Art Is Not a Thing

Sun Flower

2012-02-14T11:30:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 8x8 stretched canvas

1-1/2 inch gallery wrapped sides painted

Can be displayed as is or framed (frame not included)

This was done for this years Sun Art challenge over on The Artist Challenge website. For those of you not familiar with this challenge - every year in February, the Sun Art challenge occurs. All members of the group are invited to send in their artwork depicting the sun in various designs. The digital images are then sent to the CBS Sunday Morning Show where they are kept in their library. Each Sunday during the show, at the end of each segment, a different sun is chosen to display.

Not all the art in The Artist Challenge group is used, and CBS does not use the suns from The Artist Challenge group exclusively. Here is a link to the 2010 Sun art library, as well as the 2011 library. The art does not have to be paintings exclusively, as you will see a stained glass artist as well as some sculpture and even jewelry.

The deadline is this Sunday, the 19th for submitting and there is a fee (I believe it is only $7.00) to enter in this group. I originally had a much more elaborate design in mind, but due to the surgery I had and my down time for recovery, I had to shelve that idea (maybe next years!). This quick little painting was all that I could muster - I think it looks better in person than in the photo! The original on this is for sale.

The Bicycle on the Piazza

2012-02-12T17:07:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This month the Virtual Paintout is visiting the isle of Elba, Tuscany, Italy. Beautiful area, just beautiful. I found many places to capture but this piazza was just too irresistible. The colors of the building, the plants & flowers, the walkway and the lone bicycle - I had to paint this one. The Google map location can be seen here. The name of the location is a combination of a variety of places: Piazza Giovanni de Verazzano / Piazza San Gaetano / Via Bellavista / Via Nino Bixio

Can't you just see yourself walking up these steps, surrounded by flowers - the air full of their scent. The warm sun shining on your face, casting shadows across the sides of the buildings. And the magical sound of the Italian language floating on the air. Not to mention the wonderful food that is available throughout the region. A little piece of heaven here on earth.

Lombard Street

2012-02-10T23:29:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Previously done in February of 2010 for the Virtual Paintout excursion to San Francisco, this is Lombard Street - the most crooked street in America. The Google link can be seen here. What is odd is that the view via google is different now than when I first explored the street a year ago; unfortunately I do not have the original screen capture I took back in 2010 that showed all the color. Google must have remapped the area, because now nothing is in bloom - and it was the blooms & assorted colors that caught my eye in the first place.

When VPO selected San Francisco as the location, I was anxious to explore - as I had visited the area more than 20 years ago. What I thought would be easy to remember turned into quite an adventure to roam about. There were numerous hills, and numerous street scenes - but none of them struck me the way that Lombard Street did. I wanted to capture this crooked street but at the same time, show the unique buildings that lined the sides of the hill. I love painting architecture and perspective - this painting has both!

Annie

2012-02-08T12:01:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was done for this weeks challenge on DPW, the white on white challenge. I love to interpret white with paint, and in this case, I went with the violet hues to indicate the subtle shadows in the fur. Then went with a yellow wash to the background behind the cat.

The title of this piece, Annie, is for my friends cat. She had a beautiful, pure white cat she named Annie. A beautiful fluff ball of white fur with vivid green eyes, Annie lived to be 18 years old - a very good, long life for a cat. When painting white on white was posted as the challenge I thought to do a white cat against a white background, and Annie immediately came to mind.

Spools

2012-02-07T14:49:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was for the last Rookie Painter challenge, unfortunately I did not finish in time. With the healing process after surgery taking a little longer than I expected (thought in my head that I'd be back painting within 24 hours - yea, ok, that was so not realistic) I've gotten behind on doing some paintings. And also I am somewhat limited on length of time I can spend at the easel, so works in progress are taking longer.

BUT - I am not complaining. I can tell I've turned a corner on my pain & recovery, so I'm quite happy today as I finished this one. This painting is a bit like the shapes that I do, only the strokes are a bit looser. Probably comes from not being able to stand/sit for long periods of time, so I've loosened up my technique.

I also stumbled on a you tube video regarding art techniques, and it has me re-thinking some of my painting methods.

http://www.youtube.com/user/OilPaintingWorkshop?v=pLia-5heO5M&feature=pyv&ad=14616777938&kw=painting%20techniques

3 great tips were given:
Preserve Integrity of Brushstrokes
Be Authoritative (with your strokes)
Use More Paint

I am guilty of not doing all 3! And now it's got me thinking of my strokes and the amount of paint on the brush. And watching myself as I painted, I realized I am not very authoritative with my strokes - I tend to worry and second-guess my strokes.

So I have something new to experiment with - on the next painting!

The Red Door

2012-02-06T23:02:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Previously painted in February 2010, this scene has the rich greens of summer surrounding the small cottage. The original photo had a green door on the cottage, which I felt was lost in amongst all the greenery surrounding it. I changed the frames & door to be red, then added splashes of red in a few areas of the foliage to balance things. But I think my favorite is the cast shadow on the roof & front of the building.

Swiss Cabin

2012-02-04T21:28:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Previously done in September 2010 for a challenge on A Day Not Wasted blog, although I can not find that it was previously posted on my blog. The original photo was a much wider shot, complete with the mountains in the background. But I was fascinated by the building - it's shape & lines - so I chose to crop in close and make a portrait shot. I also used the walkway, and the fencing along it's edges, to try & pull the viewers eye in. Doesn't it make you wonder what is inside?

Times Square - SOLD

2012-02-03T16:32:00.002-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet
SOLD - prints available through Fine Art America

This is the painting I started prior to my surgery, and today I was able to sit & finish the work on it. This is Times Square in NY, location shot taken from Google - click here for the street map view. This is a very busy scene - there is just so much energy in Times Square, so I did a bit of creative editing to simplify the shapes. I also took a bit of license on color - trying to enhance the colors of the area.

I think I am in love with painting NYC so don't be surprised if more cityscapes are done. I have come to realize that I live near, and work in, one of the most fascinating areas. There's a photo and/or a painting on every corner!

It feels so good to be back with my art. Now, if I could only put my own socks on & walk faster than a snails pace! I know, all in good time.

Fields of Yellow

2012-01-31T23:49:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was also done in March 2010 for the VPO visit to Stavenger Norway - the original post can be read here. I had found these wonderful yellow fields as I roamed the countryside and found them to be a striking focal point.

After the Harvest

2012-01-30T22:08:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Done in March 2010 for the VPO visit to Stavenger Norway - the original post can be read here. I loved the lines in this, both vertical & diagonal.

Bicycle Ride

2012-01-29T21:09:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Bicycle Ride was done in September - the original post can be seen here. I am adding this to the DPW challenge which is focused on wheels of some sort.

I know that the DPW challenges need to be painted when the challenge is posted - but as some of you may not be aware, I recently underwent some major surgery and do not have my stamina & strength back yet to sit/stand & paint. The desire is there but the mind & body is not - yet. I've only been home a couple of days now and am still struggling with simple things like navigating the stairs & putting on my socks. Simple things that I took for granted - until now. And as much as there is a part of me that wants to do nothing more than paint, I know I can not focus on that just yet. There will be time for that soon enough.

But I do not want to lose the momentum I gained from joining DPW, so I will be posting some of my older works in the gallery and on the blog. I do have a piece I started just before the surgery, and I'm anxious to get back to it & finish it. Once I tackle that & finish I will know that I am back to my old self (or at least very close).

The Dragonfly

2012-01-20T16:36:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Previously done in January of 2009, this dragonfly was a challenge over on Wet Canvas. Really gave me a challenge to work with the "transparent" look to parts of the wings.

Smugglers Cave

2012-01-17T23:10:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is a painting done back in November of 2008 for a challenge on the Wet Canvas website. This image is of Smugglers Cave, located in Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park, Texas. This was one of my first acrylic works with reflections, and it's when I learned that acrylics do not behave the same as oils! Still I perservered at learning the new art media and I think it has paid off. Now, 3 years later I am still working with acrylics and haven't really ventured off of them. I will probably change one day, perhaps soon - I may go back to oils for a bit (it has been a while since I worked with them). Or I may try something new -- I always loved the look of watercolor, perhaps that will be a worthwhile challenge.

But I really do think that working with reflections gives you a chance to really get to know your medium, it offers a challenge all in itself. The trick I learned with reflections is not to turn the work upside down, but rather turn it sideways. For some reason I find it much easier to match left to right. Maybe it's from doing all those childhood puzzles "What's different in these two pictures?" - LOL

On The Vine

2012-01-16T00:02:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Done for the Paint & Draw challenge, boy I had fun with this. Added more tomatoes, took out the bowl, and added leaves & vines. I did spend time on the lost edges - I always like that look in a painting.

The background in this is a deep dark violet, which was also used as a wash for the shadows on items. I may have to paint this one again, only with the bowl.

Breakfast Waffles

2012-01-15T08:45:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Good Morning All!

Last weeks DPW challenge was to paint your breakfast. Most mornings I eat in a hurry, since I have work. But on the weekends I love to have a breakfast where I can sit & enjoy. For me, it's waffles - love em! Now I enhanced this a bit as I don't put a giant dollop of butter on top, and I am a bit light with the syrup. I don't like to over due my indulgences, but I do love to have the taste.

Up on the Roof

2012-01-13T23:39:00.000-05:00

"And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof, the prancing and pawing of each little hoof."
um, make that a snow thrower......

