At the Heart of the Matter

"At the Heart of the Matter"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard

There are nights when everything simply tumbles into place and brushstrokes land where they should. It could have been the passionate music playing over my shoulder, stimulating the emotions. Or perhaps it was the aroma of almond cake baking in the oven. Whatever it was that happened, this pink peony landed on my board with no more effort than it takes to slip into my Birkenstocks.  

I'm toning my canvas consistently every time I paint now.  I never knew the value of it until recently.  Having come from a watercolor background where white is so highly prized, it seemed a shame to obliterate a perfectly good white canvas. My discovery is that it's a lot harder to paint a low key painting on white.  Burnt umber seems to LIKE to be covered in deep, luscious color.  I thank my Muse for tending to me with such loving care.

I appreciate your visits.  Please come often. 

Carol 

Dailypaintworks.com

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Kiss

"Kiss"
8" x 8"
Oil on hardboard

The center buds of a succulent plant are as kissable as lips.  I'm drawn to their chubby roundness. I also like that they flatten into their svelte adult leaves without an in-between stage.  


Here is my second low key painting on this textured hardboard.  Scanning her was the only solution to the issues with glare.  I had her in my courtyard, on the fence, against the house, on the porch and on a windowsill.  Not to mention all the usual indoor places.  Kissable as she is, this gal did not want to be photographed!

Thank you for looking in on me today.
Carol

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Flowers and Cock's Comb

"Flowers and Cock's Comb" 

I wakened from a nap on the rattan sofa in my studio.  My husband had turned on an up-light on the table next to me. The undersides of the flowers and the life-sized resin rooster were fascinating in my dream state. 

The painting is very soft-edged.  It's one of my most successful edge paintings to date, BUT it doesn't show that way in a photo!  The camera and the eye see it so differently.  The eye sees the multiple levels of color and depth. The camera chooses a level and documents it.  It's also very difficult to photograph with respect to the texture on this hardboard panel. It makes for a glittery surface, especially with the low key values of this piece.  So I scanned it!

And just to keep things interesting, I have another low key painting on the same board to post tomorrow.  Same problems, same solution—scan it.

Oh, just come see it in person. I'll put on the water for tea.
Carol

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Ooey-Gooey

"Ooey-Gooey"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard

Chocolate was not its own "food group" when I was growing up in rural Michigan. We had a hollow Easter bunny in the spring and a couple brown Necco wafers at Halloween.  Not until I was well into adulthood did I acquire a taste for this brown delicacy.  

Here's another in my series of single-bite chocolates.  I had painted the morsel, but pondered what would be on the pink background.  A curtain of dripping chocolate seemed pretty theatrical.  

Thanks for dropping by today.

Carol

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Pink Pansy

"Pink Pansy"
8" x 8"
Oil on wrapped canvas 

The light was magnificent on the furls and folds of this hot pink pansy the day I stopped to catch my breath at the top of the mountain in Winter Park.  Oil painter, Karen Vance had loaned me her ski lift medallion, so I went as high as I could without fainting, for lack of oxygen. Who knew that pansies grow where humans dare to breathe? 

It was August, the light really was great for capturing what I did on this beauty.  When I paint pansies, I always want to pant, I mean paint more.

Thanks for hiking by here today.

Carol

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Sheep in the Meadow

"Sheep in the Meadow"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard

Morning is not one of my favorite times. It occurs too early for my body's clock, but I love the colors of morning. I've peeked at them from behind my curtains, and remembered how they smear the sky like cream cheese on a bagel, but with pink, blue, peach and gold. 


I'm testing a stack of Ampersand hardboard.  I have about a dozen panels to use.  I painted the sky with a light ground of white, then flipped color around with my brush and then dusted them lightly with a soft mop brush. I did the same with each little field and stream.  Soft...

Thank you for wandering by today.
Carol

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Sweets for Milady

"Sweets for Milady"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard

The velvet pouch at my place setting was cinched with a satin ribbon and tied in a bow. I knew who had placed it there before I gathered my petticoats and flounced them over the bustle chair. 


I got chocolates for Valentine's Day—an abundance.  They beg to be painted, so here is the first in a series of the various shapes and colors of the goodies.

Thank you for sauntering by today.
Carol

Dailypaintworks.com
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Aqua Marble

"Aqua Marble"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard panel

More opaque, and traditional in design, this one reminds me of my mother. Aqua was her favorite color.  Anything and everything aqua was just dandy.  I miss aqua in the landscape of contemporary colors.  It'll recycle back to a popular color, but I doubt there will ever be aqua stovetops and ovens again.  

I am such an agent of change. Wouldn't you think I could do a three piece series with all the backgrounds the same?  Not hardly!

Thanks for rolling by today.
Carol

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Limes on the Side

"Limes on the Side"
8" x 10"
Oil on canvas panel

They were rolling off the table during my photo shoot.  I dropped one into the bowl and liked how the facet refracted the color. I put all of them into the bowl, except the two on the side. 

