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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Day 30, Really, The Party's Over


The Party's Over
Here is my last painting in the 30 paintings in 30 days.  
I can't believe it's over and I did it!
I usually paint every day, but I don't always complete a painting every day,
But I pushed really hard and finished the Leslie Saeta Challenge.
I finished the challenge, but I don't have a name for this painting.
It's another Florida painting.
Leave me a comment on a name.

One thing I do think I improved on during the challenge is painting grass.
I've really enjoyed looking at all the paintings on Leslie's blog every day.

It's interesting to see how some artists select their subjects,
How I came to know their styles and could pick their paintings out immediately.

Thank you to all who have participated in the challenge
and to those of you I've gotten to know during the last 30 days.

6" x 6" acrylic on a canvas panel, unframed
$50 + $6 shipping


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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Day 29 Coconut Palm


Day 29
Wow!  I made it to Day 29.
I can't believe it is Day 29.

This Coconut Palm kicked me all over the studio.
Don't know why this was so difficult, but
It Is Day 29.

I'm exhausted!

But it has been fun and I have learned so much.

6" x 6" acrylic on a canvas panel, unframed.
$50 + $6 shipping

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Day 28 The Wedding Spot


The Wedding Spot
is Day 28 of the 30 in 30 challenge.
Only two more days.  

This painting is from a photo I took of a gazebo in Naples, FL where my uncle got married a few years ago.
It was a beautiful day and lots of family and friends gathered around.

Right now, it's all about the beach for me.  
Can you tell?

6" x 6" acrylic on a canvas panel, unframed
$50 + $6 Shipping
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Monday, January 28, 2013

Day 27 Shoreline Dunes


I think I lost track again.

Not sure what day it is again, but Oh Well!

This may be my last beach painting because I might be out of photos I like,
but then again, I'm ready to go on vacation, so I may dig really hard to find another painting or two hanging out in the recesses of my mind.  hehe.

I love seeing these all over my studio.

I don't know how all you other artists in the challenge are doing, but I'm covered up in paintings.  

They are everywhere and it's kind of fun to look at them and think about what I like about them and what I might do differently.

6" x 6" acrylic on canvas panel

$50 + $6 shipping
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Day 26


Day 26

Struggled all over the place on this, so here it is,
but sorry to say, it is no longer.  
12" x 12" Acrylic on panel

NFS
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Saturday, January 26, 2013

Day 25 Heaven Scent


Day 25

Can you believe it,
Day 25 of the 30 paintings in 30 day challenge.

Thanks for this challenge Leslie,
and I'm glad I've stuck with it.
I have learned so much about myself as an artist
and how much I can or cannot get done.
Superwoman I am not.

Heaven Scent,
is a painting I have done before using different flowers, 
I love the abstractness of it.

You're just kind of throwing paint up there until the last little bit and then you 
add the flowers rather abstractly as well.

It's fun and I always love the results.

6" x 6" acrylic on a canvas panel.
$50 + $6 shipping


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Friday, January 25, 2013

Day 24 Crashing Shore Line


Crashing Shore Line
Day 24 and outside my house it's freezing, sleeting, snowing, raining and inside,
I'm painting beach scenes.
That's what's really great about being an artist,
at least in your head you can be anywhere you want to be.

I didn't know when I started this 30 paintings in 30 days I would fall in love with painting shore scenes.
I have, so I guess you're going to see a lot of them.

This is a 6" x 6" acrylic on canvas panel unframed.
$50 + $6 shipping

Hope you like the beach.

I need a vacation!
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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Day 23 - Struggling Lizards


Day 23

When I took Dreama Tolle Perry's workshop last year she gave us all a little teeny tiny lizard.
You know the one.
The one who hops up on your shoulder and says,
"You can't paint, I don't know who you are thinking you can paint.
Yea, I thought you knew that Lizard.
My lizard was all over me today as I tried to paint my second still life ever.
Well, at least it made it onto the blog. 

My first attempt is still sitting in the corner staring at me.

I'm still thinking beach and vacation as I painted my ratty old tennis shoes I'll wear at the beach
and some shells I have found on the beach.

I struggled and struggled with almost every part of this little 6" x 6" canvas.
How can a 6" square canvas give me such grief.
Well, it did, I'm finished and I put it on my blog.
Heck, I'm even putting it on the 30 in 30 blog.
No little teeny weeny lizard is going to show me who's boss.

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Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Day 22 You're Not Seeing Double


You're not Seeing Double

Day 22 I am pressed to finish something I can enter in the Red Show at my gallery,
Gallery 104 in February.

I tried something else, which didn't work out,
so I went for a larger repaint of the this red boat.

I really worked on the water to try to get the feel of the waves and how much brighter it was at the horizon line.

Probably made 6-8 passes on the water.

It will be framed and entered this weekend.

Framed $200 + $20 shipping.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Day 21 Washed Up


Washed Up
On a walk down the beach in Myrtle Beach several years ago,
I saw this part of a boat that had washed up on the beach.

I'd never seen anything this large wash up before, so of course I had to photograph it.