I don't have a painting ready for posting tonight, but instead, I thought I would post a photo taken some years ago at our lake house in upstate NY. This snow fall occurred in 1998 I believe, and if you look carefully you will see my husband on the roof of the building. Yes, he has a small paddle blade snow thrower that he is using to clear off the back roof, as it's slope was not enough for the snow to slide off (and we always feared the weight of the snow would collapse the camp!).

We purchased this little place about 15 years ago. It was a small, modest 2 bedroom camp that had been converted to a year-round home (addition of a basement and a heating system). We have since had the entire outside modified, including the roof (adding a 2nd level), added a few rooms, insulated the heck out of the walls, and added a good wood-burning stove (which really helps with the heat). The biggest plus in all of this is that the roof is now a Gambrel design (barn shaped) and the structure is sound enough that it can withstand the weight of the snow. Average annual snowfall in our area of Adirondacks varies from 5-8 feet. And now my poor husband does not have to venture up on the roof with the snow thrower to clear it off (and I don't have to hold the ladder steady as he & machine get up there). We ain't getting any younger! If I can track down the photos of the renovation, I may post some here. It turned out to be quite an undertaking!

So as you stay inside this weekend & keep warm (forecast to be quite cold on the East Coast), think of this image and be thankful that you don't have to go up on the roof to clean it off! And for any of you that do have to do that kind of cleaning, I have only 2 words for you: Gambrel Roof!

Main Street USA

2012-01-12T22:20:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This month's Virtual Paintout travels to Summit County, Colorado. And I think this is one of the first travels we've had where Google captured winter & snow!

Summit County is a vast area, with lots of roads to travel about. Areas are in full winter with lots of snow, and other areas are summer with green & trees in bloom with leaves! So much to see & roam around in. This particular scene is in downtown Breckenridge - link to the Google view can be seen here.

I am hoping to have time to do a 2nd painting of this wonderful area - perhaps something a bit more summer-like. But I have to say, a chance to paint all that wonderful snow on all those wonderful trees, summer may have to wait. After all, it's January, right?

Lemons with Red Flower

2012-01-10T21:43:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Originally done in October of 2010, this still life was a challenge for the Paint & Draw blog. Loved reducing this to only shapes & lines, as a way of "simplifying" things.

This image was also used, with permission, in the "Love From Me" project book of 2011. For those not familiar with the project, click here for a link to the website and preview it. The book can be ordered through the web and it has multiple artists work throughout it. As per the website: "All funds raised from this project are donated to The Rose Fund, c/o the South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada. This is a registered charity to help cancer patients who are facing financial difficulty as a result of dealing with their cancer treatments."

A new project is ongoing now for 2012 through the same website, "Paws for charity". Photos & artwork of dogs & cats donated by various artists for a book. Proceeds will be donated to SHAID Tree Animal Shelter.

Coke or Sprite

2012-01-08T22:46:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This outdoor cafe scene was done in July of 2010 for the Virtual Paintout in Hong Kong. The original link on google can be seen here. This is located on Bride's Pool Road - which is a very interesting name for a road, and I would love to learn it's origin. Most of the road was scenic until you make a single turn & there, this cafe sits waiting the traveler.

Altered Color

2012-01-05T23:03:00.003-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Some of you may recall this previous challenge on Rookie Painter (the one just prior to the current,) which showed this cloth hanging from a shelf and the small bowl on top. I chose to combine that challenge image (which I did not finish in time for Rookie's challenge) with the current challenge on DPW, which is to paint with altered colors. This was fun to do! Here is the original image as it was posted on Rookie.

Purple Benches

2012-01-04T23:28:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

I need to get away from the cold winter paintings for a bit, so I found this that was previously done in June of 2010. I was captivated by not only the purple benches, but the lines that their shadows made.

Wouldn't you like to be sitting there on a warm Spring day eating an ice cream cone? Amazing what the imagination can conjure up!

Cold Winter Morning

2012-01-02T23:18:00.002-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

We haven't had any snow as of yet, except for some back in October. But the calendar says it's winter and I thought it best to paint winter. Maybe it'll keep the snow at bay a bit longer.

Not that I mind it entirely, I just don't mind it being late this year. But I love when the snow hangs in the trees and covers the landscape. The winter greys are washed clean by the snow, and only the shadows show just how cold it is.

The past year in retrospect - and gifts

2011-12-31T15:45:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

It has been an interesting year, thankfully. Because I find boring years, well, just that - boring.

Boring years are the years where I did nothing new, conquered no fears, never ventured outside my comfort zone, and accomplished little, if anything. I have had those years in the past. But now that I am older, I know that a lifetime is made up of moments in time - and that we can choose how to fill those moments, and also what to fill them with.

Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans. I don't think any other quote has touched me so deeply. It is more than a statement - it is an observation and a part of my reality. But it is how we choose to let these moments in life affect us that directly creates our reality, which directly affects our personal lives. If we take the pain, the anger or the fear of a past event - and carry it with us in our present day, then we hold onto the past as it colors our present and clouds our future.

Denial of these past events is impossible, as they did occur and simply can not be denied. We could try to lie to ourselves, tell ourselves that they did not occur… "I don't want to talk about it…" That is just a lie, an untruth we adopt to get through the day. But getting through the day is not really living - in closing off a past event, we close more than just the event. We also close off the growth we can achieve from this event.

I have come to understand that all that I have encountered in my life, both the good and the bad events -- AND how I react & choose to accept/endure these events -- is what creates me. No simplier way to say it, I am my own creation. I can not change the events, but I can change the way I look at them. And in doing so, I change who I am and my present day world.

The year of 2011 had many events, some great, some not so good. And one physical situation will follow me into the new year - not because I want to carry it forward, but simply because I could not schedule the solution before January. However, I intend to make this event a catalyst for change and use it to spring forward.

On a more specific reflection, the year of 2011 has been a wonderful beginning of my art career. Besides having a blog that I've written to and posted art to, I have also started to sell some of my artwork through the internet. This is something I will carry into the new year and plan to enhance & grow further, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to do so.

But I know that I could not have done this art journey alone. Without the feedback, comments, & encouragement of the art blog community, I would not be writing this blog post at all. Without the readers and the replies, nothing would have meaning - and for this, my dear art friends, I thank you.

I have gone back through my blog for 2011 and tallied the comments from the past year. A few quick statistics - I have had 85 different users who have posted on my blog. And those 85 users have left a total of 590 posts on my art. I find these numbers amazing and I say thank you from my heart to each & every one of you.

In fact, I'd like to go one step further with my gratitude by doing a give-away. I've decided that a piece of art, of the users choice, will be given to the top 2 commenters on my blog for the past year. This is a gift and my thank-you for your help, support and camaraderie.

The top 2 commenters are:

Sherry Massey

aka: conservatelybohemian/crimsonleaves -- 136 posts

Virginia Floyd -- 54 posts

Both Sherry & Virginia, please take a look through my gallery on Daily Paintworks (link on top right). You can each select 1 painting from anything posted there that is not marked as Sold. (Sherry does have first choice as she has the most posts). Email me directly at nurciuoli@aol.com with your choice (do not hit "buy" on DPW), and I will seal, package & send it out to you via USPS.

Again, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and/or commment on my blog this past year. I don't know if you are aware, but the simpliest feedback or comment on a piece of work can turn a person's day around.

I wish you all a Happy, Healthy New Year - and may all your dreams & desires be created in 2012.

Hillside Snow

2011-12-28T21:43:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Originally painted in February of 2010, this snowy hillside is a very familiar sight to snowmobilers. I love when we ride the trails and find these spots tucked away in the woods, in an area that is sporadically populated by houses, and where there are no roads or cars. It is there that you'll see the trees as they march up the sides of the mountains, snow clinging to their needles, and their shadows that are almost dancing when the wind blows. Granted, winter can be cold - so very cold that the thought of going outside seems too severe. But winter can be so beautiful, so clean & crisp - a photograph around almost every turn.

Translucent Edges

2011-12-26T23:40:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

The snow season this year is starting slowly, dropping only a dusting or an inch from time to time. And those light coatings of snow melt quickly in the daylight, especially if the temps get above freezing - as they have been lately. And as it melts, it reveals the leaves, pine needles and pinecones that are beneath the snow.

Some days it only partially melts, leaving small clumps of frozen cold surrounding the warmer earth tones of the various items on the ground. I can remember being captivated as a child, spending what felt like forever, studying the snow - it's edges almost translucent. That is what I tried to capture here - the translucent edges.

Old Forge Early Winter

2011-12-25T21:26:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Painted in February of 2010, this simple landscape depicts a bit of early winter in the Old Forge area of NY state. Snowfall is usually much deeper and the waters are usually frozen - this scene shows only the beginning of the season.

Leaves in Black & White

2011-12-24T00:23:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

From May of this year, this was a value study done in black & white. I found this most enlightening (no pun intended) in regards to light & shadows. With the absence of color, I could spend more time on my highlights and darks. I do rather like the final effect.

Sunflowers in a Blue Vase

2011-12-21T23:04:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was actually painted back in November of 2008, and it looks as though I never posted this. I think this painting predates my blog! I believe this was done as a response to a Wet Canvas challenge. I recall I was struggling with the whole image - it appeared flat. Feedback from another artist sent me down the path of enhanced highlights and shadows, giving it all more interest and depth. A valuable lesson that I still work with today.

