gate and hollyhocks

So far so good. This is day 3 of the 30 day challenge in which I am participating. . I am trying to paint 30 paintings in 30 days and post the photos on Leslie Byrd Saeta's blog. There are now 1001 artists who have accepted this 30 day challenge. I know it is going to be difficult but I know it will also be a growing time for me. Beside the skill I may acquire it should also be a time of disciplining. I will be painting small canvases and thinking of subjects to paint quickly This painting is a smaller version of an original I painted back in the 80's. The original was 18" x 24" and this one is 8" x 8" and has been painted in acrylics.

white iris 3

This is day 2 of the 30 day chalenge. I painted this iris growing in a different direcion. It is 8" X 8" acrylic on canvas. I am painting in acrylic as it dries faster and I can rework the paint more than in oils. For years I have painted in oils so I am enjoying this new experience.

White Iris 2

I neglected to post this yesterday. This is day 1 of a 30 day challenge created by an artist Leslie Saeta. This is a small paiting of Acrylic on canvas, size 8" X 8". The challenge is to paint a painting a day for 30 days. This will be tough to do as there are a lot of  distractions, family and home to care for. But I am going to try as it should improve my skills and be fun fingind subjects to paint.

Sun flowers in a Blue Vase

Today I received the note cards I ordered of this painting. Color Simulation Services is the company I use. These guys do a beautiful job. Email is a great way to communicate with friends and family but I like to on special occasions  send a pretty note card with my message.

magnolias

Look what I found in our attic, It is an old painting and it is covered with dirt and grime in the fabric.The
 left side of the painting is dark And the leaves are not as colorful as they should be.  Now I have to figure out how to clean it. I painted about 8 paintings of magnolias when I lived in Louisiana as magnolias  are the state flower. It seems I just have to think magnolias and I can smell their lovely scent.

Hollyhocks and gate

Love the Santa Fe adobe buildings and the wonderful interesting gates. Here I added hollyhocks, a familiar flower seen around the area.

Taos Church

Once again I am posting a painting I did of a  New Mexico scene. Georgia  O'Keefe painted the back of this Church and I don't think I or anyone else could paint it better, i love her painting of this Church from the back. So I decided to paint it from the entrance or front. It is oil on canvas size 24 X 18"

blue bonnets in clay pot

Blue bonnets are the state flower of Texas. Paintings of blue bonnets are usually of fields of the flower. It is an amzing sight to see. I chose to plant some in a clay pot and paint a still life of the subject.

Storm over Santa Fe

This is a memory picture of our visit to Santa Fe. We returned  to our hotel after  an  afternoon of site seeing.When I left the car the wind was blowing so strong I wondered if I could stand against it.The rain was coming down so hard I was getting drenched.As  I arrived at the door  I pulled on the door and it would not open. A man came along and he was pulling at the door. Then my husband came after parking the car and all three of us could not get in and we were getting soaked by the rain. The people inside the building came to the door and tried to help. Eventually the door opened and we were in safely, but drenched with rain water. I love Santa Fe. It is one of my very favorite cities along with Taos, New Mexico. The architecture, mountains, landscapes  and culture,  so  beautiful.  

girl with sunflowers

Girl with Sunflowers oil and acrylic on canvas size 10" x 8"

Holly Hocks and pueblo home in Taos, New Mexico

I love the area around Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico. This is a recent painting I painted of my favorite scenes. Hopefully I will soon  be doing more.

yellow flowers

Wow I was able to paint today after not being able to focus on my art for a few months. There were a lot of distractions and no matter how much I prepared myself for painting my attempts did not please me. So I decided to start by doing simple small paintings and happily I completed this one today. I explained my problem to my writer husband  and he was very understanding. It is so good to have a friend and my husband is my best friend, who is so supportive.. He allowed me to speak about my problem and helped me understand that it is normal to react this way. Anyway I intend to get back on  track and produce at least 2 small ones  a week until I can move on to larger ones again.

Rusty's 4th of July Celebration

Have you met my muse Rusty? Rusty was a real kitty who influenced my art work as I observed his anti=social and ill=tempered behavior. He has been known to hiss, growl and swipe  a paw at strangers  He will appear on my blog  often, especially on holidays and at festivals. . He has inspired several paintings and note cards.In this painting Rusty the cat celebrates his independent behavior, knowing he is among the "We the People" who explode with patriotism at the very sight of the Stars and Stripes. .Happy Independence Day, the 4th of July.

they are blooming

they are blooming
I love the roses that bloom in my garden. These were painted outdoors when they were blooming profusely.

Cynthia's shoes

I called this Cynthia's shoes because I did a series of my daughters shoes. I went into her closet and selected a few shoes to take home to paint. These shoes had a cluster of stones attached over the toe section. I had been collecting fake diamonds from greeting cards, old necklaces to recycle on a painting. I knew I could fit them in somewhere and when I saw these shoes I knew exactly where the stones would fit. Cynthia  has a lot of fun shoes and although I painted 5 of them I may have to go into her closet again and see what's new..

sketching in the mall

Sometimes I like to take my sketch book with me and sketch people in restaurants, parks, etc. I am a little uncomfortable doing this as people will come up to me to see what I am doing. I don't exactly like to sketch them in detail but it is mostly their  activity that I am sketching.  Once on the plaza in Taos, New Mexico I saw an older couple seated on a bench and they were eating ice cream. Behind them  was a statute and I thought this would be an interesting sketch. Well no matter how I tried to hide my sketchbook they suspected what I was doing.I thought they would think I was writing a letter.  The lady came over and asked to see the sketch. I did show it to her although I had hoped she would understand I was not trying to draw them in detail. She seemed to appreciate my effort. The sketch above was in the mall.I just roam around the mall looking for something that would interest me.  I loved this  store window and the figures standing in it. I loved their trendy clothes. I did several other sketches of figures and their clothing thinking this might be a great painting with maybe a young woman standing outside the store looking in the window.

Leddy's Boot Store in Stockyards

My muse is giving me trouble. I haven't seen my muse around for a month or so so that is why I have not been posting. my art work. I never have trouble finding a subject to paint. In facet there are 4 paintings I have started and can't seem to finish. We have had some illness in our family and my concentration has been with the children. So all is settled down now but it will take a while for me to direct my thoughts on my art work. I tried to work today but nothing came out to my satisfaction. I suppose these things happen. Well I have been thinking about my blog and thought I would just post something from the past. This is a scene from the days I painted in a studio in the historic stockyards, Ft. Worth Texas. This was about 10 years ago.So keep on looking for my new art work and one of these day I may surprise you with a new painting.

playing the flute

I am currently working on this painting. I have not seen this subject. It  is from my imagination. At this time I seem to be interested in painting young girls in various activities,As the mother of two daughters I suppose they are my inspiration.  This work is being done in oil and acrylics with heavy texture. I did not plan the painting in advance. I just add and subtract  until I see something that pleases me.

cactus and wrens

The cactus plants will soon bloom here in Texas. I painted this a few years ago. The bloosomes are lovely and fragile, almost transparent looking. There are cactus plants in a park nearby and when I see the blooms I will be out there sketching them again. I included 2 wrens because they are always coming to the patio outside my studio door. I like to watch them go in and out of my ferns and hanging  baskets looking for insects.

Madonna and child

The bottom painting is one I reworked. over the top painting. The top painting was probably completed in the 80's and is rather dark. She is an artist mother with her books and brushes carrying her art bag over her shoulder. Layering more paint on top of her I changed the painting into a lighter painting and made it a little more whimsical with animals and birds. It was  just a fun thing I enjoyed doing.