Searching 6"x8"

I enjoy watching these terns as they search for food in the water near the shoreline.

In Memory Of Pim

This is our beautiful Pim that we lost a few weeks ago. No matter how we tried we could never convince this kitty that living in the house would be a better option for her. It's amazing that she even tolerated me taking this photo of her as to the end even though we fed her, she remained a wild cat. She was full of personality and we will miss her.

Happy Thanksgiving!

No painting but a nice photo to share from South Padre Island, Tx of a gull flying over the dunes. We're on our way to my sister's to eat wonderful food until our buttons pop. On this day I am thankful for someone to share my life with, my loving family, a chance for a new start, and my furry friends.  Make an animals life a little happier on this holiday too, be kind and donate to your local animal shelter. Happy holiday.

I'm A Gull 8"x8"

All I can say is that this was fun. I enjoyed experimenting with the color surrounding the head.

Wow, Rick Nilson left a comment on my blog. When I read that I felt as giddy as when I got to go to my first rock concert. Seriously! There are some artists whose blogs I follow on a daily basis because I can't wait to see what they do next. His is one of those blogs. Thank you, you made my day.

Gulls

I've read that sharks can smell the most minuscule drop of blood in the water. I think the same is true of gulls and french fries. Now, I know they are scavengers and I'm not recommending feeding the gulls french fries, especially: since I don't want to be responsible for any birdy heart attacks due to deep fat fried food consumption. I needed, no, wanted close up pictures for possible paintings so, my guy and I headed for the beach with our styrofoam container of congealing french fries. As soon as one gull spotted the container the word was out and suddenly there were 30 or more gulls flying around. I step to the side and ready my camera, he gets ready to throw the first fries in the air and...throws...them...straight...at...me. Now I'm not a yeller but when 30 gulls suddenly flocked in my direction, I may have raised my voice a teeny tiny bit because there was that 1/10th of a second when a gull foot was pressed down on the top of my head while it plucked a french fry out of my hair. Needless to say, my guy got the point and started to throw them away from me. He later told me his reasoning was that I wanted closeups and what better way than if they were flying toward me. Uh-huh.

Technical Glitch

Well, my computer is not letting me download pictures as it has suddenly decided not to recognize my server. Hopefully, I will be able to post tomorrow. Sigh, technology.

Lighthouse 1 8"x6"

This was one of the many views of the lighthouse that I took. I have more that I want to paint it's such an incredible scene. Still working on getting the color right in photo shop. The sky leans more towards the wonderful Bob Ross turquoise I like to use.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse

If you've never been to the Oregon Coast, I highly recommend it. Every where we went along the coastline was beautiful. This is the Yaquina Head Lighthouse near Newport, Oregon. It has an amazing black metal spiral staircase inside and the views from inside are breathtaking.

Freedom 8x16/2nd posting

I went back and took another picture of Freedom with my new polarize lens. Hopefully this is a better quality picture though it is a little more turquoise in reality.

Two For Flight 8X16 SOLD

I found this very challenging but worth it. While painting this pair I was reminded that birds are the descendants of dinosaurs. I think these are young brown pelicans as they haven't developed their trademark white head yet. If I'm incorrect about that, let me know. SOLD.

Pelicans At South Padre Island

I find few things more amazing than pelicans in flight. When you see them on the ground with their awkward bodies you'd never think they would be able to lift off, but, they do. On South Padre Island, Texas in November you can see a lot of brown pelicans. We enjoyed sitting at Pier 19 and watching them fish in the bay. The food we were served wasn't too shabby either.

My Guy & Me

Yup, that's my guy and me. The picture was taken this year during our July trip to Oregon. He was one of those wonderful unexpected events that sometime happen in life. I'd moved to a small town in Texas and I would notice him, from where I was sitting on my back step with my morning coffee, in his backyard feeding the neighborhood cats. Eventually, we started to do the hello neighbor wave to each other, gradually started talking, and became friends. It took me a year and a half before I got up the nerve to ask him to dinner. Three years later I still think it is the best invitation I ever extended.

