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Friday, April 26, 2013

Generations

Hello again, friends...

This is a new still life painting I have just finished. I just love, love, LOVE going outside my comfort zone in my painting. It's a struggle to begin with, but I learn so much from doing this. This painting consists of the amber colored glass, which belonged to my mom's husband's mother. I found it in her closet one weekend while I was looking for something good to add to my setup. It's antique and beautiful. It has purples and greens and yellows. It's called carnival glass, I am told. So this was the "old" in my setup. The clear glass is a newer wine glass that I had at mom's. So this was the "young" in my setup. So I set the "old" and the "young" together with the roses and started sketching on my canvas with my paint brush. This is always difficult and a challenge. It contains the awful "E" word, (ellipses). This is the top of the glass that makes a circle and the bottom of the glass that makes a circle. It took me a minute, but I think I did ok. I think it turned out WONDERFUL!! I've included two shots of the beginning of this painting to show you my progress. This is 11x14 oil on stretched canvas and is available for $100 with FREE Shipping within the United States.
                                                       
                                                                     Generations
                                                         11x14 oil on stretched canvas
                                                                        SOLD

 

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Sea Turtle

Hello again, friends,

I just delivered this commission painting. This painting was so much fun to do! It's not my usual style. I loved the bright colors and how they came together. The reference photos I used for this were some of the clients own photos of a scuba diving adventure. I just took the photos and incorporated them into the painting. This is more "Pop Art" style than is usual for me, but I think I may have just found a new passion. This is 16X20 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas and the client LOVED it! YaY!!

                                                                         Sea Turtle
                                                                     16x20 Acrylic 

       
                                                                 

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Dorothy Dent Barn

Hello Friends,

Last year, when I was off work because I had surgery, I had a lesson by Dorothy Dent on a Barn and old truck. My son joined me online while I was streaming, and wanted to know what year model the truck was. LIKE I KNOW! All I know is it's old. The barn reminds me of my grandpa. I remember him as being weathered and aged, but sturdy. I loved doing this barn and I don't know why I haven't done more of them. I think that is something I need to fix, ASAP! This is 16X20 Oil on Canvas Panel.
                                                                Dorothy Dent Barn
                                                          16X20 Oil on Canvas Panel
                                                                       $120
                                                                   
 

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Emotions

Hello Friends,

Let me tell you about this painting that has just about put me over the edge! LOL I had purchased a tutorial DVD from Alan Kingwell on his technique of panoramic seascape. I watched and watched this DVD. I attempted to do a panoramic seascape over and over again. I always messed it up. So I had to put that away for awhile. I had painted a beach scene from a reference before with no problem. But I wanted the "SEA". I had in my head, what I wanted. I wanted a big wave, with lots of movement in the water. I wanted splash on the rocks. I wanted distant land masses. I wanted it out of my head and on a canvas. So I decided to get in front of my easel and play with color and paint. I decided not to use brushes, but to completely go outside my comfort zone and use only knives. Boy, howdy, that was a jump! I got the whole thing done and hated it! LOL The values were all wrong for me. One of my very close artist friends, Renate Dabney, sent me some acetate to help me see my values. It was amazing, when I looked at my painting thru the acetate, I could see exactly what needed to be done to get the idea I had in my head on canvas. I can't thank her enough! I am calling this one, "Emotions" because mine were in an uproar! LOL This is 20X24 Oil on stretched Canvas and is available for $100.
                                                                        Emotions
                                                                20x24 Oil on Canvas
                                                                         $100

Sunday, April 7, 2013

LSU Tiger Close UP

Hello Friends,

I haven't posted this painting on my blog before. I don't know why, since it was such a challenge for me and so much fun. I loved the reference photo for this painting because of the TEETH! I wanted to see if I could actually paint those teeth and get the value right. I always love painting the eyes of any animal I paint, but this guy with the mouth open, was a whole different ball game. When I first started on the tongue, I had the color all wrong! I adjusted my color some and I feel like I got it dead on! I am so tickled with the way it turned out! This is a small painting. It is 6X6 gallery wrapped canvas, so the painting goes around to the outside edge. That way it doesn't even need a frame. It's 2 inches deep, so it sits upright without being on a stand. It's acrylic.
                                                                       LSU Tiger Close Up
                                                                 6X6 Acrylic Gallery Wrap
                                                                             

