1/17/2020 Thu/Friday Apple

So, I started this one yesterday and then ran out of time to finish and post it... I do paint quickly but I'd only given myself a half an hour for this one, which turned out to not be enough!  SO here it is, for today!
I wasn't pleased with how the stem was coming out of the apple, but I think I've managed to make it appear more as I wanted it to...

Enjoy the apple!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$25 starting bid!

click here to join the auction~

1/15 Wednesday Yellow Apple

Well, whadaya know?  I've gone and painted the same apple for three days in a row now! Painting the same thing in different ways is a great way to really get to know an object.  The fun thing too is that you get the "right" colors rolling on your Sta-Wet Pallet and they are right there for you when you start the next one!  Keeps it a bit easier, in a way.  Though I did have to finally redo my current pallet and make up a fresh one.  I'd had it since August, so I suppose it was about time...

This one's another auction!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$20 starting bid!

 click HERE to join the auction action!

1/14 Tuesday Yellow Apple

Here is today's apple- same one as yesterday, slightly different view. We'll see if it lasts another day... there seems to be a bit of softening happening on the far side. I haven't tried painting one of these un-red or un-green apples before, and it's actually really fun painting those unusual colors, those soft changes to pink, or is it yellow?  Some version of green? Purple even?

We'll see what it looks like tomorrow...
This one's up for auction too!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$25 starting bid!

Click HERE to join the auction fun!

1/13 Monday Yellow Apple

So I've got an amazing group of people to play with in my studio on Saturday mornings, and we painted apples for our first paintings together. And I thought hey!  I should walk the walk too! I've been a bit crazy the past few weeks, and I want to get my act together again and commit to something... not that I'm going to do an apple a day or anything, but I'd like to get my rhythm rolling. Painting every day makes sense to me. My brain needs the exercise and I enjoy it, and it really gets easier the more I do it.  I'm also gearing up for March's "30 Cats in 30 Days" project and January is almost half over!
I like this apple.
I'm going to make it an auction because those are fun- starting at $20... and maybe I can even cover shipping....

6x6 acrylic on wood

$25 Starting BID!

join the auction fun HERE!

1/8 At The Dog Beach

This is another big one- fun to get those out!

Bingo was my puppy-est dog I had in my young adulthood, through my first marriage and divorce. He was also the first dog I took to training and I always felt we had a special bond because of that.  We went to the dog park on the Mississippi River a lot, the one past Minnehaha Falls- that's where this painting comes from. He was sniffling and snorting along the beach near some driftwood. The abstract quality of the strokes and the color combinations drew me in. I especially love that curl of his tail...

He was really great, and he is the black dog that taught me how to paint black dogs. He lived until Max was three, when he grew old kinda fast and all his systems started shutting down. But he was such a happy, shy, elegant, goofy dog!

48x72 acrylic on canvas

$3500

purchase info here~

1/5 Babe At The Holidays

I've been cleaning up the studio, pulling out some of my larger paintings to submit to Corporate Art Force's call for art for the convention center.  I've loved having some of my big Minnesota Mammal paintings there for the past 6 months, and I'm hoping some of the ones from "My AutobiDOGraphy" series (started in 2010) will be able to hang there too.  This is one that I've touched up a bit, of my crazy dog Babe that I got at the St Paul Animal Shelter in 1991 to accompany me on my first teaching job in Brown's Valley, MN. She was a Boston terrier/chiuahua mix, we think, and she looked like a Tasmanian devil/Fruit bat combo... brindled red and black fur, big eyes, jowls that were always dripping with dog food chunks.
She was great and terrible.
I loved her.
She pinned my cat Toby down and sucked on his head until he had a mohawk...

30x42 acrylic on wood

$2500

Happy New Year! 1/3/20

Wowzers!  I kinda fell into a hole there for a few days- kinda nice, actually... got a lot of reading done and some fun family time, and a few good healthy naps as well, before the whirlwind of school and teaching and painting all starts up again.  I hope you've had some good relaxing time with family as well!
Here's a commission I sent off for Christmas~ and tonight is a First Friday Painting Party if you happen to be in town!  Come on over to my studio between 6:30 and 8:30-ish and paint with me!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

12/23 Northern Light...

We're up in Grand Marais- came up for the Winter Solstice Pageant last night and we were of course sucked into the production and were Wild Krumpuses, coming in banging post and making noise to disrupt the show!

And this little painting is now at Yellow Bird Gallery up here! It's my favorite little northern island...

Happy Holidays!

6x12 acrylic on wood

$150

available at Yellow Bird Gallery!

12/19 Wood Shed, Cabin, Pump

This is an unusual commission, and took some finagling and arranging and thinking... and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out!
There are things we love that we want to remember, and that we may not necessarily want to keep. So a painting is another way to have that experience still.
Actually, I had two people this week tell me how much a pet portrait means to them, now that the pet has died and they still have the painting to remember them by.
I am so lucky to be able to do this for people-  thanks for letting me!

10x20 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

12/17 yes, another Commission!

