What is Painting and Why do you do it?

Every work of art is a communication, and can be viewed in the same way as music, It is composed, full of notes that express the whole, tied together with color and shapes, like instruments playing, creating wonderful sounds. Painting to music is what often inspires me. I often choose classical, or latin music like tango music to express the mood of the work.
Recently i was asked by a potential client "how long does it take you to paint a piece? associating time with the price of the painting...A painter is not a plummer who is paid an hourly wage. Time spent is not the issue when you are looking at art ...but about the essence of the painting and how it touches you. Painters paint because they must. Here's to happy painting in 2010 when i return to wonderful San Miguel de Allende to capture the city's vibrant colors and culture.

The House on Pleasant Green Road

This is a house...not real but it could be, with one of my favorite subjects, clothes on the line. When I grew up in Rome, Georgia, there were of course no dryers, just the wringer washing machines and I remember both my Grandmother and Mother hanging the clothes out to dry.

The House on Pleasant

Florida Plant

This is a plant that grows down her in Florida that I love. I cut off pieces of the plant and stick them in water, they sprout and then go into the ground, they are a climber and like to cling onto anything available.

More Small Paintings

 
 
 
 

End of 2009 Paintings

Painting has taken a back seat lately to the kitchen makeover so the past few days I have been working on small paintings for my website and a few more. The music I have been painting to is an cd I just found...oldies from living in Durham in the 1980's by a singer I heard at the Arts Center in Carrboro named Nanci Griffith, the album is Little Love Affairs' and she has one song I love called "Love Wore a Halo" If you have not heard her she is worth a listen...she is not touring in the usa anymore.
In some of these new works, I have used mixed media to create textures ie gels, including glass beads and the wonderful things Golden makes to add to your paintings. I also used paper to create some different surfaces...hope you enjoy, they can all be purchased by calling me or emailing me.

 
 
 
 

Paintings this week

It is cool and rainy today and a good time to paint. Here are 4 small ones i have finished this week. The Primative one of the animal was inspired by the trip to the canyons outside Santa Fe where small animals and symbols were scratched into the canyon walls. The Spring painting was one inspired by the soft colors of spring. The Hearts are for the inspirations we need daily and the the teapot is a Paul Klee like pot with my touches added

 
 
 
 

Santa Fe

I have just returned from a trip to Santa Fe. We took two wonderful hikes in the canyons where the blue skies were as far and the eyes could see. I understand Georgia O'Keefe's love affair with the New Mexico culture and how it inspired her work. Canyon Road was an artist's heaven, so many great artists that it would take weeks to see them all.
This week when i return to my easel, I am sure my work will reflect my visit to this great place.

Cupcakes have homes

Cindy has adopted Cherry on Top and
Sprinkes for her kitchen in Virgina Beach.

new paintings

This week i worked on paintings for my ART BITES series of small paintings for small spaces...the little space where you would like a piece of art to go for an affordable price. These are original paintings, not made by a computer but with my brush and paint...The good news is that the weather has cooled off and now i can be in my studio without the AC going full blast. The joy of the cool air is wonderful indeed.

 
 
 
 

Meeting on Dog Beach

 
Another small painting on one of my favorite subjects, dogs and the beach. Perfect size for a small area.

Kiss Me Cupcake

 
When in NYC I found the bakery HELLO CUPCAKE. Who cannot love the cupcake, small but so good. I put lots of texture on this small canvas.

Red Vase

 
this painting is one i started today first by drawing shapes until the painting of these flowers came through. There are so many flowers blooming everywhere I look, i am often stopping on my walks to find something new each day.

Bobob Trees with Black Birds

 

Baobobs Trees

 

 

Once i put down background colors i drew on the canvas with vine charcol and began the painting. These trees look like small bunches of clouds with the blue sky creating contrast. I am working on positive and negative space adding patches of color in the foreground and background to create interest and pattern. A hit of red, orange and yellow warm up the painting.

New Painting on Easel

 
 
 
 
This week i began a new painting, first i have chosen paints to do the underpainting on this abandoned canvas that has burlap glued to it for texture.
In the photos you will see what the underpainting looks like before i start the composition and begin to work on the painting of Baobobs trees that i saw in photos from Madagascar.

Works on Paper

All these works were painted on pastel paper with acrylics.
The first is "A Trail of Broken Hearts" .
9 x 12 unframed or framed $175 unframed $ 250 framed

Flowers in Blue Vase

This Painting is full of wonderful flowers ready for the dinner table.

16 x 20 framed $300

Red Sky at Night

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Here we have a village close to the sea and i am remembering how Red Sky at Night is a Sailor's Delight.

9x 12 unframed $175.00 matted and framed $250.00

Summer Flowers

 
This is a small painting of flowers, one of the things I love most in my yard.
on canvas 5 x 7 $65.00

Blue Sky Lane

 
In my travels I write down different roads and lanes i come across. This one was called Blue Sky Lane so here it is.
on canvas 4 x 5 $55.00

Cafe Table for Two

 
This small painting started with lots of texture made from mixing mediums into the paint. It is a table ready for two.
on canvas 5x7 $75.00