"Orange and Sunflowers"

9 x 12

oil on canvas panel

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I've been concentrating on plein air paintings so much lately, it was nice to do something different. 

I have an upcoming plein air competition event this fall so will still be getting ready for that, but hope to do more fun pieces like this as well...altho, believe it or not, this too was painted outside from a still life set up. 

"Morning Fruit"

11 x 14

oil on stretched canvas

Some of the best grapefruit comes from the Texas Rio Grande Valley. This half never made it back to the refrigerator!

"Copper Tray"

11 x 14 (canvas size)

oil on stretched canvas

Decided to post this most recent painting in the frame. We've been out of town and it was great to get back home to paint. While we were gone I ran across this copper tray at an estate sale. I could just picture it in a still life setting, so couldn't resist bringing it home.

"Copper Teapot"

8 x 10

oil on stretched canvas
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Just found this teapot at an estate sale, and the cantaloupe and grapes were a part of our dinner. My husband says he can't tell if I'm buying food to eat or to paint! How about both!

"Pansies" and I'm a Winner!

8 x 10

oil on stretched canvas

The pansies this Spring have been "out of sight" beautiful! Hope they last a little longer, but I'm afraid they won't be happy with the approaching Texas heat.

On another note! Not long ago I discovered the wonderful artwork of Lisa Daria, and signed up to follow her blog. To my great surprise, this morning there was an email from Lisa announcing that in a drawing (by her dog, no less) that I had won her 300th daily painting. Check out her blog and enjoy her colorful, fresh style. Can't wait to receive my new painting...my birthday's next week, I'll consider it an early gift!!! Thank you, Lisa, and Brie (the dog)!!!

6 x 6 acrylic by Lisa Daria

"Fruit with Blue and White"

8 x 10

oil on stretched canvas

Since I collect a lot of blue and white china, it's always easy to find a piece or two worthy of incorporating into a painting.

"Chinese Bowl"

8 x 10

oil on stretched canvas

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When our son was first married, he and his wife were lucky enough to make a trip to China. Before they left, my daughter in law asked if there was something special she could bring back for me, and I told her anything blue and white would be great. Well, to my surprise, she hand carried this beautiful bowl back home to me. It is one of my special treasures! Thanks, Mallory!

"Solo Daisy"

8 x 10

oil on stretched canvas

Just realized that I started this blog one year ago. It's been a great year for artistic growth and especially for meeting and connecting with other artists in the blogging community. Thanks to each of you who have been so loyal with your comments and the wealth of information that you are so willing to share. I appreciate your friendship more than you know!

"Fruit Basket Turnover"

11 x 14

oil on stretched canvas

Isn't "fruit basket turnover" a childhood game, it rings a bell with me from the past! Wanted to try one more still life after my workshop, but will now start thinking "plein air" since a local group has asked me to join them this weekend for one of the first outings this year. It will also be a first for me, so will have to downsize my gear from "u-haul" size to something I can carry!

"I'm Guarding The Fruit"

11 x 14

oil on stretched canvas

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This ceramic rooster seems to be in charge of all the fruit!

"Qiang Huang Workshop #2"

8 x 10

oil on stretched canvas

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Qiang paints the most beautiful roses and many in the workshop today requested that his demo include roses. So when it was time for the students to paint, I felt that I should follow his lead and give it a try. My hats off to all you floral painters! This was another great day in the workshop with lots of valuable information given in a power point presentation, followed by Qiang's demo and then the class doing a still life of their choosing from a number of available props.

Thanks to each of you who have shown interest in these workshop posts, hope to have one more post tomorrow after the last day of the class. It's been a blast!

"Qiang Huang Workshop"

8 x 10

oil on stretched canvas

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Today was the first day of a workshop with Qiang Huang and I feel like a kid in a candy store! He is such a great instructor..very hands on, approachable, and a comforting ease with his students. Starts the workshop with an hour of power point background and instruction, followed by an incredible demo, lunch, then painting with available setup material. This is the result of my afternoon's painting...with lots of hands on suggestions. Qiang is helping me see colors I've been missing, lights and darks that "who knew", composition, lost lines...you name it...my head is swimming! Two more days!!! Yeah!!!

"Look This Way"

8 x 10

oil on gessoed hardboard

Still mainly using the Zorn palette, but added a little green and violet to complement the red of the apples.

"Get in Line"

8 x 10

oil on hardboard

Ran across a new painting challenge site, RookiePainter, and realized that today was the final day for the first challenge. Check out the other entries. Hopefully some of the DSFDF artists will enter in future weeks.

"Left Out"

8 x 10

oil on gessoed hardboard
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Another painting using the Zorn palette mentioned in the previous post.

"Johnny Appleseed"

11 x 14

oil on gessoed hardboard

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Here is a view of one of my bookshelves, well, minus the apple. This was a new experiment for me; adopting the limited palette of Swedish painter Anders Zorn. There were only four colors used; cadmium red light, yellow ochre, ivory black and titanium white. Very freeing, but challenging as well. I will definitely try this again!

Also want to take this opportunity to thank three artists, each of whom honored me with the Sunshine Award: Trish Siegel, Karen Bruson, and Mitzi Easley. I can't thank you enough, along with other artists who are so kind to visit and leave comments on my work. Please check out the websites for Trish, Karen and Mitzi and enjoy their creative artistry.

The rules for accepting the award are:

Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they received this award.
Link to the person from whom you received this award.

I am so appreciative of the people who have signed on to "follow" my blog and would like to pass this award on to some of them:

Rosemary Sexton

Nancy Elstad

Olga Wagner

Millie

Lisa Bebi

Cathie Tonkins

Silvia Williams

Carolann

Joan Sicignano

Sylviane

Linda Wilder

Kathleen Harrington

"Stacked"

11 x 14

oil on gessoed hardboard

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Still working on some still lifes in preparation for my workshop with Qiang Huang in about 10 days. You might want to check out a video of one of his demos.

"Dots and Daisies"

11 x 14

oil on hardboard

Guess I should have titled this 'dots, daisies, limes and peppers"! The gerber daisy arrangement is from a birthday party I had for my husband, and the peppers, well, they were just too delicious looking to resist.

I'm taking a workshop at the end of this month with Qiang Huang and thought I'd better work on a still life for a little practice.

"Bless This Food"

11 x 13

oil on gessoed hardboard

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This is a framed donation to a fundraiser at our church. The choir, well know for their incredible talent, puts on a Valentine's dinner and musical review each year to help fund their trip to England. This year they have added auction items to their program, let's hope this helps!

"Mighty Tasty"

8 x 10

oil on gessoed hardboard

Loved this image of our grandson taken this summer. When we saw this on the camp website, we stopped worrying that he might be homesick as a first year camper!