Gift for Jess...Her Horse "River"

This is my second horse picture. It's a gift for my horse-owner friend, Jess.

It's more difficult to reproduce a real animal, from a photograph, rather than allowing the imagination (and some general image research) to be given free rein (!) but I think "River" is lovely and as close as I could get to the original photograph.

I've attached the photo too, to prove the result.

Small Talk - Newest Painting

I enjoy catching up with neighbors. I rarely see mine, which suits my hermit-like tendencies, but when I do, it's a pleasure, and we really have something to say.

This is my salute to such casual encounters. It's largish at 16 x 20 inches, and I considered a smaller canvas, but I thought it would be more effective on the wall at this size.

"La Vida" - Life - Newest Painting

Here's the city apartment multi-view I was working on. Although it's quite large at 16 x 20, it was particularly intricate to do, with so many tiny people and actions. It was fun coming up with each window idea, but I won't be trying this kind of thing again. It was the equivalent of doing 11 miniature paintings (including the pigeons) and one large (detailed, with those shutters) background.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. It works as a decorative piece, would suit a modern interior, but doesn't pop the way I prefer. I really do prefer the serenity involved in painting landscapes, but they are less popular than my quirky folk paintings. Interesting to see if this one sells. It's listed on my EBay, of course.

What do you think? Your feedback would be appreciated.

Postscript: Already has a bid, which is almost an instant sale. I like  this kind of response. And yet I was so uncertain...

Two New Paintings - Back To Smaller Canvases

Here are two new ones - "Soccer Mums" completed yesterday, and "Sunrise" today. They are quite unrelated, and I like that kind of change.

"Soccer Mums"
10 x 8 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas

 

"Sunrise"
12 x 9 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas

"Sunrise" 12 x 9 inches

I've started the rough outline for a large city folk painting. Should have something to show you by Friday. I'm trying to go for a kind of chaotic multiview of tenants-in-an-apartment-building. We'll see if it comes out that way.

As an aside, I listed my "Gran in New Orleans" directly on the eBay Canada site. Figured a lot of Canadians head South for Fat Tuesday, and would be familiar with the premise of the picture. And who bought it? A nice woman in France. You just never know who'll be looking, do you?

See you next time.

Australian "Country Boys" - My Latest 24 x 18 Painting

I said I would post more regularly, rather than adding a great stream of pictures in one blog, and this painting is my latest.

A lot of my work is related to the number of years I spent in Canada, but out of the blue I realized that I hadn't - ever - attempted one reflecting Australian skies and land.



What do you think? It's up for sale, but I almost hope it won't sell, because I'd like to keep these goodlooking guys around. Time will tell. (But I really have to stop collecting my own paintings...ridiculous.)



Post-Script...I kept this painting. Do you blame me? 

Newest Paintings and Why I will Never Be Rich

I've been busy painting and, finally, selling on a regular basis. Of course, I price my pictures "competitively", as they say - another term for saying I do it mostly for love. A lot of people aren't even able to do that. Doing what you love is meant to be priceless, yes? And I would do it (almost) for nothing anyway, but I can still dream. And so I begin a new painting, believing this is the one that will prove I'm worth just a little bit more.

Below are some of my favorites done over the last few weeks. Funny how the ones I love the most turn out to be the hardest to sell. I paint for myself (as I write my fiction for myself) and what makes me smile or giggle I assume will do the same for others. Not so. But when someone does get me, it fills me with satisfaction.

The Captain's Family

Love Adrift

Window Seat II

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Le Bistro d'Art

Pretty Filly

 

I also sold a couple of paintings finished ages ago. This was a delightful surprise because the buyer found me by surfing online. I love that kind of sale.

I apologize for waiting so long to blog, but I really have been busy.

Hope you all had a delightful New Year. By now it's all a distant memory. Back to work.

Mary Sue the Beekeeper Doll

As this is the last week of 2011, I thought I'd wish you all a wonderful holiday season with a picture of my latest  acquisition. I should say, adoption, although I think this little lady adopted me. The moment I saw her, I knew I wanted her living in my house.

Rachel, of My Country Kind on eBay.com, is the doll maker. Exceptional dolls. The link to her site is here for you to save for the future, as she has no dolls for sale right now, but wait until after the holidays.

Her black dolls are wonderful, too, very large and beautifully dressed. As Rachel is in the States, ordering one that size would have been a bit prohibitive postage-wise for me. In any case, I love my more diminutive Mary Sue, and she likes being in Australia.

Here's a few others I found on her site. Hope she doesn't mind.

Oh, and don't be afraid to contact Rachel. Along with being so talented, she's super friendly. She might even consider a custom order or two.

Enjoy your holidays. I'll talk to you in the New Year.

New Art - My Take On Equiano - Colonial-style Portrait

This is my latest Colonial portrait. Change of  pace for me because I've based it loosely on a real man - Equiano, who was enslaved as a child in Virginia (or was it South Carolina? - some dispute over that) in the 18th Century.  He went on to travel the world with a later master,  educated himself, finally purchased his own freedom, and took up residence in England, where he became a member of the abolitionist movement. He made his fortune by writing his autobiography, which had considerable influence on public thinking in 1789 England, and remains for sale today.

I've seen only two pictures of Equiano and they don't appear to be of the same man, but this is how I imagine him. Artistic licence. He would have been a magnetic and imposing figure, I'm sure. Certainly he would have turned heads when he delivered his anti-slavery petition at the British Parliament.

"Gentleman of the World - Equiano"
12 x 18