Been A Little Dormant

But that's because I am working on some more paintings. Working on another Mill painting and also a Tuscan walkway from a picture that my sister took in Spain. Hoping to be able to post them soon.

I also just completed my stint on Atlanta's Biggest Loser where I won the competition. I lost 34.5 lbs and 12.7% of my body weight. Getting ready to start another one (OH NO!!) Called Gwinnett Loses. I need the competition to keep me in check. The Christmas holiday was horrible to me and I gained some back. Not a lot , but enough to know that I have to be totally careful. Here is my final before and after picture in case you want to see. :-) The competition was a rough 12 weeks, but I learned a lot.

Now to learn even more and hopefully lose an additional 30 lbs in the process. I won a beautiful ring with the ABL competition. This new one is CASH. YIPPEE. Anyway, I will be back to post more pictures and paintings. :-)

Lighthouse Competed

Today it happened. The lighthouse finalized and I am super happy. I love how it turned out. Now to figure out what to do next. I am undecided, but have until next week to make up my mind.

Lighthouse

Now I am completing my lighthouse. Probably one more session and it will be done. Worked on the tree area and sky. Also put in some water waves and rounded up the lighthouse itself. This one is looking better and better.

River Run and Mountain Orchids

Here are a couple of mini paintings I have done in the past couple of weeks. the River Run I did today. These paintings are on 4 x 4 canvases. I love doing these when I want to paint for a little while and create something fun. My painting teacher is probably going to kill me, but I couldn't resist.

The mountain orchids have a pallet knife background. these are from a picture my hubby took when we spent a week in the mountains this year. These little guys only bloom once a year. so cute.

Mingus Mill Update

Well, we are rounding the corner. Today we opened up the sky and now see the light coming through the trees. We also put the slats on the building and tin roof on top. The path was worked on as well. Won't be long and this baby will be finished. Each session I learn so much more.

Finished Painting

And here it is, the final reveal of my hydrangea palette knife painting. I am so excited about how it turned out. Of course it helped that I had an awesome art instructor guiding and encouraging me all the way. Thank you Audrey! I am looking forward to getting back to my Mingus Mill painting now. That will happen in a couple weeks. Audrey has a show to attend and I get to go visit my family this weekend. So I will probably be going into paint withdrawals. I really love the end result of this painting and I loved doing palette knife. I am sure there will be more of these in my future.

Hydrangia Almost Compete

 
Well, next post will be my completed masterpiece. :-) This is the next to last step which I will be completing on Wednesday night. I am so excited. This is my first ever pallette knife painting and I couldn't be more pleased. It started out pretty sad and it has improved to this point. I learned so much with this painting and I know it won't be my last knife painting. It was awesome. Once this is done it is back to the Mingus Mill painting.

Painting with Pallet Knife

Today's class was so awesome. Learned a new painting technique with pallet knives and I think I am hooked. Not to the point where I won't pick up a paint brush again, oh no, but I love this technique. The picture I am doing this with is a picture of hydrangeas that I started a few months ago. I love how it is coming along now. Next week, we will work on the flowers themselves and glazing the picture. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but I won't go back now on this one. I love it.

Stage Three on the Final Stretch

Here is stage 3 of my Mingus Mill painting and rounding the curve to the finish line. Still lots to do, but this week the boards will be going on the mill. This is not an easy painting for me, but I am learning so much. It is going to be my pride and joy when it is finished.

Stage 2 of Mingus Mill

I am so excited about the accomplishments today on this painting. It is actually starting to look like something. Today I added the shadows which was very, very scary, but when I stood back I could see it worked. Also fixed the main building and other stuff. I am loving this painting. Also worked on my lighthouse and hydrangas, but think i will wait to post those until they are complete. If you want to see all three, they are in my album on my facebook page.

Second Paint Lesson

I am so excited. I am taking painting lessons from artist Audrey Menefee. She teaches the old masters method of oil painting. Last week was my first lesson. I am painting the Mingus Mill in Gatlinburg, TN. John and I visited there this past April as part of our anniversary trip. Learning this technique through Audrey is giving me a new perspective at painting. I want to post this in stages so here is what I painted from my first session with Audrey.

Mini Lantana

She loves me, she loves me not....That's kinda how I feel about this painting. It is on a mini 4" canvas and is a image of lantanas. I love Lantanas, even if they ARE considered weeds. Just thought I would try to paint them on a mini canvas.

I also want to paint a mountain orchid this week. When John and I were on vacation this year we actually saw one of these mini wonders. It was so cool. We were in the mountains when one actually bloomed. We were so excited. So am going to attempt to paint the picture that we took. If it turns out, it will be really unique.

New Rendering

Did this painting yesterday. It is a rendering of a photo that a friend of mine sent me. Apparently this lake is somewhere in the Chicago area. It is actually a recreation area. I could have added a lot more, like there was a totem pole by the shore, paddle boats and a raft in the middle of the lake, but I liked the serenity of the way I did it with the accent of the pier and boat. I DO need to bring the blue of the lake out more, but am waiting for the painting to settle a bit before I mess any more with it.

