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Sunday, September 22, 2013

Day 22 Wisteria Walk

Day 22 Wisteria Walk
Can you just smell the fragrance
of this beautiful wisteria as you walk under the pergola?
Wisteria is one of those plants
that sometimes is hard to get started,
but once it gets a foothold,
it can actually pull down a porch or this pergola
with its winding tendrils.
 
I just want to pull out my blanket and a good book
and spend the afternoon under this incredible walkway.

Day 22 Wisteria Walk
10" x 8" unframed acrylic on a panel
$95 + $6 shipping


Saturday, September 21, 2013

Day 21 On In Two

Day 21 On In Two

No trip to the beach would be right without golf.

Evidently this egret thought so too.

  He's pretty proud of himself 
for getting on in two.

Can you do it?

I took the photo reference used here at Wilderness Country Club in
Naples, FL. while I was visiting my uncle.
This egret and lots of other willdlife
(like gators) watch as golfers play through.

On In Two
unframed 6" x 6" acrylic on a panel

$50 + $6 shipping

Friday, September 20, 2013

Day 20 Quiet Walk

Day 20 Quiet Walk

No beach trip would be complete without a 
quiet walk in the morning on a boardwalk.

Kids still sleeping,
husband not yet awake either,
and you have that perfect time of day,
before everything is awake,
before anyone can intrude on your thoughts,
before anyone needs you for anything.

Just you and your quiet thoughts
on a quiet walk.

  Quiet Walk
unframed 6" x 6" acrylic on a panel
$50 + $6 shipping
  

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Day 19 First Light

Day 19 First Light
I made it!
I'm back on track!! 
I'm currently right where I should be in the 30 paintings in 30 days.
It's been a week or so since that has happened.
 
First Light
is truly just that. 
Since St. Augustine is the oldest city in the United States,
it stands to reason that they would have the oldest lighthouse also.

And it's a beauty!
First Light
has an interesting history and current museum status.
Here's a link for more info on this beautiful lighthouse.

The short story is the original lighthouse was built in the early 1500's
and the current lighthouse was completed in 1874.

The light keeper's house is now a beautiful museum
(which was closed for re-painting while we were there),
and the property is surrounded by the most incredible trees.

I wouldn't be surprised to see those trees in a later painting.

First Light is an unframed 6" x 6" acrylic on a panel

$50 + $6 shipping



Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Day 18 Marsh View

Day 18 Marsh View

Woot Woot!

I'm finally back on the correct day of the challenge!

Applause applause.
 Love the marshes in Florida!

Always some great wildlife to be seen there.

Marsh View
unframed 6" x 6" acrylic on a panel.
$50 + $6 shipping
 

Day 17 Scouting

Day 17 Scouting

If you've been to the beach,
you've seen them



swooping,

soaring,

hunting,

diving,

scaring me!

Yes, I'm afraid of pelicans,
and many other birds.

I don't really know why I'm afraid of birds,
but we can just add that to dogs.
Yes I'm also terrified of man's best friend.

Not afraid of cows, horses, sheep, goats, snakes, bugs or other similar animals,

But dogs and birds give me the willies.

But having said that,
I love to paint birds.

The photo I took of this bird was so fun
and he didn't dive bomb on me,

but he was out there for a good while
soaring closely above the water 
doing just what a human might do if we could fly.

Playing.    

Scouting
unframed 6" x 6" acrylic on a canvas panel
  
   

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Day 16 - Royal Sky

Day 16 Royal Sky
It's Beach Week!!!
I sure could use a vacation and I'm thinking beach.
  Sunrises on the beach.
Sunsets on the beach.
Picnic on the beach.
Sleep on the beach.
Read a book on the beach.
Paint on the beach.

I don't really care.
I just would like to go and listen to the ocean,
smell the ocean,
feel the ocean,
Well you get the picture.
Royal Sky
unframed 8" x 10" acrylic on a panel
$95 + $6 shipping.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Day 15 Beach Roots

Day 15 Beach Roots

I love going to the beach!!!
If you remember the lighthouse I painted last week,

After walking down a path from the lighthouse,
we came across this big root.
I have no idea how long it has been there,
but it was pretty bleached out.

    This took lots of layers to get this root where I wanted it.

But that's part of the joy of painting, in my estimation.
You paint and you paint,
and then with one or two strokes the painting starts to come alive.