Wahoo!
Lots of great annoyance today about struts that were replaced and then apparently need replacing again and finding a new mechanic and having to go back to the old one... maybe there will be more about this soon..
BUT all is good on the painting front!

Getting the last few finished up~

12/16 Class from Saturday!

I just thought I'd post a pic of all the wonderful people and their paintings from our class last Saturday morning!  it was a whirlwind of a weekend and quite honestly, I am happy that it is Monday and I can get back into my scheduled life at school...  I was WAY too busy this weekend, and this week is full of finishing up commissions and getting them off to their new owners and setting up vet appt for pups moving to Costa Rica and getting the car checked out before driving up north,... all those little things that make up a life!

Oh this is me down here in the red glasses!  I was trying to do a selfie...

12/15 Commission!

Here's another one!

And what a fantastic weekend we've had so far!  I do love the chance to sit and talk to people, and to meet new people.  We went to a Solstice party last night, brought Maxie along though there weren't really kids his age, teenager yes, but there was good food and a fire and venison and Max LOVED that!
You might not believe that I'm a bit of an introvert at times, though maybe you would believe that... I do a lot of things and I need some down time too, but I do sometimes need to make myself go out and see people too. I always feel better after interacting with other interesting humans!

Oh and we had an AWESOME Paint Your Pet class yesterday!  9 perfectly beautiful humans painted 9 glorious beloved beasties!  It was so great- I love people!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold!

12/12. Another Commission!

Here's a kitty I was working on last night- rather happy with those luminous green eyes...
Though now I think she needs more whiskers and fluff...

Hmmm~

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

12/11 Another Commission!

Wahoo!
I'm honestly never sure who is reading these, and I always hope I'm not blowing a surprise, but I think it's okay to post this one...
I loved the eager expression and those bright eyes!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

12/9 A Commission

Yup!  It's that time of year!  I really get to feed my need to paint every day at this time of year! Wahoo!
I'm working hard to catch up with all of them- and there's one more art event this Thursday the 12th at the Eagles Club (2507 E 25th St), from 4 to 10pm! It's the Art & Soul Holiday Event, and there's always lots of great funky stuff so come on out and GET it!

The Cabin

sold~

12/4 Home

Whew! It's getting busy!  Or I suppose I should say busier~ though I did allow myself a lovely nap on Sunday afternoon, under the Christmas tree by the fireplace while all the males of the household were outside flinging snow around. THAT was very nice...
This is another commission, and I don't think I'm spoiling anything by posting it~ I am planning on being at the Gifts in the Gallery opening reception tonight, and I have NEW Scrappy Product bags there!  I've got 3 dog bags (corgi, pug and black lab) and NEW this year are the Bear, Otter, Deer and Squirrel! I'll take some photos and send em out to you!  I'm loving the squirrels and I think I need to order a few more!
There's also still time for a few smaller commissions, if you get to me right away! Here's my Price List~ let me know right away if you're hoping for something!
Wahoo!

The House

8x10 acrylic on wood panel

spoken for!

12/1 Doe Eyed

Happy December! It's been a lovely Thanksgiving break and we've been getting things done around the house, like moving things and setting up the tree and shoveling and making snow forts and painting walls and pets~
And getting art shows set up and ready to roll!
DO please come see me next weekend at my studio for the Winter Frolic!  We'll be open from 10-5 on Saturday and noon-5 !
And this deer is at Gifts in the Gallery at Artistry if you think you want it!  Better come nab it!

6x12 acrylic on wood

$145

at Gifts in the Gallery!

11/29 Buck It!

I just have to say how thankful I am for people like you!  Well, actually, I'm thankful for YOU! Yay!  I'm just getting lots of commissions painted and catching up with things, and getting bins together for Gifts in the Gallery at Artistry (Opening Reception this Wed Dec 4th from 6 to 8!) and to drop off at Articulture too, and stuff for next weekend's Seward Winter Frolic!

And this little buck will be at Artistry for Gifts in the Gallery, if you'd like to nab him!  I'd dropping him off tomorrow, but if you want to nab him now, I'll hold him for you!

8x8 acrylic on wood

$130

click here to nab!

11/27 Bear it!

Happy THANKSGIVING!!! Don't let this guy eat all the turkey!

We managed to have a snow day today! And I'm getting work together to drop off at Artistry for the Gifts in the Gallery sale, Dec 4-18th, as well as for the Seward Winter Frolic, and the Art and Soul Event at the Eagles Club Dec 12th from 4-10. So come on out and snag some art~!
This bear will be somewhere...
Or you can buy it NOW!
Wahoo!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

click here to buy now!

11/26 the Barn

So this is really the last day of my HOMEvember project, and I want to thank all of you who sent me photos!  It keeps me on my toes to get great unusual places to paint.  And it is also a great shift of thinking to paint a landscape or building rather than an animal.  I know where to make the point of interest on an animal- the face or head, usually. With a landscape it can be a little trickier figuring out how to get the eye to move and be interested.
Wahoo!

8x10 acrylic on wood

$240

SOLD