Now that I have it in my reference arsenal,
Naturally I had to paint it.
I'm so ready for a trip to the beach, can you tell.


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Monday, January 21, 2013

Day 20 Hangin On


Day 20 Hangin On

On Day 20 of the 30 in 30 challenge I am just hangin on
and so are the coconuts in this palm tree.

I took this photo in Naples, FL several years ago and it was very windy and I remember when I took the photo, I was afraid a coconut was going to fall on my head.

There is a lot more differentiation between the water and the sky in the actual painting.
The sky is more light blue and the water has more tourqoise in it..

When I showed this to my husband Jim, he said, "boy you are ready for a vacation".
cause I've painted beach scenes for 4 days now.

and YES, I am ready for a vacation.

6" x 6" acrylic on a panel
$100 w/free shipping
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Day 19 Just Checking


Just Checking
is what these birds look like they're doing.
Just checking to see if there's any goodies left on the buffet before they head out.

I took this photo at Myrtle Beach and it may be my favorite painting so far.
Am I allowed to have a favorite painting?

It flew off my brush, almost as if I weren't really in control.

Because I don't usually paint on Sunday, I painted the shore scene on Saturday after I finished The Dunes,
and then added the birds Monday morning.
Again, I was afraid I was too tired Saturday and would mess it all up if I tried to add the birds then,
so I drew them on a sketch pad and thought about them for the rest of the weekend,
and on Monday, finally put them in.

6" x 6" acrylic on a panel

$100 + $6 shipping
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Saturday, January 19, 2013

Day 18 The Dunes


Day 18  Outer Banks

When I first started painting, I painted this from a photo I took when my husband and I and our daughters 
and their families went on vacation to the Outer Banks.

It rained almost the entire week and water was standing knee deep everywhere.
The beach was beautiful even in the rain.

If you'll look closely in the top left corner, you can see some blue sky peeking out.

I painted one of these for each of our daughters before I took my first class or had any idea what I was doing.

Needless to say, they have much to be desired.

Today as I crave going to the beach, I thought I'd give it another shot.

It was much more fun than the first time I painted it.

This is 7" x 5" acrylic on a panel.

$50 + $6 shipping
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Friday, January 18, 2013

What Day is This?


What Day is This?

OK, I hate to say it, but I think it's day 17, but maybe not.
Anyway, I need a vacation, so today I was looking through my beach reference pictures
and this sail boat popped out at me.

I know, it's like heresy posting a boat painting on the Queen of Boat Paintings, Leslie Saeta,
but no one ever said I was fully loaded.

I've never painted a boat before, so  sorry Leslie if this offends you.

But I loved the photo of this sail boat out on the ocean,
so I decided I was going to give it a go.

As I said, I need a vacation, haven't had one in a year and a half, and Jim and I are making plans.
Yes, it includes a beach, 
SOOOOOOO,
I think the rest of my paintings during this challenge will point me in the direction of fun and sun.

I may end up doing a snow painting,
cause I'm a brick shy, ya know.

Not sure this is finished, cause you see it's not signed,

but it's a 6" x 6" acrylic on a panel.

I'll post it with the price of $50 when I'm sure it's done.

What's your vote, is it done?

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Thursday, January 17, 2013

Day 16 Big Red


Day 16  Big Red

This morning I decided to try a still life, which I have never painted before.

OK, I know a chicken is not a still life.

You may never see my first still life.

It is of two apples, one red and the other green.

It's gonna sit here and we're gonna look at each other for a while,
and I'll decide if I'm going to move forward on still life painting.
It was fun and I liked certain aspects of it, but my end result is not pretty.
My art goals for this year include getting out of my comfort zone, 
and I was pretty uncomfortable, so I could put a check in the box and say
been there, done that.

But knowing me the way I do, I'll probably try again.
I will not be defeated by an apple.

So after I finished the still life, I moved forward with this chicken painting.

He was fun.

12" x 12" acrylic on panel

$100 + $10 shipping


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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Day 15 Abstract Landscape


Day 15 I'm Getting Abstract

Today I didn't have a lot of time, life got in the way and I've been painting this in my mind all day.

So when I went down to my studio, out hopped this rather abstract landscape.

I love the colors, the clouds and the rocks.

It's an acrylic on a 5" x 7" panel.

$50 + $6 shipping



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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Day 14 Buttoned Up


Buttoned Up
Is my 14th painting for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

This is a composite from several photos, one of a snow covered fence, one of the red barn and one of a cornfield covered in snow.  All my favorite things.
The red barn is in Ohio near my oldest daughters home in Bellefontaine. 

The barn is all buttoned up waiting out the winter and ready to get back at it in the spring.

This is an interesting painting because it is a miniature.

It's a 4" x 4" acrylic on a panel.

$50 includes shipping





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Monday, January 14, 2013

Day 13 - River Reflections

River Reflections

Day 13 and I was unsuccessful on my first attempt,
so I brought out a photo I love and have painted before.

This is an evening view of the Ohio River across from
Carrollton, KY.

