No Name Monday With a Little Clue Attached

Wanna play a game? Who doesn't love games? I've been wanting to do a series of paintings of a particular place for quite some time and I thought..... why tell you right off the bat where that place is.... why not let you guess? So here is clue number 1. Periodically I will give another clue until someone can name the place I'm painting.  And speaking of naming.... This painting needs a name.  Today is No Name Monday.  Put on your thinking caps and see what ideas you may have for this painting's title. Post your ideas and my review committee ( my children) will select their favorite. It's a neat idea that a title you come up with will be forever attached to a piece of art.  Does anyone say neat anymore?  Oh well.... I confess.... I'm old school. Or I guess I'm just old. What title pops in your head while viewing this painting? I'll announce the chosen name on Tuesday.

Lily Pads and Freebie Friday

Tranquil Kisses 12x18 pastel available $185.00

A couple of weeks ago, I visited a friends house and happened to notice a poster on the wall of lily pads.  I was instantly put in the mood to paint some.  I found a great reference photo on pixaby - I fell in love with all the purples! I pulled out a piece of the new black UArt paper in a 12x18 from my recent delivery and went to work.

Initial Drawing 

There were so many colors in each lily pad, that I went pad by pad laying in the colors.

After the colors were laid in on the flower, it was at this point that I thought I was done, but after letting it sit for a while and looking it over, I felt like the flower had been forced into the painting. I decided to gently use my fingers to soften and blend the colors together to give a more hazy look.  I'm very happy with the end result. See the finished painting at the top of this post.

Today is Freebie Friday!  If this is your first time visiting my blog, I'll explain the rules of the game.
One Friday a month I post a painting for a give a way and all you have to do is comment "pick me" if you'd like to be put into the drawing.  Today's Freebie is of a sunflower that I completed last year. Winner will be announced tomorrow.

Painting the Day Away on a Different Canvas

I had a plan.... and high hopes for things to be accomplished yesterday.  One of which was to paint these adorable bird houses that I picked up at Michael's for $5 each with the hopes of installing them into my newly designed bird house garden.  Well painting took longer than expected and I still have 4 more to go! My back just couldn't take anymore, so I'll continue some more this afternoon.

Each had to be stained first, then painted and still needs some type of protective sealer.  The last thing I want is for them to get destroyed by the weather after 1 season.

I'll post the finished birdhouse garden after completion.  My hopes and dreams for my yard is to create an artists paradise filled with gardens and treasures to paint. At some point, I'd like to invite other artists to come and paint here, but I have a long way to go, and a lot of researching into garden designs. And yes...... I'm counting these painted birdhouses towards my 30 paintings in 30 days -

Next up on the easel......... I'm in the mood for lily pads.

Challenge in Green

Green Pastures 5.5 x 9 inches pastel Available $45.00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!  I decided to celebrate this holiday by doing an Irish landscape entirely in greens. Well...... almost, I decided to add a touch of rust at the very end.  I have some errands to run today, so I chose to work a little smaller.  I found this beautiful scene from an Irish farm on Pixaby and got to work.

A quick sketch

The greens used in this painting along with the rust color

I'll leave you today with my favorite Irish Ditty:


May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face, 
and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,
may God hold you in the hollow of His hand.


Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Craving Summer

In the Sand 9x12 pastel available $85.00

Oh what I wouldn't give to be transported into the is scene right about now!  I wanted to paint a scene while listening to my new Orlando Phillips reggae CD, and this scene was perfect.

I've been working more hours than usual at my "day" job so it took longer to complete this one.  It took 3 painting sessions ~ I thought I'd share the step by steps below.

I've been reusing paper from past paintings that just didn't work.  I just brush off the pastel with a hard bristled paint brush and begin again.  You can faintly see what's left of the old painting before beginning a new one. UArt paper should never be wasted! Recycle, recycle, recycle.

Experimenting with Copper Foil Paint

Sparrow's Song 9x12 pastel available $85.00

The wind is blowing so hard outside and I am craving the warmth of the sun and songs of the birds.

A couple of days ago, I tried foil paint in the underpainting step of a pastel painting and liked the results so much that I thought I'd try it once again.  

I've had beautiful sparrows visiting my bird feeders lately and thought they'd be the next subject for yet another experiment.  I was so anxious to try the foil paint again, that I forgot to take step by step photos.  I used copper foil paint to paint a large mass on the sparrow's wings and little spots along the tree branches.  I love the shimmer as light hits it at just the right angle.  Uh oh..... UPS just pulled up into the driveway..... you know what THAT means..... my order from Dakota Pastels has finally arrived!!!!! YES! New supplies to play with!  Check in with you tomorrow.  Have a glorious day!