Holiday Centerpiece

2011-12-20T21:07:00.002-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Ah, the holiday centerpiece. Candles, ribbons, pine branches and holiday decorations - all come together to make a visual feast for the eyes. This is done in a more abstract mode, using the "shapes" style, especially on the shadows & lights. This has been submitted for the holiday challenge over at DPW paintworks.

Wishing everyone a very happy holiday season!

The Red Mailbox

2011-12-19T21:47:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was the 2nd painting I had done in June of 2010 for the Virtual Paintout Hawaii challenge. Sorry, but I also do not have the original google link for this scene. This painting of Hawaii seemed to garner more attention from people than the Standing Tall painting, which surprised me. But this has definitely grown on me - those reds seem to grab the viewers attention, the assortment of greens keeps my attention and then the sky brings me up while the road brings me back down. It all seems to work.

Standing Tall

2011-12-15T22:59:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Done in June of 2010, this was for Virtual Paintout's excursion in Hawaii. I loved how the tall trees stood out amongst the smaller palm like plants. I'm sorry to say that I no longer have the original Google link for this view. I loved painting the scenes of Hawaii, and may go back (via Google) to capture more scenes one day.

Here Kitty Kitty

2011-12-14T23:16:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Original painting from May 2011, original post can be read here. Loved painting this little cat, with the light hitting her on the one side - bright enough that it pretty much washes out the color on that side. But the whiskers remain!

Denver's Sakura Square

2011-12-12T23:19:00.002-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Previously done in August of 2010, this was a submission to the Studio Atelier challenge - the original post can be seen here. It is the combination of the people, the activity, and those red umbrellas that drew me into this image to paint it. I always like how colorful this piece is, and all the activity happening as well.

BFF Squirt

2011-12-10T23:48:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Not For Sale

This is Squirt, my best buddy. He is a long-haired doxie, standard size (about 33 pounds & not fat). He's a big boy for sure. We got his as a puppy about 13 years ago and he's been the best thing in my life (other than my husband)! He is quite the character, has selective hearing, LOVES food of any kind, and really knows how to turn on the charm when visitors arrive. That adorable face has gotten him many a "cookie" (which is the magic word for doxies by the way. Hard to train? A bit, unless of course, you have a cookie in your hand).

This was done & submitted for the DPW Best Friend challenge of last week. This is the first painting I've done of Squirt - have always been afraid to tackle all that fur. Glad I finally did one of him!

Holly

2011-12-09T23:37:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Done in December of 2010, this sprig of holly with berries is perfect for the holiday season. The touches of blue in the leaves help to define the shine that holly leaves often have. The red berries are a stark contrast to the greens. And the background is a mottled lilac that seems to set the whole thing off. One of my favorites.

Rita at the Craft Show in the Park

2011-12-08T22:55:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was painted back in September 2010 and it is a scene from the art/craft fair I attended then (same fair that produced the image The Artist). The original post can be found here.

The sunlight that day, along with the dappled shade from all the overhead trees in the part, really added to the atmosphere. I took numerous photos, but this one, with the woman on the bench - her white hair lit by the sunlight -- she reminded me of my mother-in-law, Rita. Hence the name of this piece.

Eureka Forest

2011-12-07T23:12:00.003-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was done for this month's VPO which is Eureka, Calif. Here is the link to the Google map view.

I have found that I am beginning to introduce different colors in my work. Where before I strove to try & recreate the visual that I saw, now I work more at conveying the feeling of what I see.

The trees are a combination of greens, yellow oxide and canary yellow - while the trunks are a mix of burnt umber and cad orange. To try & contrast the cool, blue sky I added a warm, red oxide to the ground shadows. Additional areas to the trees were added with burnt sienna.

I wanted to convey the contrast of California - where it can be both cold and warm in the same area. Overall I think it makes for an interesting visual.

The Artist

2011-12-05T23:04:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Originally painted in November of 2010, this is basically a painting of an artist painting a painting! My original post can be read here. I captured this woman working her craft at a local art fair in the park. It was a beautiful September day for the show with blue skies & bright sun. All the trees in the park offered wonderful dappled shade.

Monet's In the Garden - variation

2011-12-03T20:47:00.004-05:00

Acrylic on 6x6 gallery wrapped canvas
image extended onto the 1-1/2 inch sides

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is a variation of the Monet painting "Jeanne Marguerite Lecadre in the Garden. I've cropped the image to focus strictly on the center tree in the garden with the red flowers below it. Here is a link to view & read about this famous painting.

Back in the early 1970's, I went to the Whitney Museum in NY for the first time to see an exhibit on Impressionism. I found it interesting until I saw this one painting on a wall. I don't remember a single other painting from that day, except for this one. I must have stood in front of this painting for a good 1/2 hour, just studying the lights and shadows. It was then that I first fell in love with impressionistic painting.

I always wanted to paint a variation of this wonderful painting, and the DPW challenge from last Saturday gave me a good push to do so. Monet is one artist that has strongly influenced how I see light and shadow.

This is done on a 6x6 inch stretched canvas - the image has been extended onto the 1-1/2 inch gallery edges.

Pitcher with Pinecones

2011-12-02T18:24:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is one I just did for the Studio Atelier challenge. I've sent it a couple of times, but it hasn't been posted on the website yet. Since the challenge ends this weekend, it may not make it.

I had fun doing this one - I concentrated a great deal on working with a more painterly stroke, and added colors where there were none. The original photo has a brown background, but I wanted to change it around a bit - so I make it blue. (again, the blue phase I've been in).

I'm pretty happy with how this one came out.

Cypress with Star variation - SOLD

2011-12-01T20:08:00.002-05:00

Acrylic on 8x10 stretched canvas -- ORIGINAL SOLD!
Prints available through Fine Art America

Cropped view of Van Gogh's "Road with Cypress and Star" - this is my variation on Vincent's painting. I have always been captivated by his use of color, his paint strokes, and his vast array of work. But not until I actually attempted reproducing a piece of his work did I realize just how much color & how many paint strokes he put into a single painting.

The number of colors I used is too large to fully list, but colors were not randomly selected. I thought carefully about my colors - spending time to try side by side srokes on sample paper - just to see how each color would affect the other. Fascinating.

Monet is another of my favorities - and his work with lights & shadows is just as captivating. I may attempt to do a portion of one of his paintings as well. A person can study an artist for years - but until you work to reproduce a portion of it, you never really get the "feel" for the work they did.

So much to learn - and I'm loving every minute of it!

The Blue Gate

2011-11-28T23:30:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is a second submission to the VPO challenge this month, Arles France. The original Google map location can be seen here.

I seem to be in a bit of a blue phase, as both VPO paintings featured this rich, cobalt blue in them.

Death Do Us Part

2011-11-27T21:59:00.002-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This painting is my submission to this months Paint & Draw challenge. A very thought provoking photograph was uploaded for this months painting. Painting the glass was challenge enough, but add the fallen rose and the entire painting takes on a unique meaning.

Lela had posted the photo with the title "Betrayed Dreams" but we were also told that we could use our own title (and hence our own story). My title "Death Do Us Part" is a bit somber, I admit. Perhaps it is because I just quietly acknowledged the anniversaries of certain loved ones that have passed. Or maybe it's the autumn, with it's falling leaves followed by barren, stark trees that brought this to mind. Then again, it may just be the season - as the holidays always tends to make me a bit melancholy and reflective.

I saw the rose as a life that is ending - it is no longer being nourished by the liquid within the glass or vase. It's petals becoming dislodged as it falls to the table surface, leaving the glass gleaming still in the light. It reminded me of my mother when my dad had passed away suddenly. She was abruptly left alone - something that neither one had planned for in any way or sense. She appeared both as fragile as glass, but also she shone with a glow from having found a new sense of self. She had lost a part of herself - something that wasn't suppose to happen, but it did. And yet, she found a part of herself she didn't know she had.

And all of this brought to mind that simple vow that is spoken: "till death do us part."

The Sax Player - SOLD

2011-11-26T08:29:00.003-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet -- ORIGINAL SOLD!

Prints available through Fine Art America

This is the mate to the Jazz Man piece - where I focused on the hands and instrument. (original post here) Loved doing these 2 pieces.

Jazz Man - SOLD

2011-11-25T22:11:00.003-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet -- ORIGINAL SOLD!

Prints available through Fine Art America

This was done in March of 2011 (original post click here) for Lee's A Day Not Wasted challenge. Jazz Man is a street musician - Lee captured this artist in NYC central park. I don't know if it was the hat, the sweater, those glasses, or that beautiful sax that captivated me to paint this. I can almost hear the sound.....

The Rose

2011-11-24T22:05:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Something a bit different tonight - this is a painting from last December (2010). A rose, done entirely in the "shapes" style. My niece picked this one out tonight as a painting she liked, so I thought I would post it and add it to the "For Sale" list.

The Bows

2011-11-22T22:33:00.001-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Previously done in December of 2010, this painting is of the collection of bows used on holiday packaging. The original post can be found here.

Fun Sandals

2011-11-21T22:36:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Just another shoe painting, done on 6x6 stretched canvas. These sandals are just plain fun - and with so many colors, they will go with everything!

FineArt America prints for gift giving!

2011-11-20T08:50:00.000-05:00

Quality prints of my original work (both my photographs & paintings) are available online through Fine Art America.

