Yield to Beauty

 

10"x8" oil on gallery wrapped canvas (edges are painted)

For more information, or to purchase, click here.

It has been raining for a long while now...and chilly for days on end. I'm told it's Spring...and of course this is normal for New England. 

I'm holding a memory of last summer, of every summer, when sweet peas bloom, fragrant and delicate. The warmth of the sun lifts this sweetness all around you. You can't escape it!

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it,"  observed Oscar Wilde.  I think he's got something there! Be good to yourself, friend!

Hydrangea Heaven ACEO Floral Oil Original

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

 

Bidding starts at just $1

If you've followed my work for a long time, you know I'm a garden painter. From early spring to late fall I'm out there (with my hubby, the main garden guru) planting for painting! Every surface in my garden is a topic that I've painted.   Hydrangeas are such wonderful blossoms - and when they are in bloom, who could not feel they were in heaven?

For those of you not familiar with the acronym ACEO, it stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals.  The miniature paintings are the size of a baseball trading card, 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.  This category of art has become increasingly popular on eBay the last couple of years.  These can be displayed on their own, or with a tiny little easel (like the kind you can find in Michaels Arts & Crafts type stores) on a display shelf, or these beautiful gems can be elegantly matted and framed with perhaps a mat of 4 inches wide.  ACEOs also make wonderful gifts!  

Spring Rhodies ACEO Floral Oil Original

 

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

For those of you not familiar with the acronym ACEO, it stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals.  The miniature paintings are the size of a baseball trading card, 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.  This category of art has become increasingly popular on eBay the last couple of years.  These can be displayed on their own, or with a tiny little easel (like the kind you can find in Michaels Arts & Crafts type stores) on a display shelf, or these beautiful gems can be elegantly matted and framed with perhaps a mat of 4 inches wide.  ACEOs also make wonderful gifts! 

Refresh, Renew & Simplify Floral Bouquet

6"x6" oil on archival panel

Bidding starts at $1

I have some paintings "in the vault" in my studio, that still need a home - perhaps yours??

I'm still enjoying sharing some of these older small paintings at some frankly wonderful price opportunities during the holiday season. I haven't been blogging all of them, so in case you've missed some, here's another chance to catch the 'bidding fever fun'! 

I spend a lot of time painting flowers from my garden.  If you've followed my work for any length of time, you'll see this container in many of my floral paintings! I do especially love blue and white pottery and porcelain pieces. Cutting any blossoms I've got in the yard makes for a great day of painting - that's just another reason I love summer so much up here in CT.  As for the title.....isn't that always a great way to start off the year? Each of these little paintings has such wonderful texture from painting with a palette knife - it truly allows the medium of oil paint to show some of its best qualities!

Zinnias & Daisy Riot Floral ACEO Oil Painting

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

 If you have followed my work for a long time, you know I'm a garden painter. From early spring to late fall I'm out there (with my hubby, the main garden guru) planting for painting! Every surface in my garden is a topic that I've painted. To check out what I'm up to, visit my web-site and blog!!! We had a great gardening year - which made it very inspiring for painting.The zinnias were outstanding this year, and the daisies just outdid themselves. These were among the last batches that I cut before our first big frost! And yes, I am indeed enjoying painting these small ACEOs... between painting breaks on a large one that I'm working on. 

  

For those of you not familiar with the acronym ACEO, it stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals.  The miniature paintings are the size of a baseball trading card, 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.  This category of art has become increasingly popular on eBay the last couple of years.  These can be displayed on their own, or with a tiny little easel (like the kind you can find in Michaels Arts & Crafts type stores) on a display shelf, or these beautiful gems can be elegantly matted and framed with perhaps a mat of 4 inches wide.  ACEOs also make wonderful gifts!

Plush Pansy Pot ACEO Original Oil Floral

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

For those that have followed my work for a long time, you know I'm a garden painter. From early spring to late fall I'm out there (with my hubby, the main garden guru) planting for painting! Every surface in my garden is a topic that I've painted. To check out what I'm up to, visit my web-site and blog!!!

