Oriental Flowers

I started this painting as one unbroken line which included the table, the vase, one flower, and the book. Then I added the other flowers because the background was too empty. I love the way the orange and blue play against each other making the table and vase seem to jump off the page. The green book helps to balance the composition and gives the eye a break from all the orange. I don't even know where this drawing came from, I just thought of drawing the vase and the table with one line and I put my pen on the paper and this is what happened next :-) SO MUCH FUN! I think it looks sort of "Oriental" in style.

This was done in colored pencil. I forgot how nice it feels to just sit and sketch something from life. I bought these gerberas on sale at Walmart :-) To me there is just nothing like Prismacolor pencils - their softness, their brilliant colors, and the complete ease of use - just pick them up and you're ready to draw - no cleanup, no mess, and no surprises.

Going in Circles

This is a mixed media piece inspired by Robert Burridge. His acrylics are amazing. Another source of inspiration, besides the vase of course, was a lid from the soda I drank at lunch. I thought about how it would make a cool circle stamp. Then I used a section of bubble wrap for the solid circles and the lid to white out for the other circle shape.

Lamplight Glow

This is from my imagination. Trying to capture the warm glow of a reading lamp and the feeling of evening tea with a good book. Warmth. Coziness. Safety.

Orange Zinnia

This is another I completed yesterday at the gallery. From a photo I took of my zinnias last summer. Can't wait for them to come up and bloom again!

Haybales - Watercolor Pencil

This was inspired by Cathy Johnson's Watercolor Pencil Magic, which I received last week. I bought it used from Amazon.com, because I didn't want to miss my chance to own it before it's unavailable. I love Cathy's work and her books are fabulous. I did this from a photo I took on my way home from work one day. This is one of several to follow that I completed at the Gallery yesterday while I worked there. It was my day to open and close yesterday. Bliss - a day surrounded by art and time to paint with no distractions.

Morning Tea - Collage

Good mornin', Good mornin', Good mornin', Good mornin', to you! (from Singing in the Rain). After saving all my morning tea bags I did this collage/drawing. I highly recommend this tea too. It's from Starbucks - Tazo Awake! Black Tea. "The Reincarnation of Tea."

EMERGE!

This mixed media piece is about 8" x 8" on cardstock. It was meant to be a preliminary work for a bigger piece, but I got lost in it and worked for hours. This represents a whole new kind of artwork for me. Very deep emotions went into this piece. I keep wanting to write about it, but I can't put it in words. I suppose it can mean something different to each person and I will leave the interpretation of it to you in your own life. The words on the path are from Isaiah 43 and 44. Verse 18 and 19 says, "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." (KJV) The NCV puts it this way, "The LORD says, "Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don't you see it? I will make a road in the desert and rivers in the dry land."

Spring Evening

A colored pencil drawing I did at work (during a break of course!). I started with a sketch of the lime green vase which is an actual object on my desk. The rest I added from my imagination. I call this Spring Evening, because it sort of looks like you might be reading by lamplight since the background is dark and undefined. This is definitely a place I want to go!

I finished this 5 x7 drawing while I worked at the gallery Saturday. Believe it or not, the colors are more intense in the original than in this scan. I love that this just screams JOY! and FUN! It makes me happy when I look at it. That's what I want to express in my art - JOY, HAPPINESS, PEACE. All good feelings - Philippians 4:8.

Cafe with Books

Happy President's Day Morning! I'm off work on HOLIDAY today! I'm framing up some artwork to take to the Gallery this afternoon and eating oatmeal and sipping tea. What a glorious start to a marvelous day!

Deer at Grayson Highlands

This sketch is from a photo I took at Grayson Highlands State Park last summer.

We stood silently under the apple trees, and watched as this little deer came closer and closer - almost close enough to touch! A beautiful memory with my daughter Grace.

Morning Tea

I painted this at lunch yesterday - the remains of my morning tea. As I was finishing this sketch, my friends came in with a gift for me - a huge teacup planter. More on that to follow!

Red with Turquoise 4

I suppose this is a continuation in the series of red with turquoise. I went to a Southern Living Show yesterday afternoon and was so inspired by all the shapes of the glasses and the pitchers and vases. Their pottery colors are red and turquoise - not as bright as my artwork - more subdued colors. I just can't bring myself to "subdue" a color. I know the rules - that grays make colors pop and you should have neutrals in a painting - but I just can't do it. My art is not really meant to be realistic, but to make you smile and say "wow - this is bright!" So here it is, # 4 in my red/turquoise phase...

Red Flowers 3

This is # 3 in the series I began this weekend. I cannot get enough of this RED!!!!

Tulip Craze

I did this yesterday, and I'm not sure if I like it - it's a bit busy. Would love to have your comments.

Red Flowers 2 1_21_07

Created this morning, this is the second in what I suppose is a sort of series of these red flowers with turquoise. This subject and the shape of the flowers came about very spontaneously and unplanned, but I love the color and the combination of all the colors, the dots on the vase, and the contrast. So "Red Flower 2," and on to the next in the series...

Radishes 1-14-07

I went grocery shopping and the produce display was incredible! This bunch of radishes was simply gorgeous. I couldn't wait to get home and paint it. My sister, neice, and other family members said I was really "out there!" They just don't know what they're missing! Art is about finding and capturing the tremendous beauty in the everyday things that most folks overlook. God is so good to give us so much to enjoy! The red in these radishes contrasted against the green leaves is phenomenal!

Turquoise Vase with Red Flowers

Finally, a post. My resolution to post every day has not worked out very well. Life has a way of getting in the way of our best intentions. But I love this very happy piece of art. It was spontaneous and fun and was more like play than work. Isn't that what art is supposed to be? Play. Fun.

I've struggled with this new style of mine ever since it evolved. It just came out of my hand and heart naturally, but it was so effortless and fun, I wasn't sure if it was "real art." So I called them "Doodles." An artist friend of mine told me that I was cheapening my art by calling them doodles. So I'm changing my blog name and I'm changing my attitude toward this new style of ART I've birthed. Looking at my art makes me smile. I hope it makes others smile too. Art is very personal and thank goodness there is no right or wrong, just honest self-expression.

Jazzy Tulips

I found this while looking through a sketchbook I haven't used in a while. I want to do this in watercolor and pastel larger as a finished painting.

I've been invited to be a co-op member of City Gallery on Main Street in Galax. It's a small local gallery, but I am so excited to become a part of it. Knowing I have 7-8 feet of wallspace to fill is very motivating!

Let's get painting!

My Masterpiece

A NEW YEAR and a NEW RESOLUTION to blog faithfully! I've neglected my blog site for almost TWO months - far too long.

I did this drawing as part of decorations for our Open House at work. It's my "masterpiece" as it turned out and it's done on brown Kraft paper! I used Art Stix and discovered how absolutely wonderful it is to work so large and have so much room to draw! This is done life size and right now is hanging on my kitchen wall. I've trimmed it down quite a bit. It's listed on e-Bay as of yesterday and is awaiting a BUYER.

HAPPY, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!