Merry Mollie X-mas

A couple Mollie paintings recently finished and unwrapped as x-mas gifts. Both were painted from black and white reference photographs, a nice challenge for my sense of value. The first picture was taken before I painted the eye. Looks weird.

Title: Tennis? Anyone?

Media: acrylic on black gessoed panel

Size: 6" x 6"

Title: Mollie

Media: acrylic on black gessoed panel

Size: 6" x 6"

Lacy

When is it time to just say done? Here is the finished Lacy and the unfinished Lacy below. It was all about that floor.

Title: Lacy
Media: acrylic on black gessoed panel
Size: 6" x 6"

Title: (Unfinished Lacy)
Media: acrylic on black gessoed panel
Size: 6" x 6"

Milo Unchained

Commissioned piece. Milo says, "Mele Kalikimaka!" Happiest with the "glow" on Milo and the color of the benches complimenting his warmth.

Title: Milo Unchained
Media: acrylic on black gessoed panel
Size: 8" x 6"

Art 4 Shelter Insider Information

Here are the two 5"x7" paintings I'm submitting to the Art 4 Shelter fundraiser that I recently found out about, thanks to Kat Corrigan. With another freezing-cold-scrape-ice-off-your-windshield type of day, I couldn't resist looking at some pics from last summer to get ideas for a warm subject.

I'm liking the visual textures of the petals and leaves. If you do too, you can buy the paintings for a great cause! Check out these and other paintings at the Art 4 Shelter event on April 30.

Title: Echinacea

Media: acrylic on black gessoed card stock

Size: 7" x 5"

Title: Summer Sip

Media: acrylic on black gessoed card stock

Size: 5" x 7"

Here's a copy of the photo taken from the Art 4 Shelter website, listed on the "press" web page (which is sure to change for 2015)...

...it's amazing how much a good photograph can make a difference! Need to learn how they photograph donated art pieces!

First Landscape Attempt

Thought it might be a good idea to try a landscape painting before my soon trip to warmer shores. Can you identify this North Shore state park? I liked the wild river flow into Lake Superior.

Painting on black gesso does make for fun unpainted negative space. I'm so used to creating form with negative space and shading that it's been a challenge painting without black. Can anyone give me pointers on how to take good pics of one's paintings?

Title: Minnesota North Shore

Media: acrylic on black gessoed panel

Size: 6" x 6"

Whitley: Searching for Warmth

It's fun bringing Whitley back to life through painting. Creating her form with a brush recalls her daily habits, finding warmth being one of her most blissful acts. Often, she'd meander around the apartment with this introspective look of, "Never mind me. I'm just looking for some place to warm my chilly core." That non-verbal message of displeasure would turn to rapture when the sun's rays were found.

I really enjoyed taking an old black and white photo and attempting to bring out Whitley's emotion with color. I wish the photo posted here showed the color of the painting better. Love the soft swirling blues and purples of her shaded body and the light illuminating her tail (especially how light comes through the fur as her tail curls back to her body). I guess I need to learn how to photograph my paintings better.

Title: Searching for Warmth

Media: acrylic on black gessoed panel

Size: 8" x 6"

Voila! The first post!

A little foreshadowing to an upcoming trip. Still... in the sun... checking out what's happening on the beach... living in the now.

Title: Look Out
Media: acrylic on black gessoed panel

Size: 6" x 6"