Kokeshi Doll DPW 10-minute painting challenge!

"Kokeshi 10"

12"x9" oil on canvas sold

I couldn't help but admire the submissions to Carol Marine's DPW challenge to painting a small painting for 10 minutes and do it 8x.  I haven't been to the store due to inclement weather we've been having in Northwest Arkansas, but I wanted to paint something red.  So this is why I chose my nodding kokeshi (Japanese wooden doll) for my subject.  

 

Above was the first half.  I am left handed so I had to start at the bottom right.  The 2 hours I allotted for the process didn't work out because I had phones calls which I ignored, and a neighbor dropped in on me which I didn't ignore.  Then I had to run to an appointment!  So I finished the rest when I got back.  I found I was more effective when I wasn't so rushed and overwhelmed by time.  So I took a short break after each rectangle to finish the rest of the painting and told myself I was approaching the canvas for the first time :)  Cleaning the brush to dip into another color was the worst part of it because it took over a minute sometimes!  I was happy that some of my watercoloring habits did help me paint it :)

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 :)

Calypso Genesis Self Portrait in Oils

"Erika Lost in Painting"
9x12 oil on canvas

This is my submission to a new artist blog challenge hosted by the talented Alice Thompson. The blog is Calypso Moon Artist Movement . This our genesis challenge - to create a self portrait which includes our shoulders because shoulder gestures add insight to the the subject's personality. We were also instructed to choose one color plus black and white in our paintings.

My color choice was yellow ocher by Lefranc. I like that it is both an earthy and warm hue which adds to the mood of my painting. I chose this photo because I've been told people who know me catch me in this position often times. They conclude that I'm a deep thinker :) Actually, if I could step out of myself and see me this way, I can attest that I'm very much in my creative zone and in the middle of mentally painting my next piece or maybe trying to determine a solution to a problem I've encountered on the piece that's been sitting on my easel.

Please visit CMAM blog to view what the other hand-picked artists have done to meet the challenge!

Portrait of Karin

"Portrait of Karin Jurick" oil on canvas 10"x10"x2"

FINALLY we got green light from dear SURPRISE COORDINATOR Jill Polsby to publish out secret portraits of the talented Karin Jurick who is the coordinator of Different Strokes by Different Folks blog. I love how this piece turned out. It is fun to do a piece for a fellow artist who would appreciate a more painterly style vs for clients who expected smoother approach for the most part. I think seeing brush strokes and some preliminary markings who the artist's hand or touch a lot better and I'd find it more personal.

I can't wait to see other works from same photo! Jill sent us a still shot captured from Youtube so it wasn't the best resolution but maybe it's good to have a not so perfect reference....hmmm.

**update! I just got a preview of the book presented to Karin of the 118 portraits painted by like number of participants thanking her for all Karin has done for us and it's impressive and beautiful! Thank you Jill for your hard work and thoughtfulness!

Heart Glow watercolor ornaments

"Heart Glow" 6x6 inches watercolor

I did this for a challenge in my critique group that meets monthly and also for my WNW watercolor group. The project was to take a still life composition and cut it in squares, rearrange it for a more abstract composition and paint it. The theme is Christmas. Of course I added a representational object on top because I had a feeling sticking to the challenge was going to drive me insane. In fact, this is really 8x10 format and I cropped it heehee Well I love red, I love glass art and I love SOME heart-shaped things, so there you go.

8x10 version. see how it's better to crop it? ... or not?

I met this challenge despite my stomach issues since Saturday but I just am not going to be able to pull off this week's DSDF but y'all might go visit them as they always have cool art to see!

Last Thursday was finally the 5x5 show fundraiser for the local art center. Both my contributions were bought. Last I looked my Obama portrait had way more silent bids than McCain. I wonder if they ended up with one person. It's always a blast. So well attended and all the 5x5x1.5 inches canvases are lined up at eye level on all the walls of the lobby. At the beginning of the evening all I see are butts as shown here. But at the end after they call the closing bids and folks sales people have taken down the sold pieces I finally get to enjoy a more artistic view lol I can't imagine guessing the number of submissions... 300-400? There have been more in previews years I think. This was my 3rd year donating art and 2nd attendance.

Thankfully, the spread is always healthy and constantly replenished!