Pussywillows

Today was the day to put together a collage of all the 30 day paintings using pic monkey. I discovered I could not do that from my iPad. Still waiting on my hand-me-down computer from my husband. Until then no collage for me. I did want to part a painting. This is a still life I painted from a photo my my sister, Carmela. This vase sits on her dinning room table. 

In the Field

Was hoping for a really big finish maybe even something funny like the rear view of cows titled The End. But it didn't happen. I do have this nice little oil of net wrapped hay bales. I am posting from Starbucks as I begin my new life of leisure. Please follow me at dailypaintworks.com or here at my blog. Make comments it will help me, they don't even have to be nice, kind maybe though. 

During these 30 days I have shipped paintings to Ct., Washington, Buhler, Hutchinson, and McPherson. Well the last 3 areas were delivered, or soon to be. Thank you everyone.

The Old Gent

Sent this commission off to its new owner today. This is a 62 Scout that was used as a farm vehicle and now being restored. 

Distant Light 6x6" oil

Working on painting sky's. Still love that far off look across the plains of Kansas. Only one more painting and the 30 day challenge will end. I am learning what brushes and pallet knives work on these smaller gesso boards. 

Land Lines

Finally got some 8x10 gesso boards and wanted to try a pallet knife painting. The photo reference was shot out of the moving car. i liked the pattern of the tilled fields.

Sunset Over the Plains Sold

Trying to capture all those colors that happen as the sun sets. This is an oil on gesso board 6x6 ". Once again The lighting gives me fits so will reshoot in different lighting. Tomorrow is a busy day may not post till later in the day but I am still painting away. 

Winter Sunset

The skies have been amazing this winter. We get some amazing prairie sunsets in Kansas. This is an oil on gesso board 6x6 inch. 

Prairie Chicken Portrait

I had never noticed how the prairie chickens feathers look like the Native American headdresses. They have a collar of feathers and then long feathers off there head. These bird inhabit the grasslands of Kansas but are shrinking in numbers.  

Rugged Terrain

We stopped on a camping trip to eat lunch and I took several pictures of the red earth landscape. The sage and broom weed were covering the landscape. This little knoll was off in the distant. I panted with my pallet knife in oil on an 8x10" also note panel. Colors are not accurate in this photo so will reshoot in better light tomorrow. 

Below is the accurate colors, kept both because it shows what low light does to the photo.

My IPad holder

Wanted to show my new IPad holder. I read that a workshop teacher used these so I went on line and found one. It is great for holding my iPad with my photo reference. Does not prevent paint from getting on my iPad but love that I can adjust the view. Well worth the $30. I also listen to music on it while I paint. Folk Alley on Tune In Radio is a favorite.

The Cat

There is a challenge on Daily Paint Works to paint this cat . So thought I would kill double up my efforts. We are dog people and I think this cat has pug like qualities. The eye was the hardest part, he had many transplants before this last attempt. 

Day 21 Curious Cow

A pallet knife painting of a calf on a 5x7 inch canvas board. When in doubt slap on some paint with the pallet knife. It adds texture and keeps colors from getting muddy. Another benefit is you don't have to clean brushes. 

Painting at the Hutchinson Art Center

The Scout

My Paintings at the Hutchinson Art Center

My Paintings at Allies Deli in Hutchinson for the month of January

My paintings that are at the VAMM Gallery in McPherson, Ks

Flamingo in Orange -- Sold

A very unusual bird when you study it's head and eye. There color comes from what they eat and can range from pink to orange. It is a very old species and live in large social groups. huge beak for staining out there food.

Train Headed West

Day 18

Saturdays painting is from a photo I took out the car window as I traveled across the Fourth Street Bridge. Moving train was a blur so that's how I painted it. The creek had some snow and ice in it so made for some nice colors. All brush work today on a 6x6 inch gesso boards panel.

Evening Flight

Day 17 and the end is in sight. I have tried every possible sight in door and out and think we may have found some photo solutions. Self timer for one, I am not steady even with a tripod. I push the shutter to hard and wobble the camera. More indirect light helps the color accuracy too. Also am seeing small flecks in my paint when photographed and think it is the viva towels that I use to wipe my brushes. These can be brushed off when dry but think I will switch back to rags. 

This is a photo I took along the interstate like that little bit of water out in the winter field and a couple of geese leaving for evening. 

Cappuccino Anyone

There is a great little family run French Resturant called La Galette in Wichita, Ks. We stopped for a cappuccino and lunch. I took a photo of the coffee and used it for today's painting. Still working on lighting and photograph quality.  

We Have A Streaker for sale and Coyote (SOLD)

These Roadrunners are strange birds. They look like they have a beehive hair do and a very unusual eye. they love to put there head down and run, do you remember the 70's and the popular streaking. This bird was a reminder of those days only with freathers. Of course if you have a roadrunner you need a coyote so it's time to post my painting of this elusive predator along with my roadrunner. 

