So I had a really bad day painting today.  I was trying to paint a plate of orange slices.  My colors were muddy, my brush strokes indecisive. And what tipped me off, my medium was gummy. Time for new equipment. I got a new medium jar, a new brush bath, and a new can of solvent, I was almost. out. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to try it again - but tomorrow is another day.

From the Further  Adventures of Frozen Charlotte

both are 6 x 6 on masonite

Where will she go from here?

I've been painting in a certain way for quite awhile. My little mannerist paintings are nice, but even as I type the words "little" and "nice" they feel a bit precious. You know, precious in the bad way.  It's feeling a bit confining and while I don't want to throw away what I've learned doing them, I'm looking for a way to expand.

Maybe like this. This is something that I've off to the side for many months. It's about 3 x 5 feet not inches.  Every once in awhile I add something. I'm guessing that at this point it's about half way done. 

It's the oversized cousin of something I did earlier this year, that I called "yellow glass" they were about 18 x 24".  

The scale here is deceptive. But which is more interesting? 

This is one of the apples at the coffee shop now. I pulled this one down and scanned it because someone's is buying it. Yay! 

I like to scan and post everything I paint. But I've been lax lately and missed some.  Those missed pieces are hanging at Kaldi's coffee on the plaza this month. I must say they look pretty good on the white walls. Kaldi's has great coffee too.

A series of Frozen Charlotte dolls.  I've seen these dolls used in jewelry and tableaus. Always a little weird. I've put my Charlotte in a bowl, maybe like sleeping beauty.

Apples Again

6 x 6"

oil on board

My favorite subject, again. :) This time in a hobnailed glass bowl.

Phlox

6 x 6" 

oil on board

A lovely stand of phlox grow in the flowerbed in front of my house - a gift of sorts from the previous owner.  Seemingly fragile, they never give up.  

Aerial view

8 x 8"

oil on board

Two Green, One Blue

8 x 8"

oil on board

Same subject as yesterday, cooler colors.

Three Yellow Apples

6 x 6"

oil on board

These colors came out a little different.  Kind of antique/vintage looking. Hmm. maybe OK.

Bowl and Vase

6 x 6"

Oil on board

Apple Portrait

6 x 6"

oil on board

One Green Apple

6 x 6"

oil on board

More experiments in color. 

Little Green Apples

6 x 6" 

oil on board

I'm experimenting with a lighter brighter palette.  I find if I leave out the Burnt Umber all the colors are clearer and brighter.  Wow, so logical!

6 x 6"

oil on board

Though I could transfer my transparency learning to a new subject. Success?  No?

Green Bowl

6 x 6"

oil on board

I love this green bowl.  It's teaching me how to handle light and transparency.  I think I'll keep using it.

Green Bowl and Apples

6 x 6"

Oil on masonite

Green Bowl and Apples

8 x 8"

oil on masonite

Apples and Green Bowl 3

8 x 8"

oil on masonite

SOLD

Apples with Green Bowl 2

8 x 8" 

oil on masonite

Apples and Green Bowl 1

8 x 8"

oil on masonite

Apples, again. :) This time I limited the palette to green and blue. Cool, right?

 Robot toy 2

6 x 6" 

oil on board

Another version of robot boy.

Robot toy

6 x 6

oll on masonite

I'm going to be showing me work in a booth at the Makers Faire in KC next week-end. So I did a couple of robots, thinking they seem to fit the audience. maybe someone could even recognize this particular toy. 

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

pitcher

Glass is such an appealing subject. Cool to look at, hard to do.  I almost scrubbed this out, but I guess it has a certain "fauvist" charm.  Afterwards, that I did a set of studies, 4 on a 6 x 6 board.  The progress is left to right top to bottom. I think you can see how much can be learned in a short time.

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

another version of yesterdays ducks.

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

Friendly rubber duckies on a pretty pink background.  Now that's more like it.

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

Two duckies on a prettier green background.

8 x 8"

oil on masonite

I did a few rubber duck images a year or so ago.  So I'm revisiting the idea. I like the way the duck is broken by the water line.  Not crazy about the green background,.

Girl in Sunshine

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

NFS

Another new subject for me - a portrait. I did this from a photo of a friend's daughter.  Her completion came out a little like my Frozen Charlotte Doll.

Queen Anne's Lace

6 x 6

oil on masonite

This is a change of pace, quickly painted out of my head. Is it really Queen Anne's Lace?  In red? I was thinking about QA's L at the time but the colors and shapes just did their own thing.  I had fun with it!

Apples

8 x 8"

oil on masonite

SOLD

Oooo! really big one.  8 x 8" Going big time. :)

Apples

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

After practicing apples for a few days, they are starting to look better.  Liking  this one.

Apples

6 x6"

oil on masonite
SOLD

Three Apples

oil on masonite

6x6"

SOLD

More apples.

Four Apples

oil on masonite

6 x 6 

SOLD

I've reverted to apples. They are red, they are round, they never fail to make a lovely picture.  

Frozen Charlotte is a little ceramic victorian doll that told the story of careless, disobedient Charlotte, who despite her mother' pleading, refused to wear her coat to a fancy party. As her mother predicted, a snowstorm came and Charlotte froze to death. 

Charming story, isn't it? :) 

I've seen lots of these dolls on  Pinterest lately and somehow they piqued my interest. So here are a few paintings.

This one is an exercise board.  If I'm having trouble with a subject, because it's too complicated, or I'm making it too complicated, I do tiny images.  All the detail has to be eliminated and the fundamentals are revealed. 

6x6" oil on tinted masonite.

Three Glass things

oil on masonite

6 x 6"

One Clear Glass Bottle

oil on masonite

6 x 6"

This antique bottle I found buried in my garden.  I love the way the uneven glass distorts the line behind it.

18 x 24

oil on panel

Yellow Glass Necklace

12 x12"

oil on panel

#167 

Yellow Glass Gems

12 x 12"

Oil on panel

#166

Yellow Glass Gems