 

For those of you not familiar with the acronym ACEO, it stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals.  The miniature paintings are the size of a baseball trading card, 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.  This category of art has become increasingly popular on eBay the last couple of years.  These can be displayed on their own, or with a tiny little easel (like the kind you can find in Michaels Arts & Crafts type stores) on a display shelf, or these beautiful gems can be elegantly matted and framed with perhaps a mat of 4 inches wide.  ACEOs also make wonderful gifts!

I also had another commission for one of these fun little collectables- another batch of daisies! 

So if you have a hankering for a tiny bouquet that you can actually carry around with you (and not actually look like a bridesmaid wannabe) this is perfect!! Let me know your favorite flowers & vase colors - we'll come up with one just for YOU!  

Peegee Hydrangeas ACEO Floral Original Oil Painting

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity to complete a commission for a "few more of these hydrangeas". I tickled pink- because I just LOVE these flowers! Can you tell I'm missing summer and having all these blossoms in my yard? Well, "Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus....AND you can have flowers all winter long!"  That's the joy of having art- that wonderful reminder that winter won't last forever, and that wonderful sense of the joy of flowers is hard to resist! 

The other pieces that I completed for the commission were these 2 below, both hydrangeas, some of the blue variety in our yard, as well as Limelight hydrangeas (cuttings from my neighbor)

 

Which brings to mind another thought - if you have a particular flower you enjoy- I'm currently taking commissions for ACEOs - starting at $20. Here's the link to sign up!
 
It has been several years since I have used eBay as a place to sell, but I did enjoy it back in its 'heyday'.  I've begun a new series of ACEOs,  so far all florals - and I knew eBay would be the perfect place to highlight these! These little gems make a perfect gift idea! 

For those of you not familiar with the acronym ACEO, it stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals.  The miniature paintings are the size of a baseball trading card, 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.  This category of art has become increasingly popular on eBay the last couple of years.  These can be displayed on their own, or with a tiny little easel (like the kind you can find in Michaels Arts & Crafts type stores) on a display shelf, or these beautiful gems can be elegantly matted and framed with perhaps a mat of 4 inches wide.  ACEOs also make wonderful gifts!

Peonies In Asian Pottery

8"x6" oil on Belgian linen mounted on archival panel

$200

Buy It Now

or contact me here

Another painting from 'the vault'...one of my favorites actually. I just love having fresh cut flowers in my studio window, especially if they're ones we've grown in our garden. This pottery vase with it's wonderful color and design complements every thing that blooms out there. So how can you have flowers all year long? Art of course! 

Italian Sunflowers, North Light, Gray Day

8"x6" oil on linen mounted on archival panel

$200 unframed

Buy It Now

or contact me here

Click on the image to see it larger!

A really nice one from 'the vault' that I had almost forgotten about! We planted this variety of Italian Sunflowers in our garden in previous years. I think I do miss them! They are a smaller flower head, and a creamy - buttery - pale yellow that goes really nicely with the hydrangeas we grow. Hmmm...already thinking about what I'd like to grow next summer!!  Cut flowers are so wonderful to bring into the studio to paint!

Pink & Red - Cyclamen In The Sunshine- SOLD!

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite archival panel



Last Friday when I painted this it was so much warmer! Today (Monday), it was windy and cold, a harsh reminder that it really IS New England after all. We're due for a hard frost tonight. I just hope all these tender buds out there make it through! I've got some hydrangeas that are way ahead of schedule! Mother Nature always seems to get the last word in after all!

Gimme Some Sugar!

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite archival artboard

"A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous."
-Ingrid Bergman

Just helpin' you get ready for Valentine's Day. Another sweet one from 'the vault'. Back to 2008 prices and free shipping until Valentines, just to give you a helping hand in saying the very thing you want to tell your loved one! It's dry and ready to ship!

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Price: $100 USD

Or, send me an email

Life Savor!

6"x6" oil on gallery wrapped linen

It feels so good to be back in the studio again, with lots to do to start off the new year. Fresh flowers in the house during the holidays made me realize how much I've missed these. During summer, I always have fresh flowers cut from our garden. For now, the grocery store variety will do just fine...they do brighten your outlook on a cold day.

