Daily Paintworks Christmas Aftermath Challenge

An 8x10 oil I just completed for this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge. Tell me we aren't the only ones that deal with the tangle of Christmas lights every year! I wish I could figure out how to store those things without just stuffing them in a box. We had a good Christmas, but it is always good to take down all the decorations and get the house back in order. I had fun with this one, reflecting the colors of each bulb onto the other light bulbs. Had a hard time taking a photo that shows the color accurately for some reason. I wish you a safe and Happy New Year! Thank you for looking!

Revelation 22:16-17
"I am Jesus! And I am the one who sent my angel to tell all of you these things for the churches...The Spirit and bride say, Come!....Come! If you are thirsty, come! If you want life-giving water, come and take it. It's free!"

Sugar Cookie

A 12x12 oil that I fully intended to finish before Christmas! But alas...such is life! Had a nice peaceful evening after work today and decided to get it done! This is one of about a dozen decorated sugar cookies that my husband brought home from his office prior to Christmas. It was hard to decide which to paint! There were Santa's, Christmas Trees, Stars, Reindeer.... Beautiful little works of Art. And delisous too!  Wanted to make the green pop so used a lavender color as the background. Used lots of paint on the icing to lend the frosting look. Thank you for looking. Hope your Christmas was a happy and peaceful one.

1 Peter 3:15
"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

Shoot and Paint Challenge

A 12x12 Oil that I just finished this evening and submitted to the Shoot and Paint Challenge http://shootandpaint.blogspot.com/. I am feeling the urge to get in as many Christmas paintings before Christmas as I can. I won't feel like doing them after! Fun one to do. Lots of texture to this one. I used a #6 round to keep it loose and the paint went on fast. Thank you for looking.

James 3:17
"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

Birthday Bouquet

A 16x20  I finished this morning entitled Birthday Bouquet. My son, Charles always sends me a bouquet of flowers for my birthday. I decided to do a painting of this year's bouquet. I tried to capture the full, wild look of this colorful fall arrangement. It sat on our round dining room table and I like the few dropped petals and leaves against the wood.  This is a bigger canvas for me. Have not done one this big in a while. Lended to a loose broad style. I like it!

James 3:13
"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom."

Christmas Trees

An 11x14 oil Christmas Tree painting. I primed the canvas first with broad brush strokes of various color. Let that dry. Then painted the Christmas trees in. Makes for a nice festive look! The background color was applied randomly and I like how it turned out. This scene reminds me of outings to the Christmas tree lots to choose the perfect tree. Nice memories! I still have the 16x20 of "Charles' Birthday Bouquet" on my easel. Have not finished it yet. Thought I would go ahead and post another Holiday painting in the meantime.

Hebrews 10:24
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging on another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Momma Cat with her kitten

An 8x8 oil I just finished last night. Could not resist the coloring of the momma and kitten along with their beautiful green eyes. The little snuggle the kitten is doing is great too! Felt I just had to paint in the green background to bring out the green in the eyes. Thank you for looking. I have a 16x20 canvas on my easel now...doing a painting of a Birthday bouquet that our son, Charles sent me. Beautiful fall colors. Will post it next.

Lamentations 3:24
"The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him...."

Mango...Mango...Mango

A 16x20 oil that I completed for a challenge by Daily Paintworks. The challenge was to divide a canvas in individual squares. Paint the same object in each square. Limiting your time to paint to 10 minutes a square. I changed the drape color for each mango square. Did it randomly. Then just started to paint! Listened to the timer go in the background. The loud DING startling me every time! I have it framed in a dark cherry wood contemporary frame. It makes the color in this painting pop! This one was fun to do. Thank you for looking!

James 1:22-25
"Do not merely read the Bible, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says...Whoever looks intently into the Bible that gives freedom, and continues in it - not forgetting what they have read, but doing it - they will be blessed in what they do."

Hanging Christmas Ornaments

An 11x14 oil, holiday painting, using a canvas that I primed first with fun jewel colors using broad strokes and blending a little. Let that dry. Then I painted the Christmas ornaments hanging from delicate chains. The fun part was reflecting the different colors in the chains and in the individual ornaments. You know, it doesn't take much to make me smile! I really like the slice of the pretty pink ornament at the top of this painting. Like I said....It doesn't take much. Enjoy...thank you for looking!

Hebrews 13:6
"So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"