Different Strokes Portrait Challenge

9 X 12
oil on masonite

This truly was a challenge. Not knowing the subject and only having one picture for reference, I found myself worrying about capturing her image as well as pleasing this person. As with every challenge presented on Karin Jurick's wonderful site, Different Strokes from Different Folks, I learned a lot during this exercise and realize I set the bar of expectation for myself higher with each painting. Subsequently, I had to do a couple of tries and several reworkings of this portrait before I held my breath and sent one in. Thanks again Karin, for lending what has to be an enormous chunk of her time to host and execute this blog. I know I speak for all involved, that it is a wonderful way to learn, to stretch and grow, to be inspired and support one another in our shared passion for art. And Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukka to everyone reading this.

in progress....

oil on canvas

I'm still working out the background on this painting of my very good and camera shy pal.

Cupcake I

8 x 10

oil on masonite
SOLD!

We're having a show at our local gallery called "Just Desserts" so I'm trying out some ideas and this is the first one (using the good china). It may still get tweaked a bit.

Spring Pickin's

6 x 6
oil on masonite

This is a little painting I did for a local show of "Little Art" but never quite got around to entering on time. I might have mentioned my tendency to procrastinate. This is my husband Scott, shopping for spring flowers.

Commuters

11 x 16
Oil on masonite

This was another contribution to Karin Jurick's Different Strokes blog where she offered a photo full of challenging perspectives and lighting. I really enjoyed this one.

...and babies don't keep.

oil on canvas

There's an old poem that expresses every loving parent's heart and still chokes us up long after our babies are grown. The last line is "so settle down cobwebs and dust go to sleep, I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep". I thought of it while I worked on this portrait of my friend Erin's husband and son, and it seemed like an appropriate sentiment.

Painting Exercise - N.C.Wyeth

oil on canvas

I love N.C.Wyeth. Because of his amazing paintings, I notice the intensity of the sky and clouds differently and probably a bit of everything else about nature as well. Years ago, long before personal computers and the internet, I bought a book about him that included his painting, Herons in Summer. Even though it was in black and white, I fell in love with that work and longed to see it in color. Enter the Information Highway and there it was! So this summer, when I started to try to reorient myself with painting, I copied it as an exercise. It's rough and certainly doesn't do his wonderous painting any justice, but I decided to include it in this blog as part of a "How I Spent My Summer" series. You really should give yourself a treat and Google his painting.

Idle Time

SOLD
8 x 12
Oil on masonite

This is in response to Karin Jurick's blog Different Strokes for Different Folks. I love this vehicle because it's lighting the spark under my can to get back to painting. This is the second challenge I've taken and it's had an inspiring affect on my pathological procrastination.

June and Priscilla

11 x 14
oil on masonite

Priscilla lounging under Flaming June by Frederic Lord Leighton