Savor life....is what I've been spending the last two weeks doing. The week before Christmas, I spent some time with my brother who was hospitalized for a long term illness. The week between Christmas and New Years, our daughters came up to visit from Virginia. It was so much fun to reconnect with family friends over the holiday! Our loved ones (family AND friends) are the best gifts of the holidays or any time!

Lots of things I'm excited to be working on: a new commission, more 'little faces', small still-life, and some larger landscapes.

For the folks that have been following me for a few years, you may remember that I had quite a series of paintings of Ireland. I am in the process of making some of these available as prints! More news on this later in the week!

Happy New Year 2012 - and remember to take a deep breath, ....and savor life!

Buy this painting on PayPal

Price: $150 USD plus $10 USD s/h

Or, send me an email

Roses By North Light

12"x12" oil on deep cradled birch wood panel (sides painted, not necessary to frame, but of course you may if you prefer).

Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity. ~John Ruskin



I've learned to not always listen to the weatherman. They predicted it would rain all morning and begin to clear in the afternoon. I awoke to find it perfectly sunny and clear this morning, but I had cut these roses the night before. Of course I was determined to paint them. I had re-arranged a bit of furniture in the studio (which I have pretty much abandoned all summer and painted out-side) so I could have just the right natural light fall on them from my north-facing windows (which allows nice even light in all day). Then by afternoon, there came the pouring rains! Glad I didn't listen to that turned around forecast!

To purchase this painting directly from me, please visit my DailyPainters.com gallery or contact me here.

Finding Your Artistic Voice - Daisy Sunshine

8"x8" oil on gessoed masonite archival panel

"It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent."

- Madeleine Albright

I'm back from a wonderful, though mighty short weekend in Norfolk, VA. I was given the opportunity to present "Finding Your Artistic Voice" and a demo on palette knife painting techniques at London Square Gallery in Norfolk. An enthusiastic group showed up for the demo and talk. Since it was a two hour presentation, I provided a hand-out with information to supplement both these topics as well as a "home-work" assignment! It's an exercise that I found about six years ago, recommended by Kevin Macpherson, which provided a huge breakthrough for me at that time. When I explained the process, I saw heads nodding, wow, yes, that would indeed make a difference! For those in attendance that do try it, I'd love to hear back from you!

One of the fun parts of a demo, is bringing 'the magic' to a blank canvas/empty board.

I'd love to expand this to a full workshop, so that those in attendance will have the opportunity to try their hand at it as well!


I am so grateful to Scott London, of London Square Gallery for hosting this event, and for all those who attended Saturday! Thanks boodles!! If you live in the Hampton Roads area, please stop in to see the eleven new paintings I delivered! They are all part of my 'Sunshine Series' of florals I've been working on the last few months in my anxious wait for Spring to arrive here in New England. They are the pieces that got me through 'bleak winter'. These florals over-flow the boundaries of the canvas with simple, yet beautiful things...which is metaphoric for what I want in my life..the feeling of "good things running over"..... simple but bountiful; full of life, love and light.

London Square Gallery is located at 4410 Colley Ave. in Norfolk, Va. Call for hours: 757-440-0269.

Contact me for more information here.

Refresh, Renew, & Simplify - Floral Bouquet

6"x6" oil on archival panel

“Purity and simplicity are the two wings with which man soars above the earth and all temporary nature.”

Thomas Kempis

I finished painting this last week before I left for VA to give a demo/presentation at London Square Gallery (more about that in the next post).

This was a rather large bouquet, one that I normally would paint at least 12"x12". I wanted to use this as an exercise to simplify this down to fit a 6"x6" panel. To do so would mean I'd have to really observe the big shapes/ keep it at it's simplest form...details only if there was space to indicate it. I'm rather happy with how this fit down into this size. Of course, larger would allow for more details in the flowers, etc.

To purchase while it's still wet, please visit my DailyPainters.com gallery/store.

Time Out For Tea

18"x14" oil on gallery wrapped stretched linen

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush."

-Doug Larson

It seems that I've been a slacker when it comes to sending out the "Cheer Factor" emails this week. But I have been working on a new painting, a bit larger than my usual small daily works. I've been thrilled with the better selection of flowers lately at our grocery store! It must be one more 'sign of Spring'. "Time Out For Tea" is the name of this painting I've just finished. It is an 18"x14" oil on gallery wrapped stretched linen. Contact me here for availability of this painting.

