Day 30 - Show Off

DAY 30 - Show Off

Day 30.

It's over.

I made it.

I'm finished.

I did it!

I love it!

I'm tired!

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

These daisies are in my yard, all over my yard, in every garden in the yard.  They spread like wildfire.  But they are fun and cute and we love them.  But the one in the middle seems to be showing off.  Staring right at me as if to say, "I'm the biggest, prettiest and best flower in the garden".  There's always one show off in every crowd, even in a crowd of daisies.

Thank you for following along during the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.  It has been hard, there's no doubt.  But I have learned many things.  I've learned there are many beautiful scenes in eye shot of my front door, since that was my theme.  I've learned more about perspective this time than at any other time in my art career.  I've learned to paint faster and to see more and better.  I've learned that to make an impact you have to put the dark and the light together.  As I've said, I've learned a lot.

I hope you will join me, if you are in the area, this Friday, Oct., 3, from 4-8 p.m. for my opening reception.  I will have all 30 paintings on display and you too can learn a little bit about each one.  We'll have food,, fun and friends and hopefully you will join us.

 

Day 29 - Precious

Day 29 - Precious

And isn't she just. . . 

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

 

We raise goats, sheep, rabbits, pigeons, and apparently cats at JumbleBerry Farm.  But this little beauty was born this past spring and I painted it from a photo.  She actually was in the kitchen when I photographed her and just a few hours old.

Goats are pretty weak things when they are born and often struggle to survive.  Sheep on the other hand are strong and tough, they bounce around almost immediately and are very alert and fun.  And they are so CUTE!

Thanks for following along on this fourth 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.  I'm tired.  You're tired.  But, you're also invited to an opening reception this Friday, Oct 3., 4-8 p.m.  There will be fun, food, and friends and hopefully you'll be there too.

 

Day 28 - My Blue Heaven

Day 28 - My Blue Heaven

 8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

As seen from my back door on the farm.  Sunsets are so beautiful there, but they don't last long.  I snapped this beauty last night on my cell phone and painted it Saturday for Sunday's painting.  I love clouds and atmospherics and have struggled with them.  I feel like I had a break through with this painting.  Another break through during this challenge.  My how much you learn when you get the brush in your hand every day.  I'm also sad to see the challenge almost over.  Not really.  I'm exhausted.

I have always tried to stay ahead during these challenges, this is the fourth one I've done.  But this is the first time I've been ahead since day 1.

Thank you for stopping by today.  Please know you're invited to an artist reception Friday, Oct. 3 from 4-8 p.m. featuring the 30 paintings in 30 days.  If I painted something that belongs to you, and you want it, you can have a 10% discount that night.  We'll have fun, food and friends and art.  Please stop by.

Day 27 - Red Case

Day 27 - Red Case

 8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

So is this tractor vintage or antique?

I know it's beautiful, that's for sure!

But it has its problems.

For one thing, it's all red.

Red is hard enough to paint, but this is all red so it's hard to get the true shape.  Even the engine is red.  It has a little hood over the steering wheel and those fenders are huge.  All those great shapes and only one color.  You have to make lots of varying shades of red to show the shape.

I must have mixed up six or seven shades of red.

This is not something I see everyday from my front door, but during the festival it's here
for everyone to see.

Day 26 Two For Tea

Day 26 - Two For Tea

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

Day 26.  I've made it to day 26 in the 30 paintings in 30 days Leslie Saeta challenge.   There are over 1,000 artists world wide participating in the challenge this year.  This is the fourth time I've participated in THE challenge.  It has been a challenge this year since I opened the gallery.

This still life was painted in the gallery with customers coming in and out this morning.  Some saw it in a pretty primitive state.  "Oh, that's nice", some politely said.  We all know in the beginning things don't always look nice, but it does eventually get there.  Usually.

