Cherry Blossoms in D.C.

"Cherry Blossoms in D.C."
6" x 14"
Oil on hardboard 

My sister visited Washington, D.C. a couple of weeks ago and sent photos of her trip to me. This was one that appealed to my sense of warmth and springtime.  Thank you for sending warmth my way, Dee. 

Dailypaintworks.com has featured four of my paintings this month as their Facebook pick of the day. I'm delighted to receive that honour, even though I'm not on Facebook, myself.

And, the Blick Spring Sale Catalog came out today.  Once again I'm one of their featured artists.  I have two pieces on page 60, yes, the same page as the regular Spring Catalog. This catalog is not online.

Carol

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Potted Purple Pansy

"Potted Purple Pansy"
24" x 24"
Oil on hardboard 

On my way into the grocery store yesterday I passed racks of potted pansies. On my way out I pulled out the camera that I always carry with me and photographed a few of them.  When I got home and imported them into iPhoto I realized that a few to me meant 62 images of pansies.  A few are good enough to use as subject matter.  My brain knows how many shots it takes to get a "few."  

Carol

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Day's End

"Day's End"
10" x 13"
Oil on hardboard 

It had been beautiful and fun; the kind of day you hoped would last forever, but, alas, it came to an end, anyway. I wondered why I couldn't just stay in it, locked forever in the joy of that day that seemed to be crafted just for me. There will be more like it, I'm sure.  

This sky is obviously larger than my collection of six-inch skies, and just as lovely as any of the little guys. Size doesn't matter when it comes to quality.  

Carol

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Winding

"Winding"
10" x 14"
Oil on hardboard

A ribbon of blue wound through the lowlands at the base of the hill where I was standing. It glistened as it rippled and tickled the indigenous flora on its banks. 

Today was a landscape-kind-of-day.

Carol

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Big, Fat Peony

"Big, Fat Peony"
14" x 14"
Oil on hardboard 

 

She was a beauty, this big, fat peony. I found her hiding her girth in the shadows of one of my favourite gardens that spring afternoon.  She was no spring chicken, but heading into her golden years, edges fraying, and about as full-blown as she would get. I loved every bit of her roundness, her vitality and her personality! She had all the young buds bobbing in the sunshine.   

Thanks to those of you who wrote to me when you noticed I had not posted in a few days.  I've been painting house portraits, but I took a break from them to delight my spirit by doing this painting.

Love to you,
Carol

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Promised Serenity

"Promised Serenity"
24" x 20"
Oil on hardboard

I gazed toward the distant shore and knew that my kayak would glide effortlessly through the reflections and ripples dancing on the surface. I'd soon reach the haven where my spirit could rejuvenate and refresh. That small island held the promise of serenity.  

This is a commission piece that I painted today.  I hope it brings its new owners as much peace and serenity as I experienced while painting it.

Carol

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Verve

"Verve"
24" x 24"
Oil on wrapped canvas 

When I talked with my friend about painting this hibiscus from a photo I took at the Lincoln Park Conservatory on Monday of this week, my concern was entirely about maintaining the verve I had captured in the photograph. I do believe I did it! 

Today was a rainy day in Chicagoland. Okay, we had 4" of rain today, so it was a perfect day to paint ALL day. I began this at eight o'clock this morning and finished it at eleven o'clock tonight.  "Alla prima." In one sitting, wet on wet.  I ate, meditated, napped and ate again, but that is all I did once I began. I love rainy days.  

Carol

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Waiting For A Storm

"Waiting For A Storm"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard

My friend spent his vacation time one year chasing tornadoes.  He focused his passion and attention on Texas, where there are big skies with big storms. This was not one of the sought-after skies he was there to photograph, but a colorful one that he shared with me.

I have a couple of other larger pieces in the works, so here's another sky for the meantime.

Carol

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My art in the Blick Catalog

My Art in the Blick Catalog

In the dead of winter I was contacted by a
representative from Blick Art Materials  to get permission to use a few of my paintings in their catalog.  I sent a selection of images to the company laying out the Spring Catalog and here it is. Two of my pieces are featured on page 60 in the framing section.  The dahlia is a sold piece, but the hobnail pedestal with chocolates is still in my collection. You can see the pieces in either of my galleries on Dailypainters.com or Dailypaintworks.com.  It was quite an honour to be chosen and just about as thrilling that my husband finally scanned it for me to post! 

Carol

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Catch Them If You Can

"Catch Them If You Can"
10" x 20"
Oil on hardboard

I found these girls casting a demure gaze toward the drawing board in my studio and thought someone might enjoy their less than stellar beauty. They were healthy, and just as enthusiastic and fragrant as the more perky blossoms in the vase, but their flaw was that they weren't looking up at ... anyone. 

I continue to get mileage from my bouquet of cheap roses from the grocery store.  Lucky me for seeing them and bringing them home.

Carol

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Dee's Dogwood Wreath

"Dee's Dogwood Wreath"
12" x 12"
Oil on wrapped canvas

My sister makes wreaths from the vines and beautiful things she finds and grows in her yard in Michigan. She made this wreath over the weekend, but hers was more lovely, with graceful, dried, ornamental grasses tucked in it. But I wasn't about to paint a gazillion grassy fronds and cover up all of her twisting vines. SHE can do it, but I wasn't about to.  

This was a challenge, in that the vines and shadows and petals all overlapped and intermingled. I might not do one like it again, but I at least tried it!

Carol

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Mother

"Mother"
24" x 24"
Oil on Museum wrapped canvas

April seems to be the month for losing mothers in my circle of friends. I lost mine in April, too. My post of a pink peony today is in honour of all the mothers who have left us and are now "safely home."  

All those petals pointing in so many directions in a gazillion shades of pink, may have daunted me in the past, but I rose (peony, actually) to the challenge and passionately painted this piece without fear or trepidation.  Love was the motivator.

Bless our mothers.

Carol

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Heaven Scent

"Heaven Scent"
18" x 24"
Oil on wrapped canvas

I plucked this bloom from a bouquet comprised of her siblings. I held her full-blown countenance sideways under a light in my studio, so her petals would cast striking shadows. While I twisted her stem, a heavenly fragrance spritzed the air like an old fashioned perfume atomizer had been squeezed.  

Not only did she smell good, she was also heaven sent. I was in want of new roses to paint and a simple bouquet from the grocery store afforded me subject matter for many new paintings. As you probably know, I love to paint white roses—the most colourful of all. 

Carol

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Peep, Egg and Rocks

 Peep, Egg and Rocks"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel 

Wee small children came bearing gifts to me, their Granmama over the weekend; rocks with stripes. Then all the Eggs we coloured turned out PINK.  And the Easter Bunny left a gazillion yellow Peeps bunnies for us. These things seemed to make a nice little still life, so I painted it for the wee ones.   

Back to more serious art tomorrow, but today — I played and loved every minute of it.

Carol

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Priscilla

"Priscilla"
12" x 12"
Oil on wrapped canvas

Slowly, she unfurled one petal after another to reveal her tender bits. Priscilla's heavenly scent would now attract a myriad buzzing suitors to gather her fragrant pollen. Imagine the taste of the honey this beauty might flavour. 

It's been a while since I've painted a rose, my favourite subject matter.
 
Carol

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