Kitchen Apples

A little 8x8, Oil I did just for fun. Did this one really quick with lots of thick paint. I think I will frame it and hang it my kitchen. I have quite a collection of kitchen/cooking type of paintings hanging already. It's fun! Have been busy with holiday, family functions and traveling lately...so have not had alot of time to paint. Really miss it when I can't at least sit in front of my easel for a little bit each day! Hope all is well with everyone. Relax and enjoy the Holidays.

Psalm 116:1-2
"I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!"

Fall Tree

An 11x14 Oil I finished last night. This is one our Painting Buddies weekly challenges.  We are on a Fall Theme run on our challenges.  Love this time of year. I thought this reference photo was interesting with the perspective of looking up at this beautiful tree through the leaves and branches and seeing the clear fall blue sky peaking down at you. What a wonderful way to spend some time to relax and reflect on the good things of life. Thank you for looking.

Psalm 100:4-5
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation."

Pumpkin Patch

An 8x8 Oil I have done for our Painting Buddies Challenge this week. Just can't resist these fall, seasonal compositions! I seem to always do at least one pumpkin painting each year. Loving this nice cool, crisp weather these days. Hope all is well with everyone. I am keeping all of America as a nation in my prayers after all the "hub-bub" of the presidential election. I try to keep in mind these days... "No worries, it's in God's hands". Thank you for looking.

Romans 12:12
"Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying."

Lake Leatherwood, Eureka Springs

A little 5x7 I started on vacation... outdoors, sitting at the end of a long boat dock on Lake Leatherwood near Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Of course.. I just had to get the best vantage point to look back on the shore of the lake! Had excellent light..but it was cold and windy! Used my small portable easel/paint box. It fits on my lap. Kent was with me and was a trooper. Carried my one supply bag out to the end of the dock and then huddled in his jacket against the cold while I painted. Ok...I lasted only 45 minutes. But that was enough to get this small canvas mostly done. Then we hurried off that dock and back to sit in front of a nice fire in our lakeside cottage. That was heaven! Thank you for looking.

James 1:19
"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."

Three Distinguished Trees

An 11x14 Oil I started while on vacation last week at Beaver Lake near Eureka Springs Arkansas. I worked on the finishing touches last night here at home. This is the view from our deck at the cabin we stayed. Beautiful. These three trees just lept out and said "paint me!" I edited out some things to allow these three ladies to be the focal point. Love the texture of the bark, the color of the leaves and the twisting shape of the one on the right. Such personality! Thank you for looking.

Psalm 90:17
"Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands. O prosper the work of our hands."

Autumn Leaf

An 8x8 Oil of a single autumn leaf. Love the simplicity of this one. This piece is actually a "painting challenge" I did with three of my Painting Buddies. We meet each week and paint together. Decided to challenge each other weekly with an idea, a specific composition or something in nature to paint. Then we share what we did and talk about art and technique. What could be more fun!

John 14:1
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me."

Crown of Thorns 8

A 24x24 canvas of my Crown of Thorns composition. Working on the larger canvas was interesting. Had to stop and "consider things often"! Used the blues/purple/yellow color combination with this one. I have another 24x24 canvas. Will do a second one of this same size and composition just for fun!

Colossians 3:13
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Out of Africa

An 8x10 I finished this past week but was away from my computer to post until now as a second entry for Daily Paintworks' Sky Challenge. When I was young, my family lived in Africa for 2 years. This painting depicts a large Acacia Tree found in the plains of Africa. We called them "Table Top Trees" due to their flat tops! I loved the dramatic sky in the photo and decided to try the sky challenge again. I like the way the seemingly delicate branches look against the sky. Thank you for looking!

Colossians 4:5-6
"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

Oklahoma Sky

An 11x14, Oil I did for the Daily Paintworks Sky Challenge.  Nice and loose. Wanted to achieve a little bit of a rickety, old feeling with the silhouette  windmill. There is a road out by a little town named Piedmont here in Oklahoma that the community has collected and placed old windmills. Fun idea. Got some photos this year. One of the things that I love about Oklahoma are the big sky sunsets and and sunrises. Just beautiful. Hope all is well with everyone! Thank you for looking.

James 3:13"If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom."

First Crown of Thorns Revised

Decided to revise this first Crown of  Thorns 12x12 a little. Back when I was developing this concept I came up with a slightly different composition that I liked better. More detail too. Wanted to show you the results. You can go back and see how different it is from the first. I also noticed the the noses on each piece were getting bigger and bigger! So I have gone back and did a little revision on some of the "noses"!

