Portrait Update

Nearly finished wth this portrait. A little attention to her palm-tree ponytail and a couple of other things, and I will wrap it up.

Portrait WIP

After a long break from painting, I'm back at it...

Lucky Deck Bench, Before and After

Before

After

Proper Entry Table

BEFORE…

…and AFTER

…and AFTER

Coffee Table

I came by a coffee table that I thought I could revive with the color red.

Then I thought it would be cute to do a little accent, a pussy willow stencil. When I was done, it had less charm than when it lay on the curb where I found it. 

So I started over. I mixed an aquamarine hue from colors I found in my stash and set out to make the table "Beachy".  Better.

Friday's Pieces: Violet Nightstand with Pajama Stripe

Howdy!

I have been working on a series of painted furniture that I am calling Friday's Pieces.  My sister Mary  turned me on to painting furniture over the 2013 holidays and I am loving the creative process!  Mary uses and recommends Annie Sloan Chalk paint, so I have been working with that quite a bit.

Pretty in Paint!

Corner Stencil in Old White

 One part Emile and one part Old White for the lower shelf.

Before 

Up-cycled Accent Furniture

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Alice's and More

I finished Alice's Restaurant as well as the woman reading that I posted a couple weeks ago.

Alice's Restaurant

I had a request to paint this local landmark. Here is the WIP.

Scooter Beach

Scooter Beach is done. As is typical, I am ready for the next project. But I think this is a successful piece . I hope my commissioner is pleased!

Scooter Beach

This is a commission for a friend who spent time in Greece. The scooter has become the focus of the image but the subject hopefully still reads as a beautiful day on a Greek island. I had two umbrellas initially but, after some discussion with my studio visitor, I took it out. A new problem has come up: it looks like a red umbrella is riding the scooter. that will have to change. The shadows on the chairs are going to be shifted around as well. It's rather close to finished.

Woman Reading

Christina is sitting for this one. I wanted to get up close but make her anonymous too. Not sure what it will be about in the end but for now, I am prevented from making a portrait of things.
Seeing the two WIPs together is very helpful. The gesture in the first one is more defined. I'll have to go back in and fix that. I also took the picture with a laptop so it is a mirror image. Another interesting learning tool!

New Work in Progress

Irresponsible to throw these all up together, I know; but this is what I've got..

Gondolier

One more gondolier; I had him sitting around waiting to be finished and I finally finished him when I moved into the new studio.

Stairway in Paris

The poppies have progressed and a couple of other pieces are under way now. One is an experiment in color. My reference is a black and white photo. My hope is to create a believable setting with a full pallet. BTW, the date on the image is all wrong.

California Poppies WIP

Here is a 12" x 12" canvas on which I am learning the shape and form of the California poppy.

New Studio

Last September, I moved my studio into my apartment where I would subsequently neglect my vocation for many months to come. In June, I found a new studio that I love! I'm settled in and have been working. Unfinished paintings that were growing stale have been finished and I have a lengthy to do list that I'm quite optimistic about. I hope to have a good run in the new space!

Again with the Bicycle

I am looking for something to make it pop in this final stage...

Building Bridges

I have some cool references for the GG Bridge so I am doing a mini series in the style of Wayne Thibaud.
I call the style "thibeaudacious" and am thinking of calling the series 'Bodacious Bridge". This could be too hoaky.

Wheels

I'm painting bicycles in hopes of exhibiting them in September when the theme for Campbell's First Friday art walk will be "Cycle-mania", (or some such thing). Plus, I am in love with my bicycle. This painting is pleasant so far but not anything beyond that yet. Pleasant just may be its destiny, but I'd like to make it something more. We'll see.