Memories with Friends

Mele e Uva 9x9 Pastel available $65.00

I had the most amazing day yesterday.  It started with a lunch date with an artist friend of mine, Elaine and ended with dinner and music with friends from my husbands Fire Dept.

Elaine had chosen Panera Bread as our lunch destination - good food and great conversation. We then headed over to her house for a painting session in her amazing art studio.  I should have taken some pictures, but was to "into" what we were doing.  She set up a still life using things she's acquired over the years - lots of bottles, bowls, fabrics and fake foods.  She's got it all!  Then we got down to business.  I worked very fast setting in the objects and colors with the intention of finishing it later at my own easel, but when I got home I was pleased with how it turned out and decided to leave it just as it was.

The evening rounded out with some awesome reggae music, good food and lots of laughter at Twain's Tavern in Pasadena, Md. Make the trip to try this place out, but if you're middle aged like myself, I recommend leaving by 8:30 on the weekends because that's when the young and wild crowd start to trickle in.  Oh the sights we saw..... better left in my head - but we took our cue and headed home early.  The live music was Orlando Phillips - excellent! I ended up buying his CD and have played it over and over again.  There's something about reggae music that just frees you.  It's put me in the mood to paint a beach scene, so after I finish what I have on the easel today, I'm gonna pop in Orlando's music and transport myself mentally to the Bahamas and paint the beach.

Have an awesome day today - do something memorable!

Day 8 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Night Song 5x6 inches Pastel available

There is still a chill in the air, but as I take little walks outside, I see signs of spring just around the corner.  I see lilies starting to come up out of the ground,  the birds are singing and the buds on the trees are taking color.  This makes me happy! 

I received word that my Plein Air painting group (Plein Air Painters of the Chesapeake Bay) is getting ready to start back up in 2 weeks. Boy I hope it warms up a little bit more before we have to head outside in that weather of wind and rain, but I'm excited non the less. It is one of my new year goals to become a better plein air painter.  I'm going to take every opportunity I can to improve the whole plein air experience and become more comfortable painting out in the open and with all the distractions that comes with it. 

Wish me luck and if any of you locals have a desire to join our PAPCP group, just say the word and I'll forward your name to the leading ladies. 

Have a great day all!

Flowers for a Friend

Flowers For a Friend 9 1/2 x 13 1/2 pastel Sold

I have a funeral service to attend this weekend, and it has put me in the mind frame of thinking of memories of those who have drifted in and out of my life and the memories I hold dear of each of them.  So often we get caught up in our own little worlds that we don't make the time to keep in contact with the very important people in our lives.  The lady whos funeral I will be attending is a co-worker of mine from years past ~ Marsha, and I have many regrets to loosing contact with her. She will be missed and I will forever remember the laughter.  This painting is dedicated to her.


I keep these little words of wisdom on my fridge, and it's been hanging there a good six months, but just like loosing touch with others, I don't take the time to read it, and that was the point to hanging on the fridge in the first place, to read it daily. I want to share it with you.

To begin the painting, I chose an older painting that I could never get to look quite right, and I brushed off as much pastel as I could and then wiped it down with an alcohol wash.  If you look closely you can still see the old painting - it was a horse with a reflection in the water, but it was not coming out quite like I wanted so it was time to put that paper to another use.

I wanted to try something new and I had some bottles of liquid leaf laying around and wanted to see how they would work with the pastels, so after the quick sketch-in, I filled in the vase with the liquid leaf.

I began with putting in the background, then adding to the vase using the same colors.  It was then that I decided to stay as limited in colors as I could and do the entire painting with just a few color choices. The next set of pictures shows the stages until the completion.

Take some time this week to honor a friend ~ past or present, but ideally one that is present. Make some new memories and show them just how much they're loved.

Day 6 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Fleeting Moment pastel 5x7 available $26.75

Today's posting is going to be short and sweet.  I forgot to take progress photos, but this will be an addition to the butterfly notecard series.  I'm getting very excited to see my paintings professionally printed.

Fun fact on the Monarch Butterfly: did you know you can tell the difference between the male and female Monarchs by looking at their hind wings?  If you see a small round black dot on both the left and right hind wings, you are looking at a male.

I will be posting more Monarch Fun Facts throughout the summer because of my summer hobbies is to breed Monarchs and release them into the wild saving them from predators and trying to help get them off the endangered list. I will share my butterfly adventures and tips.  Who know's.... you might get hooked on butterflies as well and join me in their rescue.  Like I've said before.... I'm a nature girl!

