The Biggest Painting Ever - (For Me)

 That Sure Is A Big Painting 

Ok, I'm not trying for the Guinness Book of Records,

but this is the biggest thing I've ever painted.

Sit down while I tell you about it.

I was was hunting and stalking a store for deals late last year that would rival the #Meateater Steven Rinella when I came across not one but three 36" x 36" gallery wrapped stretched canvases.  I crouched low so as not to be detected by other stalking painter shoppers.  I had my prey in my sites and soon I was the victor walking out of that store.

These canvases were huge and I had doubts I could get them in my car, but I did.

I brought them home and then they stared at me for several months as I contemplated what should go on something that huge.

I finally got ideas for two of them I thought I could execute so after the first of the year and while I was teaching a months' of private lessons to people and creating my new Beginner's Painting Club, I painted huge painting #1.

Maybe I should name it that.

I've been working on paintings with lots of dramatic skies recently so I wanted this bad boy to be reflective of that.

Click

HERE for a short video of how it evolved.

It is currently in the Community Art Center of Switzerland County, Vevay, Indiana.

Click HERE to get all the details.  

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Let's paint together real soon.  

 

Kayaking Commission

 Kayaking Commission

One of my very best supporters, 

we'll call her Missy,

contacted me around Thanksgiving and asked if I could paint a commission for her husband for Christmas.  

I was thrilled that she asked.

So thrilled I said YES!

I have a basic contract I send out for all commissions and even though we've been friends for well over 20 years, I sent it to her as well, so we both knew what to expect.

She sent me a beautiful photo of a sunset on a river or a lake, with one kayaker in it and asked me if I could put another in it also.

The first one was her husband and she wanted me to add her in the painting.

She sent me photos of them in their boats so I could get a feel of the colors, the types of paddles, clothing and hats they usually wore.  

Next, I did a pencil sketch of the scene.

I start with this sketch and if we agree I'm the right person for the job, we move forward.

My process is to keep a client involved in the creativity of the piece all along the way so they know exactly what they are getting.  I can fix things much earlier in the process than be ready to deliver the work and find out I went totally in the wrong direction.  

Missy liked the feel of the sketch even though the boats were wrong, the perspective is what we were looking for at this point.  

This is the first sketch in acrylic paint on the canvas. 

I'm looking to get the perspective of the distance and the size

of the boats correct.  

You will see almost none of this in the final painting.

The clouds were dramatic in the photo as was the sun, 

so they went in first.

Refining the clouds, the sun and beginning to add in water and reflections.  Still haven't don't anything with the trees.

Toned down the sunset a little, started adding the trees, and 

putting the boats in. 

Getting more color and definition on the boats, 

and trying to get a glassy effect on the water.  

Here's a closer look at the kayakers.

Here's an even closer look.  

I usually send the client a time-lapse video of the work progressing and a close-up video of the finished painting, just so there are no surprises for either of us.

Sometimes in doing commissions, the artist is trying to get a vision of something out of someone elses head.

Not always an easy task.  

But so far, my method has worked well for me.

If you would like to commission a painting we should talk.

My contact info is in the Contact Me tab (pretty sharp, huh?) 

on the front page of this blog.  

If you email, put the word commission or whatever you want to talk about in the subject line.  

Click HERE to view all my available art.  

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Hope you enjoyed this post.

Art in the Park

Art At General Butler State Park

July 20 I'll be teaching 2 painting classes to anyone who would like to paint along with me.

This will be the children class

10-11:30 a.m. $20 ea.

Class will be held in the Mezzanine in the Lodge

at General Butler State Park,

Carrollton, KY.

This fun painting is on a 10" x 8" canvas panel.

I provide all supplies. 

I'd appreciate a heads up if you'd like to take this class so I know about how many to prepare for.  

Call me at 502-523-0663 and leave a message and I'll get back to you.

This fun painting will be perfect for all you campers out there to paint to decorate your own camper.  You can paint it in colors you prefer.  It's an 8" x 10" canvas panel and as always I provide all supplies for you to complete this painting.  It's from noon-2 p.m. July 20, $20 ea. 

in the Mezzanine of the Lodge.

This will be lots of fun for you to paint and add your name in the sky or on the camper.  You'll learn a few art concepts along the way.  Call me at 502-523-0663 to reserve your spot.  Leave a message and I'll get back to you.  

Both of these paintings are simple yet fun and you can get as creative as you want with them.

Come and join me at General Butler State Park

and let's paint together.

Let's Paint Skies and Clouds

I have to WARN You!

This is how I got started and I'm not right!

Nearly 20 years ago I started painting because I was very sick and it was on my bucket list, 

and I wanted to learn to paint the beautiful skies and clouds, sunrises and sunsets we have here in Kentucky.

This is a series of paintings I did a year or two ago as I was trying to really improve on painting skies and clouds.

I have these sitting around me as I teach you how to paint skies and clouds.  

Painting the same subject repeatedly is maybe the best way to improve your skills on that subject.

With no one to teach me, I checked out books and videos from our local library.

I practiced.