Select your print on paper or canvas - they have a variety of finishes to choose from: glossy or matte finish, acrylic paper or regular photo paper, gallery edged canvas prints. All are available in a large variety of sizes. Choose to add optional frames/mats for a finished item, ready for gift giving.

And now get 20% off on all orders, just use discount code FVSJJV when ordering. Discount is available now through 12/19/2011.

The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes

2011-11-17T20:43:00.004-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

A pair of pairs! This weeks DPW challenge is to paint your shoes, and that tied in with my desire to do a series of small shoe paintings.

Now these were my shoes -- about 30 years ago before my "center of gravity" got up & left me. I wore heels - always. Loved 'em. And being short, these helped me feel tall. Yes, my feet would hurt - but not all that often & not for very long. Then again, 30 years ago, my body was able to heal itself in about 15 minutes. (one of the amazing things about youth!) And I think that shoes are like sports cars, if you're gonna have a sports car (if you're gonna wear the high heels) - well then, they oughta be RED!

These 2 are the beginning of my series on shoes - done on small square block stretched canvas's. Each is a 6x6 inch square, with gallery-wrapped edges that is 1-1/2 inches thick. These will hang on any wall as is, or easily stand on any shelf, and are available through my DPW gallery/auctions. I will combine these 2 into 1 package for shipping, if purchased together.

One additional note - while I painted, I could not get the song by Elvis Costello out of my head. Hence the title of this piece. Here's a link to a YouTube video of the song/artist.

It Ain't Easy Being Green - SOLD

2011-11-16T23:51:00.002-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet
SOLD - prints available through Fine Art America

From November of last year comes Kermit the Frog, floating down the avenue. You can read the original post here.

Every Thanksgiving day, the Macy's Parade happens & is a tradition on the East Coast - and this year will be no different. Hoping for good weather and no wind please, or else the balloons can't fly!

Blue Shutters

2011-11-14T22:43:00.002-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is my submission for this months VPO paintout challenge in Arles, France. The Google link can be seen here. The shutters on this building caught my attention and I wanted to play them up in the painting.

I actually painted this scene twice. The first attempt was in a more realistic style - and I hated the outcome. I tried to rework it twice, then finally tossed it. It just didn't do a thing for me.

The second attempt, which is what you are seeing here, is done in my "shapes" style, and I like the visual interest those shapes (and the blues) have added to the image. Really grabs the eye, don't you think?

Saluto

2011-11-11T22:42:00.000-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This wonderful image of shadows & wine was the Different Strokes challenge in the Acrylics section on Wet Canvas done back in August of 2010. The original post can be read here. This is one of my personal favorites which you can tell from reading the original post. I honestly believe we paint better if we have a personal attachment to the subject. This was one of my first attempts at painting glass - I found it both challenging & rewarding as an artist.

True Nature's Child

2011-11-09T22:09:00.002-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was done previously back in July of 2010 for the Calypso Moon challenge. This was my rendition depicting the word "freedom" -- the original post can be found here.

This was probably one of my most popular posts as the story I associated with this struck a cord in many people. Who doesn't remember being young, and free, and barefoot!

The Player

2011-11-08T23:07:00.002-05:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was done for Lee's A Day Not Wasted challenge - Lee always gives artists a great photo to work with. Had fun doing the shapes in this one!

When I was a young child, I begged to learn to play an instrument. I wanted to learn to play the piano. So my thoughtful parents took me to the Music Conservatory in our local town. They tested me to make sure I was not tone-deaf -- I was not. Then they asked what instrument I wanted to play, and I said piano. They said "no, your hands are too small." What else they asked, so I said "Guitar?" with a small little voice. Again, they said "no, your hands are too small." (I had, and still do have, very small hands - got them from my mom. Small hands and small feet). Anyway, they (the powers that be at the Music Conservatory) thought that I, with my small hands, could learn to play the accordion.

Now, I was maybe 40 pounds, soaking wet. And I stood maybe, 3 feet. Maybe. (small feet, small hands, and short - that was me). So they took out this sparkly, red accordion (that smelled very musty) and strapped it on my little body. I immediately fell over. They picked me up, sat me in a chair, and I proceeded to learn how to play the accordion.

I was never very good at it. I could not stand up with the thing on me - always fell over. Even sitting with the thing was difficult - and forget about lifting it out of the case. My parents had to help me every night to "attach" the thing to my body as I sat in the chair (feet not reaching the floor). And I practiced for 1 hour, every night, to learn to play this "slightly smaller than a piano" instrument. In my 1 year of musical instruction, I learned to play only 1 song "My Wild Irish Rose." Did I mention the little puppy we had would howl along with me as I played. Oh, what a pair we were! If my parents were alive today, I would venture to say they would groan out loud if they heard that song now.

I laugh when I think back to those days, and have never regretted giving the instrument up! And for the life of me, I don't know why my hands were big enough to play this vertical piano that weighed more than me! But, to this day, I still can't walk past a piano without reaching out to touch those ivory keys - and can't help but wonder "what could have been" if they had only looked past the size of my hands & into my heart!

Summer Break

2011-11-03T23:21:00.000-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

A new name for this previously done painting (July 2010) - original post can be found here. I like the new name because it fits the situation - how many times have we stopped what we were doing, on a warm summer day, to relax with a cool drink in the shade? I loved painting this one, and I love the feeling it evokes, even today, when I look at it. Regardless of the weather, or the temperatures outside, we can always hold onto a piece of summer with an image like this one.

Halloween Treat

2011-11-01T22:37:00.001-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Nothing scary about this Halloween treat! Pumpkin cookies, all decorated and smiling, waiting for a witch or ghost or goblin to come along! Done for the current DPW Challenge of Paint your Pumpkin.

Hope everyone had a terrific Halloween!

Vase with Cantaloupe

2011-10-31T23:24:00.000-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was done for the Paint & Draw Together challenge. I chose to crop in closer and literally touch the 4 edges with a part of the image. I'm not sure why, other than it felt right to go with the tight crop. I also did shapes painting, especially in the cantaloupe. And I also loved working with the reflections and light on the vase. I kept the dark background because I really liked the drama of the original. The only thing that is not in this is the cloth at the base which has looped fringe. Although I liked that part of the image, I wanted to keep the visual more uniform between the 3 items (vase, flower stretching to the right & the cantaloupe), so I cropped them off the image in my version. I may go back at another time & play with this photo a bit, maybe finding a different crop that would include the cloth & fringe - they are so vivid in color, it would be a shame to skip them completely. I am drawn to the fringe so I will probably need to paint it!

Bowl of Fruit

2011-10-30T22:11:00.000-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This doesn't happen too often, but I have to say, I am in love with this painting. I mean, I like some of the work I do (and I have a fair amount in the 're-do' pile also). But once in a while, something I work on comes out how I envision it. The colors match what is in my mind - the shapes match what I imagine. And it all comes together in a single painting - and I fall in love with it. This is one of those paintings.

This was done for the current Rookie Painter challenge. Jen gave us 3 different photographs to work with - 2 cropped and 1 full image. I chose the full image - don't you just love that bowl?

Lemon Slice

2011-10-28T18:50:00.001-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was a fun little painting done for the Rookie Painter challenge back in September 2010 - original link can be found here. This was done in my "shapes" style of painting - I love how the shapes on the lemon help to depict the texture on the rind. I also played with color in this, adding greens in the lemon that may not normally be seen!

Barn with Rail Fence

2011-10-27T20:05:00.000-04:00

Acrylic on 8x10 Stretched Canvas

Image continued on all 4 sides

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Painted in May of 2010, this is a knife painting on stretched canvas, measuring 8x10. The painting continues on all 4 sides (staple-free edges). The original post for this can be found here.

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed (1) painting barns and (2) painting with knives. This was done with acrylic paints (heavy-body). The paint on the canvas is not terribly thick, but there is a bit of tooth to it in areas.

Hmmmm..... funny how relooking at some of your old work and rekindle a feeling. I now have the itch to do more knife work, which is not a bad thing at all.

Just the 2 of Us

2011-10-25T21:34:00.001-04:00

Acrylic on 8x10 Stretched Canvas

Image continued on all 4 sides

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was done previously in April of this year for Paint & Draw Together challenge. The previous post can be found here.

And unlike all my previous paintings, which are done on canvas or linen sheet - this painting is done on stretched canvas with sides painted. I have decided to start working more with stretched canvas's again - something I did originally but got away from some time ago. Partly due to the expense (canvas sheets are much more economical in price) and partly due to space restrictions (canvas sheets take up much less room to store).

I recently had an inquiry about one of my paintings in regards to the canvas sheet, and how it would need to be handled to hang. Canvas sheets, like linen sheets, are sold in booklets. They are primed and ready to paint surfaces that are very much the same as the canvas/linen sheets that are adhered to stretcher bars and solid board surfaces. But unlike the stretched canvas's and solid boards, they are somewhat flexible and flimsy. They require mounting of some sort (I usually mat them) and then framed. Most of mine are matted & framed, similar to watercolors. However, since I work with acrylics, these are not framed behind glass (acrylic paints should never touch glass).

The person who inquired about the canvas sheets I used did not purchase a painting, although she did say that she had a fondness for one of my pieces. This got me to wondering whether the base that a painting is done on affects its demand, desire or marketability. Do the purchasers of original paintings prefer one type of base over another, and would it affect their desire to purchase something, if the painting was not on the substrate of their preference.