No Name Monday- Memories of Camp Ecco

Here is another design for the upcoming wildflowers note card series.  This is just a small 5x7 painting, but I love how these colors came together. It will be available for purchase in my Etsy Store on Tuesday.  It's a picture of thistles ~ which makes me think of my childhood church camp, Camp Ecco located in Ohio.  I have fond memories hiking up the hills into the tall grasses that were filled with thistles.  I was fascinated by these little weeds. They were always filled with bees and butterflies. Such a beautiful sight. I can almost still smell the air at the top of the hills looking out over the rolling hills.  Oh how I miss that place!  I know, I know very nerdy, but I'm a nature girl what can I say?

Each Monday I try to post a painting that needs a name.  I like to have the viewers take a crack at painting names because quite honestly, coming up with a name is one of the hardest parts to the whole painting process.  So I like to take one day off a week at having to be too creative.  Call me lazy, that's ok.  Do you have an idea for this painting? Just post your idea and my committee (my children Zach and Mikaela) will choose the winning name which will then be forever attached to this piece.  I'll post the newly named painting on Tuesday.  I can't wait to hear all your ideas!

My Favorite Pastel Cleaning Supply

Bay Gold 9x11 pastel available $75.00

Pastels are a messy business.  I probably wash my hands at least 50 times for each painting, and with dirty hands comes dirty pastels. In the past I've tried paper towels and old rags, but my favorite pastel cleaning supply is a good ole roll of toilet paper.  It's cheap and it lasts a really long time.  Clean up is a breeze.  After each painting is completed, just rip off the used squares and your ready for the next one.  It's also more compact for when you need to pack supplies for plein air, art classes or just a traveling paint day.

Here is a yellow pastel.  Doesn't look like it from the picture - I know.  Yellows seem to get the dirtiest the fastest.  No sooner do I put a mark on the painting and I'm having to clean it for the next stroke.

One swipe and you can finally see the true color.  Toilet paper is no longer just for the bathroom.

What is your favorite pastel cleaning supply?

Saturday Photo Shoot and the Winner of Friday's Freebie

In The Mood 9x6 pastel available $45.00

I was so proud of all the weight I recently lost.... then Zach took my picture. I have a long way to go it looks like. 

In heavy concentration.  Actually, I had just finished, but he wanted an "action shot". 

All the "Pick Me" names 

Into the little crystal bowl they go

My sweet daughter got the honors today to pick from the bowl.

And the winner is.........

Mikaela blowing you a kiss 

Thanks to all for your love and support and don't forget that this month I will be having one more Friday Freebie so keep checking back.  

Friday Freebie

I recently began working on some themed paintings that I plan to turn into note cards and bookmarks. This is one of the designs for a flower themed note card set which I hope to have available by the end of the month along with bird and butterfly sets.  I'm researching printing companies and when I settle on the company that best fits what I'm trying to achieve, things should begin to take off. 

I didn't have a chance to post a freebie at all last month, so this month I'm going to have 2 freebie Fridays. Keep your eyes open because the Fridays chosen are going to be a surprise.  If you'd like to have your name in the drawing for this painting all you have to do is comment with "pick me" and I will announce the winner on Saturday. 

Wish me luck with this month's 30 paintings in 30 days - - it seems to get harder and harder to find the time to paint and post.  Or could it be I'm just getting lazier - 

Starting off the Month of March with Another 30 Paintings in 30 Days.....I Hope

September Sway 16x20 pastel available $264.00

I came across this photo and just fell in love with the colors in the grasses and the dramatic reflection and knew I just had to paint it.  I went out and bought a 16x20 pastelbord because I felt this one should be larger than what I normally paint. I started with a quick sketch with vine charcoal.

Using a nupastel in spruce blue, I filled in all the dark areas rubbed it into the board and applied it once more.

It was time to begin working on the sky still using nupastels and also some Rembrandts in various blues, pinks, violets and green.

I added two shades of orange working on both the sky and the water simultaneously. When a color was added to the sky, I immediately added it to the water.  I did some blending along the way to give a smoother look.

Next came the really fun part. The greens! I used 5 different shades of greens for the back trees and also the grasses. It's at this point that the painting starts to all come together.  

Time to bring out the crème de la crème or in other words, my Terry Ludwig and Sennlier pastels. The Terry Ludwigs are the perfect shape for pressing in grasses and the Sennliers are velvety smooth to add chunks of color.  It was at this point that I thought I was finished, but after walking by it a couple of times I felt it needed a bit more.  Can you spot the differences in the 2 paintings below?