Hubby and I also spent some time planning and ordering some seeds for this year's garden. I look forward to being able to paint in the middle of all this in just a few months! Oh the colors are going to be fantastic!!

Be sure to sign up for my "Cheer Factor" newsletter and see all the latest paintings fresh off the easel as well as subscriber specials.

Sundance To Spring

12"x12" oil on archival board

"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what is is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!" - Mark Twain

This quote made me laugh. Is it the wishing for Spring that makes me so restless? I've been on a de-cluttering kick the last several days. I wonder if that is just part of wanting the 'newness' of Spring to be here, or if it's just good to "clear the house - clear the head" kind of thing. Which I think works, as I finished the painting I started the day before!

"Sundance To Spring" is a 12"x12" oil on archival board. Contact me at this link for more information about this painting, or to purchase.

Looks like March is going to come in "like a lion". They're calling for wind gusts of 50mph, with rain and there's likely to be lots of snow melt-off. Crossing my fingers that there's no flooding around here!

Welcome to my latest new subscribers! I do hope you enjoy the paintings, photos & stories! I always love hearing comments from my readers!!

A Budding Romance

"Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze."
- Amanda Cross

8"x6" oil on Belgian linen mounted on archival board

The grocery store had these wonderful small phalaenopsis orchids this past weekend. They're also known as moth orchids, they do look a bit like little butterflies have alighted on the stem. I was looking specifically to paint something with green/& red or pink color complements, as I continue this exploration of color.

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $150 USD plus $10 USD s/h
Or, send me an email

Aside from buying flowers, I did take a walk on the beach on Saturday, while it was still a 'relatively' warm 22 degrees. Found some pretty beach glass and enjoyed the soft squishiness of the sand, as the earth is frozen solid hard everywhere else past the water line. The last two days have been ridiculously cold 0-12 degree days! I've got to soak up any sunshine I possibly can, it does a world of good when the days are still so very short.

*****Current shows - Here in CT: I'll be taking part in the Mystic Art Center's Members Exhibition which runs through the 26th of February. Hope you get a chance to see this show right here on the banks of the Mystic River.

Also- I've juried in to the 19th Annual Associate Artist Exhibition at Lyme Art Association!! The show runs from January 14th - February 26th. I am truly honored to be hanging in this historic venue with many of New England's finest artists!

Citrus Flowers (Commission) - sold

10"x10" oil on stretched Belgian linen

"The question is not....what is life? The question is...what is your experience of living?"
- Bob Burridge

After returning from my San Diego journey, I was home long enough to do some laundry, frame some finished paintings going into the Norfolk "Ballet Virginia International" show, ready my plein air supplies for "Out & About Norfolk" (the plein air portion of the two event show), AND...finish a commission that I had the sketches already prepared for. One of my repeat collectors requested a painting of a favorite bouquet- it had orange roses, red-orangey gerber daisies, and yellow Peruvian lilies (alstroemeria) in a big green glass vase. Lemons & limes in a bowl and a favorite 'kitty' mug (we both have been 'owned' by a big orange cat!) brought all these citrus colors together. It made me think of Florida (where I'm from, and) where she lives! Thanks for the honor Kathy! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I'm thinking that once the weather gets too cold to be out painting, I'll be bringing home some bright colored flowers to paint in my studio! They are so cheery when the skies go gray and cold. My neighbor says there's rumors of snow flurries this Saturday?!?! ACKKK- I'm not quite ready for this kind of cold yet! Guess I'd better be thinking about what kind of flowers I'd like to paint!

Tropical Sunset Coneflowers

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite archival artboard

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way--things I had no words for."
- Claude Monet

The last arrangement of the week- it's an unusual variety of coneflowers that our local garden center had. The color was listed as 'Tropical sunset" if I remember correctly. And like any good perennial, it has come back even bigger & better this year. I chose this color for my garden, rather than the standard purple coneflowers because the color reminded me of the Florida, where I grew up. I cut some yesterday to bring in & the color of the blossoms looked great against my limey green shirt....so this is what is in my studio window right now, underneath the glass container.

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $100 USD plus $10 USD s/h
Or, send me an email