I have to admit that it is nice to have a painting on stretched canvas, especially with the image extending on the 4 sides. These can be framed (or mat & framed), or simply hung as is. And if they are thick enough, they could be stood on a shelf or table. So I've decided to offer for sale a few of the paintings I have done on stretched canvas's - and also to create more of them.

First up for sale is this little piece of the two cherries. The background is a bright green to contrast with the 2 cherries - and the image does continue on all 4 sides. Size of this piece is 8x10, with 3/4-inch sides.

Pretty Girl

2011-10-23T22:49:00.002-04:00

Bingo was my pet bird - 1 of 6 cockatiels that I owned for a number of years. She died recently at the age of 17 (so we think). She had a very good life and lived a long time. She was a great companion bird. If anyone is ever thinking of getting a bird as a pet, but do not want to invest in a large parrot, I do suggest the cockatiel. They make a wonderful pet, and unlike the small birds that don't really interact with people, this variety does. They actually see you, the human, as a part of their flock. Some whistle, some talk, and most will offer the back of their heads for some soft scratching/preening from their human flock-mate.

I was sad to lose Bingo, and as I said, she was the last of the 6 that I owned. Each one had their own personality and each one interacted with me on a different level. Bingo had surgery when she was young which is very risky on a bird. But she pulled through like a trooper and was back to her old self in no time. We developed a stronger bond because of that time, I think, and we remained good friends until the very end.

I don't like to say goodbye, as I believe we see those that we have loved and lost when we, too, leave this world. So all I will say to Bingo, and to the other birds as well, is "I'll see you again on the other side."

Persimmon & Double Crochet

2011-10-20T22:09:00.000-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Done in March of this year for the Paint & Draw together challenge, this was one of my favorite to paint. I loved painting the crochet stitches and the lovely space between them - giving it an almost lace-like appearance. My previous post can be found here. This is one of those paintings that I thought should have garnered more attention, but it had limited comments. Perhaps posting it through DPW will enhance it's chances for an extra look!

The Pomegranate

2011-10-18T22:17:00.000-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was painted for the Paint & Draw together challenge back in November 2010. I was happy with how this turned out, with the deep, dark background setting off the lights on the fruit. I thought it all added a great deal of drama to the piece. When I had first posted this, I said it was a very rich, almost decadent, value study of reds & browns. I think that is still a good description for this piece.

Four Leaves

2011-10-17T23:04:00.000-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Remember collecting pretty color leaves as a child? I can remember finding different colors and shapes and gathering them like they were a bouquet of flowers. I would collect them on my way home from school, walking the few blocks and looking at all the leaves on the ground - trying to find just the right size and color to add to my bouquet. Then I would give them to my mother when I walked into the house - handing her my bouquet as she would ooh and aah at the wonderful colors. Every fall I am reminded of that time when I see the leaves change color on the trees and start their "rainfall" down. And I still look for the best ones to ooh and aah over, as I remember my mom and her endless enthusiasm for my bouquet of leaves. A bouquet she saw almost every day, but each day was like it was a brand new feast for the eyes. She feined that excitement so well, making each bouquet like it was the first. I smile now, as I look back on those days with my adult eyes, and see them for what they were. Would I change those moments for a piece of reality? Not a chance!

Four Leaves was done for the Rookie Painter challenge back in October 2010.

Clothespins

2011-10-16T22:59:00.000-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was a Rookie Painter challenge back in June 2010 and you can read the original post here. I always liked the simplicity of this one, and the clean lines & colors. Clothespins and Ball jars seem to depict a simpler time and I wanted to convey that feeling with the light colors, shapes & strokes. I think it succeeded.

Viaggiatori d'Italia

2011-10-15T22:38:00.001-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Last weeks DPW challenge was an exercise in composition & balance. A photo was presented, and the artists were to crop, edit, add, delete elements until they arrived at a composition they were happy with.

What captivated my eye in this section of the photograph, was the almost zig-zag of the items on the vertical climb of the stairs. Both of which led you to the top door. The zig-zag I am referring to starts in the bottom right corner with the green shrub, then moves left to the person in the blue shirt. Then back again to the right to the girl sitting (with dark pants), left again to the backpack, right again to the 2nd girl, left to the plant with the red pot, then right to the plant with the yellow pot. All to lead the eye to the top door, which is painted in a rich purple to contrast a bit with the red drapes that surrounded the door in the photograph. The eye then comes back down on the right, first by the 2 breakouts in the stone wall, then the vertical Italian flag banner (which mimics the shape of the door), then down the dark door to the green bush in the corner. I tried to give the eye a variety of items to see & focus on, which hopefully holds the attention of the viewer.

Wonderful stone staircase - a perfect setting for 3 Travelers of Italy who are taking a break from their excursion!

Bottles

2011-10-14T22:38:00.000-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was done previously for Windows to the Words challenge, back in June 2010. I loved all the shadows crossing and light's reflecting on the various colors of glass. I also liked how the colors of the glass casted colored shadows on other bottles. I enjoyed this one a great deal, working with so many shapes & colors.

Strawberry

2011-10-13T10:47:00.000-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was done for the Rookie Painter challenge which shows a bowl of hard candies and 1 lone candy to the side. I chose to focus on the single candy, zooming in close enough to read the flavor of the candy on it's wrapper. I also did a variation of my "shapes" style of painting for this.

A limited palette was used of Red-Orange, Orange, Cad Yellow Light & Cad Red Light; along with Titanium White for value adjustments. I chose to do the shadows in the same palette, but what doesn't show clearly in the photo are touches of Brilliant Purple in the wrapper. I used a very light version of the Brilliant Purple to do the background.

A fun little painting and I thank Jen for her challenges, they always give options for an artist to explore!

The Royal Apple

2011-10-12T20:06:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Posted in October of 2010, this was my rendition for a Paint & Draw challenge. This is done in the "shapes" style, with blocks of color - a style that works so well in still life paintings I think. The leaves, their veins & shadows show so well in this style, without the clutter caused sometimes by too much detail.

Three Little Figs - SOLD

2011-10-10T23:05:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet
SOLD - prints available through Fine Art America

Previously posted in August 2010 for the Paint & Draw Together challenge, this is done in the "shapes" style with enhanced colors. I wanted to emphasize the shapes of the figs with blocks of color, as well as the indication of the wood table. Added dark shadows with the dark background to add some drama.

Handy iPhone - SOLD

2011-10-06T22:07:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet
SOLD - prints available through Fine Art America

This was done for the DPW challenge of Hands - we were to depict our hand doing something, anything that said something. For me, it is my iPhone. Love this little computer.

And it is only fitting that I paint this, in remembrance of the man who's vision & heart drove him to build what we all needed long before we knew what we wanted. Not just the iPhone, but the iPad, iPod and the Macintosh computer.

Steve Jobs, you will be missed. Rest in Peace - and Thank You.

Autumn Leaves

2011-10-05T19:53:00.003-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Previously posted in November 2010, this was done for a challenge on Inspiration All Around Us, which was a great blog/challenge site that ended in 2010. This was the final reference photo that was uploaded for the group to paint - or to paint one of our own. I chose to do this one - loved that brick behind the leaves. You can read my original post here.

Central Park in the Fall

2011-10-04T21:11:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet -- ORIGINAL NOT FOR SALE

Prints available through Fine Art America

Previously posted in December 2010, this was done for a challenge over at ADNW. Lee posted this fabulous photo he had taken while in NY on one of his trips. I absolutely loved the scene and painted it in an impressionistic mode. The added person walking helps to draw the eye in, I think, as does the taxi on the upper left.

This painting is up for auction at DPW.

Fall Leaves

2011-10-03T19:43:00.001-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was done for last weeks DPW challenge, which was for Fall/Autumn. And perhaps nothing else says Fall to me, than to see the color of the leaves. Here in New Jersey, the leaves are still green - our season won't change for another few weeks. But in upstate New York, the leaves have already started. Usually our peak viewing is around Columbus Day, but I think this year it will be later. If there is a peak at all, that is. The trees that have already changed, lost many of their leaves this past weekend with the wind & rain. Wind & rain, ugh. We've had more than enough of that in the Northeast this year.

But I have always enjoyed mother nature's display in the Northeast, and every year, I find one more outstanding tree somewhere -- that have colors galore, all ablaze. As a child, I can remember gathering "pretty leaves" on my way to & from school, as I always walked the blocks on foot. (yes, I know, through 10 feet of snow, barefoot, with 10 pounds of books in my arms -- isn't that what our parents said when we complained!). But I loved walking to/from school - I got to explore & see things close up. Various bugs, and trees, and leaves - it helped to define my neighborhood, and it setup boundaries for "my turf."

But I think it is the leaves I remember most. So many varieties, and shapes, and colors. I always wanted the pretty red leaf until I studied the multi-color ones. That totally changed what I tried to gather - now the goal was to find a leaf with the most colors in it! And my school friends who walked with me, they were doing the same.

Yes, Fall reminds me of school - and more specifically, grammar school. When things were so less complicated, and my biggest worry was stepping in dog droppings & carrying it into class on the bottom of my shoe! The boys really loved to make fun of us then!

Monarch - SOLD

2011-10-02T12:11:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet
SOLD - prints available through Fine Art America

"Monarch" was painted back in January of this year, for the Paint & Draw Together challenge. The original blog post, along with my story about the butterfly variety, is available by clicking here. I have a definite attraction for butterflies and always look for their visits to my garden.