Mini Paintings

Haven't painted much lately, but I picked up a bunch of 4" canvas blocks and got a wild idea. I painted two of them this weekend. I have a bunch more to go so will be working on them. Want to try to do some mini landscapes and stuff so be watcing. :-)

Flower Cart

Here is today's submission. I enjoyed doing this one. This is a take off of a Dorothy Dent version. It was fun converting it to my way of painting.

Fae Gifts

I like this little painting. I did it as a time filler over the weeks and had no idea how it was going to end. It is painted on a 11 x 14 canvas and was a lot of fun to do. It mixed media which is new for me. It is just my goofy thoughts and very elementary looking, but I had fun with it.

Tomorrow I am painting a flower cart. Whoo Whoo

Lighting the Way

I like this one. Been a while since I could get some painting done. I call this one "Lighting the Way." I wish my step-dad was still alive. He would love this one. He was a lighthouse freak. I was thinking about him the entire time I was painting this one.

Lost in Time

Decided to paint today and here is the result. Reminds me of an old barn left to whither with time. Still have tons to learn, but I like what I see anyway. time will make me better as long as I don't quit practicing and learning.

Hibiscus Painting

Well, it has been a couple weeks since I picked up a paint brush so the heebie jeebies were beginning to hit me. It was time....so I decided to try my hand at a hibiscus. I have to say for the first time in a long time, I am satisfied with this work. I like the colors and there is even some dimension to it. These are my bathroom colors so I think this one will be finding a home there when it is dried and framed. The painting was done on a 16 x 20 canvas.

Amos Brother Ivon

Poor Ivon. He just didn't feel like venturing out of his shell today. He just came out real quick and retreated back to his safe haven. (smile)
Ivon was a lot of fun to make, but he didn't feel "handy" so he just stuck his head out to say hi. Love these guys

Meet Amos

I couldn't sleep last night. Got up at 2am and started creating this precious little Hermit Shell Fae. I am taking a class from Dawn Schiller and this was the lesson. I am so excited. At 4am I finally went to bed and finished "Amos" this morning. What fun this was. I can't wait to create some family members for him. I have loved these faes for years and I sincerely thank Dawn for sharing how to create them.

Red Beauty

It has been a couple weeks without painting so decided to paint this one. I like this one a lot. It is painted on a 16 x 20 canvas with a black gesso background. Very pleased with how this came out.

In Awe of Nature

This was not a great weekend. Not only was it a pain in my arce to have to do a total restore of my computer, but it just seemed like there was one disappointment after another. So to get my mind off of life in general, I decided to paint this. Not real crazy about it, but it was a time filler. It also gave me time to think.
I got my car back, but when I did I found out something else had gone bad....my fuel gauge. Of course that is one more thing that money has to be blown on unless I can argue my way into getting this taken care of as part of the accident, which it obviously was. Oh well. Anyway, at least I can paint when I get upset.

Waterfall in the Forest

And here we have this week's entry into the Kree's painting fun. At first I didn't like the way this one was coming out, but the more I look at it, I am ok with it. I just figure it is the first and as I make more I learn from each one. this one will be fun to try again.

Not sure which one I will do next time. I think I want to do nother flower painting. We will see.

Pink Posie for Mom

Ok, so I am addicted to painting. Who whoulda thunk it. LOL I love to paint to the point that I wish I could do it seven days a week. Only if that happened I would be homeless. LOLOL

I painted this for my Mom and was happy that she loved it. She even told me she knows exactly where she is going to put it. I love doing this, but I even love it more when people like what I do. I love having them hanging all over the house, but love it even more when they leave my house for a new home. Still need to venture into a waterfall. hmmmmm, next week? I think so. :-)

Stormy Night

This weekend was seascape weekend. My goal was to make my sister Patti a painting and her request was a seascape. My first attempt I wasn't happy with. I called that one "Windy Shore". (The painting with the Palm Trees.) I figured it was a good first try, so would work on a second one.

The result is "Stormy Night." I really like this one. Funny part is that Patti likes Windy Shore. LOLOL I tried to convince her that Stormy Night was a better choice, but she really likes Windy Shore. Go figure! I guess we are more critical of our own work. So Stormy Night will stay with me.

Gris Mill Painting

Here is this week's painting. I wish the photo would have come out better. This one was a lot of fun. A lot of detail, but fun. I like how the colors came together and how the moon is reflected in the water. Really enjoyed doing this one.

Sunflower Bouquet

Finished this painting earlier today and after a couple adjustments, I really like it. It is not in oil however, but in acrylic. I want to learn other mediums so gave this a whirl.

Right now it is on sale at ArtWanted.com. Hope to see how it goes. I plan on doing an acrylic landscape next. I am not a HUGE acrylic fan, but I do like the fact that it is quick drying. I won't be giving up oils though.

Winter's Reflection

I finished this unique painting tonight. It was not an easy one with the trees reflected in the water, but the more I look at it, the more I like it. This one was made especially for my little sister Ruth. It is a bit different from what she requested, but she said she likes it so that is what counts. If she didn't like it, I was going to keep it and make her another one. So, now she has to make a trip to Atlanta to pick it up. LOL

Magestic Autumn

I painted in the New Year. LOL Actually this is a gift for a very dear friend of mine in North Dakota. DeNae and I were friends when I was living there over 15 years ago and we just got re-connected. I told her I was going to paint something for her and asked what she would like. She said landscape in earth tones. here is the result. I sure do hope she likes it.