Hugh's Pond

Joy

Hugh's Pond
Pride

3- 7x7

acylic on canvas
all sold

Here are the three commissioned pieces all in one place. I do believe they should be hung horizontally, but they won't fit on the screen in that manner. The neighbor who asked me to paint these for her husband's birthday this summer has seen them on the blog, but not in person yet. The pond is his own creation and his pride and joy. She seems pleased so far and I hope in person she will like them even more. The colours certainly show better in real life. The greens of the water are not showing well on my monitor; the blue is taking over a bit. The painting of the water lily is a waaaaaaayyy better photograph than the previous one I posted- look here to see the difference. This is a much more accurate representation. I wanted to include a more pulled back view of the pond, so that hopefully it can be recognized by the family as the one Hugh created in their back yard. I was a bit concerned they wouldn't flow, but I think it is okay, and hopefully even a bit more interesting done this way. Please let me know what you think now that you can see them as a grouping. As always, I appreciate hearing from the interesting people that stop by my blog.

Spotlight

Spotlight

20x20 

acrylic on canvas

(tweaked and reposted 04/21/10)
Sold

This is the larger canvas I have been working on a the studio and it is postable at this point, but still may not be finished. I am not sure the tree in the sun looks bright enough. That, or maybe the surrounding area needs to be a bit darker. I'm relatively happy with it so at least that feels great. I want it to look like there is a spotlight on that dead tree and the moss bed around it..

I am off to a weekend scrapbooking retreat and I am taking my paints with me, so maybe I will even be able to do a little plein air painting in the countryside. I used to scrapbook on a regular basis (mainly photos of the kids) but in the last two years I all but stopped. However, in the last two years I attended this weekend "scrapfest" with my good pal, Nancy. It is great to have a chunk of time to focus and feel like something was getting  accomplished. Unfortunately Nancy isn't going this year, but in the end I decided to grab one of the last two open spots, so I am going by myself! I may know some people when I get there anyway, but if I don't I am happy to get a little me time. It will be nice not to have to be a referee for two days or say things like "Eat your food. Come on, this is taking too long" or "Enough with the poop jokes" or "Yes you have to brush your teeth" or "I don't care who started it...". Sigh. You get the idea and the list could go on. I love being a stay-at-home-mom, but it is so hard not to get a mental break from that stuff. Funny thing is that I am going, in part, to get a break from the people, but really I will be staring at photos of them all weekend as I scrapbook memories!

Back in the Saddle

Peace and Quiet

7x7"

acrylic on canvas
sold

This is the first painting I have done since the accident in November. It felt great to do a bit of work and attempt to shake off my "block". I decided to start back with a subject that I am relatively comfortable with and one that makes me feel peaceful and content (look at this post to see another larger piece I did from the same photo). This was a small canvas so it wasn't intimidating- and because I had painted from this photo before I had a sense of "I can do this" which helped. I just relaxed and began building my layers and it felt great. I finished it at the studio on Tuesday and brought it home to photograph, so I could share it with those that visit my blog. I am hoping to start something new next week and look froward to getting back into a regular studio routine. My back is still giving me trouble, but I need to get on with things so that is what I am going to do.

I hope that this is the start of me sharing new work with you rather than digging up older work just so I have something to post... and hopefully no more silly sketches! It is all business from here on out... serious and professional... or is it???