That's what happened to me here.
There was a point when I started that I thought,
oh shoot, this isn't working,
but,
I didn't give up on it.

And then about the 4th or 5th layer on the root 
all of a sudden, it started to go where I wanted.

I think that's amazing.

New motto,

Never Give Up!

Beach Roots unframed 7" x 5"  acrylic on canvas panel.
$50 + $6 shipping

Day 12 Fall Rocks

Fall Rocks

Trying to Catch Up!
I did this painting while I was in Oklahoma,
but I forgot about it and didn't get it blogged.

This was more practice of rocks and I was trying to put it in the context
of a real scene.
  
This was fun as I tried to use what I learned
while at Jerry Yarnell's this past week.

My rocks are much improved,
in my humble opinion.

Hopefully, I'll get all the paintings in the correct order the rest of the month.

But, maybe not.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Day 13 I'm A Rock Star


Here's my main rock study from my private lesson with
Jerry Yarnell.

Hopefully it won't take me as long the next time, 
but,
I'm really happy with this grouping of rocks.

I added the grasses just so it didn't look so weird there all by itself.

These are all studies on one large board
and I'm showing the three I did.

Jerry did one on the board.


Here is a moving water study.

I re-did the rocks once I got home.  

I like these much better.
This was a reflective water study.

I also re- did the rocks once I got home, so I'm much happier with them.

I really like the water and the reflections.

You have my permission to critique.

Just remember, the goal was the water and the rocks.
I'm definitely not happy with the trees, but I needed something there to put in the reflections.

Thanks for checking in today.

I Think This is Day 14

I'm Lost

I'm not really sure what day I personally am on in the 30 9n 30 challenge,
But I'm calling it Day 14 right now.

I'm going to go back and upload some other things I did during the challenge,
but today is from a photo I took in Charleston, S.C.
and since this is the end of architecture week,
so here is a church steeple from Charleston.

There may be some changes to that tree on the right.

I'll have to look at it for a while and decide if I'm done with that.
But,
I like the sky and the building.

So, for right now,
I'm calling it done.


Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Day 11 Painting in Oklahoma

Three Days of Classes

I made it to Oklahoma and have been painting, painting, and more painting.

  Jerry Yarnell studio in Skiatook, OK.

Augusta Ferry

Struggled with the perspective and proportions and the truck of this.

Happy with most of it.
Truck still needs work.

But I learned a lot which was the purpose of this trip.

So, I guess I am successful.

These are two studies I did today because I have problems with water.
The one on the left will be finished tomorrow,
the one on the right is mostly done.

I could work on the splash and bubbles on the one of the right,
but I learned a lot from it so far, so I'm calling it done,
for the most part.

Maybe. . .

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Day 10 Sanibel Lighthouse

Sanibel Lighthouse

This is the sign from the Sanibel Lighthouse.

This lighthouse was first lighted in 1884 and has been
a wildlife refuge since 1930.

It's a pretty interesting and different lighthouse.
I knew I'd be painting it when I first saw it.
The pics not great, but I'm in Oklahoma for 2 days of open studio
and then a private lesson day with Jerry Yarnell.

Love his style and his teaching style.

I always learn a lot from him.

This was a really quick study.

6" x 6" canvas panel

$50 + $6 shipping

Monday, September 9, 2013

Day 9 Need A Vacation

Day 9 Need A Vacation

I don't know about you,
but I do need a vacation!

I am in architecture week
and you are going to see a whole lot of different types of architecture this week.

This started out looking more oriental,
but ended up looking kind of beachy.

Since I can't even decide what it is,
I think that pretty much seals the deal - 

I definitely need a vacation.

Need A Vacation
8" x 10" unframed acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Wabasso Tackle Shop

Wabasso Tackle Shop

Along the East coast of Florida, a lot of fishing goes on.

So you need a great bait and tackle shop.

This quaint little shop is all things fisherman
and is an icon in the area.

We were there during this past winter and it is just plain cute!

I know, not many fishermen care if it's cute, or quaint, or picturesque.
Does is it have every kind of bait and tackle?  
Check!
But it is all those things and I had to stop the car and snap the photo
because I knew I would be painting this sometime soon.

Day 8 is the perfect time.

Wabasso is an unframed 8" x 10" acrylic on a panel.