Philippians 4:4-5
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near."

Crown of Thorns 7

My latest in the Crown of Thorns series. Is another 12x12, Oil. I decided to do another practice run with the blues, purple and yellow color combination before I tackle the big 24x24 canvas. I think I am procrastinating! I will get a grip on it and just do it! The 24x24 is actually on my easel now and I might sketch it out tonight. Who knows. It was so interesting how this painting, (even though I used the same colors) came out differently. I found that it was best to not look at the first painting with these colors. I felt the my spontaneity dissolved if I did that. Best to just let the creative juices go and paint what feels best in the moment! Have a great weekend. Thank you for looking.

Isaiah 41:10
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Still Life Revised

Decided to revise this Still Life. Made the left edge of the tomato on the right a little more distinct. Think I am satisfied with it now! Whew! On to other things! Have a great weekend. Loving this cooler Fall weather. Thanks for looking.

Psalm 105:4-5
"Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given."

Simply Delicious

An 8x10, Oil I finished today. Those wonderful vine ripened tomatoes! Change in pace for me. Wanted to do a Still Life. This is a  "Paint and Draw Together" challenge from back in January of this year. Just now got to it! I loved the challenge of the fading/soft edges on the right side of the arrangement and the harder edges on the left side. I also have never worked with such a dark background either. Used the red and darker blue to come up with this dark black color. Fun one to do. Thank you for looking!

Psalm 84:11
"For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right."

Crown of Thorns 6

12x12. Oil. The sixth in my Crown of Thorns, Jesus Paintings. I used the three analogous colors Phtho Blue, Cerulean Blue and Sap Green. Then used Cad Orange Hue as the accent color. The next Crown of Thorns will be on a larger 24x24 canvas I think. Yikes!!! I feel ready to just do it! Have really enjoyed this process. Thank you for looking.

John 3:17
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."

Crown of Thorns 5

12x12, Oil. The fifth in my Jesus series. Used the three analogous colors: Dioxazine Purple, Permanent Rose Red and Cad Orange Hue with the accent color Sap Green. The photo barely shows His green eyes.  I have one more color combination I am going to try, then decide which one I will do on the big 24x24 gallery wrapped canvas. Yahoooo! This has been a fun project. Thank you for looking.

Romans 12:2
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Crown of Thorns 4

A 12x12 Oil. The Fourth in my Crown Of Thorns series. I started this one at an Art Gallery Demonstration this past Saturday at Simply Oklahoma Art Gallery. Painted for 4 hours. Talking to folks coming in, describing my project and techniques I use. First time I have ever done something like that. I really enjoyed it. Got all of this painting done except for the crown of thorns during the demo. So I finished it today. Used three analogous colors of Cad Red Medium, Cad Orange Hue and Cad Yellow Pale. Then used Cerulean Blue as the accent color. Thanks for looking.

Ephesians 4:26-27
"In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."

Crown of Thorns 3

A 12x12, Oil, the third version in my Jesus series. I used yellow, green and blue analogous colors (next to each other on the color wheel) with the accent color red. I never know how these paintings are going to turn out...using the different colors and trying not to place any expectations on it. I find that I am learning alot through this exercise. Lots of fun. I like the "unexpectedness" of these paintings. I plan to do another...keep going until I feel done! Thank you for looking.

Psalm 42:5
"Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."

Crown of Thorns 2

A 12x12, Oil. The 2nd in my "Crown of Thorns" Jesus paintings. Used the same composition with a different color combo. Used a dark purple, dark blue and a lighter medium, blue. Then used the Naples Yellow for the accent color. Gave Jesus green eyes this time! Plan on continuing experimenting with color combinations for similar compositions. Having a great time with this! Thank you for looking.

Psalm 118:8
"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."

Crown of Thorns

This is a 12x12 Oil of Jesus with his Crown of Thorns. I am experimenting with color combinations. This one I used analogous colors red, orange and yellow with an accent color of blue. It was fun to see the colors mix right on the canvas coming up with mult interesting colors. The background came about using the color that got mixed on my palette. I plan on doing more paintings with this same or similar composition but different color combinations. I am going for an abstract look to these paintings. Thank you for looking!

Acts 16:31
"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved."

Gabriel

11x14 Oil of the Angel Gabriel. Going for a stronger composition and color. With the ethereal look to the background again. Have a great week. Thanks for looking.

Mark 8:36
"What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"