Same set up diffferent day, Oil 8 X 10

Hello, If you look back at my post from the 27th you'll recognize these items. I painted the same items again in a different composition. Trying to change things up and make them more exciting, as exciting as sunflowers and a tea pot can be, lol. I took the suggestion of Nel Jansen and ran things off the canvas. Let me know what you think. Thanks so much, Barb

Pewter, Oil 8 X 10

I'm back again. I did this painting last week and I still may do a bit more to it, not sure if I'm completely satisfied with it. I've met so many nice helpful people since I started blogging. Some I've asked questions and some have just stepped up to help me. Frank Gardner for one has been really wonderful about checking in often and giving great advice, he even sent me an email one night suggesting some books I might check out. Last night I received an email from Nel Jansen, she asked me a while back if I would like her to give me honest critiques from time to time. She had a couple of suggestions for me, one was to try more interesting compositions. She suggested maybe I run things out of view, etc. I plan to try to change things up. I told her sometimes I look at my paintings and think, "that's boring" I do know that good light and shadow are so important in a painting. You know it's easy to talk the talk but not always so easy to do it. I'm fighting the battle, hang in there with me and hopefully watch me grow as an artist. If you haven't checked out Frank or Nel they're in my list of favorites at your right. Thanks for letting me run on. Barb

Sunflowers, Oil 8 X 10

Hi there, I painted this today. Do you like the very dark almost black background? I met an artist a while back that paints very dark backgrounds and he was generous and shared his formula so I'll share it with you. He mixes phalo green and alizaron crimson and then for a sense of light on top he might add cad yellow or cad orange. I'll play around with this again, I think I like it. I like the looseness of the crock and little green pitcher, I'm always working on trying to be loose and leave my brush strokes. Have a great day. Barb

Cottage, Oil 8 X 10 My three grandsons

Hi there, I hope everyone had a nice Easter. I have a large family and it's always wild and crazy, I can't imagine it any other way. I painted this today. I got a book from the library on Constable and it's very similar to one in his book. I cropped it and changed a few things, I've always liked his paintings though some are a bit dark. I'm working on a large one, large for me 16 X 20. I'll be submitting two paintings in August for a juried show so the one I'm working on might be one of those. I've sold two paintings from the coffee shop, I'm pleased with that. See you soon. I threw in a picture of my three grandsons from yesterday for your viewing pleasure, no one would look at me but I thought it was cute. Barb

Reflections, Oil 8 X 10

Hi, I did another landscape, hope you like it. I painted outside the last two summers with varied results. I had pretty much decided maybe landscape painting wasn't for me. Painting from a photo is a lot easier than painting on site at least for me. Do you think that as an artist you should be known primarily for painting one thing, still life, landscapes, animals, etc.? Appreciate your input. Happy painting. Barb

Melon & Silver, Oil 8 X 10

Hi Everyone, We had some friends visit this weekend and we went to the art museum in Cincinnati yesterday. Love it there, it's very humbling to stand in front of the paintings of all of those famous artists. You know what I mean if you paint. I know a lot of those artists struggled to just get by, imagine if they could see their art now hanging in museums. They had a Rembrandt exhibit, three of his paintings. They were behind glass which disappointed me, I wanted to get my face right up against his paintings and see his brush strokes. I wanted to thank everyone for their very nice comments about my last posting. Makes me think I should do more landscapes and I will. Today I'm posting a still life with that melon again, it died a happy death. This is a silver teapot, challenging. Hope you enjoy. Barb

View of the Bridge, oil 8 X 10

Hi, I painted this landscape yesterday. I painted from a photograph because I didn't want to take a bunch of still life props with me to Monday morning painting. Just moments ago when I laid this down to photograph it my cat jumped on it, they're so fast! Now she has a green foot and I've got a few little touch ups to do. I haven't painted many water scenes but I think this came out pretty well. I thought the reflections looked good, I added the bridge later. Let me know how you think I did, I wonder if the reflection of the bridge should be darker. I think landscapes are hard because of all the greens. Kind of nice to do something different though. Thanks for checking in on me. Barb Check me out on Ebay SOLD

Melon Slice & Lillies, Oil 8 X 10

Hi there, We just went through a blizzard here in Ohio the last few days. But it's above freezing now and starting to melt. We had 12" of snow in two days but north of here in Columbus they had 20", so it could always be worse. I started this painting at my lesson last Thursday and just finished it this morning. Melon is fun to paint, I've saved the piece in the frig and I'll be painting it a few more times before it gets ugly. Hope you like it. Barb

Blue & White Tea Pot, Oil, 8 X 10

Hi, I painted this Monday morning when I meet with my painting group. I'm the chairperson for this group, we call ourselves Mason Area Painters, it started almost two years ago. I have probably 28 or so people on my email list but there are six or seven of us that show every week. I really look forward to it, no pressure just nice people getting together to paint. Anyway, I did this then and I've painted on it a few more times and I may not be finished with it yet. I think I like the teapot but I may re-paint the background. I did a painting today at my lesson that I think I'm pleased with, I'll post it soon. I have to look at it a bit more to decide if I'm done. Don't know if you follow Maggie Stiefvaters blog but she's done a series lately on marketing that's good and you might want to take a look at it. Have a great day and happy painting. Barb

Flowers, Oil, 10 X 10

Hi, I painted this last night on a 10 X 10 stretched canvas. The edges are painted so no need for a frame. I thought these were primrose now I'm not sure, do you know? I'm planning to do an event in June called Art in the Garden so I'm trying to paint some things that would appeal to people coming to that event. Different for me but I had fun doing it. Enjoy your day. Barb

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