Monthly Archives: January 2017

Day 31!!! I Made It! Now for some tea!

Afternoon Tea

I can’t believe I’ve done it!  31 days of daily paintings.  I’ve learned a lot!  I’m also ready to get back to some bigger projects, but who knows I may come back to daily painting!

This teacup is a piece of Wedgewood that my Mom left me.  The pewter pitcher was one of her pieces as well.  Nostalgic to use these pieces in a piece of art.  

Thank you to the Strada Easel folks for issuing this challenge as well as Leslie Saeta for her 30in30 challenge.  I was able to combine both — doing a daily painting which satisfied Leslie’s challenge – and doing them all from life, which satisfied the Strada Easel challenge (and one extra day).  I’m grateful for all the learning!!!

Day 31 complete!!  All the best to you and yours!!!

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Sushi Anyone? Painting Day 29

Sushi Anyone??

Had so much fun painting this!  Got to pull out phthalo turquoise!  Love those colors! Part of the biggest challenge of doing a still life is creating interesting compositions.    Now all my tchotchkes ( definition: a small object that is decorative rather than strictly functional) have become much more interesting to me as possible subjects for a painting.  I’m also loving incorporating strong lighting so I get good shadows.

Day 29!  OMG!  Only two more paintings to complete the challenges I agreed to.  I’ll be interested to see if I miss it.  I’m ready to get back to some larger paintings that take more time to develop – I think!  We shall see!

All the best!!!

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Painting Sunflowers – Day 27

Teaching and Painting

I had a delightful day teaching some basic palette knifing to a group of lovely ladies !  This was a quick demo of our still life setup.  Painting sunflowers and an apple!!

Day 27 complete!!  All the best!!

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Painting Buddha with a Knife – Day 26

Painting Buddha

I’ve been wanting to paint this guy for awhile.  He’s one of the pieces I inherited from my Aunt Robin — who I was named after!  She was a very special lady!  Traveled all over the world, sang with the Robert Shaw Chorale, worked for Newsweek.  Way ahead of her time, she lived in Queens in NY by herself.  Once when I went to visit her we decided to meet at a musical in town.  She took the subway and I took a cab.  When we got there a crowd was gathered around a cabbie and an older gentleman in some sort of dispute.  Everyone was standing around watching the cabbie push on the old guy.  My aunt walked right into the middle of it and pushed them apart.  

This Buddha statue was from one of her trips.  I have a studio in my home today because of her.  I moved her to Charlotte when she was struggling because of her age.  After living in some assisted living situations, we decided it would be great to have her at home with us.  I spent a lot of time with her anyway.  We designed my studio right next to her suite, so I could be available to her whenever she needed me.  Put in large hallways to accommodate her wheelchair.  Anyway, she passed before it was done.  But I think of her often when I’m in my studio and that part of our home.  Thank you Aunt Robin for letting me be a part of your life for your last years!  It was an honor and a privilege!!!

Day 26, Buddha, dedicated to Jessie Roberta Allardice, Aunt Robin.

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Same Spot, Different Day – Day 25

Painting Freedom Park Again

I decided to go back to the same spot where I painted yesterday.  I liked the composition, but still trying to get a painting I’m really happy with.  Practice, practice, practice!!!

Day 25 complete!  All the best!!!

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Plein Air at Freedom Park – Day 24

Plein Air at Freedom Park

The weather here in Charlotte was glorious today, so I went to the park to paint today!  Felt so good to be in the sun!  Day 24 done with the bridge at Freedom Park.

All the best to you!!

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Painting Chucks – Day 22

Painting Chucks

Like I said – I seem to be getting more abstract and crazy the more I palette knife paint.  I could have worked many more hours on this, but I have to learn to give that up.  Not all of these paintings are going to be great paintings.  That’s been a lesson for me in so many ways.  I think the fact that we agree to post them makes it more of a challenge.  Normally I would only post paintings that I really like – the rest go in the closet or in the trash!  Anyway, here’s Katie’s old Chucks.  I may have to give these another try.

All the best!  Day 22 done!

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