When I struggle painting something or have a creative lapse I usually try something I know I can do.
Kind of an atta girl, you can do this.  

Thanks for checking it out today.

6" x 6" acrylic on unframed canvas panel.

$50 + $6 shipping

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Sunday, January 13, 2013

Day 12, Snowed In


Day 12

I took the photo for this painting several years ago when we truly were snowed in.
We live back a long lane and this was before we bought the tractor and we were stuck for almost two weeks.

We had icicles hanging everywhere, but this is off our front shed.

The trees and berry bushes were completely weighed down with the heavy snow.

I have always loved this photo, so now I love the painting.

It's a 6" x 6" acrylic on canvas panel, unframed.

$50 + $6 shipping
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Saturday, January 12, 2013

Day 11


Day 11

This is my rendition of a painting that hangs in the Louisville, KY Temple.

I can't read the artists signature or I would definitely give him credit.

I have painted it several times, but I have to paint it from memory so there's a lot of differences, cause I'm old and my memory's not so good.
But anyway, I'm happy with this one.  

I don't have a name, but I'm open to suggestions.

Leaves me a comment with your suggestion.

Thanks friends.

This is a 12" x 12" acrylic on a panel, unframed.

$100 + $10 shipping

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Friday, January 11, 2013

Day 10 Butler Lake


Day 10 in the 30 in 30 challenge.

This fall I spent a week in General Butler State Park painting plein air and today I took my 10" x 8" and turned it into this 20" x 16" acrylic on a canvas panel.

It's a beautiful lake and I've gotten some great photos of it, but this is painted from what I think is my favorite painting from that week.

I haven't painted big in a while and this was fun, though daunting.

Enjoy and thanks for checking it out.

This 20" x 16" canvas panel is unframed.

$200 + $20 shipping
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Thursday, January 10, 2013

Day 9 Unconventional


I'm on Day 9 of my 30 paintings in 30 days challenge with about 250 artists across the globe,
and today my painting is a little unconventional, to say the least.

I saw something like this on pinterest, (where else?) only it was a vinyl thingy.
I'm pretty much a do it myself kinda girl, so I decided I would do this for my husbands brand spanking new genealogy office.
Yep, he's crazy and has spent hours searching out members of his and my family.

My eyes glaze over when he starts talking about going to cemeteries sort of like his does when I talk about tonal differences, highlights, and perspective.

But anyway, let his painting begin today.
Actually it started the other day when I was on the phone with AT&T trying to get my internet back up and drew it on the wall while I waited.

It takes up one whole wall, floor to ceiling and nearly end to end.

The top photo is the first pass through just getting it on there.


Adding some dimension to find the trunk and the branches.


Starting to add a hollow gnarl.


More highlights and it's done.

Keep watching.



Finally the tree is done and I hung the photos our kids made for him for the tree.  

Is that fun or what.

Here's Kirk and Kari and their families close up.


And here'e Monica and James and their families close up.

Hey if you'd like something similar painted in your home painted just for your family,
message me and let's talk.


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Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Day 8, Whites Run Creek


I've painted this before from a photo I took on White's Run Creek near my home.

I'm finally starting to get it.

So far have never really been satisfied before, but I'm happy with this one.
Leslie, you will be happy to know that I painted all the skinny trees with a pallette knife!

Whooo Hoooo!

I am going to paint a painting with a pallette knife before this challenge is over, but not today.

Cold Creek
is a 7" x 5" acrylic on a ampersand board.

$50 Plus $6 shipping
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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Day 7 I'm a Chicken Painter


Day 7 and I painted a chicken.

I took the photo for this reference years ago at Stream Cliff Herb Farm
in Commiskey, IN.
It is a really fun place to go, they have beautiful gardens, a wonderful tea room,
tons of plants to buy and all sorts of goodies tucked in all around the farm.
They also have the farm animals.

It's in the middle of no where, but people, (like me) drive for miles to go and take in the beauty.

This chicken was sort of posing for me that day and I've been waiting to paint it and I decided it would be part of the 30 day challenge.

This is a 12" x 12" acrylic on a panel.

$100 + $10 shipping
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Monday, January 7, 2013

Wilderness Bluebird, Day 6


Wilderness Bluebird
My Uncle Bud lives at Wilderness Country Club in Naples, FL and he took the photo I painted this from on his balcony.

He has placed over 20 bluebird boxes on his golf course, cleans them and keeps meticulous records
on how many eggs are laid in each box and how many fledge.

He loves all birds, but he especially loves Eastern Bluebirds.

He probably has done more to bring the Bluebird back to his corner of the world than any other individual.

Trying to loosen up my painting style and had a lot of fun painting this.

6" x 6"
acrylic on panel.


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About Me

My photo
Ghent, Kentucky, United States
I'm a nature artist and I love to paint old barns, rivers and lakes, trees and fence rows and flowers. I work almost daily. You can purchase paintings by contacting me at slgraves6@gmail.com and there is also a tab across the top of my blog for available paintings and one for small paintings with buy now buttons. You can also purchase through my Etsy shop using the name of Fine Nature Art. . Thank you so much for stopping by.