Feeding Frenzy

Day 30 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!!!!!  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

Our pond has a lot of goldfish, none bigger than about seven inches long. Any 

larger and they get eaten by the herons!  Our fish keep multiplying--we have tons of babies,

The pond is deep, with enough vegetation for the fish to hide in, and enough for them to eat.

But in warm weather they really like additional food, and they go crazy when we feed them!

So much fun to watch.

  Thank you so much to all of you who have followed me on this challenge!  I really appreciate

the comments, compliments, and sales.  I hope to do this again in January, and also hope that 

I'll post more paintings before then!

Canadian Sunset

Day 29 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

We saw so many beautiful sunsets in Nova Scotia. This was in 

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, a fun little town with lots

to see and do.

The Swooping Trees

Day 28 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days. Pastel. 2.5" x 3.5". When we used to take the kids to the beach at Kiawah Island, they were always happy to get to this spot after the long drive--almost there! The River Road on John's Island has the most beautiful stretch of trees that lean over the road. Our son named them "The Swooping Trees", and we've called them that ever since. Now our grandchildren are so happy to see them every summer!

(Gifted to our son.)

The Purple Cow

Day 27 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

I have loved purple my whole life.  My father couldn't stand it!  But he did like to recite often 

the poem by the American poet, Gelett Burgess. The poem was written in 1895. The poet

was annoyed that he was mostly known for The Purple Cow, and wrote a sequel about it. 

Many other poets of the time wrote parodies of it. I would love to see a purple cow!

(Painting is sold!)

Fall Pasture

Day 26 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

This pasture is behind our daughter's house in Virginia.  Sometimes there are cows grazing.

Beautiful scenery in all seasons.

(Gifted to our daughter.)

Baby Sea Turtle

Day 25 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

At Kiawah Island this summer, we were on the beach and saw some crows trying to carry away 

baby sea turtles. The nest was back in the dunes, and we found 3 or 4 babies. Everyone on

the beach carefully protected the babies all the way to the ocean--a long journey since it was low tide.

(Gifted to our daughter-in-law.)

Summer's End

Day 24 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

I love the garden in the first days of Fall when the summer plants are at their best. 

The clematis is still blooming and the purple asters are just starting. The coleus is

at its peak, showing all its beautiful colors. I'll enjoy it while it lasts, before I have to

pull out the annuals and put in some pansies for the winter.

(Gifted to my niece.)

Pink Hedge Rose

Day 23 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

In Nova Scotia we saw a lot of hedges of this beautiful antique rose, Rosa Rugosa. The pink flowers are extremely fragrant, there are small prickly thorns everywhere on the plant, and the bush produces large rose hips, used for tea and other things. This rose tolerates sea salt well, and it has grown

rampantly along the New England and Canadian coast, where some consider it a noxious weed!

Red Pear

Day 22 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

Red Pear with an unusual background, just for something different.

Chicory

Day 21 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

A very loose interpretation of my favorite wildflower, chicory. I love to see it blooming in the

summer in fields and on roadsides, up and down I-75 in the Midwest, and in North Carolina

and Virginia. It's a very tenacious weed--it can be mowed to just a few inches tall and will still

bloom.

Mountain View Over #9

Day 20 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.   Pastel.   2.5" x 3.5".

Green #9 at the golf course, with Kennesaw Mountain and Little Kennesaw Mountain in 

the background. This one needs to be a larger painting--I tried to include way too many 

details for such a small format.  And I need a better variety of green pastels!

Pumpkin Pirate

Day 19 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

Ahoy, mateys!  How many of ye landlubbers know that 

today is "Talk Like a Pirate Day"? If ye don't, yer a 

scumbucket!

Red Maple

Day 18 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

I don't know why I get two different color shades when

I take two photos of the same painting.  One is on a white 

background and one on black.  Can that be it?  Below is 

the other photo.  The true color is somewhere between the two.

Pumpkin Patch

Day 17 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

So glad to see fall on its way!  Time to decorate.

Georgia Peach

Day 16 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.   Pastel.   2.5" x 3.5".

We used to have a small peach tree in our yard. The flowers in the spring were so pretty, but 

so short-lived. The peaches tasted good but were hard to separate from the pits. There 

would be so many peaches that branches would break from the weight.  And all year long I 

would find the seedlings coming up wherever the squirrels had buried them. We had the tree 

taken out--too high-maintenance!

White Birch Grove

Day 15 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

I took the photo for this painting on a recent trip to Cape Breton in Canada.

All the white birch trees reminded me of northern Michigan. 

Beautiful country.

SOLD

Sundown at the Oasis

 

Day 14 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

Over a golf course in Palm Desert.  Beautiful scenery and wonderful weather.

SOLD!

Lily Pond

Day 13 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days. Pastel. 2.5" x 3.5".

Abstract of a water lily pond. One of my favorite subjects.

zinnias

 Day 12 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

All the colors of zinnias are incredible!  And so easy to grow from seed,

A gardener's dream.

Yellow Gold

Day 11 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

I love it when the goldenrod is blooming. It's such a cheerful shade of yellow,

and the feel of fall coming and cooler weather is a welcome relief after the heat of

the summer.

Garden Bath

Day 10 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

Imaginary garden with birdbath and Cardinal.

SOLD.

Two Blue Eggs

Day 9 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Two Blue Eggs.  2.5" x 3.5".

Another nest with a more abstract background.

(This painting is sold!)

Three Eggs

Day 8 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5"

Not sure why I painted yellow eggs!