This painting is now for sale/auction at my DPW gallery - and this is the last of the previous paintings I have chosen to upload for sale at this time. I will probably add others as times goes by, but I also want to upload some of the newer works as well.

Butterfly on Iris Bud - SOLD

2011-09-30T23:56:00.003-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet
SOLD - prints available through Fine Art America

Originally done in May 2010 for Windows to the Words challenge. This is one of my earlier paintings done in the style I refer to as "shapes." I loved working with the assorted blues & purples. Another fun painting which is now for sale at my DPW gallery.

Bottle of Red

2011-09-30T00:37:00.001-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Bottle of Red is not that old, done in June of this past year. For some reason, it did not make it over onto my DPW gallery via the auto feeds. So I'm reposting it now & seeing if it will pull over.

This was done in my "shapes" style of painting, and was for a challenge on Paint & Draw Together. I really do like to work with red - it is such a powerful color. And it always makes me feel good, and alive, after I've worked with it. If not careful though, red can overpower a painting. Just like composition can make or break a painting, as can the range of values - so can the abundance of a color (particularly a strong color like red). I will say one thing about red in a painting, it demands attention - even if it isn't the focal point!

Blue Jean Frog - SOLD

2011-09-28T22:16:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet
SOLD - prints available through Fine Art America

The Blue Jean Frog is part of the Poison Dart Frog family out of Costa Rica. I found a link to some information about this frog here. Seems they are quite prevalent in Costa Rica and come in an assortment of markings.

This painting was originally done back in July of 2010 and was created for a challenge called Windows to the Words. The challenge has since ceased, but there were quite a few great references to paint from during it's active time. This was one of them - I just loved the colors! Who could resist all that red - and then the electric blue!

Blue Jean Frog is now available through my DPW gallery.

Peaches in a Row

2011-09-27T23:06:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Another of my older paintings, and one of my personal favorites. This one goes back to October of 2010 and was done for the challenge "In the Moment." That challenge is no longer active, but it was geared around producing work that followed a theme for a given month. That particular month, the theme was "labor" - and Margaret Bednar (who ran the challenge) invited photographs & paintings to be submitted. This particular image was one of the photographs that was submitted for that month & I asked permission to paint it. I loved the angles and the various colors & shapes - also the various hints of reflections.

The original blog has been changed and is called "A Moment in Time" and I've given a link to access it - Margaret does wonderful photography and her blog is definitely worth a look.

Peaches in a Row is going up on my DPW gallery & is available through auction.

Green Eggs & Hen

2011-09-26T22:37:00.001-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is a repost of "Henrietta" the chicken with her green eggs. Green Eggs & Hen has been added to my DPW gallery and is now for sale. I will be reposting some of my older pieces once again so that they can be uploaded to DPW from my blog - it is a way to get some of these older pieces in view again - and hopefully sold!

Waterfront Property

2011-09-25T10:30:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

I did this as a birthday present for a very good friend of mine, only to discover that the size (12x6) is not available in ready made mats. I had wanted to give it to her, matted but not framed, but don't have the time available to wait for the custom mats. I will have to start doing my own matts, but again, a little short on time & didn't want my first cut mat to be done for a present. (my last cut mat was back in college!)

So.....

Ran to Michaels this morning and bought 4 6x6 gallery-wrapped square canvas's -- with 2 inch sides. And then, repainted the beach scene on the 4 canvas's. I had to extend the image to the right since I had the additional canvas pieces. Total size now is 24 x 6, and all sides on all canvas's are painted.

I am quite pleased with both renditions of this beach scene. I will give her the 4-part, which allows her to stand them, or frame them, or hang them unframed. I haven't done one of this style painting in a while -- I forgot how versatile they are. The 4 parts can be hung close together, like I show them, or evenly spaced apart as well. Since the scene continues on all 4 sides of each canvas, nothing will be look "unfinished" when it is hung.

Please excuse any glare on these photos - as I took the photos after the finish was applied.

Since I am giving the 4-part version as a gift, the original 12 x6 version (which I think looks just as nice) will go up for sale on my DPW gallery.

Bicycle Ride

2011-09-22T20:17:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

The idea on this was taken from a catalog I saw some time ago (last year maybe?) and it showed 3 women with bicycles riding together. I think the catalog was for clothing, but could not swear to it. The photo & shapes intrigued me so much that I tore the page out & saved it for reference. Recently I came across that torn out page & decided to paint my version.

I have seen so many paintings of bicycles by so many different artists and I can understand why. A bicycle offers so many lines & arcs -- and their shadows are just as interesting. The round tires, the spokes crossing in the middle of them, the handle bars & pedals -- all interesting shapes. Then add the figures, the hats, the bags - so much to add, so many areas for details. This was fun to paint, I have to say. And the memories this evoked were of a childhood filled with bicycles & rides!

The love of the bicycle is not lost on children, who see a 2 wheeler as their first step to independence. I remember my first 2 wheeler, which had training wheels on it in the beginning. I wasn't allowed off "the block" so I rode that bicycle around and around the block until I was exhausted! Eventually, once my balance was good, the training wheels came off - and then not long after that, I was allowed off the block. That's when I had my first taste of freedom - I rode that bicycle all over town, up & down every street, around every corner. It was my vehicle of independence, my method of travel, and, to some degree, my best friend. I polished the chrome & paint (blue), and took special care of the gears & chain. Yes, it was my first new car!

Looking back now, I remember the thrill of riding my bicycle fast down a long hill - wind in my hair. Especially on a warm summer evening, riding as fast as I dared, just to feel that wind on my face. I smile now, remembering that. It's one of those special moments in time that sticks with you - a memory that is always in the back of your mind.

And it comes to the front whenever you write about it in a blog, or paint a bicycle in a painting, or even when you see a child today riding their bicycle as fast as they dare to, down a long hill, and smiling with the wind on their face.

Some things are just not meant to be outgrown!

Stay Within the Lines

2011-09-20T23:44:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This was a major challenge and something I took on for myself. Not just the shading, the various colors, the lines, the arcs and highlights. Toss in the perspective on each & every crayon!!! This was a true test for me, and this painting took me well over a week of work. I found I could only work on 3 (maybe 4) crayons in one evening and then I needed to walk away. The following evening I would tackle it again, painting maybe 2 more new ones, but then tweaking on the completed ones again. Even now my eye sees things to tweak further!!

As a child I loved my crayons, and found nothing more relaxing than to sit down with a coloring book & a box of crayons. In fact, when my nieces were younger, they would invite me to sit & color with them. I never turned them down! I wish they were still young - seems the magical age of "teenager" tends to reclassify crayons & coloring books as child stuff.

I will say that this is full of color, and is bright & cheerful - just what crayons mean to me. So in that respect, the painting is successful. Now, about the perspective....... :-O

Re-Zoom

2011-09-19T21:16:00.001-04:00

I was away on vacation and am only now getting through my mail. While I was away, I received the most wonderful gift - a copy of a book called "Re-Zoom" by Istvan Banyal. I must confess, I received this package and the book was ordered through Amazon. But I have no idea who ordered this book for me! So I do not know who to thank!!!! I recall someone mentioning this book to me, I swear I do recall - but it's fuzzy. My mind has been so absorbed by crisis of late (flooded basement, dog sick - hospital, pet bird died, basement flooded again on 2nd storm, job relocated to way downtown Manhattan, vacation altered due to all of above), that I have no clear memory of anything!

Anyway, I was not familiar with this work but was immediately captivated by the book. Re-Zoom is the followup book to the original "Zoom." Both books are the same style -- a series of paintings/artworks where each image is a zoomed out version of the previous.

To better understand this, follow this link for a youtube of Zoom (the original).

The entire concept of this just blows my mind - the same way that my "Conversation" project with fellow artist Jill Polsby does. Speaking of the Conversation -- I have both books in my possession, and I need to do the next piece of the puzzle on each (so to speak). Jill - I have not forgotten them and they will be heading back to you soon - just need to sit down & focus on them for a bit! And also, a reprieve from crisis for a bit!

Boo

2011-09-18T22:38:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

NFS

A good friend of mine recently had to put her dog down. Boo was an adorable little dog that Nancy had adopted, but found out the poor thing had a bad heart. Nancy cared for this little dog and gave her the best life she could - caring for her, taking her to vets & giving her medication. Boo had a good, albeit short, life thanks to Nancy & her devoted ways.

Nan mourned the loss of her little friend, and so I patiently waited until a moment came when she could talk/write about her with more ease. I then asked/offered to do a painting of Boo - with the stipulation that if the painting wasn't good, she didn't have to take it.

She hasn't seen this yet - unless, of course, she is reading this now. So I don't know whether she likes it or not, but I have to say, I'm rather pleased with how it came out. I was very nervous when I first put brush to canvas, but as I started doing strokes of fur, I relaxed and enjoyed rendering the little dog. The little dog that I had never met, but I spoke to Boo throughout the painting as if I had known her. As my friend had said when I first made the suggestions "yes, you can put it up on your web and we'll immortalize the Boo!" And so here she is, immortalized on my blog!

I love dogs and I am finding that I love to paint them as well - it seems to go hand-in-hand.

Winter Bench

2011-09-13T22:28:00.001-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Using only 4 values and painting only shapes -- this was the direction in this weeks DPW challenge. And it was definitely a challenge to do!