I watched TV artists.

I practiced!

I studied paintings.

I practiced!!

See a pattern emerging?

That's right!

The secret sauce is in the practice!

But I have 4 videos here that will give you some good basic instruction on how to achieve that look you might be trying to achieve.

In video #1, you will learn how to achieve depth in your sky as we start at the top with the darker color and keep getting lighter as we come towards the horizon.

Video #2 teaches you how to put the sunset or sunrise color on for depth.

Video # 3 teaches you how to begin adding big puffy clouds in your sky and why they are not just white.

Video #4 finishes up the clouds.

I am not going to finish this painting in this series because the purpose was to teach how to paint skies and clouds.  

I hope you're going to give this a try and

 practice this many times.

Do not be discouraged if you don't feel successful the first time.  I don't know long it took me to feel like I could do it,

but it certainly wasn't on my first try or maybe even first 10 tries.  The joy is in the learning and accomplishing and seeing your own growth.

If you would like to see the classes I offer on my website

click HERE

To receive this blog and get all the free info I give away in your inbox click HERE.  

It's a Two Brush Workin Wednesday

Really?

Only Two Brushes?

Click on the video to watch how this painting was born.

Two Brushes.

That's all I allowed myself today.

 

Here is a progression of First Light.

It's hard to tell what happened when it's small like this.  

 First Light

$150 + $20 shipping

11" x 14" acrylic on Stretched Canvas - Unframed.

I'm just showing it in a frame here, but it is unframed. 

Day 28 - My Blue Heaven

Day 28 - My Blue Heaven

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

I live out on a small farm in Kentucky and we have lots of hills and trees and the sunsets are often spectacular, but they don't last long.  I snapped this one Friday night on the way into the house.  Then I tried to paint in from my cell phone pic on Saturday for Sunday's painting.  I have barely been able to keep up let alone get ahead, so this is the first time I've been ahead since Day One.

I've done the 30 in 30 days challenge by Leslie Saeta all four times now and as I've said, this has been the hardest of the four.  I don't know that I'll go again if we do it in January.  But we'll have to see.

Friday, Oct. 3, from 4-8 p.m I'm having a reception at River Run Gallery Fun Art Studio, 449 Main St., Carrollton, KY featuring the  30 paintings in 30 days.  Please come out and join me, if you're in the area.  We'll have some fun, food, friends and art, as seen from my front door.

Flying without a Net

Flying without a Net

Creating art is normally a solitary pursuit.

You work alone for most of the time, sometimes days at a time.

Some people equate it to flying without a net.  

You know what you like,

the colors you like,

the subject you like,

BUT

and that's a pretty big but,

you don't know how your art will be received.

There are no focus groups,

no marketing surveys,

no product analysis

for art.

It is made because the artist has to make it, draw it, paint it, sculpt it, whatever it,

it has to be made.

Having said all that, sometimes you get some validation 

and it feels SO GOOD!

I went to Art in the Garden in Augusta, KY this past weekend

and I had a wonderful time.

 

This framed 10" x 8" acrylic found a forever home.

Here's a link to my facebook page to show Mary with her new hydrangea table.

These are two of the three paintings I did of Augusta scenery.

 

Walls of art.

 

The two paintings in the matts are two acrylic paintings I did on canvas paper.

I matted them and I love the colors in them.

 

 

Forever Pink was painted from a set up I did.

This is a vase I've had for 30-40 years and I love it.

We raise all these flowers.

 

Walls from a distance.  

Talking to lots of people about my art is validating in itself, even if no one else liked it.

But, when you hear great comments it is so good for your artistic soul.

Thank you to everyone who stopped and talked with me.

Thank you Barb Pask for coming the two hours to Augusta, KY.  It was so great to see you.

I'm sorry I missed you Missy and I hope you feel better soon.

I try to have a lot of variety in types and prices of art,

and I did sell 8 of my painted roof slate shingles. 

Art in the Garden has lots of great music, a variety of artists,

and a tremendously beautiful setting.

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.

Returning from the dark side

Returning From the Dark Side

I've been in quite the funk lately,

and am trying to work my way out and get back into the light.

I've never really thought of myself as fragile,

but,

a painting I did several weeks ago set me off

and I've had a hard time recovering. 

 

However,

I will not allow myself to stay here, because it's not real pleasant.

I've had several family medical issues to deal with,

but now it's time to quit crying in my, my, Oh I don't know what to say here

since I don't drink.

But it's time to get back on the horse and move on.

I've decided to try some other things to get my mojo back,

so here you go. . .

 

I've always been afraid of water colors,

so I bought myself this Chinese brush kit for Christmas.

I hadn't opened it up, so the other day when I couldn't bring myself to paint,

I got it out and opened it up and figured out what everything was

and read the book.

Isn't that little brush holder too cute.

 

 

So this is my orchid.

It's only using the ink.

That was pretty fun, rubbing the ink in this little pot and adding just a drop or two of water,

and then painting.

I felt freer with that brush and painting than at any other time.  

That was weird.

Next, I said to myself,

Self,

let's work on some drawing.

