Connemara Boat



Connemara Boat (8x10)


I have some wonderful friends who are AMAZING photographers. They also happen to live in some pretty incredible places and travel to even more beautiful places. They've been kind enough to let me live vicariously through their photos and paint to my hearts content.

I'll try really hard to remember to note which paintings are from their photos and where in this wonderful world it was taken.

My Grandma W had asked for a painting a while ago. Nothing too big or "out there" she said. When I asked about colors, style, etc., she said she wanted green - to match her living room. Now, I tried to explain that something with a few colors, maybe green with complimentary colors, might be a nice choice. Completely selfish on my part, since, you know, all one color is kind of boring to paint. There is no swaying Grandma once her mind is made up. Without a doubt, a green painting is what she got. This one is from Connemara, Ireland (from Chris & Kelly).

Old Red Bin

Old Red Bin (24x36)

I really don't like the end result of this painting. It feels like I rushed it (which I did) and ended up with mediocrity. There is a long, unfortunate story that goes with it.

Years ago, I did another painting, just like this one (except much better) for my friend, Jenn. When my dad saw it, he asked if it was already taken. He loved it and wanted it; had a place all picked out for it. Of course, as we already know, it was Jenn's and he was out of luck. I promised to make him one soon.

Eighteen months pass.

I had started on the painting for dad but just couldn't get into it. It's excruciatingly difficult for me to do the same painting twice. I powered through and ended up with an acceptable result.

Tragedy strikes.

I wake up in the middle of the night to a horrendous crash. Panicked, I presumed someone had broken in and had become trapped in all my crap (not impossible, believe me). I anxiously crept out into the living room and found nothing. The "junk/everything else" room, however, held a dreadful sight. Dad's painting had fallen from the shelf it was drying on and landed perfectly on the corner of an old end table. Perfectly, meaning the corner had punctured a hole in the painting. Do you know how difficult it is to make a hole in canvas? It had to have fallen at such a perfect angle. I can appreciate that now. Then, I expressed a few choice words and cried. A lot.

For the longest time, I just didn't have the heart to start again. To paint the same thing. Again. Six more months passed before I worked on it again. I could barely get anything done on it. Finally, I packed everything up and took it to the farm. I sat in my parents' basement for an entire weekend and finished it. It's far from perfect but dad says he likes it. I maintain he only says so because he's my father and is WAY to nice to say otherwise.

It hangs above the fireplace in the living room. Everytime I'm home at the farm, I stare at it and feel like I need to paint him something new. Maybe I will. One of these days.

Snow!!

I love change.  Sort of.  Okay, not really.  But I do love small, controlled changes.  Like changing pictures and re-decorating my place.  Or anyone else's place, for that matter.  I get it from my mother.  A friend once joked that my mom's living room must be getting smaller from all the layers of paint on the walls.  She and my dad just changed the entire look of their house by laying hardwood (the REAL stuff) and painting the kitchen/dining room walls red.  RED!!  It looks amazing.

In honor of all that change, I felt the need to change the background of the blog.  A little snow to enjoy through the holidays.

I took this photo on my drive to the farm for Christmas.  There is something pure and perfect about a snowy sunset on the prairies.  If I had my paint and everything here, I'd be painting right now.  Since I don't, I suppose I'll get to it eventually.

Merry Christmas!!

Crocuses

For as long as I can remember, my dad has picked crocuses for my mom.  When we'd wake up in the morning and find a little bowl of crocuses on the table, it was official.  Spring had arrived.  As kids, it was an adventure to comb the pastures looking for the BEST crocus to take home to mom.  We'd arrive, covered in mud and who knows what, with these poor haggard and straggly crocuses.  She'd always, always, put them all in a bowl and proudly display them to every neighbor* who stopped by for coffee.  Every time I see a crocus, real or in a picture, I think of my mom. 

A few years ago, she mentioned** she'd like a painting.  Of course, I let her pick what she wanted and it didn't surprise me when she picked a crocus.

Crocuses (16x11)

*Neighbor being defined as anyone who lived in a 10-15 mile radius.  Ah, farm life.
**As in asking (in that mom-guilt tone) why she hadn't received a painting when both my brother and sister had.

Puppies

I should be wrapping presents and packing to leave for Christmas, but I just had to start this one before I left.

A bit of history. Christmas two years ago, I painted a surprise painting for a friend and her husband; a Warhol-esque painting of their dog Skippy who had recently died. A sad time for all who knew and loved her.

Skippy (24x36)

Now this one is of their dog Freud. While I loved painting Skippy and can't wait to see this one done, I hope I don't have to paint them another one for a good long while.

Maybe Beach

I've decided to call the wedding present painting Maybe Beach.

It turned out quite nicely, I think. There's something extra satisfying about finishing a painting that has given you so much frustration.

Maybe Beach (11x16)

Now to figure out how to safely transport a wet painting from Calgary to Regina.