The image is a photo I took back in the winter, of a neighbor's bench during one of our countless snowstorms upstate. Everything looked so serene and everything was so quiet as the snow fell (and fell and fell). As it collected on the tree limbs I noticed that it was almost framing the bench. And I could remember the children sitting on that bench in the summer, eating their watermelon slices, swinging their legs to and fro, as they stared out at the lake. It seemed as if the bench was holding those moments within it and was simply waiting for the summer to return - and the children.

So out came the camera and I recorded some shots of the scene while it was still visible. The snow increased in intensity to quite heavy after the shots were taken, making the bench barely noticeable. Have you ever gone to get your camera and come back to find that the shot is gone? Well, it almost happened on this - but I was lucky to capture the moment before it was gone.

When I read the DPW challenge rules I thought "shapes painting! I can do that!" -- but it was the limit to 4 values that gave me my challenge. And I thought of winter, and snow -- and then I remembered this bench shot. Looking through my images I found this one and decided to paint it - using 4 values: the darkest is Paynes Gray, next is Paynes Gray mixed with Titanium White and a smidgen of Light Blue Permanent, next is Light Blue Permanent mixed with Paynes Gray and Titanium White, and the lightest is Titanium White with just a smidgen of the Light Blue mixed in. I left the details out and focused on the shapes only - those of you who are familiar with my work know that I have done "shapes" paintings in the past, so seeing shapes & not objects was the easier part of this challenge.

All in all, I'm rather pleased with the outcome. But if I paint this scene again (and I probably will one day) it will be with more color and more than 4 values! And I think it would be great to capture the summer version of this bench as well, including the children & watermelon!

Moon the Sun at Café Du Monde

2011-09-12T23:33:00.004-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This month the VPO goes to New Orleans, one of my all time favorite cities. I have been fortunate to have visited the city many times in the past, and I wanted to paint something that spoke about the city, not the destruction that Katrina did (and she did do a lot of destruction). One place that stuck in my mind was the Cafe Du Monde which is down in the French Quarter right near the Mississippi River. The original Google link for this can be seen here.

Known for their Chicory Coffee and Beignets (fried dough sprinkled with confectioner's sugar), Cafe Du Monde has been on Decauter street since 1862 and is a frequent stop for tourists and locals alike. It touts itself as the Original Coffee Stand - you can read about it's coffee here and about the beignets here.

When you look at the original google map for this location, you will see the people I've painted milling around. However, I had a "hole" on the left that was empty and vacant and just needed something to anchor the spot. So I thought to add the little dog - who grew into a larger dog. A happy little dog that is just raring to play. Have you ever seen a dog get down on it's front legs, hind quarters up in the air as he gets read to romp in play? Well, this little dog is doing just that - only after I finished I realized he seemed to be mooning in the general direction of the sun - and so, hence, the name of this piece. Just a little bit of humor to add to the scene.

Miss Piggy & Kermit

2011-09-09T00:15:00.003-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

The latest challenge over at DPW was to paint a pig, any pig. And what came to my mind? Miss Piggy, the diva. Couldn't resist painting this character along with the love of her life, Kermit.

There is something just so endearing about the muppets. Whenever I see one of them on television, or hear one of their voices, I stop & look. I am a bit too old to have grown up watching Sesame Street (which the Muppets have been on since 1969!), but I did grow up with countless puppets, and I've always had a fascination for them. Be it Lamb Chop with Sheri Lewis, or Paul Winchell's Jerry Mahoney & Knucklehead Smith. And not to be forgotten, Black Tooth, White Fang and Pookie on Soupy Sales.

I had 2 hand puppets as a child. I remember them - a dog and a cat. And I walked around with them, each on one hand, having full conversations with them. (I was an only child and we often invented our siblings - mine were always animals & puppets!) They accompanied me everywhere. These odd shaped little creatures, with heads filled with sawdust and fake fur fabric covering my hands to the wrist - these were my friends. The forefinger up in the head, the thumb & other fingers controlling the 2 arms. No moving parts, no remote control & wires. Just me and my imagination - and I loved every minute of it! I had other friends, human ones that lived on my block. But these 2 friends, the dog & cat, they were always with me - always! Even when I was sick with the Chicken Pox, these two little puppets kept me company & listened to my every spoken thought.

Not too long ago, I came across a fluffy (floppy too) dog puppet. It was at a local breakfast place - they had a group of assorted puppets on display. Each week when we would go there, I would see less & less puppets - as the others were being purchased. But Fluffy (as I called him) was still there, and I would talk to him each time. (yes, I know, I am a bit crazy). By the end of the summer season, as the business was preparing to shut down for the season, I became concerned that this poor dog had no owner. But, not to worry, my husband bought Fluffy for my birthday present. One of my best birthday presents - and I talk to Fluffy now, all the time.

So puppets, and Muppets, and Miss Piggy -- oh my! They all seemed to fit into 1 neat little package for this weeks DPW challenge.

Carol & David Marine need help

2011-09-07T23:00:00.001-04:00

I just read, with my heart in my throat, the news of Carol & David Marine's recent loss. For any of you that do not know, their home & most of their possessions were lost to fire in Texas. Due to recent drought conditions, much of the area where they live was overrun by the recent fires in Texas. The house, her studio, their work - all reduced to ashes. Fortunately, no one was hurt or injured, but they had little time to collect things before they were forced to leave.

Here is a link to a friends' blog that explains what happened.

There is a link on that blog to make a donation to help them back on their feet. There was also a bit of discussion in the DPW forum about someone putting together an auction of paintings, with proceeds to go to the Marine's rebuilding of their lives. Ironically, the Marine's had just put together a DPW auction to help benefit the children of Africa. If an auction for the Marine's is posted, I will re-post the info here.

The thought of losing everything is overwhelming, and I wish nothing but the best for these 2 people who have given so much to the art community. May God bless.

Mother and Child

2011-09-04T23:50:00.004-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW auction
(proceeds to help Children of Africa)

This is my submission for the DPW - Help the Children of Africa challenge. I wanted to paint something specific for this challenge - something that represented Africa to me. I thought of doing a landscape of the continent, maybe utilizing Google maps. But I wanted something more personal and a bit more "alive." I thought of the animals of the Africa; the giraffe & elephant. A quick review of the images in the Wet Canvas library, I came upon a herd of elephants from Africa. And I connected with the adult & child in the photo. I zoomed in to the two of them and made them the focus of my painting. This painting is up for auction with all money being donated to Childfund International Horn of Africa relief fund.

I currently sponsor a child in Africa through Childfund International who lives in Kenya. Gedison Mutethia is a small, young boy who I started to sponsor a few years ago. For a monthly price, both he & his family are given food, medical, dental & schooling. It is not just a handout to these people - they are actually taught skills to help with survival, and the child gets an education that in turn, may one day help his community. In return I get letters and gratitude - and a form of unconditional love from a small family of people who live on the other side of the world from me. Gedison is the third child from Africa that I have sponsored - the prior 2 children are no longer in the program, their family having moved from the area. In addition to the monthly donation, I also send money for the child's birthday and also at Christmas. In every instance, I receive a letter of thanks from the family, and they explain exactly what was bought with the money. The entire family unit benefits from the organization. I heartily recommend sponsoring if you can, it's a wonderful way to give it back (pay it forward). Besides Gedison, I also sponsor a girl, Maria in Brazil and a young girl, Lei, in Vietnam. These 3 children help to define who I am. I have sponsored a child through this organization for over 25 years, and I do recommend them.

Cityscape in Rectangles

2011-08-31T23:10:00.003-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is my submission for the DPW challenge - The Rectangle challenge. This week we were instructed to paint a scene, any type of scene, using only rectangles. And to make each rectangle a different value/tone/color. This is much harder to do than it sounds!

This is not my first attempt at this challenge. My previous attempt was a landscape scene that had far too many items in it to be able to do the rectangles and have it look like anything. I needed to simplify things a bit. So I thought for a few days and realized that I kept coming back to the city buildings - which are all rectangles to me anyway. So why not paint them in the rectangle challenge! Everything is a rectangle (even a rule is technically a rectangle) except for one thing. Can you spot it? The arched pole for the street light. The photograph that inspired this is from the Wet Canvas library and is part of Elaine's (Noodle1) photos. All photos in the library are free to use, and I thank Elaine for her great shot of NYC.

This was an interesting challenge, and it definitely made me work at it. The end result is a sort of abstract, modern-like painting that I have sort of fallen for.

Peonies

2011-08-29T00:02:00.001-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

Peonies are such wonderful flowers. So full, so delicate, and some smell so terrific. This is my submission to the latest Rookie Painter challenge. White flowers - always a challenge. And yet, I love to paint them because there is so much "color" in them - it gives me a chance to get creative.

I have peonies in my upstate garden. One red, one pink and one white. They grow to different sizes but they all tend to bloom at the same time. And what a show they put on. This ball of delicate petals that is larger than your hand. Wonderful flowers!

And it amazes me that they die back every fall, all the way to the ground. Then return in the early spring, sending up shoots before any of the other plants have started. They grow quickly & before you know it, you can count the buds on the plant. Watching & waiting, staring at the buds each day until poof - perfect bloom. I stake them as they tend to grow tall, and a strong rain & cause them to break off, or destroy the bloom & petals. Once the blooms are done though, the plant is just green until the fall when it dies back.

A very hardy plant & quite durable. I recommend them to anyone to plant & grow. The blooms are so worth it!