I bought this teapot at a recent local auction and it is enamel so it bounces reflections everywhere.  The apple was fun to paint, but the pear kicked me around for a good while, but in the end, I conquered.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Day 25 - Main St. Hibiscus

Day 25 - Main St. Hibiscus

 8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

This is a beautiful potted hibiscus on Main St.  I can see it from my gallery door cause that's my theme, "Scenes From My Front Door".  This has been such a fun, (hard but fun) challenge and I have learned so much.  I have struggled trying to keep up and run the gallery, but as it's winding down it's getting better.  Maybe because the end is in sight, but I'm finally getting a rhythm or maybe I should say arhythmia.  Just kidding. 

Thanks for following along and I hope you'll join me at a gallery opening Friday, October 3, 4-8 p.m. where you can see all 30 paintings well displayed and learn a little bit about each one.  If it's your building, or boat or motorcycle I painted and you want it, you'll get 10% off that night.  Please join me for a fun night in the Fun Art Studio.

Day 24 - Dinner At Grandmas

Day 24 - Dinner At Grandmas

Day 24 - Dinner At Grandmas

Holds a special place in my heart.

This is my plate from my Grandma Kirk's Sunday dishes.

You know the kind, only the adults get to eat off of.

When my mom died she had four of these plates.

One was cracked beyond repair,

and the other three went to my brother, my sister and me.

I have spent hours and hours looking in antique malls, shops, yard sales, second hand stores looking for more of these plates, but have never found a single piece.

I'm sure they were not expensive as they were not wealthy.

But I've never found any of them.

The color is not right in this painting on the flowers.

I struggled trying to get the flowers on here, that once I did I didn't worry about the color.

I'm sure I will paint this again and then I'm sure I'll get the flowers the right color and more like what they should look like.

But, I am very happy with this piece.

Dinner At Grandmas

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping.

Day 23 - Tent City

Day 23 - Tent City

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

For over 60 years Carrollton, KY., once the king of the burley tobacco market, has had a tobacco festival.  Tobacco farming has changed dramatically in the last 10 years, but the festival goes on. You don't need much of a reason to put on a good festival.

There will be rides, fried everything, raffles,giveaways, and lots of items for sale.  Many will be hand made things and  people will wander around looking at everything.  There is free entertainment every night and in the two tents I painted, there were the pageants.

They sit opposite the door of my gallery and have beckoned me to paint them.  So here they are. Keeping with my theme, Scenes From My Front Door, the tent city is being built all around me.  

Day 22 - Banana Shade

Day 22 - Banana Shade

My theme for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge is

Scenes From My Front Door.

This little garden is in the next block from my gallery.

 I can't really see it, but I can see the building it is snuggled up next to,

so I count it.  

This gave me fits and I'm not sure if it's done.

I'm thinking about changing the color of the umbrellas.

But it was fun and I learned a lot.

Painting on the side walk is always fun and people are almost shocked to see me out there.

They are always nice, but not sure what I'm doing or why I'm doing it.

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel.

NFS  (yet)

Day 21 - Sunday Afternoon

Day 21 - Sunday Afternoon

8" x 8" Acrylic on a Panel

$95 + $6 shipping

Sunday Afternoons are just like this in our small town and many others I believe.  Empty streets and closed shops and stores and offices.  Quiet, restful and unassuming.  I love it.

Day 20 - Pumpkin Patch

Day 20 - Pumpkin Patch

Today in Carrollton, KY the streets are blocked off and we're having yard and side walk sales.

A lady unloaded all these pumpkins from her truck.

You know I had to paint a few.

Day 20 - The Pumpkin Patch

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

Day 19 - Hog Wild

Day 19 - Hog Wild

And this baby is wild.

It's parked right outside my gallery every day.

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel $95 + $6 shipping

I'm not exactly what you'd call a motorcycle mama since I haven't ridden one since 1973, but I admire them and this one is a beaut!  I see it every day parked outside the gallery and I photographed it yesterday because I had hoped to paint it.  I struggled a bit getting it going, but once I started I kept seeing more parts, shapes, and all that chrome.  It is sparkling and I had a hard time with that.  Thank goodness for the black leather on it to give me somewhere to go.  I don't know who owns it, but it's here every day so he or she must live upstairs in one of the apartments above the shops.

