Moody Skies Variation Painting #61

'Variation #61' 5x7 pastel

This may be the last post for a week. I am headed to the South Carolina coast for a workshop with one of my favorite pastel artists, Stan Sperlak. I am bringing my laptop but I am not sure about internet access at our lodging. If I can get online I will post! I hope to come back refreshed and inspired and filled with ideas to share. I leave you with variation #61 of my painting challenge. To read more about how this one was done visit my project blog http://www.milesofcanvas.blogspot.com/

Bird Nest Paintings SOLD

'Bird Nest #1 & 2' 5x7 pastel

sold to a collector in the UK

It is the week for bird nests! I sold an 8x10 robin's nest earlier this week so I decided to paint a couple of new nests. They were purchased today! The bottom nest was actually painted from life. I found the hatched eggs on the ground and then a few months later the abandoned nest fell to the ground. I have been keeping them on a shelf in my studio. I will definitely be exploring this nest further!

New Siamese Cat Painting

'Toblerone' 5x7 pastel

I took a break from painting landscapes to paint my cat Tobi. It has been months since I have painted a cat and I need to do it more often. Hmmmm maybe a thought for my next challenge!

Latest Queen Anne's Lace Painting

'Field of Lace'       8x10           pastel

I was interesting in trying to paint my usual subject of wildflowers on the new textured surfaces I made. This was painted on watercolor paper that I covered with a pumice/gesso mix. It gave a very rough texture that made painting the flowers interesting. After I put down my first layer, I spread acrylic matte medium with a palette knife which acted like a fixative. I think I could have sprayed it and gotten even more layers of pastel down. Click on the painting if you'd like to get a better look at the texture.

If you haven't visited my new painting project blog, I invite you to go check it out. I am up to variation #60!

http://www.milesofcanvas.blogspot.com/

140 Hours of Fame on Twitter

'A Winter Walk'     8x10           pastel on board

I'm excited to announce that this painting will be available for auction on the world's first online auction using Twitter through 140 hours of fame.com.  The auction begins on November 5th and is live for 140 hours until November 11th. To bid all you have to do is follow @140 hours on Twitter. See all the great art at http://www.140hours.com/  See the listing for my painting here.

To see the latest of my 100 variation painitngs visit my new blog at www.milesofcanvas.blogspot.com

Beach Dune at Sunset 4x6 Pastel Painting

Today was spent cleaning and organizing the studio so I am sharing a painting I did a few weeks ago. This was a 4x6 study for a commission.  I did manage to paint two variations today in between cleaning. I will be posting them later on my project blog  http://www.milesofcanvas.blogspot.com/  If you haven't had a chance to see the new blog, take a look and sign up for updates. I will be sharing more details of my techniques for each painting there.

Variation #40 Winter Sunset

'Variation #40'               5x7         pastel

I have been busy this weekend but I've accomplished a lot!  I finished my acrylic marsh commission and my colloector is pleased with it.  Yeah!  I have also started a new blog devoted to my variation challenge. I wanted a place to have them all together so I could better document the techniques I used for each one. The new blog is called 'Miles of Canvas' in reference to the saying that artists need to accumulate miles of canvas if they want to improve as painters. Doing challenges like this one helps me put in my miles. I hope you will visit my new blog and sign up for updates. I welcome your comments too! you can find the blog at:

www.milesofcanvas.blogspot.com

Florida Beach with Sea Oats Painting

'Morning Breeze'          5x7              pastel

Today's painting is done a my own surface that I prepared with gesso and pumice on watercolor paper. It gave me a nice texture to apply the pastels. I let the brushstokes show when applying the pumice mix and I like the way they show through the pastel.

Landscape Abstraction

'Around the Bend' 5x7 pastel

Today's painting is one that I completed in class this week. Our teacher Marsha Savage had just returned from a workshop with Ann Templeton so she shared some of the things Ann taught them. I would have loved being at that workshop! Marsha noted that my work has become more abstract lately and I hadn't really given it much thought. I just paint! But in reviewing some of my latest it seems to be true. I think that the 100 variation challenge has something to do with that. Thank you Jayne for the use of your photo. We decided that it was from our stop last fall at Assateague Island National Seashore.

Color Study for Aspen Tree Painting aceo

Often I will do small color studies in preparation for a larger painting. I like to work in a small format 2.5 x 3.5 inches because they sell such cool little frames for them now. Check out the little frames at Aarron Brothers if you have one nearby. I have quite a few of these little studies so I am going to be listing them over the next few weeks on Ebay. Look for a link here tomorrow when the first auction begins.
Speaking of selling art....I wanted to let you know that my friends and I will host our 3rd annual Open Studio Sale on Saturday December 5th. This year we will feature the art of 10 local artists so if you are in the Atlanta area please consider stopping by. Details will follow in the next few weeks.
click here to bid on this painting

Rainy Day Variation Painting #40

'Farm View #40' 5x7 pastel

I am really enjoying the 100 variations challenge. If I could, I would work on them all day long. I have been painitng every day for the last four years but this is different. Never have I felt more excited and energized about painting. Anything and everything goes and I am getting more and more experimental. I am thinking about putting the paintings in a dedicated blog so I can document the techniques I use for each one. I think it will be fun and instructional to see them all together. For this variation I recycled a used pastelbord by brushing on a coat of pumice/gesso mix tinted burgandy. I used fixative in between layers, which I brushed in for additional texture.

Field of Sunflowers Daily Painting

'Field of Happiness' 8x10 pastel

Here are some sunflowers to brighten up what is quickly becoming a dreary day in Georgia. Rain is on the way....again! On a brighter note, I got my latest issue of the Pastel Journal magazine and I was excited to see my studio profiled in Deborah Secor's article. She did a wonderful job taking my words and making me sound good! Thanks Deborah. The photos of my studio look pretty good too. It looks like I have a great view out my studio window...not just the neighbor's driveway! Check out the article if you get a chance and if you are ever in the Atlanta area, I welcome you to come visit!

Sanibel Sea Shell Painting

'Sanibel Cockle Shell' 6x8 pastel

I spent the weekend working on a large acrylic painting. It is a challenge for me and a much slower process to mix the colors I need rather than reaching for the correct pastel stick. I know the color I want but I am not quick enough in my mixing skills. I know that more practice would be helpful but there just isn't enough time in the day to do it all! This is a painting I did using a 'faux' gold leaf technique. I am working on this technique and will be trying other ideas as well. It doesn't photograph very well but the gold really complements the shell and adds a nice rich sparkle to the painting.

100 Variation Painting Challenge week #4

If you have been following my challenge you can see that I have had a prolific week. I worked on these in the evenings and it seemed like one idea led to yet another idea and I found it hard to stop! It has been a great learning experience and I am enjoying the freedom to try just about anything. I can't wait to get started on the next batch! In case you are a new visitor, my challenge is to paint 100 variations of the same scene. Each painting is 5x7 and done with pastels on a variety of papers.

The Colors of Fall 8x8 painting

'The Colors of Fall' 8x8 pastel

I had fun with this painting. I wanted to try a square format and found a photo with Fall trees and a river that I thought would work. The resulting painting was very soft and dark looking. It wasn't really bad but it seemed boring. So out came my can of fixative and the painting took over and told me what it wanted to be....bright and colorful!