Kathy's Portrait WIP and Daffodils in oils

Detail of "Spring Daffodils"

Click on the image to see better. This is my favorite part of the painting. I ended up losing my muse below this. That's when you go, "I hate it when that happens!" The whole painting looks good hanging, very sweet and springy. It's off to Wishing Spring Gallery tomorrow!

"Spring Daffodils" 6x18 oil on stretched canvas

The painting is based on the first bouquet of daffodils I received this spring. My neighbor has an awesome garden and she supplies me with lovely bouquets! It thrills me when I hear the knock on the door and I notice it's either her granddaughter or her :)

"Kathy" 8x10-ish watercolor on paper

This is work in progress aka WIP. Today is my departed niece's birthday. We lost her last year. Gone too soon. But that's her, always smiling even through her cancer treatments. I can't wait to get this done. I don't know why I insist on putting flowers when I paint my relatives :D I am so not a flower painter!!! I guess I just enjoy seeing life.

When life unfolds a plot

I have been busy HAPPILY rediscovering my old watercolors from last year's art challenges! I feel as if I am watching a plot come to fruition and a confirmation things don't happen by accident! I had been painting on my oddly sized watercolor sketch pad without any plans to deal with them professionally aka selling them. But after I painted my "Dreaming Sweet Dreams" which I enjoyed painting so much, I thought I'd check out my smaller paintings done last year. I really liked them! So I took it further and dug up some old standard sized mat boards but none fit. However I went to the garage and found some FREE mat boards I received a couple years ago and VOILA! "For some reason" they were perfect! Hmmm somehow I think the oddly sized watercolors and oddly cut mat boards were meant for each other! Wow I really got a kick out of that :D

So I thought I'd go ahead and paint more on the sketch pad because I only have 3 more pages to go. Of course I had to paint some hyacinths harvested from my garden. Hmm yes, I'm intoxicated by these lovely scents! The deffodils are from my neighbor's garden :)

EBSQ FRIDAY FIVE my painting was picked up on EBSQ Friday Five Blog!

And look! As of today, I have 11 bids on my cat for Daily Paintworks's Help Japan Challenge! YAY and 4 days 2 hours to go on my auction!!! Together we've raised $15,500!!!! WOOHOO!!! Please click on the image to be redirected to the auction pieces! Let's get together and help those in need of whatever we can give :)

Sleeping Cat art for Help Japan Challenge DPW

"Dreaming Sweet Dreams" 9x12 inches plus white borders watercolor on paper

This is my painting specifically inspired by the Daily Paintworks's "Help Japan Challenge" Keiko Tanabe's challenge was paint the first thought that comes to you with the theme "home".

I live in Arkansas, but home to me is California. My generic reaction to the word "home" is that it's a place where I can be comfortable to do as I please. Home is sanctuary which is something taken away from thousands of people when the earthquakes and tsunamis hit Japan. When I saw those videos, I wondered how those poor people could convince themselves the world was not ending before their eyes. To most of them, it still must feel as if their world has ended. But they are alive and have to continue to survive and hopefully they will see life blossom again soon despite their loss. This is such a small effort on my part to help them out. But together we can make a difference to one or more people. I have chosen to send all proceeds to American Red Cross. Please click HERE to see my art and other artwork that you might find special enough to bid on and hopefully add to your collection. Thanks so much - Erika

Daily Paintworks Help Japan Challenge by Keiko Tanabe

Help Japan (Art) Challenge is this week's Daily Paintwork's challenge by Keiko Tanabe to any artist who would like to participate in a fundraiser to help the victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. I encourage all artists and art admirers to please CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE and read and consider participating as an artist, as a bidder or better yet, both! I will be participating :) The theme is HOME.

More About Help Japan Challenge
About Daily Paintworks Challenges

Auctioned pieces will be added daily, there are some existing now. Witness the power of goodwill, may it add cheer to your day each time you see the latest updates!!! :)

Painting Daffodils and Daily Paintworks Challenge

"Happy Daffy" 3x3 inches oil on canvas

This was my attempt at an older challenge project for Daily Paintworks. This one was a challenge offered by Carole Marine. Here is the One Color Per Stroke Challenge I REALLY enjoyed this challenge as I think it has breathed new life into my painting sessions! I bet I'd still revert somehow to a tighter style but hopefully when I do, I'd still retain what I learned here. I love that it's fresh and sparkly!

I absolutely cannot believe how much I look forward to my art time! It has been THREE years since I last enjoyed being among my art supplies! I cannot tell you what broke me from it and I cannot tell you why it clicked again! All I know is that I feel like I took a happy art pill somehow HAHAHA I really wish I could bottle it up and save some for 'just in case".

I call myself a traveling artist. I chase the right lighting around the house. There is nothing like natural light and being comfortable indoors during the cold and hot seasons. I am still painting from the bouquet of daffodils my neighbors brought me! Here's today when I chased the light in the laundry room. Work in progress painting there.

This is the study watercolor piece I did which I painted in the kitchen HAHAHA That's the glass top. And did I tell you my house throws up on my painting days? You can imagine it I'm sure :) I'm just lucky my husband loves and supports me!!!

Abraham Lincoln Challenge and Feeling Good

I recently stumbled upon a group of outstanding blogging artists who participate in a challenge group www.dailypaintworks.com They have weekly art challenges and this week it's painting from a black and white photo of Abraham Lincoln. First challenge was to paint in neutral tones using ocher and ultramarine blue . Second was interpret the b/w photo in color. So here are my contributions each around 5x7-6x9-ish watercolor on paper.

I haven't really had successful art time in a while. But I hope with spring knocking on the cold door of Northwest Arkansas, I will once again find time to create more art that make me feel good to share. Today was a particularly good day to choose to paint. I woke up feeling inspired, especially when I found this video that encapsulated how I felt. I hope it empowers you too :)