I love to paint beach scenes and I wanted to work on the values of this one photograph I have,

so, I did.

 It's hard to see here, but there are several waves coming in and then the foam on the beach.

This was an interesting exercise for me.

We grow all sorts of flowers, but my favorite are my 15 or so Star Gazer lily plants.

I've been a florist for years and I love flowers, but they are hard to paint,

so I thought I work on understanding how these flowers are put together,

botanically speaking.

I'm not unhappy with it.

Then the real test.

Could I, should I pick up a brush and paint something.

I played a little game with myself, and painted it on a piece of heavy paper.

That way, if I couldn't do it, I could tell myself, well it wasn't going to be a painting for sale,

or on your website or anything like that.

Mind games.

Always with the mind games.

 So this is what I painted.

We had a beautiful, I mean stunning sunset and I photographed it,

and had it up on my computer and my iPad while I worked.

I taped the paper down onto my dabble board,

layed it on my table, no easel,

and painted.

I painted quickly and tried to paint shapes.

I'm not unhappy with it.

It doesn't show well here,

but I love the gate and the fence.

Isn't that weird.

All that color in the sky and the reflection

and I like a gate and a fence.

Anyway,

that's part of how I'm getting out of my funk.

Come back tomorrow and see the other thing I'm doing.

 

Let The Challenge Begin

Let The Games (Challenge) Begin

I accepted the challenge from Leslie Saeta in January

a grueling 30 paintings in 30 days,

and it was an up hill both ways kind of challenge!

These are the paintings I did during that challenge.

I learned a lot about painting, and a lot about myself during that challenge.

Now Leslie has issued another challenge, 30 marketing ideas in 30 days.

I have no idea how this will work or what it will look like,

but I know I'm going to learn a lot and I and you can see the marketing ideas of lots of artists

on Leslie's blog for 30 days.

In an entrepreneur sort of way, that sounds like fun.

I'm sure there will be lots of ideas for everyone so . . .

Click here to sign up for the challenge

Click here to visit my website.

Framed 6" x 6" originals

 

What a Find!

Sometimes when you least expect it, 

you find something that is absolutely perfect.

That's what I think about these adorable wood shadow box frames

that hold my 6" x 6" original artwork.

These little paintings fit perfectly into them and make quite the presentation.

They are ready to hang - or

they can stand alone on a shelf - or     

 they can sit in your easel.

How about that for versatility.

These framed beauties are each available for $100 + $10 shipping

Doorway to the Past

is the front door of the Kentucky Derby Museum.

What a great gift for that person who loves the derby and all things Kentucky.

Click here to purchase. 

 

 

Garden Variety

is absolutely not your garden variety iris.

This beauty was painted from photos of ones in my garden that are huge and gorgeous.

Click here to purchase 

 

 Hanging On

is to help remember that special island vacation 

especially when it's cold up here.

Click here to purchase

 

First Saturday in May

needs no explanation if you're from Kentucky.

This adorable reminder of that special Kentucky Derby is the perfect gift for your horse lover.

Click here to purchase

 

River Reflections

is perfect for anyone who lives on the river or wishes they did.

Click here to purchase 

 

Pink

is another of my paintings painted from a photo taken in one of my gardens

of peonies.

The scent is intoxicating in the summer when they bloom.

Click here to purchase 

 

Dunes on the Shore

is another of my beach paintings that will take you back to that great vacation at the beach.

Click here to purchase  

 

 The Wedding Spot

Painted from a photo I took in Florida where many people have been married.

Click here to purchase. 

 

Crashing Shoreline

Can't you almost hear the waves crashing on the beach

and the birds as they fly overhead.

Click here to purchase 

 

Well, there you have it.

Nine great paintings ready to wrap up and ship out to you today.

Have fun choosing.

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Framed Sunset Beauty

 

It's funny how different a painting looks once it is framed.

Sometimes I have honestly not liked a painting, 

but put it in a frame just to see how it looked and then,

Voila'.

It has changed its appearance 100%.

I always liked this painting because it is painted from a photo I took out my back field.

It was a WOW sunset and I went out to snap a few photos and there was all this silhouette

of trees.

It was breathtaking.

But when I put it in this frame with the gold up next to it and the crackle black and gold finish, it just popped for me.

Hopefully for you too.

$150 + $20 shipping

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Mudlark Pottery Studio and Fine Art Gallery

New Gallery Show

Friend Monalisa (yep that's her real name) Miller

has opened her own pottery studio and fine art gallery

in Warsaw, KY and I'll have a display there until March 27.

There will be a reception there this Saturday, March 2 from 5-8 p.m.

Monalisa is an incredible potter and her work is beautiful and functional.

I'll have 8 paintings on display, some of which are in the collage above.

If you're interested in any of these paintings 

please contact Monalisa at

P.O Box 360

102 East Main St.

Warsaw, KY  41095

859-630-0701

mudlarkpotterystudio@yahoo.com.

Click here to see her website and her beautiful work.   

And one of the best parts, it's right next door to a fabulous restaurant Jewell's.   

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