Maybe Beach Playlist
1. I'm Yours - The Script
2. Feels Like Home - Chantal Kreviazuk
3. Lucky - Jason Mraz
4. Gasoline Rainbows - Amy Kuney
5. Be OK - Ingrid Michaelson
6. Fidelity - Regina Spektor
7. Falling Slowly - Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
8. To Be Alone With You - Sufjan Stevens
9. I'll Be Your Man - James Blunt
10. Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson
11. To Make You Feel My Love - Adele
12. You Make It Real - James Morrison
13. God Gave Me You - Dave Barnes
14. You Picked Me - A Fine Frenzy
15. Let It Be Me - Ray LaMontagne

Frustration

Ever feel like whatever you do, it's wrong? I've been feeling that every day for the last few days trying to paint the wedding present (I need a better name for it). It just doesn't look right. I sit and stare at it, try to leave and come back to it, try to paint around it. Nada.

Add to that (or because of it) the pressure I've put on myself to have it done before the holidays so I can give it to them when I'm at their place, and I'm a mess.

Bah. Happy Holidays.

Jungle Baby

Done, Done and DONE!!!
I can't believe it! Jungle Baby is complete. I need to stop now, or I'll keep "fixing" until I ruin it. Can't wait for it to dry so I can give it to my friend and find out if her daughter likes it.

Jungle Baby (8x10)

When I'm painting, I tend to listen to the same songs over and over again as background noise. It used to be a single CD but, alas, times have changed and I now make myself a playlist of current favorites, some classic tunes, and some random stuff. Sometimes the songs are related to the topic of the painting, the reason for the painting, or are associated with the person the painting is for. Other times, it's just whatever I like that day/week.

Here's the Jungle Baby Playlist:

1. For the First Time - The Script
2. The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson
3. Jolene - Jeremy Fisher
4. Jar of Hearts - Christina Perri
5. Belief - John Mayer
6. Sleeping to Dream - Jason Mraz
7. Stay the Night - James Blunt
8. Sigh No More - Mumford & Sons
9. My Little Girl - Jack Johnson
10. What We Want, What We Get - Dave Barnes
11. Love Song - Sara Bareilles
12. La Scène - Chantal Archambault
13. Sing - Travis
14. Wonderful - Gary Go
15. You Are a Part of Everything - Josh Kelley

Plants in the Sunset

I rarely paint something and keep it for myself.  I think I may have two or three practice canvases that hang on the wall in the nook to fill up the empty spaces until something better comes along, but I only have one painting that I display in the rest of my place.  Partly because it matches the theme in the living room right now, but mostly because I love how it turned out.  And how pretty it looks in the frame.

Plants in the Sunset (8x10)
Inspiration: http://wallpapersonweb.com/ 



Fall Leaves

My sister and brother-in-law recently (read: months ago) painted their kitchen an awesome orange color. Since the painting I made for them for the old color doesn't match anymore, they needed a new one. Yay! People should change wall colors MUCH more often.

This is what she chose. To be done on a fantastically massive (36x48) canvas! It's gonna look so good! Once I get to it.

Original: http://digitaldesktopwallpaper.com

The Nook!

I am not an organized person.  Not even remotely.  The only thing that ever gets organized on a semi-regular basis is my painting and supplies.  Because I can't create in chaos.  Or in a dreary, empty space.  It has to look right.  I never know what "right" is until it is.  Which sounds completely flaky and weird, I know, but there's no other explanation. 

Right now, the painting nook looks lovely; everything in its place and easily accessible.  There are blank walls for shelves and more pictures, but the piles are gone.  Any bets on how long it'll stay that way?


Before cleaning/organizing




After! 
Shelves are going on the right and more pictures on the end wall.  When I paint more.



Since I was inspired and, let's face it, motivated to share, Jungle Baby painting resumed.  Here's how it looked for the past few (like, 10) months.  All stalled out and blah.



(Original idea http://hitdecors.com/decorate/category/interior-design/page/2/)

 

And here is what it looks like now.  Not quite done, but MUCH closer.  Poor giraffe needs a face.

Hallelujah, I painted!

Ahhhh, sweet relief. The block is broken.

After a relatively busy weekend, I took some time this afternoon to organize my painting nook and to decorate a bit. It looked so great, I kept going in to look at it. You know, like a compulsive freak who so rarely sees things clean and organized, she can barely believe it exists. Since I was in there so much, I ended up sitting down and painting. The jungle/baby painting still isn't done, but it's close. I can almost taste completion!

Baby Clothes

This is the next project in line.  After I finish the 1st baby painting and the wedding present...
It was supposed to be a baby gift too.  He's 6 months old now.  I have a feeling I'll maybe get it done before he's 2, but by the time it gets shipped to Australia, he'll be 10.





Painters Block

I've had "painters block" for the last few months. Since moving, nothing's been organized and the new painting nook is still a bit of a disaster. I can't seem to make myself paint a blessed thing. My baby gift for a friend is so late the baby will be 2 in March. And a wedding gift just turned into a late 1-year anniversary gift. Yeah, I'm a prize of a friend.

I'm hoping starting to blog about it will inspire me to paint again. We'll see.