Black and White

I did it!  Well almost.  It is January 30th and even though I painted every day, I didn't complete two days as I didn't like what I painted.  The last week was the most difficult.  I wanted to go onto different subjects, try a new limited palette and not be under so much pressure.  All in all, it was a great exercise in that I have never tried to finish so many paintings in one day.  Not too sure I will join the next 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge in September.  

This chicken is such a beauty.  It's a White Crested Black Polish.   What a beautiful breed!  Hope you continue to follow the blog after this challenge.

Black and White

8 " x 6"

Oil on Canvas

$40 Auction

Forging for Lunch

When I bought my 5 day old chicks, I thought all were female as I requested.  What a surprise when I found one of the black silkies was a rooster.  My grandson, Ayden, had named him Ferrari.  He was beautiful as his black feather were luminescent with a gorgeous green.  As El Paso only allows you to have hens, we had to find a home for him.

Forging for Lunch

8" x 6"

oil on canvas

$40 Auction

As I Was Saying..

What a day!  I left the house at 9 this morning to help with the garden club luncheon.  I really like going to these events to see friends and learn about what I've neglected to do in my garden this month.  I returned home at 2pm and panicked knowing I only had a few hours to paint.  As I was taking the painting into my photo room, I noticed how little contrast there was.  Thirty minutes later, I improved it but may go back and "retouch" it.

I have really enjoyed trying to finish a painting every day, but will appreciate painting away from a deadline.

As I Was Saying...
6" x 6"
oil on canvas
$40 Auction

Safe and Sound

Yesterday I had one of those days where nothing would come together.  I spent about 4 hours in the studio and stopped painting before anything was finished.  I scrapped one of the paintings to start over.

Today was better but not great.  What is it that puts up blocks to completing something you like?  Hope I get back on track soon.

This little painting struck me as sweet.  Here is a mom protecting her chicks knowing too soon they would "fly the coop", just like our kids do.  I guess I was missing my kids and their families.

Safe and Sound

8 " x 6 "

Oil on Canvas

$40 Auction

High Lights

This was a difficult painting for me.  At the Guild we were asked to use a limited palette, similar to Ned Jacobs.  As a colorist, I wasn't sure I could get the vibrant colors I like.  The palette was chrome yellow medium, Windsor Orange, Alizarin Crimson, Cobalt, Ultramarine Blue and black/white.  I had to add turquoise! 

I couldn't find the original reference for this painting, but I loved the colors in the headpiece. I can only guess it is a Polish.

High Lights

8 x 6 inches

Oil On Canvas

SOLD

On Guard

I love Fridays!  It's the day I drive to Las Cruces to meet with the Artists Guild of Southern New Mexico.  Today Lindy, Carol, Anne, Sue and I met with our cherished mentor, Julie Ford Oliver.  How lucky can we get!!!  She had suggested we work with Ned Jacob's limited palette.  It was a real challenge for me as I wasn't sure I could get the colors I am used to painting with.  (she said I could use turquoise) I do love the color harmony one can achieve. I will try to paint tomorrows chick using it.

On Guard

8 x 6 inches

Oil on Canvas

$40 Auction

Click on the photos under DPW to bid

No, It's Not a Wig

Very strange day in El Paso today.  We had several inches of snow with strong winds that made it miserable.  Great day to stay in and paint.

This hen is a White Crested Black Polish hen.  I've heard from some people who actually have these chickens.  What fun to paint them!

No, It's Not a Wig

8 x 6 inches

$40 Auction

click on the DPW photos to bid on this and other paintings

I Did Cut My Hair!

Just nine days left on the 30 day challenge and I have so many more chickens I want to paint!  I was given a homework assignment in the Guild last week and don't even have a reference for it yet.  I really have to paint it tomorrow as we meet again on Friday.

This is a non-bearded Golden Lace Polish hen and apparently you have to trim around its eyes for it to see.  I hope to paint a bearded one later this week where you will see why a trim is necessary.

I Did Cut My Hair

8 x 6 inches

Oil on canvas

$40 Auction

Click on any photo under DPW to bid

Shall We Eat It?

After a few appointments this morning, it was good to get back in the studio!  I just love cute chicks and I hope you can see how cute these two are.  I first washed the entire painting with local color in transparent paint.  The next day, I added opaque colors.  Not sure I expressed exactly what I wanted, but I'm so happy to just paint.

Shall We Eat It?

8 x 6 inches

$40 Auction

To Bid just click on the photo under the DPW

I'm a Real Redhead

My sweet sister Patty and her husband, Eddie, left early this morning for San Antonio.  We had a wonderful time.  Now back to painting.

In highschool, one of my best friends was a redhead, a real one, Betty Bausch Franzen.  She was so funny and so much fun to be with.  She was also a beautiful girl whom I admired  greatly.  I know she will think this is a great tribute to her redhead clique.  

So many people have asked me to paint some more "crazy hair" chicks.  They make me smile so much that I am happy to paint them.

I'm a Real Redhead

8 x 6 " oil on canvas

$40 Auction

Click on DPW photo to bid on this painting

The Brown Egg

So I missed a day of painting.  I had worked on one to post earlier, but it didn't work out quite right.  The one I'm posting is one I did as an experiment in October.  Julie Ford Oliver had the Guild swirl white and black gesso on a flat surface.  We mixed it up slightly with a brush end and then pressed a canvas board in to the wet gesso.  We were then supposed to paint what we "saw".  It took several days, but surprise, look what I finally saw.

Here is the finished painting using transparent paint.

The Brown Egg

8 x 6 '  oil on canvas board

$40 Auction

The black and white gesso board

Two Down, Three to Go

It is wonderful having my sister and her husband visiting for the 3 day weekend.  We spent the day at White Sands and Mesilla, NM.  The temperature was in the 60s with beautiful sunny skies.

This is a very high key painting.  I noticed it once I photographed  it.  I usually like to have more drama with a lower key painting.  With company, I just don't have the time to make it more to my style.  I went back to the palette knife and felt like I was coming back to my style.

Two Down, Three to Go

8 x 6 inches

SOLD

Click on photos under DPW to bid

Birds of a Feather

This is the last post on Silkies.  I want to back to using the palette knife more. My sister and her husband are visiting this weekend so I tried to paint 3 today.  I'm not sure I will post them all without more work and they look too rushed.

Birds of a Feather

8 x 6 inches

$40 Auction

Click on DPW photo to right to bid

Proud Mama

Day 15 - Half way through the 30 day challenge.  This weekend my sister, Patty, and her husband will be visiting from San Antonio.  I have painted two paintings today and will have to paint two tomorrow in order to not miss a day.  A little stress, but so much fun as I hear from so many people who say these paintings make them smile.

Another thing I like about silkies is the variety of colors and shades they come in.

Proud Mama

8 x 6 "

Oil on Canvas

$40 auction

To Bid on this click on the photos under DPW on the right

A Walk in the Garden

Anna (RIP), Fluffy and Rosa would love to walk in the garden.  Unfortunately living in the desert on the side of a mountain makes this impossible.  On the other side of our rock wall, occasionally inside the garden, live all the scary predators that would love to harm the girls.  I caught a fox trying to get into the coop last month.  We see many coyote, snakes, huge birds of prey and even mountain lions.  So I make sure they get daily servings of kitchen scraps and green leafy vegetables.

A Walk in the Garden

8 x 6 inches

Oil on Canvas

$40 Auction

To Bid on this click on the photos under DPW on the right