Have Fun !

Day 18 - Abstract Sunflower

Day 18 - Abstract Sunflower

Wasn't it just yesterday when I was going on and on about perspective

and how I was finally starting to get it.

Scratch that.

Today was a disaster,

but I was determined to complete a painting and stick with my theme of

"Scenes From My Door"

so I started going through my photo files of things I photographed in my front yard.

And there was this lovely sunflower with the background out of focus,

lots of sunlight coming through some type of green leaves.

So today's painting is

Abstract Sunflower.

 8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping.

Day 17 - Gased and Ready

Day 17 - Gased and Ready

How would you like to come home from work and take a little spin in this pretty lady.

She is docked at a private dock I can see from my back deck of the gallery.

Perspective has lots of opportunities for me,

Opportunities to pull my hair out,

to scream,

to never paint again,

but. . .

I see improvement here.

There are lots of angles here and I had to really work to get them.

Also the reflections in the water are lots of fun to paint. 

It's almost like painting the boat twice,

except the second time is wiggly.

 Gased and Ready

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

Day 16 - Barred

Day 16 Barred

Carrollton, KY  is an old river town.

And todays painting shows some of our historical buildings.

 This is an old stone jail and is on the courthouse lawn.

This jail was used up until the late 60's early 70's.

The main street office is upstairs near that overhang.

You can go into the jail and see all the cells.  It has a pot belly

stove in the middle that heats all four cells. 

The windows are skinny openings in the stone.

They have glass in them now, but I'm not sure they always did.

This is not the best photograph and I'll get another one tomorrow,

but I wanted to get it on my blog and Leslie Saeta's blog.

Leslie is the crazed artist who dreamed up the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

I must be just as crazed, cause this is the fourth time I've participated.

Thanks for stopping in. 

Day 15 Dreams

Day 15 - Dreams

I don't know how many of you had these kind of dreams as a little girl,

but I sure did.

This tutu and pointe shoes are in the dance studio down the street from me.

We all have dreams of one kind or another.

These were mine until I was about 17.

Then I finally realized I was not flexible enough,

didn't have good hip turnout,

and probably just didn't want it badly enough.

This is not quite ready for prime time,

a tweak and there needs to be done,

but it's day 15 and I can't dawdle.

I must move on to the next one.

Day 14 - Decco Daisies

Day 14 - Decco Daisies

 8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

 

I bought this adorable vase at a recent auction and I knew immediately it was begging to be painted.

 I've not painted too many still life paintings and I've never painted an apple or grapes.

But this was loads of fun and I'm sure I'll be painting more.

Day 13 - Light It Up

Day 13 - Light It Up

Across from River Run Gallery is the Carroll County Courthouse.

All around the courthouse are these beautiful Bradford Pear trees,

and these vintage looking lamp posts.

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

Day 12 - Primary

Day 12 - Primary 

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

I have done a lot of volunteer work in the last 36 hours and I knew I would have very little time to work on this painting.  But I have these beautiful flowers from the opening last week and they needed to be painted one more time.

I love the bright colors in these flowers. And I just had a bit of a break through painting carnations.  They are lots of fun to paint as are the daisies.  But I've struggled with carnations and finally think I understand how to paint them.  

I had a very stressful day and I knew I wouldn't have much time to paint yesterday or especially today.   I spent one of the hours I had to paint trying to figure out why TWC didn't come to install my internet today as scheduled.  But, the great thing about painting is, you completely loose yourself in it.  I pick up the brush and all that frustration melts into the paint.

Day 11 Foggy Bottom

Day 11 - Foggy Bottom

When the seasons change, we always get lots of fog.

This is from my back door overlooking our lake.

What lake?

That's OK.  You can't see the lake in the photo either.

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

The sun was trying to come up,

The fog was trying to lift,

Neither one was very successful.