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Business as Usual

ok, Since the other link isn't working, I had to repost this painting and the story that goes with it. This is a painting from last year and the thoughts I had while I was painting it.
Business as Usual

Hello again, everyone. I have not posted anything in a while. Between the new job and learning a whole new system, and getting acquainted with the Natchitoches Art Guild and Gallery, I have been pretty busy. This painting is one that I is inspired from my trip to Natchitoches.

When I got there, there was no electricity in the whole town. There was some kind of accident somewhere that had knocked out the power. All the shops and restaurants couldn't make sales or accept credit cards, except for one store. The Old General Mercantile store was an awesome store. They were ringing up people left and right because they used this huge antique cash register. It was so impressive, with all the buttons and the pull down total mechanism. I snapped a picture with my phone and viola! This is my impression. This is 11x14 oil on stretched canvas and is available for $80 with FREE shipping within the United States.

I hope you enjoy,
Nina
                                                                    Business as Usual
                                                                  11x14 Oil on Canvas
                                                                             $80




Wednesday, April 3, 2013

"Owl, Impressionistically Speaking"

Hello Friends,

This painting was another learning experience for me, where I stretched my painting style somewhat. The reference photo was of a person with this wonderful owl sitting on their arm. The eyes were the first thing that grabbed me about the photo. I always say, the eyes are the windows to the soul. I am always trying to learn something new with my painting. It chases the stress away and let's me escape. So, I took the owl off of the arm of the person holding him and put him in the forest, where he belongs. You all know how "close" I am to the forest. LOL Like, right out my door! Anyway...I wanted the eyes of this beautiful bird to be the focus of this painting. The rest of him, I wanted to experiment with the impressionistic style of painting. The background, I wanted to look like it was far, far away. I was streaming when I started this painting. He looked pretty rough, there for awhile. I even referred to him as a "chicken" a time or two. My wonderful friends who are also artists, and encourage me and support me ASSURED me, he did NOT look like a chicken! This painting is 8x10 on gessoed masonite and is available for $50 with FREE Shipping within the United States.

                                                    Owl, Impressionistically Speaking
                                                            8X10 Oil on masonite
                                                                         $50

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Drake

Hello Friends,

My mom lives on the lake. I'm sure I have mentioned that a few times. LOL She needs to be registered
as an animal sanctuary. Bird rescue, protected property by the FBI or CIA, because every year, without fail, Mr. and Mrs. Wood Duck come back to mom's place. Pap has had wood duck boxes for as long as I can remember. He has even sat on the patio and in his rocker and shot a snake out of one of his prized wood duck boxes. These beautiful birds seem to know exactly where to go to rear their young. They seem to know that my mom would fight the devil himself to protect her bird children. This painting was inspired by the Wood Duck Sanctuary my mom has. They are such beautiful creatures and such a joy to paint. This is 5X7 on gessoed masonite and is available for $30 with FREE Shipping within the United States.
                                                                             Drake
                                                              5X7 Acrylic on masonite
                                                                              SOLD

Monday, April 1, 2013

La Tech University Hideaway Park

Hello Friends,

I try to go walking as much as I can. This whole weight loss journey has it's ups and downs, that's for sure. With the time change, it gives me more time in the afternoon, after work to walk before it gets dark. Sometimes I walk on my street, but sometimes I like to go to a park on the Louisiana Tech University Campus. It's called the Hideaway Park. The hills will get your heart pumping! It is beautifully paved and has a body of water there. Although it's shaded, you will get your workout! I was walking and decided to snap a picture with my cell phone. This painting is the result. It is 5X7 Oil on masonite panel. It's available for $30 with free shipping within the United States.

                                                                        Hideaway Park
                                                                             5x7
                                                              Oil on Masonite Panel
                                                                           $30