After Harvest

Today I painted a scene that I used for a larger painting? It is a Kansas farm with a stubble field left after cutting the wheat. I used my pallet knife on a toned canvas. I worked at the McPherson Art Gallery today and have four larger painting there along with a  nice show of McPherson College Art Students. 

Plain and Simple SOLD

Sometimes things come easy, this 6x6 seemed to just happen.  It almost painted itself. I used a brush on the sky them switched to my pallet knife for the plains.  Kansas has some big open spaces and you feel like you can see forever. This is a 6x6 inch oil on gesso board. 

A Pair For You

I almost forgot these pears. I put them in my studio, which is just a corner in the basement, to paint and forgot about them. These Bosque Pears are beyond eating, but not beyond painting. Enjoy but don't enjoy, they are mush. 

Crane Portrait SOLD

Saturday and still painting. Painters don't get weekends off especially when they sign up for a challenge. Not sure if my demeanor is coming thru these birds but another bird with an attitude. This is a sandhill crane close up. Oil on a toned gesso board size is 6x6 inches not feet. Infact I am about to tackle a 24x36 inch canvas and it will be the largest ever for me. 

Terraces with Snow

This is a 6x6 inch oil on gesso board. I have changed it slightly so am reporting it today.

Sunset Over The Prairie Sold

This is a revised post and photo. I ran out of time to photograph the fished painting. I use my living room as a photo studio since it has natural light. I am shooting in raw format on my camera which I hope is right. I just needed to knock down some of the pallet knife marks and refine some areas so I reshot the painting this morning. It is really hard to shoot these painting wet with all the texture they look fuzzy. Will keep trying.

Day 10 The Bosque Sold

These small gesso boards are a challenge when it come to landscapes. I just got use to painting larger and now I am trying to do these smaller daily paintings. Keeps me flexible. This was a photo reference from our trip to Albequerque, NM in November. We hiked in the bosque along the Rio Grande and found this wetland area by the visitors center. 

Wren

It's a cloudy day in Kansas, and cold. I haven't seen the wrens in the yard lately so they may have headed south. Wish I could go with them. I am trying different types of brush strokes on the gesso boards. They are slick and I need to find the right brushes so they apply paint and don't remove it as I paint. It's the challenge that makes me love oils and yet not like then at the same time. 

Fill Er Up SOLD

Day 7 of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 challenge, I have gone from birds to landscapes and now mixed drinks. This challenge could lead me down the wrong path. My new panels have arrived from Jerry's Artarama. Now I know why oil painters love amersand gesso panels. They are smooth and the paint just flows across them. Had fun painting this plastic margarita glass just wish there was something in it besides one lonely lime. This is a 6 x6 inch panel. Not sure if that is a regular frame size but many painter use this size, a small easel would also work for displaying them. 

The Boss

I am trying to simplify so today I painted a rooster and left the canvas behind it alone. Like the effect and hope others do too. This felt less rushed and I didn't fuss over details. 

I Love Grosbeaks

Day 4 

I need to throw another bird into the mix. We decided to take off for Wichita to shop and of course my list included art supplies.  I made a stop at Bluebird Art Supplies hoping to find smaller panels since mine haven't arrived by mail yet. I am glad I painted ahead a day and have this Grosbeak ready to go. We use to have these birds come to our yard when we lived in South Dakota. They love seeds and would eat the pine seed on our tree. The rose patch on it's chest almost looks like a heart shape, hence  the title. 

Just Passing Thru

This is the painting I submitted for the Crane Festival in Great Bend Kansas. It was juried in so I was pleased to be include with some fantastic artists. 

Cottonwoods in Winter

Day 3

I decided to experiment with various colors of grounds. This involves putting down a base color on the Masonite that already has 3 coats of gesso. I am using an acrylic paint and then letting it dry before beginning the painting. Yesterday I used black. I actually like some of the paintings I see with a black gesso but it was my first. Today I used a bright blue which you will see peeking thru in small areas.  I took the photo reference yesterday along with the "All In A Row". Tomorrow I will try pink.

Fall Field

This piece sold at the Hutchinson Art Center thought I would post it. It is a 12x24 which is a nice size over a fireplace or sofa. I used both pallet knife and brush on a toned canvas. On my small daily paintings I am experimenting with colors for toning the background. 

All In A Row

Day 2 of 30 in 30 Paintings

I know I said I would paint birds but after a very frustrating first day with a small panel I needed to rethink. I like landscapes, I usually paint landscapes so why am I painting small birds. So I headed outside with my camera in hopes of finding geese in a field but they were not where I wanted them. But I did find cattle all in row and like the way the light came thru there legs. So with my pallet knife I tried to capture today, snowy field with cattle waiting for feed in a near by field. Welcome to Kansas.