$100 + $6 shipping

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Day 7 Beach Protector

Beach Protector

On a visit to Naples, Florida we saw this fire lookout.
I don't know if it was still being used because it was a little rough looking,
but it was a fun site and I knew I'd be painting it sometime.

The 30 in 30 challenge is the perfect time.

This has been a fun painting and it's sort of getting me in the mood
for beach week I'll do during the challenge in the coming weeks.

Beach Protector
8" x 10" unframed acrylic on a panel
$95 + $6 shipping

Friday, September 6, 2013

Day 6 - Fall Beauty

Fall Beauty
 This is a beauty!
My husband, Jim brought it in from our misplaced pumpkin.

It is what is known as a volunteer,
meaning, it came up on its own from where a pumpkin rotted last year.
It had humble beginnings,
but
it is now a true beauty.

  
I haven't used my water mixable oils in a good while
and I decided looking at the pumpkin it needed them.

I set up a little still life, which I am not really comfortable with
using some grapes which should also be coming in recently,
and some fall colored flowers.

It's a little cool in Kentucky right now,
but it's supposed to go back up into the 90's next week.

Are you kidding me?

Anyway, we can think cool for right now.

Fall Beauty

7" x 5" unframed oil on canvas panel

$50 + $6 shipping

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Day 5 Baby Love

Day 5 Baby Love

My husband raises rabbits and I took a photo this spring
when we had rabbits coming out our ears,
of this Momma kissing her baby.

I couldn't resist!!


Baby Love

8" x 10" acrylic on a panel
$100 + $6 shipping


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Day 4 - Wanna Play

Day 4 - Wanna Play

Ever wonder where is that baseball?

Wonder how many have been left out in a field somewhere.
I know as a kid, we had a vacant lot as our baseball field,
One of our dads put up the backstop of some left over chain link
and once or twice a summer another of our dad's would mow it.

We lost a lot of balls in the tall grass 
and many runs were scored because we couldn't find the ball,
and on more than one occasion we had to suspend play
until we found the ball.


Wanna Play
6" x 6" Acrylic on canvas panel

$50 + $6 shipping

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Day 3 - Strut

Day 3 Strut

I took this photo at the Kentucky State Fair last year,
so he's a show rooster,
so you can bet,
he had the Strut.

He knew he was pretty
and he wanted to make sure everyone knew he was pretty.

Strut
7" x 5" acrylic on panel, unframed

$50 + $6 shipping

Monday, September 2, 2013

Day 2 - Grazing

Day 2 - Finished

Well
I've made it through the first 2 days of the 30 paintings in 30 days.

Grazing is a fun painting of an abandoned old pick up truck.

I took the photo of this truck sitting in a body shop,
and the angle I photographed it from, had a barn in the background.
I wanted the truck out in a field, abandoned,
 but I'm sure there is an interesting story to go with this truck.

I'd bet this truck has been driven a lot of miles,
hauled a lot of stuff,
and maybe broke down in the field.

Grazing
8" x 10" unframed acrylic on a panel
$95


Day 1 - Jersey Girl

One Down - 29 To Go!

Whew!!!!!!

Got that first painting done!
I have sweat bullets over this painting and I've signed it and it's done!!!

I have wanted to paint animals,
especially cows, sheep and goats,
maybe because we raise them,
but I think they are so pretty.

I have several artists I follow, because they paint beautiful cows.
Kathie Papasso is one of them.

Total envy every time I see one of her new paintings.

Anyway,
this challenge to me is to try new things knowing I may not get a sellable painting during the whole month.  Oh Well.  

This week is Anything Goes is my theme so here goes the cow.
I took the photo last during the Kentucky State Fair
and I think Jersey cows are so soft and beautiful.

I don't paint on Sunday,
so I tried to rationalize I'd paint it on Saturday, August 31,
and I still would be OK, because technically I would have painted the paintings in 30 days,
but maybe not exactly not 30 consecutive days.

I could not paint that cow Saturday.

I did two complete paintings and wiped both of them.

So I walked away and said,
I'll get after it on Monday morning.


So 6 a.m. I started.
And here she is,

I cannot believe how relieved I am to have this one done.

I have tried painting cows before with not great results,
And I am the first to admit, this is far from perfect,
but I am happy with it and I learned an awful lot this morning.

She's ready for her close up!

8 x 10 Acrylic on panel unframed  $95

OOPS!  You waited too long

SOLD

Click HERE to view all the paintings painted today


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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.