Yellow Hibiscus

Day 7 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days. Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

Another one I'll do again in a larger size. Will put in more darks

for better contrast, more depth. I love these flowers--they come in 

such a wide range of beautiful colors, and are so striking because of the size.

Still Together

Day 6 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel.  2.5" x 3.5".

This shell is so beautiful--I was not able to do it justice in pastel in this small

format. It is perfectly symmetrical, and mine is not!

I'll have to try a larger version, maybe in oil.

St. Simon's Marsh

Day 5 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel, 2.5" x 3.5".

Another marsh, at high tide.

Golden Fields

Day 4 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel 2.5" x 3.5". 

Looking across a marsh at St. Simon's Island in Georgia.

(This painting is sold!)

Egret

Day 3 in 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Pastel, 2.5" x 3.5". Took the photo for this painting

at St. Simon's Island in Georgia. These birds look like statues--they move very slowly until

they strike to catch their prey.  Fun to watch.

Colorful Palm

 Pastel, 2.5"x3.5"

Day 2 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  I love palm trees and have hundreds of photos of various 

kinds. Still trying for a painting of one that I like--so I'll be painting more and learning while I do.

Forgot to say that the print at the top is the paper company logo on the edge of the paper (Canson)--I didn't notice at first and thought, oh well! ;)

Pacific View

Day 1 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  Since I'm traveling this month, I decided I'd better do quick, small paintings.  So I'm doing 2.5"x3.5"--known as ATC's--Artist Trading Cards.  Using pastels, I'm a little rusty in this medium--I've been using oils and acrylics lately.  So I hope I get back in the groove with pastels!

Collage--30 Paintings in 30 Days, January 2015

This collage shows all but my first painting, which was pretty awful. Happy to have completed this challenge! :)

Flower Garden (Day 7--out of order!)

Day 7 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Watercolor, 6"x6". I was behind in the challenge in the first week, and somehow totally missed #7! So I'm adding it now. I love the summer garden--hollyhocks, sunflowers, roses, clematis, and lots of annuals. But I'm getting less and less interested in planting it all, and the upkeep! So each year my garden gets a little less colorful. Now my husband is eyeing all the garden space for veggies. I did that for a while--I'm glad he's taking a turn at it. ;)
This painting is SOLD!

Wisteria Again

Day 30 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge! Watercolor, 4"x4". Another try at wisteria. I have a long way to go to get the look I want. I have enjoyed experimenting with watercolors, and look forward to doing more and improving.

Price

$20.00 Option 2 Option 3

Color Riot

Day 29 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Watercolor, 4"x4". Colorful bouquet of flowers--trying to do more color blending and stay loose. Tiny steps.

Price

$20.00 Option 2 Option 3

Think Spring!

Day 28 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Watercolor, 6"x6". Spring here is so amazingly beautiful with the flowering cherry trees, the azaleas, and the daffodils and tulips. Seems far away right now. Still some winter to go. The Northeast just got hit with a bad blizzard. Hope there aren't a lot more of those coming this year.

Price

$25.00 Option 2 Option 3

Icicles

Day 27 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Watercolor, 6"x6". Icicles! They're pretty, especially with the sun shining on and through them. Brings back fun memories of my Michigan childhood, but I'm happy to be in Georgia now where we don't see too many icicles. An icicle story--in Michigan, in the 60's and before, rhubarb was grown in the winter in hothouses. These were low structures that were kept warm partly with an insulation layer on the roof--which was usually manure. So the icicles on these hothouses were not clear, they were kind of brown! My husband's family called these "root beer icicles". :)

Price

25.00 Option 2 Option 3

Pinwheel Palm Tree

Day 26 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Watercolor, 6"x6". My friend and pastel teacher, Karen Margulis, told us don't let your palm trees be too symmetrical, looking like pinwheels. I can't seem to get away from this habit, and will have to work on it!

Price

$ 25.00 Option 2 Option 3

Weeping Willow Tree

Day 25 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Watercolor, 6"x6". I love weeping willows--we had four in our yard where I grew up. The branches are so pretty swaying in the breeze. The leaves are such a beautiful yellow-green in the spring. Brings back memories of lazy days by the river. We had a swing in one of our trees--my favorite getaway spot.

Price

25.00 Option 2 Option 3

Motown Blues

Day 24 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Watercolor, 6"x6". I love Detroit! I was born there and lived there until I was six, when my family moved a little north and east on the St. Clair River. I have wonderful memories of Detroit, especially the Thanksgiving Day parade downtown, hosted by J.L. Hudson, the large department store. It was at Hudson's that we would go through "Toyland" on our way to see Santa. I remember outings to beautiful Belle Isle Park, where the conservatory was my favorite. Detroit has four sports teams, all with loyal fans. It was heartbreaking to see Detroit, and a lot of Michigan, go downhill with the downfall of the big automakers, all of which, thankfully, have recovered. It was sad to see the hits and artists of Motown fall out of popularity, with the Beatles and Rolling Stones and other British bands. Then on to hard rock, heavy metal, Disco, etc. Late 50's and early 60's is still my favorite music period. The good news is that Detroit is making a comeback--it will be different, but I hope it will be as beautiful and vibrant a city as it once was.

Price

Option 1 $25.00 USD Option 2 $25.00 USD Option 3 $25.00 USD

Purple Onion

Day 23 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Watercolor, 6"x6". Yikes, I really need practice on watercolor shadows. They're so much easier to do in oil. This poor onion is past its prime, but the green sprouts look so nice on it!

Price

Option 1 $25.00 USD Option 2 $25.00 USD Option 3 $25.00 USD