Pitcher with Fruit

2011-08-27T23:04:00.004-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

I've gotten a little behind with my challenge paintings. This one is for Paint & Draw together and I managed to get this done just in time (deadline is tomorrow). I'm not sure if it will get up on the website - sometimes the new challenge is launched quickly. But I'm glad to have gotten this done. I really like the pitcher - pottery always fascinates me.

I wanted to work with a gradual fade into the dark background, putting part of each item into dark shadow. This would basically eliminate the right hand side edges, while the left side edges remained crisp. It's a look I always liked with still life settings that had strong, direct light on the subject. And that pitcher - did I mention I had a thing for pottery, especially pitchers?

7 links

2011-08-26T20:46:00.000-04:00

I have been tagged by two artists friends to do the 7 Links Project. Both Karla and Yasha have tagged me. This project gives you a chance to bring some of your older work to the forefront again and gives some new followers a chance to see them.

#1 Most beautiful post. This is one of my earlier paintings and still, to this day, it gets the most views over on Fine Art America. This is Flower & Butterfly, and it was painted back in Feb of 2010.

#2 Most popular post. I had to go back through my blog to find which one had the most response. Overwhelmingly it was True Natures Child. And I think it was more for the story than the painting itself, although they go hand-in-hand (foot-in-foot ??).

#3 Most controversial post. I am not sure if this next one actually qualifies as controversial. It is a painting of a homeless person in NYC, and it's titled Rest Stop.

# 4 is most helpful. The only helpful posts I think I did was when I posted the Auction outcome, and my quest for finding a way to sell my art. Quite a few people wrote me to say they, too, were doing the same quest & they thanked me for writing about it. There are a few links: First, Second & Third blog post. There were no images on these posts, simply words.

#5 surprised success. This would have to be the Subway NYC painting I did that recently won in the Summer Streetview challenge/contest. I was so surprised when it won!

#6 Most proud of. (I changed the order here a bit). The painting I am most proud of is something I did some time ago. It is of my wedding items, all of which belonged to either my mother or my aunt. Both were at my wedding in spirit only as they were both deceased. But I chose to carry something from each of them, as a reminder of them, and out of respect. This is titled The Bride's Things.

#7 Not enough attention. I made this item last, as I have a few paintings to list here. These all got 0 or 1 comment only, and I thought they deserved a second look. They are some of my earliest works:

That is my 7 listings. Now I am suppose to name 7 fellow bloggers & tag them so they will do the same. Problem is that I am having trouble finding 7 artists who haven't been tagged already!

So any of you reading this, if you haven't been tagged to do the 7 links, then please consider yourself tagged & do this. It's a great way to get reacquainted with your own art.

Superstitious Eyes

2011-08-24T22:52:00.005-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is my submission for this weeks DPW challenge, Superstition. With such a wide variety of superstitious items that could be painted, perhaps the most known is the black cat.

I did a lookup about the black cat superstition and found a wealth of information. A few things I found:

For thousands of years, black cats have been regarded as mysterious creatures with supernatural powers and were associated with witches and even death. It was believed that witches could change into cats; in fact, it is believed they could make that change nine times. Some believe this to be the origin of the belief that cats have nine lives.

It seems the superstition changes with different countries. Here's a list of some that I found:

A strange black cat on your porch brings prosperity - Scottish
A cat sneezing is a good omen for everyone who hears it - Italian
It is back luck to see a white cat at night - American
Dreaming of a white cat means good luck - American
Cats not allowed in rooms where private family discussions going on - Netherlands
Cats would definitely spread gossips around the town - Dutch
Life-giving rays of the sun were kept in a cat's eyes at night for safekeeping - Egypt
To kill a cat brings seventeen years of bad luck -Irish superstition

Cats are often viewed as mysterious, and black cats often strike fear into people because of their superstitions.

What do the cats think? Trust me, they'll never tell.

Auction and Challenge/Contest update

2011-08-21T11:44:00.001-04:00

Back on August 7th I posted how the DPW auctions, that I had just started to use, were progressing. Now, 2 weeks later, I thought I would give you an update.

As of the 7th, 1 painting had sold at auction: "Light Reading" which is a stack of books I had painted for the "stacks" challenge on DPW. I was disappointed that 1 other auction had it's bid retracted, but I chose to see that as someone was perhaps spending money they shouldn't be, rather than they changed their mind & didn't like the painting.

Since the 7th, 3 more paintings have sold through DPW! Needless to say, I am thrilled. These 3 sold as "pay it now" via a PayPal link on the paintings in my gallery, and not through the auctions. I still have some paintings up on auction, as I am still trying to figure out what sells. A good friend of mine has pointed out that my traditional landscapes do not sell, however, those paintings that are a bit unusual or different do. She is the owner of the "Rainbow Sun" painting that I had done, and is part of the CBS Sunday Morning Sun Library. (it hasn't been used on the Sunday morning show yet, but I keep watching with fingers crossed!)

To attest to her observation, the art that has sold has been variations of still lifes or real life situations. Those that sold are "Make a Wish" - which is a closeup of lit birthday candles. Also sold is "Little Red House" which is a red house with green trees & white side fence. This painting was done in my "shapes" style of painting, which lets the viewers eye do the blending. The third painting just sold is "Couple of Blondes" which is the city woman with her afghan dog, both the woman's hair & dog's fur is blowing in the breeze. These, combined with the "Light Reading" stack of books painting, are the artwork that has sold - and it does confirm what my friend had pointed out.

I have uploaded more paintings -- some of the landscape and floral paintings that I've done. I am now going through my various still life paintings, many of which are in the "shapes" style, to see what else I can upload. I am going to continue with DPW at this time, since it has proved to be a good avenue for selling my artwork - at least for now. Not sure how large, more expensive art would fare on the site - but for now, I'm happy to sell some of my smaller works (9x12). I'm glad that there are others who find my work enjoyable & like it enough to own it! It's a really good feeling!

On a separate note, but definitely worth mentioning, I had entered my painting called "Subway NYC" into the Summer StreetView Paintoff challenge/contest. I am so happy to say that it was 1 of 2 winners that the blog owner Kay Zahn announced! I am quite surprised & humbled, as the other artists work was very good & I never thought it would win. (I actually hoped to maybe get an honerable mention, so was speechless when I saw my name listed as one of the winners!) This painting is not for sale, at least not yet. I am awaiting to hear from Kay on any requirements needed in regards to her challenge.

Make a Wish

2011-08-17T00:04:00.007-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet -- ORIGINAL SOLD!
Prints available through Fine Art America

This is my painting & submission to this weeks DPW challenge -- Happy Birthday Carol! And the entire time I painted this, I sang the Beatles song "Birthday." Rather fitting! A fun little painting that just painted itself.

Rural Mail, Fairbanks, Alaska

2011-08-15T00:08:00.002-04:00

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet, without matt/frame

Available through DPW gallery/auction

To purchase/bid, click here.

This is my second submission for this months VPO in Fairbanks, Alaska. When I found this view in Google, I just knew I had to paint it. The original link is here.

I have a fascination with rural mail boxes and have decided to do a small series of them, starting with this one. I see countless mailboxes out at the road's edge when I travel to our lake home in NY state. And for some reason, I am drawn to them - I need to photograph them. And also, now, to paint them.

They represent to me, an ingenious solution to a simple problem. Fact is that rural living, unlike city or suburban living, does not have houses near the street edge. In fact, some houses are back so far on the property that they aren't even visible from the road. Only a car-wide path exists through the trees as it meanders back to the homestead. Homes in the country, or in rural settings, are further away from each other. Some folks can count their neighbors as being 1 or 2 miles away! Others are closer, but still separated by an acre or 2 (or 3). And so, for these reasons, rural mail delivery is to mail box - and not to the house itself. These mailboxes are usually grouped in certain areas with many different owners. This helps the mail delivery as the person need only go to one location to service multiple addresses. To travel to each home, each farm, each person would be so time consuming - that mail would become a weekly event rather than a daily (or every other day) event.

But I feel the need to paint these settings now, as I'm afraid they are representative of a lifestyle that is slowly waning. With the internet & web, the amount of paper that is mailed is reducing. After all, the option to receive electronic bills already does exist as does internet banking. No need to receive the bill in the mailbox - no need to write & mail the check out to pay it. People are more likely to send an email to someone rather than write a letter & mail it. E-cards for birthdays, anniversaries and any other event can be sent via the web, eliminating the mailing of a card to a mailbox. And every mail-order catalog that arrives in a mailbox is also available online. True, anything bought or ordered needs to be shipped, so packages will always need to exist - but I know some stores now offer the ability to shop online & designate a store where you will pick them up (saves on shipping charges I suppose).

Now I don't think that "mail" as we know it is going to disappear overnight. The Post Office is already seeing the volume subside and I believe it will continue to disappear - a little more each year or so. But I also think that when today's children, who have grown up with the internet & cell phones & email since almost day 1, when they become the adults & parents of the world - I think they will embrace the electronic "mail" more-so than today's adults & parents. And in doing so, paper "mail" will travel down the road to nostalgia. Much the same as the practice of going, in person, to the local grocery store to pay your utility bills did from my own parents youth. Evolution it's called.

Well, evolution took away the "egg-man", the "milk man", even the Good Humor man from my youth. Now it is taking aim on the mail-man and the rural mailbox! And so I paint them, because I need to capture them & record their scenes - because they are destined to become nostalgic.