great in my head" paintings.

St. Joseph Art Show and Sale, Poplarville

I won 3rd for Red Shoes, 2nd for New Orleans Balcony, and an Honorable Mention for the Bottling Co. tonight in Poplarville. The Patron party was wonderful. Kay Kammer did a great job. To top the night off I sold four paintings.

Cherries II, oil 8x8"

Not much time to paint today with delivering art for shows this weekend. I decided to paint what I did yesterday, in oil.

Cherries, pastel 4.5x6.5"

Landscape with horses, oil 24x18"

I started this landscape during spring break. I wasn't able to do much painting with a little one being sick.
 I think I might have to photograph this again. The light is making it look a little washed out. I haven't decided if I want to do more. I have fought the urge to do more detail in the horses. I kinda like leaving it undone, a little, and letting the viewer's eye put everything together.

Myrick's Mugs, oil 11x14"

These are my favorite coffee mugs made by a Mississippi artist, Byron Myrick. I love,love,love these mugs.  I've attended the Mississippi Art Colony three times now, and I buy a different mug every time. If your interested in seeing more of his work you can see it at http://www.byronmyrick.com/ .

Spring Break

I suppose I should have been clear about this before spring break started. I have only done one painting this week. I took the week off due to the kids being home and one being sick for nearly two weeks. I will post the painting that I am working on next Monday.

Autumn Wind, Acrylic 24x30"

I tilted the painting in the picture so that the effect of the copperleaf will show. The name is based on Jessica's middle name, which is Autumn, because she was born the first week of Autumn with a halo of red curls. The
"Wind"  is obviously because of the curls flying but also because the teenage years. Moods seem to change as quickly as the direction of the wind.

Still working on Jessica

It was slow going, today, with a sick child in the house. Having to take her back to the doctor and another to the orthodontist.

I was told by more than one person to stop at that first posting, that it could be called done.  Patty and Jeanna, thanks for your input but I felt the urge to keep going on this one. I promise that I will do an "undone painting" for you, at Colony this year.

I laid in white to make the burnt sienna stand out brighter on her hair.  This weekend I'll do the detail work to her hair and maybe some copper leaf in there as well. We'll see. I still have work to do on her left eye. The shadows aren't sitting well with me.

Thunderstorm at Sea, oil 24x30"

I'm going to call this one finished because if I keep going I may just mess it up. I used a limited palette and tried not to go into too much detail. I'm not that happy with it, but I'm sick of working on it. Nothing good comes from being sick of working on a painting so it's best to stop or go back to it later when inspiriation hits.
I think I am going to let this dry for a few days and add some color where the light is hitting the clouds.

Thunderstorm at Sea

This one is going to take a while to finish. I worked on it over the weekend, and today. Lots and lots of blending. I took this picture years ago, on a girls weekend, in Mobile. I loved to sit on the balcony and watch the storms rolling over the ocean.

Underpainting

Hatian Market Lady II - Oil, 8x8"

I went to Thursday painters today and completed this painting there. It's from a picture my  husband took on his way to Haiti.

Garlic, Pastel 7x5

No time to paint today so I did a quick sketch of a garlic clove.

Rose, watercolor 9x12

This was from the watercolor class that I go to on Tuesdays (when I have the time), that's led by Bobby Walters.

Hatian Market Lady Oil, 24x36"

I could do a lot more with this painting but I really like the unfinished portions of this painting. Leaving certain parts undone makes you focus on what is done, and those "done" areas become the focal points. At least, that is how I was viewing it. If I continued any further I would have made every part of this as realistic as I could and I've gotten enough slaps on the wrist about doing that in the past. I'll post a better picture, on my website. It's raining right now and I'll wait for the paint to dry a little.