Day 10 - Public Display

Day 10 - Public Display

Every town has one,

a Court House.

This is ours in Carroll County, KY.

It has three floors and many of the county offices are there.

It also has a mark where the 1937 flood reached.

This court house has many angles and it has stymied me on every attempt to draw 

or paint it.

But today, something was different.

One of the most important things any artist needs to learn

is how to see.

Today I was seeing pretty good and was able to get the angles right this time.

  Day 10 - Public Display

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

Day 9 - Deck Decco

Day 9 - Deck Decco

I've learned lately that there is an inherent something in each of us that wants to create.

Wants to improve,

Wants to decorate,

Wants to put our stamp of who we are on our space.

Sort of like marking our territory.

We want to make our space our own.

River Run Gallery has a small deck off the back of it that faces the Ohio River.

I go out there several times a day to see boats on the river or whatever is going on out there.

It's pretty plain and the other day I wanted to paint these flowers in the orange vase again,

so I took them out on my deck and put them on the shelf.

They really jazzed up the place.

Day 9 - Deck Decco

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

Thanks for stopping by today and please feel free to share this with anyone you think would enjoy it.

Day 8 - Solitary

Day 8 - Solitary

 Day 8 in the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge 
found me standing on the back deck of the gallery painting.

From there I can see the Ohio River, our river walk, Indiana, a road to the boat dock and this one very large solitary tree.

I took out all the trees on the other side of the river 

so you could see this tree better.

Artistic license allows me to do that.

  8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95 + $6 shipping

Day 7 - Complimentary

Day 7 - Complimentary

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel
$95 + $6 shipping

Fall colors are so beautiful!

And one of the reasons is, they are complements.

They are opposite on the color wheel and so they work together,

and they work together.

They work together because the eye loves complements, even though we seldom realize it.

They also work together when you mix them together.

How did I make that shadow on that blue background.

I added the complement, orange.

The flowers are from our jeweler, Mary Ebert's opening last night

as our artist of the month.

The white vase was a gift with flowers from a dear friend, Joan when I opened River Run Gallery,

the other vases I recently purchased at a local auction.

I loved their size and shape and feel,

and they are complements.

Complements are complimentary.

Day 6 Kentucky Gold

Day 6 Kentucky Gold

Off the deck of the back of the gallery I can see barges go up and down the river every day.

Most of them are carrying coal.

Boatloads of coal, (so to speak).

Up and down they go.
There are utility companies in each direction and the coal is going to one either way.

 Passing by on that barge are lots of jobs,
Jobs in the mines, jobs on the boats, jobs on the docks, jobs at the utility.

Tomorrow there will be more barges,
more coal,
more jobs. 

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel.
$95 + $6 shipping

 

Artist of the Month

Mary Ebert

Artist of the Month

Tonight is our very first artist of the month opening reception

and we hope you join us.

Mary Ebert, our jeweler is our artist of the month

and she will have many new pieces of jewelry for you to oogle.

 One of the many handcrafted pieces you can see, feel and wear.

Mary creates timeless classic jewelry

that you will be proudly wearing for years to come.

 Mary uses Venetian glass, Swarovski crystals, semi-precious stones

and lampwork beads in addition to gold filled and sterling silver findings.

Mary created this beautiful custom piece  

and can create one for you to.

Please join us tonight from 4-8 p.m.

at River Run Gallery Fun Art Studio

449 Main St.

Carrollton, KY  41008

to meet Mary and see her newest creations.

Day 5 Watching Dishes

Day 5 – Watching Dishes

I’m not a dog person, but

I do like cats.

I have several and could be well on my way to becoming,

You know, that cat lady.

My cats are all outside cats and most are somewhat feral.

I was proud of myself for taming one down,

but then I didn’t pet her for several weeks and

well, now, she’s not so tame again.

This kitten has not been socialized, so to speak.

But he/she likes to sit in the window and watch me wash dishes.

8" x 8" acrylic on a panel

$95

                                    So here she is,

Watching Dishes.