Out of Step 6x8

I loved doing this painting. This poor little guy could not keep up with his friend who was walking rather fast along the beach. At one point the little fellow was walking on his front legs trying to keep up! I fretted about doing the dog because he was only about an inch high on the canvas. You should have heard the talk I had with myself about that. It went along the lines of, "Are you crazy? How are you going to paint an inch high dog and still make it look like a dog?!!!". Yeah I tend to talk to myself while painting. In the end it was the blue jeans that made me nuts with all their folds and shades. I tend to get too caught up in details when I really just want to paint very loosely.

I'm still working on learning cropping and photo shopping so this may lean toward the red a little but it's fairly accurate though the water is actually darker than it looks here. My guy and I love the beach and one of the things I enjoy is taking pictures of people and their dogs as they walk on the beach or play in the surf. I do tend to take the picture with the dog's perspective in mind.

Favorite Color

I am in love with this color. It is a beautiful turquoise in the Bob Ross Soft Oil Color collection. I used it in the sky of "Freedom" and also I am using it for the sky in several other birds in flight paintings I am doing. It blends beautifully with other colors or, at least that has been my experience, and is beautiful alone as well. Boy, I sound like an infomercial! I remember watching his show for years and I still miss it.

My Canvas

One of the things I had to decide when I started painting was what type of canvas or board I would use. I like the convenience of these little canvas panels for several reasons, the most important one being price. I don't feel as bad when I mess up because I didn't spent $20 for my work surface. I was worried about their durability since they are rather thin but after having a conversation with a person at a local framing shop, I was more confident in their ability to last. She took me back into her work room to look at a canvas panel that had been painted 40 years previously. It was in perfect condition and the owner of the painting had only brought it in for a new coat of varnish. Now on some paintings, Freedom, I am using a more standard framed canvas. I also have a small package of claybord that I want to try at some point. It's fun seeing what the paint does when applied to different surfaces.

Tuckered Out 6x8

Still working on getting a good quality photo. We met this little guy on a trip to the Oregon Coast in July. I feel bad that I cannot remember his name. Getting old stinks. He was so adorable I had to try to paint him. I think the fact that he had his eyes closed helped in the decision too. I don't know if I'm ready to tackle the amazing vividness of a dogs eye yet.

I also would like to thank the wonderful artist Carolyn Finnell, who started the Daily Painter Originals website,  for taking the time from her very busy life to answer some questions from a person just starting to put their toes in the art/blogging pool. Thank you so much for your time and very helpful advice.

My Studio

Now when I decided to begin this journey, I had to have a place to work. Yes, that is my unfinished laundry room/studio. Why the laundry room you may ask, well, I think the next picture will explain. It is the only room in the house that four footed furry friends cannot go. Oh, they still try but the idea of trying to get oil paint off of a long haired cat doesn't sound like much fun for me or the cat. My thinking is, if you really want something you will think of a way to make it happen. Hence, the laundry room but, as I have learned, don't leave the clean clothes basket too close to your paint stand.  

Freedom 8x16

Here is my first attempt at posting a painting. I need to figure out how one takes a picture of an oil painting.The shiny surface presents a problem and learning how you crop it to post it presents a challenge as well. If you have any pointers on either subject I'd be happy to hear your advice. Sorry for the quality, but I will figure this out! I sure hope this gets easier and that I get better. I don't suppose it's any surprise after 15 years in a gray cubical that birds in flight would appeal to me. Watching them in the air is liberating and breath taking.

Beginnings

Okay, I'm new at this and I still have a great deal of "stuff" to figure out about blogging.  Hopefully, I will figure out how to attach a picture and post a painting and go from there. The format may change greatly as I look at what works and what does not. Wish me luck, I'll need it, you'll never meet a more technically challenged person. Let the fun begin!