Fruit in a Box #2

Hello, I painted this last week, another painting where I am trying to really look at values. Values are the hardest part of painting for me, I have a "Picture Perfect Viewfinder" that I use but not as often as I should. It is a tool I ordered that has different size squares you can look through with composition lines to set up your paintings but the best thing it offers are red transparent windows you can look through to judge value. It can really tell you where you are off, sometimes I think things look pretty good and when I look through it I see that I have too many colors of the same value. I have been trying to get better photos of my work too but I'm struggling. I have tried so many things, different lights, outside, near windows and lately I am shooting mostly at night with one daylight lamp. I use a tri-pod and timer so I'm not touching the camera , now I'm moving the light around trying to reduce glare. This is oil on a 8 X 10 stretched canvas. You have to do so many things well to be an artist other than the most fun part which of course is playing in the paint. Off to do some of that now. Have a great day!


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Fruit in a Box

Hi there, I decided to just set different types of fruit in a box and paint them, mostly to practice painting values. Last week I did these pears on a 5 x 7 panel and on Monday I did apples, I'll post that soon. I did use a palette knife to create some texture.

One of the local galleries just posted a new idea for a show in February, it will be about dance. I have several ideas already, I love when they do these shows. It really encourages me to paint when I have a goal.

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Ready for our plein air show

Hi there, All summer at least one day each week several of us have been out painting in our town of Mason, Ohio. One of the galleries in town is going to have a show representing our pieces. I think I painted about 16 total but I am entering 11, here are a few photos showing all 11 framed. Excuse the glare but it will give you an idea of how they look together, I'll take more photos when the show opens. A few have the corner protectors on them, overlook those, lol. We have an opening on December 11th from 4-8 at Gallery 42, please stop by if you are in the area. We are trying hard to get the word out, I feel proud of our efforts and I think if the local people can be made aware of it they will come. A lot of folks stopped by to talk to us while we were out painting and seemed very interested.

Good news, the painting that just took 2nd place in the Holiday card contest sold today at the gallery.

Happy Thanksgiving

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Another Potthast

Hi again, I guess you figured out by now I love the work of Edward Potthast, mostly his sweet children on the beach. I painted my version of another one of his, everything is freehanded so it's not an exact copy. This is oil on a 8 x 10 stretched canvas.

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Holiday Card Contest

Hi there, Just home from the gallery where they had the opening for the Holiday Card contest. Representative Beck from Warren county chose 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and 2 honorable mentions. First place will hang in his office and he will use that image for his holiday cards this year. I painted two different images of places within Warren county, Ohio. I won 2nd place with my painting of "Heisey Park", I also painted the train station in Lebanon, Ohio. I'm thrilled, it's such an honor to have your work recognized. As you know if you are an artist it's up and down, you can feel pretty good sometimes about the work you are producing and other times get pretty discouraged thinking you will never be where you want to be. Sooo tonight I'm happy, woo hoo. Hisey Park is sold

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My Christmas Card

Hello there, I enjoy painting my own Christmas card, this is the third year I have done it. I took this photo last year on Christmas eve at my brother in law's home. This gentleman was from his church I believe, I do know he made a great looking Santa. This is oil on a 8 x 10 Raymar panel. I'll have photos printed and put them into cards that are made to hold photos.

Saturday night is the opening for the Holiday card competition, I'll take some photos and let you know how it goes. I would love it if he would choose one of my paintings for his card, I painted two.

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A Barn in Indiana

Hi there, While traveling in Indiana last year I noticed this great barn at the edge of the road, I had my hubby turn around and go back so I could get some photos of it. I love interesting barns and houses and I really liked the dormers on this among other things. I painted this a couple of weeks ago from one of those reference photos. This is oil on a 8 x 10 stretched canvas.

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Secret Artworks

Hi, Last year was the first time I participated in a Cincinnati event called Secret Artworks. Every year they have a fundraiser where artists donate 5 X 7 paintings. People pay $125 , for their donation they get to come to a cocktail party and choose one of the small works of art. The money raised goes to support local artists and students and they do wonderful art projects around Cincinnati like painting murals. You don't sign the front, only after they choose do they get to know who the artist is. I donated 2 paintings this year. As a donating artist I get to go to the event for free, it is so fun to see people running into the room trying to find their favorite painting that they may have viewed on the online preview. It was so great when I found mine last year and someone had already chosen it. Once the original painting is gone a paper underneath it shows a photo of the painting and the artist who painted it. So here are my two painting for this years event, shhhhhhh The photo shown here is from 2008, just wanted to give you an idea of how they displayed the art. There are normally a thousand or so pieces of art entered.

Just a follow up. I attended the event and they had a packed house. By the time I located my 2 paintings they were gone. Once they remove the painting there is a photo of your work with your name exposed. So great to have your work chosen early in the evening, knowing that someone wants to live with your art is such a compliment.

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