This is the companion piece to the smaller study I posted on February 11th.  My favorite part? The lime with the stem end pointing straight as us. She turned out exactly right. 

Thank you for squeezing me into your day! 

Carol

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Dessert

"Dessert"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard 

These three items were given to me on Valentine's Day. They ended up in Studio B (what I call my painting studio,  because it's the one below ground.  Studio A is my old studio, above ground) to be photographed. 


I did not photograph them, but did a quick little portrait from life.  I'm amazed at how easy it was.  I plan to do a few more of these food portraits.  I enjoyed the process.

Thank you for stopping in for Dessert today.  You get first choice.
Carol

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Blue and Green Marble

"Blue and Green Marble"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

Another one of my glassy orbs.  These are about an inch and a quarter in diameter. They're so clear and fun to look into.  


When I begin a series, I imagine who might wish to own the pieces.  If they like the marble color, the background with a similar color will be fine.  So this is my decision-making process regarding that.

Thanks for shooting by :-)  Okay, that was a stretch.
Carol

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Blue and Purple Marble

"Blue and Purple Marble"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

There was a time when small glassy orbs of swirling color were produced exclusively for the pleasure of young boys.  Today, that pleasure extends to include the likes of me—totally female. 


I collect hand blown marbles, made by artisans around the country.  This one was found on a trip north and west of here.  I happen to love this marble.


Thank you for rolling by today.  I'm thankful you stopped to look.
Carol

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Sugar Shaker #3

"Sugar Shaker #3"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

The last in my series of shakers, this one was my favorite to use.  It just felt right in my hand.  


I enjoyed painting this series.  It was done from life, and it evoked a lot of memories.  I also learned something about myself in the process.

Thank you for stopping to look today. I appreciate knowing that you're there.
Carol

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Sugar Shaker #2

"Sugar Shaker"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

Here is another in my series of shaker. Sugar shakers are made just like salt shakers—holes in the top, cork hole in the bottom, just larger.  These were crudely made items back in the 40's. Mostly utilitarian and for export from Japan.  The bottom of this one isn't very rough, but some are.  I've seen them with felt glued over the bottom, including the cork hole.  New felt with every fill? 

I painted this shaker, then chose the daisy colors to become the background colors.  One more shaker to come!

Thank you for stopping by today.

Carol

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The Colors of Winter

"The Colors of Winter"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

Winter in my neighborhood tends to become a blend of grays, so when I saw this frozen pond with willows and a pine tree with gray as a minor player, I stopped to photograph it. The cardinal did not land there, but I did see geese coming in to roost under the willows as I left.  

This isn't as tight as some of my pieces, but it captures the essence of the late afternoon.  And the pond is actually on the grounds of the former site of Ducks Unlimited in Long Grove, Illinois. 

Thanks for looking. 

Carol 

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Shake Your Booty

"Shake Your Booty"
8" x 10"
Oil on canvas panel

I debated over lots of issues in this painting: even number of items, odd composition, spilled salt, or are they pepper shakers?  I only have one of each, so I have nothing to compare them to—hole-wise.  So salt it is.


I liked the red/green background behind my first sugar shaker, so here it is again, with a variation on the theme. I have one more sugar shaker to add to this collection, so I'll hop to it in a day or so.

Thanks for stopping by.
Carol

Dailypaintworks.com
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Grieving

"Grieving"
10" x 8"
Oil on canvas panel

Life trickles to an end, and we grieve. 

You'll be missed.
Carol

Cow Moose

"Cow Moose"
12" x 12"
Oil on stretched canvas

It was August, the calf was playing on the other side of this stream while the cow ate.  We were south of Winter Park by about an hour.  I had been looking for a moose in the wild, and when two of them appeared, there was also parking that didn't endanger our own species! 


I had visited with Karen Vance on this trip, and was awestruck by her handling of subject matter in her part of the country.  Inspired by seeing many originals, and also intimidated, I cropped this photo, but waited a year and a half to paint it.

Thank you for wading by today.
Carol

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Limes and Lace

"Limes and Lace"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

One week when limes were plentiful, I filled a crystal vase with them and had it ready to photograph on a piece of cut work lace. It seemed all too round, with the vase, the holes and a bunch of limes, so I cut into one.  Perfect.

This is a study to see if I can get the color for the limes right.  They look right in my studio light.  I'll work on the actual piece over the next few weeks.  The vase is going to be the hard part now. Although, I've painted it many times before.

Thank you for stopping by.
Carol

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Copy of Rolf's Gal

"Copy of Rolf's Gal"
12" x 9"
Oil on canvas panel

"This looks like something you'd paint," read the e-mail.  I looked at the colors and patterns and decided to rise to his challenge.  I painted Rolf Armstrong's portrait of Martha Mansfield from the 1930's.  


