OUT OF THE BOX

6x8"
oil on canvas
$125

I tend to take things literally. It's a problem. When my mother worried I was weird because I spent most of my time alone in my room with an 18x24" pad of the best ever nubbly paper and a collection of 4, 5 and 6B pencils, she insisted I join my cousin's 4-H Club. I had no interest but off I went. I was given the job of secretary at our first meeting. When we adjourned, the pres asked me to read the minutes back. I looked at my watch and promptly shot back... "25!"

Today's theme for dailypainters.com is obvious, no?

LADY ON THE MOVE (Bug 7)

6x6"
oil on canvas
$125

Bugfest marches on. I tried this one on canvas and found that linen works best. Obviously a nub-less surface would work best for little bug arms and legs, I know this, but I was out of linen and I felt decidedly buggy today. Still, methinks the Lady would have faired significantly better on a smooth surface. Typical, my love/hate relationship with linen has turned to love again, just in time for spring!

CASEY

16x20"
oil on canvas
sold

Another past commission. I'm actually working today, but didn't finish in time, so I thought Casey might be a suitable standin. In my early days of pet portraiture, I received some blown- out snaps from clients. Scanning them into Photoshop and pumping up the hue saturation sometimes helps but it can often add too much color to the true shade of the dog's coat. This is a great example. The discoloration under Casey's eye wasn't nearly as deep, but happily the client loved it. What I usually do now is print out the pumped-up shot along with the original and use them both as reference, hoping to land somewhere in the middle.

PRINCESS

6x8"
oil on canvas
$150

It seems a change of scenery is just what the doc ordered. Still upstairs and actually sticking to a schedule! Why, when one spends time, money, and energy creating a comfortable, attractive and orderly work space, why does one work better in a crowded bedroom on an aluminum easel? Very strange, but typical. Who cares, I'm working.

This is another painting done from one of Tracey's photos. Dramatic and I think a tad plush, but a needed respite from the bugs. It went much more quickly than I anticipated, but that could be because I let it completely dry before applying another coat. Perhaps one more light dusting of highlights?

THE SUMMIT (Bug 6)

10x10"
oil on linen
$125

I admit it. The bugs are beginning to get easy. Yes, I did easy today. I just heard myself say, "yeah, so?" I'm the only one setting the ridiculously high expectations that I never seem to live up to. As much as I'd like to blame it on the voice, let's face it, it's mine. Can't blame this one on Mom.

One thing that I'm noticing is the fear of a blank canvas is dissipating. I'm still anxious but the anticipation of painting is beginning to overshadow the fear. This is good.

TRAMPOLINE 2

16x20"
oil on canvas
sold

The second in the trampoline series. Obviously, the more often one does something the more proficient one becomes doing it. While working on this piece, I time traveled back almost ten years to a painting I was working on, also a figure study. I used to start with the eyes and from that point until completion, I'd simply match the colors and shapes I saw. If there were a shadow, I would paint the shadow, meaning I'd render the shadow—carefully studying the color and temperature transitions until I came to a different section and the process would begin again. When the painting was completed it was more like a patchwork quilt of different pieces that came together to make a whole.

Fast forward to the present and I still start with the eyes, but more as a landmark to anchor the remaining shapes to. A circle underneath the eye then becomes part of the structure that holds the eye in the socket, not a half-moon shape pasted below the bottom lid. I'm beginning to see that my work is becoming more cohesive, less partitioned and is finally starting to take on the "painterly" qualities I've always longed for.

Himself used to snap: "I'd like to see one painting leave this house with one brush stroke still in tact. Now I understand what he meant.

BUG 5

10x10"
oil on linen
$125

The bugfest continues! I'm finding them an artful oasis from laboring over a likeness or blotting in a background. Also believe eliminating a signature adds to the drama or lack thereof in this case—allowing the bug a solitary journey across the canvas. I've been mulling over just signing the side or back of the canvas lately anyway as sometimes I think my signature detracts from the composition.

Had a change of scenery this week, workwise that is. Long story having to do with Moogis.com, the Allmans run at the Beacon and watching all the shows live on the plasma—the new iMac being the magic box making this all possible. So, the plasma residing upstairs made it necessary for me, my paints, brushes, canvases etc. to migrate along with the iMac to the top floor as well. A moment of praise for those lightweignt, inexpensive aluminum easles.

As the week progressed, it became obvious that occassionally I need to shake up my surroundings. This weeks' work was blissfully free of all the ridiculous imaginary roadblocks I place in my way, simply because my surroundings were different!

