My friend, Shalin, said that she was looking forward to seeing my new paintings that I finished today when she responded to me on Facebook status.  She is just the sweetest!  I informed her that I probably would post them some day.  She responded by reminding me that she had seen some of my paintings when she was over for a girls pajama movie night that I had hosted at my house a while back. Anyway, this post is going out to Shalin.  Thank you for inspiring me.

I finished this painting today, I started it last month.  I thought that I would paint something for my friend Kim for her Birthday.  The real reason is, because I was broke, but had this wonderful canvas and all of the paints.  I thought, why not?  I researched some photos and this is what I came up with… I hope she likes it.

I also painted this painting today.  I have a couple Bob Ross Books and DVD’s that I haven’t even looked at in my Painting Box, so I thought that I would pull out the first book and paint the first project. Well, I don’t have any of his “Floral Brushes”. but I did the best I could.  For some reason my paint doesn’t seem to just flow on the paper like I see in examples that I watch, so I feel like I have to work at it quite a bit.  This didn’t come out at all like the one in his book, but it still isn’t too bad I guess. At least not for my first time painting with his suggestions.

Flower 02/23/11

 

 

I started painting 4 years ago this month.  I haven’t painted a lot, not even one painting every month.  I don’t really like most of my paintings.  I was talking to my Husband about me & painting yesterday.  I was explaining to him that I think I am so hard on myself and my paintings, because I feel like they have to be perfect.  I feel like what I paint should look like the “real thing”.  I learned pretty quickly that I will NEVER paint that way.  I may see it one way, but I am going to unfortunately paint it another. What is in my head and what comes down my arm are just two completely different things.I just don’t have that “realistic” painting skill.  So, I have realized that I need to give myself a break.  Enjoy painting, enjoy how it makes me feel and if someone likes it give it away.  LOL!

I haven’t researched how to take a proper photograph of my paintings as of yet, but I will do that at some point.  When I take the picture there is usually quite a glare, so I try to do it with some light in the room and no flash.

Here is one that I finished a few weeks ago.  I had a completely different idea for this painting.  My Husband came outside while I was painting and commented on it while I was probably half way done.  When I got to this point of finishing what I wanted the base to pretty much look like (I would have messed with it more if it was up to me), I went inside to get Andrew. He then told me not to touch it.  He wants it just the way it is for his office.  I stopped at that point and gave it to him, of course. Unfortunately, this painting looks better in person.  Again, I see a ton of things that I would like to fix, but Andrew has forbidden me to touch it again.

Affirmations #1

 

 

This is a painting of a girl that I used to know, Katherine.  I have a tear-sheet photo of her in black and white.  She is beautiful, this painting not so much.  I was drinking wine this night and had it looking okay, until I started messing with it, which is what I am trying to learn NOT to do.  I need to just walk away from most of my paintings it seems.  Anyway, this “Katherine” project will be an ongoing one.

Katherine #1

 

 

I never did take a photo of my first painting.  I will have to drag it out of the closet and get a photo of it.  It is definitely a work in progress.  It is a painting of our waterfall in the back yard.  I did pretty good with it until I got to the water part of it and then I screwed it up.  I haven’t painted water since.

I seem to paint a lot of flowers.  I love them though and just can’t help myself.  I think it is good practice for me with learning to mix colors still and shading.  Hell, I am still trying to figure out how to use my damn paint.  To mix it with something, or to paint with it alone.  Today was the first time that I painted with it all by itself. I’m still kind of baffled by the whole thing.

Here are a few more that I have painted since I started.  It isn’t all of them, but it is a good idea of what I have been doing.  I wouldn’t say that I have a “style” yet, or even am very consistent.  I just go for what I am in the mood for that day. Believe it, or not, I am kind of embarrassed when someone asks to see what I have painted.  Like I told Shalin today, “I am my own worst critic.” She wasn’t the first person that I have told that to.  Anyway, I am trying to be a little bit more bold about it.  We all like something different right? My children are the cutest of all when it comes to my painting.  They think that their Mommy is a great painter.  I just laugh and tell them thank you with an amazingly huge hug.  I love them to death!

When my Husband and I were discussing what kind of easel I should get we found this one on-line at Utrecht .  It is a french easel. It completely folds down within itself.  It also has a drawer for all of my paints and other supplies.  It is very compact and then folds out for all my needs.  It is amazing!  I just bring along a couple of canvases and I am all set.

I love being able to take my easel with me as shown in this photo.  Being able to paint where ever I want is amazing and also inspiring.  In this photo I am camping with my family at Lo Lo Mai Springs here in Arizona.  It is our absolute favorite camping spot in Arizona.

This is one of my other very first paintings.  My Son, Alex, has it in his room.  I need to go over it in some areas, as you can see, but he loves it.  The Om is in purple and that is his favorite color.

I am so fortunate to have such a beautiful backyard to paint in.  I usually set up my easel in our Ramada.  I can spend hours out there listening to music and just painting.  If I am painting while my children are home I usually at least get one of them that wants me to set up their supplies, so that they can paint too.  I love that!  They are amazing and creative.  My youngest Son, Reed, was home sick today, so he came out and painted with me.  I was in deep concentration trying to figure out how to do this one part of the painting that I was working on, so my Husband set up for him.  His paper was tucked at the top under something while he was painting.  He was painting a yellow sun at the time.  When he shifted the painting he realized this.  The sun was in the middle of his page on the right instead of the top right corner.  He was not happy.  He proceeded to tell me how he was a terrible artist.  “I am just a terrible artist Mom!!!”  Whine, sigh.  I told him, “Well, if you are a terrible artist then so am I.  We will just be terrible together and try to do better next time.”  He said he loved me at that point and went inside.  It was 5-year-old speak for “I need to lay down and rest”.  He is the sweetest thing ever.

This painting is the first one that I have ever done without some kind of subject in front of me. Again the photos aren’t that great of it.  I ended up having my Husband bring this to me while on our trip to Capitola this past June.  I gave it to my Cousin Jennifer.  I don’t know if she ever hung it, or not, but I hope that she is enjoying it.

4 Tulips

 

 

4 Tulips

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This has to be my favorite painting.  I framed it and had it up in my bathroom (my downstairs bathroom has rich red walls and it just really looked nice).  My Bestie and her family just moved to Alabama a couple of months ago.  I wanted to give her something to remember me and something she could have in her new home as well.  I thought this would be perfect.  I cried like a baby when I gave this to her.  I miss her every day.  I hope this painting helps her remember me always.

River Front Rose

 

 

I was reading about painting clouds today.  My Husband has been asking me to paint him a stormy-cloudy-sunset of some type.  I have taken some photos of what he likes, but need to track them down on my system and then try to go for it.  Clouds and water seem like they could be a real challenge.  Probably not as bad as painting a human though… that just seems impossible for me.  🙂

xo