I am not a portrait artist!  But this didn't feel like a portrait because of all the fun stuff around her face.  I enjoyed making marks of all kinds intermittently with her porcelain features.  It's for sale, but you must know that she is Rolf's Gal, not mine.

Thank you for checking in to see my art today.
Carol

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On the Way to Rockford

"On the Way to Rockford"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

This little stream shone with rippled excitement in the autumn light as I drove the back roads toward Rockford.  The scenery is much more appealing along this route than the Interstate.  


This small piece was a warm up for a larger landscape I'm working on.  I wanted to get the feeling of distance and a stream.  You'll see the larger piece in a few days.  It's drying some, so I can add an animal in the foreground.  Hmmmmm, not my usual fare.

Thanks for driving by today!
Carol

Dailypainters.com
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Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Sugar Shaker

"Sugar Shaker"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

Things of a delicate nature that have been on this earth longer than I have, intrigue me. This sugar shaker is one such item.  I own several.  My family used this one routinely to sprinkle sugar on cold and hot cereal. 


I wasn't sure how I'd depict the raised and poorly painted flowers and leaves, but they came across much like the actual piece.  The basket weave across the bottom was a delight to replicate.  The biggest surprise was my choice of background.  I painted the green around the base, then chose a most wonderful mixture of Indian red, burnt and raw sienna.  I love this color!  I plan to use it again.

Thank you for stopping by today.
Carol

Dailypainters.com
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My DPW Gallery  
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Let Us Eat Chocolate!

"Let Us Eat Chocolate!"
16" x 20"
Oil on canvas panel

Looks like a celebration, doesn't it? Well it is!  


I'm celebrating something. I've been INVITED to be on Dailypainters.com.  It's the original and largest online daily painting site.  And I am now one of those artists! What a perfect way to enter this next stage of my career—bearing chocolates. 


This little glass pedestal of chocolates was waiting for me at my friend's home in Colorado Springs last March when I visited.  I was particularly drawn to the artisanal piece.  For a first go at chocolate, this turned out pretty yummy, didn't it?

So now my blog will flow into two sites: Dailypainters.com and Dailypaintworks.com.  Each will have a gallery of my work and my art can be purchased by way of PayPal, as usual, either through a DPW auction, or through me directly, via Brushstrokes@comcast.net.

Look for other changes in the next few weeks, too.

Thank you for visiting the giddiest gal in Illinois!
Carol

The Peak From Flying Horse

"The Peak From Flying Horse"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

It was October, the balcony still had tables and chairs, so we requested outdoor seating to overlook this view of Pikes Peak.  I can taste the air, the food, the ambiance of that evening. 

I have friends who take me to places that look like this. How lucky am I? Now imagine what you'd want to eat as you ponder this.  Yup, that's what I had, too!

Thank you for sitting with me today.
Carol

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Cherry Mango

"Cherry Mango"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

The mango balanced on the narrow strip of wood as easily and with as much finesse as the cherry.  However, in the scheme of things, it would have been more of a contest with a bowling ball and a marble.  


I bought the mango for its color.  I photographed it with Ms Cherry, here, then ate them both.  I was particularly fond of using two different patterns and colors of fabric on this piece.  I like the way it turned out, too.

Thank you for coming to visit!
Carol

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Festive Rose #2

"Festive Rose #2"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

Her petals lounged against the patterned background as comfortably as a dad in a hammock.  She seemed to wear the print as easily as her own leaves.  


Here's another one of my textured backgrounds that I enjoy making for single subjects.  Roses look good on the multicolored ones.

Thank you for popping in today!
Carol

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Garden Succulent

"Garden Succulent"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard panel

There she sat, sprouting a young one.  The others in the planter had already done their work for the season, but this inexperienced lady had to watch her elders to see how it was done.  


This is a plant I painted before, but about seven times taller than she is here.  She was in the foreground of a desert scene with sand and mountains to the top and sides.  I like to paint the same thing twice—sometimes.

Thank you for wandering in today.
Carol

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Hey!  Write to me!  Yes, you.

Inside, Looking Out

"Inside, Looking Out"
24" x 18"
Acrylic on canvas panel

Peg's garden was at it's late-spring peak when I shot the photo of her larkspur and roses. It was always a joy to be in her garden on a weekly basis for three years running, to document her four acres of flowers. 


I liked the painting, but it sat for too long without finding a new home.  Then I had the idea of changing it—slightly.  Okay, significantly.  Framed, and hung in the right place, it might look like an actual window to Peg's garden.

Thank you for peeking in today.
Carol

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Painterly Iris

"Painterly Iris"
10" x 8"
Oil on canvas panel

Her sun-kissed petals bobbed in the spring breeze like petticoats on a clothesline.  And a bud insured the promise of more to come in a couple of days. 


In the midst of shin-deep snow, I like to make time to paint unlikely subject matter.  It's good for the soul.  And since it was unlikely, I decided to paint in a style that's difficult for me.  I'm always stretching.

Thank you for nodding as you passed today.
Carol   


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