Melt

Is it wrong to say how much one loves their own painting?  I can not tell you how much I love this painting and all the new possibilities I'm thinking about right now!

I've posted in progress shots on MY NEW BLOG AND WEBSITE.  I'm considering eliminating my original website for this new one, I like that I have almost complete flexibility with design aspects.  I'm not a trained graphic designer, so feedback would be welcome :)  

This painting is 10x10, if you are interested please email for info. 

Dandelion

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Passion for Painting

Thank you to Sara Winters, who tagged me for the Passion for Painting award.  I am honored!  Sara's paintings are flooded with light and clear color, and her execution of reflected water with unblended brushwork seems fresh and new.  Take the time to enlarge her paintings to see the abstract quality to work. 

Here is how it goes, name 7 things I love, and 7 other artists whose blogs I follow.

Seven things I love:

1. God

2. My husband, Clay

3. Family

4. Friends

5. Paint

6. Sunshine, fresh air, 80 degree flip-flop wearing day.

7. Snow, 25 degree boots/scarf/hat wearing day.

I follow many many blogs, which makes this difficult.  I decided to name blogs that contain discussion, advice, observations, and information, that help us grow as artists.  From step by step PhotoShop advice, to gallery solicitation advice, to serious discussions about being an artist.  Hope you enjoy.

1. Alia El-Bermani

2. Larry Groff

3. Edgar

4. Edward Winkleman

5.  R. Garriott

6. Christine Mercer-Vernon

7. Neoteric Art

Chocolate Dip

I've been trying for two days to upload my finished painting "Dandelion" and for some reason the painting's colors are very washed out compared to the actual jpeg. Has anyone else experienced this problem? I noticed this with my last post, but since the painting was in process, instead of completed, I didn't worry much about it. I am using a Mac with iPhoto to crop the image and making zero adjustments to color. The jpeg is vibrant, but when I load it into blogger, it loses a lot of color??? If anyone knows what I might be doing wrong, please let me know. The painting above posted very close to the original jpeg, I can't figure it out???

While I was trying to figure it all out, I luckily decided to paint this monochromatic painting. I talk a lot about color, but not much about value, which is a key component in inspiring my paintings. I have always loved monochrome paintings and value studies, and don't know why I don't do them more often. They seem quiet and still to me. The actual bow is red, but I used Burnt Umber, Payne's Grey, and white, to show the form using only value.

Besides the actual meaning I find behind these bows and presents, they offer a kaleidoscope of color and strong value shifts within one single object, and I seem to never tire of their possibilities.

Painting in Progress

Form or Color?  Which is more important - this is the question that's always in my head.  I love both.  I LOVE form.  I love seeing the volume and weight of an object in a painting.  But color ..... ah .... how I ADORE color.  Color feels alive to me.   

One part seeing, one part feeling, hard to choose.  Both are magic.