We attach feelings to inanimate objects and environments, at least I do anyway, and I realized I have been painting the studio in a negative coat of doubt. Think I'll slightly rearrange the furniture and maybe burn some incense when I return next week.

BLACKBERRIES

6x6"
oil on canvas
sold

This is an almost completed commission. A few highlights next week and it'll be finished.

BIG RED

11x14"
oil on canvas
sold

Working on commissions today and yesterday. This is another blast from the past. A few Christmases ago I was fortunate enough to receive 6 gift commissions the second week of November of that year. I decided I would not be able to deliver unless I planned the work on each painting, on paper, one day at a time, one hour at a time. It worked! Every painting was shipped literally 3 days before Christmas! I was exhausted but I learned that if I focused on what I wanted—in this case completing each commission on time—instead of what I didn't want, everything fell into place.

CHARLIE

16x20"
oil on canvas
sold

This is Charlie. Charlie is today's cushion. I'm lazy. Enjoy the weekend.

TRAMPOLINE 1

16x20"
oil on canvas
sold

This is the first in a series of paintings that will be created from photographs taken by Tracie76Photography, mentioned in a previous post. I've read so much about painting from photos, both pro and con. Besides the obvious—props, models, location, convenience, cost—I find the solitary end of it invaluable. Whatever works, no?

Again, the white canvas works I think. Her movement and the turning of her hair and dress are the focal point, I think brush strokes surrounding her might have been distracting.

PUG 2

16x20"
oil on canvas
sold

I just tried to log in to blogger dashboard and couldn't! I felt like I had the key to my front door and it didn't fit! Very frustrating and very strange. So many accounts, user names, passwords. I have it all written down but there are multiples because the hubs creates his own for the same address. Oh well, if I'm never seen or heard from again, I'm lost somewhere in the ethernet.

This isn't one of my favorites for the simple reason that I firmly believe the pug looks like King Kong! I haven't laid eyes on this critter for months and the instant I saw him again—King freakin' Kong. Oh well, the client was pleased.

This is yet another cushion. The painting I planned to post has so much more work to be done and I refuse to post until I'm finished with it. Patience dear.

BUG 4

10x10"
oil on linen
$125

More creepy crawlers. These could get addicting, they're so much fun to do. I'm finding so many amazing reference treasure troves. The idea for the bugs began with a great shot of a fly by Tracie76Photography. Tracie takes some amazing shots and is thrilled to offer them for reference in return for a donation which she uses to buy more props, outfits etc. for her beautiful daughters. I'm working on a series of her daughter in the most incredible dress, the first of which I'll hopefully post tomorrow or later this week.

URSULE & VICTOIRE

16x20"
oil on canvas
sold

These two babies are French and represent my very first international pet portrait commission done about three years ago. I have a few dailies ready to put finishing touches on, but it's Monday, himself is home, it's raining and it looks like its gonna be one of those curl up and be happy daze. Cushion time!

MAX

16x20"

oil on canvas

donated

This is Max. I named him/her myself because the reference used for the portrait was taken from a published book. I have a friend, who is probably the closest thing to a patron saint all felines and canines in the continental southeastern United States have. She works tirelessly: saving, rescuing, nursing and defending our four legged friends, regardless of their species come to think of it. One of the kindest people I've ever met, she'll do everything she can for anyone, even if they mistreat her, however, if she should happen upon any human being mistreating any animal, at any time, in any place, she will get medieval on their ass in a nanosecond. I've seen it. It's not pretty. Anyway, Max was donated to her shelter.

Digressing! Anyway, during the computer melt-down we finally decided to fix my first iMac with "shut-down whenever the hell you feel like it" disease, which gave me access to some past portrait commissions. A cushion for those difficult daily days, no?

Meet Max, today's cushion.

BUG 3

10x10"
oil on linen
$135

The bugs march on. I tried this little buzz kill on a larger linen canvas. Obviously, they go quickly because they're so small, plus I experimented with a completely white surface this time. I think the background provides more interest in terms of brush strokes when it's painted, but this works, I think.

TOY 6

6x6'
oil on canvas
$125

The toy series continues. I'm really not done with this guy, but I'm determined to post at least 4 out of 7 days from now on. I know. We'll see.

Working on a larger piece that I'm havin' a good time with, now that it looks like something. I hate those formative hours, the beginning. I'm actually so uncomfortable I want to run screaming into the night. Actually, it's "day" most of the time, but "screaming into the night" sounded better. Impatience? Me? Naa. More like a gigantic ego.