Grand Tulips! (or- Forever Spring!)

 

36"x36"x2.5" contemporary deep profile canvas

To purchase, or for more information, click here.

So far, "Forever Spring" is in the lead for 'name this painting' (a poll I was taking on FB & Twitter).  Usually the name of a painting evolves in my head as I'm working on a painting. Sometimes the name comes first and the painting follows. 

Here's how this one began, on a chilly Spring day, when I brought a load of fresh tulips into the studio, and I had this wonderful canvas that I was saving just for a big batch of flowers like this: 

I adjust my lights, and place everything how I'd like it. Then I just sit and look at it, and consider how I'd like these shapes I'm seeing to fit into that large square shaped canvas. I squint down...which helps to eliminate color, so that you can see 'value'- the darkness vs. the lightness of each area of your design & how it relates to each other. As I'm looking at these items, I'm also considering the main colors I want in this composition. I decide that instead of these red delicious apples, they are going to be Granny Smith apples, as I'm thinking I want that particular green.  I've chosen green to be the dominant color in this composition with fuchsia red tulips as my focal point, particularly the one with the bit of orange-yellow on the stem...which is just enough of a contrast against all those blue flowers  for a nice spark. One thing that I've brought into my paintings over the years is the avoidance of 'rendering'. I prefer more of an 'interpretation' so that I might control color and design rather than be slave to what I see in front of me. Arranging a still life to work from has become the 'jumping off point' from which my paintings progress. 

Anyway, once I draw in (with paint) the basic placement of each element in the painting, I being the under-painting. 

I lay in these shapes loosely with thin transparent colors.  Usually with a brush, sometimes with a knife on this layer.  When working large, I set aside large blocks of time, so that I can continue to work wet into wet for as long as possible. As soon as the entire canvas is covered, then I keep the layering going, adding those subsequent layers with a palette knife.

Before I add these final layers, I'll use a rubber squeegee straight edge to break up the edges of hard items in the composition. Building up the layers as I go, I end up with this as my final result:

 If you're a painter, and would like to learn some more of these methods, consider joining in on my "Mentoring Mondays" during the month of March.  I'll talk more about them in detail in the next blog post. I have a limited space in my studio for students, so it's definitely first dibs gets the space!  Right now there is room for YOU! 

Here are some additional closeup details from "Forever Spring" (and yes, to bring this in even closer, press the control button  (on the left) and scroll up!)

Green Tea Red Zinnia ACEO Floral Original Oil Painting

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

While I had all the cut flowers on the back patio table, I did end up second guessing how I wanted to do a lot of these arrangements. I shuffled some blossoms into one container, then moved them to another, trying to figure out how I wanted them all. This ended up being filled with daisies, but there was something interesting about one bright red flower against that green!

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!

Sun & Shade Zinnias ACEO Floral Original Oil Painting

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

Outside on the edge of the table, sun & shadow of the late afternoon showed off these blossoms so well!

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!

Green Bottle & Zinnias ACEO Floral Original Oil Painting

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

When I ran out of vases, I was down to odd little containers.  I thought it might be fun to put in just a few short stemmed blossoms! (I couldn't bear to throw them out yet).  Just a few more of my "pre-frost painting frenzy" to go!

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!

Daisies & Zinnias ACEO Floral Original Oil Painting

 

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1 

More in my series of these fun ACEO florals.  You can see in my rush to save as many zinnias & daisies as I could, I cut boodles of them to paint. For a little while, I had all these arrangements setting on the island counter top in my kitchen. It looked like a florists shop in there!   

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!

Zinnias & A Lazy Daisy ACEO Floral Original Painting

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

  Continuing with this series of floral ACEOs, I had lots more zinnias to paint & a spare Montauk daisy as well!  Right before our first predicted frost, I spent the day cutting all the blossoms I thought I could get painted, filled every vase & container I had! It was like a floral frenzy around here!  So, lots of painting, not much blogging was going on during that time! Painted from life in my studio. 

 

(during some of the pre-frost floral frenzy!)

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!

Autumn Bouquet ACEO Floral Original Painting

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

And here it is - the fourth one in the series- an Autumn bouquet with all those wonderful warm fall colors, in a tall glass vase. Painted from life in my studio.

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!

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!

Pink Two Lips- sold!

8"x8" oil on gessoed masonite archival panel


"Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves." ~Albert Einstein

One from the vault- are you ready for Valentines Day? What a perfect way to say, "I love you" with art. I have a few select pieces that I will offer at a special price unframed for Valentines day, perfect for displaying on a small table-top easel. It is dry and ready to ship!

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!