Its beginning to look alot like Christmas...

This is an 8x10 acrylic on stretched canvas painting- A friend commissioned this for her parents' anniversary. This is the church they were married in, which has since burned down. We were working from a few old photographs and meshing a few angles (you can see the photos below on either side of the painting... this is how I normally work). We wanted to soften the colors and the background. It doesn't have to be EXACTLY identical since it isn't there anymore- it granted me a little freedom to romanticize it! Don't we do that in our memories anyway? 

This next painting is MUCH larger- a commission for a similar painting to one a client saw on a wine bottle (I've searched high and low for the talented artist's name to give credit where it's due, but I can't locate it. I even called the winery and no one returned my call) This is 40x40 acrylic on deep-cradled gallery wrapped stretched canvas. I really enjoyed working on this, the large expressive strokes were so much fun!

Lots of layers here. I began with a background wash of a medium brown. Normally my favorite is a raw umber, but for this I used a richer burnt umber mix. I think I'm going to start using a color wash behind all of my paintings before I sketch, it just gives it a cohesive undertone, leaving pops of the same color throughout the painting. It really unifies things.

 Finished here, with a few zoomed in shots so you can see the detail!

Thanks for following, posts will be sporadic until 2013, due to the nature of what I'm working on being predominantly GIFTS at the moment!

Another abstract...

This is a 30x36 (I think?) acrylic abstract painting on wooden panel. October 2012. I LOVED doing the abstract for Anna a few months ago, so I decided to do one for us- though they are very different!This is right outside our kitchen- I love navy, red, white and green/gray. These are the colors in the kitchen/dining area... and throughout our house really.  I'd like to do more of this in 2013.

 This is closer in, though you don't get the full width:

 and on the wall:

 I'm kind of in a holding pattern right now- I have a few more things to post in the next month (waiting for gifts to be given to post), but I'm working on Christmas commissions- Sooooooooo expect some larger uploads in January! Thanks for reading.

A few weeks ago I posted the unfinished Angel Oak. It then progressed to this: less bushy leaves, and more blue shadows.

 Then this: the final painting- I really didn't like the blue shadows so intense, which surprised me. I am usually all about ultramarine blue! I just wanted it to feel softer and more natural. Also, the sky became a less saturated blue.

A closer view: Again this is around 3'x4' acrylic on canvas.

This pair was done in the same sitting- birthday presents for two of my favorites! 5"x7" acrylic on canvas panel. August 2012. These scenes are recalled from many trips in the marsh, rather than a photo- also unusual for me.

 Dock Street Theatre- 16x20 acrylic on wooden panel. September 2012. For a silent auction raising money for the beautiful theatre.

 Closer shot:

 In the frame, which I might add was too thin for the screws that CAME WITH IT! So the screws came through the front... Don't buy the new gold plein aire open-back frame from Michaels. It used to be my very favorite, and a bargain. The wood is thinner and they have started covering it with a wrap that bubbles instead of actually painting the wood. Also, the finish is dull- not comparable! Ok, I'll quit ranting about it.

Happy birthday Daniel- For a friend who BARELY lost another marsh painting at a silent auction. Again, this scene was the product of many memories in the marsh, rather than a photograph. Sounds like I need to go have a marsh photo-shoot. 18x24 acrylic on stretched canvas. September 2012.

Just thought I'd give you a peek at a large painting in progress: 36x36" acrylic on stretched canvas. These blue herons are not finished yet. I was VERY frustrated with the background at one point (ask my poor husband) but I'm pretty pleased with it now. More work to be done on the birds. This was originally intended as a comission that ended up changing directions.... I'll post more on this later as it progresses.

Quick photo of my studio supervisor: Sadie.

A sweet birthday gift for a sister. I KNOW how much these dogs are loved, and though I haven't had the opportunity to meet them yet, I have heard some funny stories! 11x14 acrylic on canvas panel, October 2012. First the photo, then the completed painting followed by a close shot.

11x14" acrylic on canvas panel. September 2012. This was a wedding gift for a friend, whose wedding I was heartbroken to miss. It's been so neat to see her grow in her faith over the 5 years we've been friends, and I'm so excited for  her and her husband! This is the church they were married in just over a month ago. She loves bright colors and I experimented a lot with the background colors, and making the grays blue, but again... didn't love it. 

This is finished:

Thanks for following- more to come. Some gifts that have been completed but not yet given are to be posted soon!

More birch trees...

Another commission for birch trees: this one is an 18x24 acrylic on deep (2" cradled) wooden panel. Such an honor to be asked, and a pleasure to do this for great friends! 

The reason I love the birch trees on wooden panel is the wood grain causes the watered down paint to spread horizontally, imitating the horizontal striations that naturally exist on these trees. See below.

I began by dripping paint down the panel, then turning it over and dripping it the other way. By letting the paint do it's thing, it produces kind of an organic, natural pattern. I don't think this would work for just any forest, but a birch forest doesn't have many lateral limbs- they are tall and skinny, mostly straight up and down. 

Then I darkened the background of the forest, leaving some "light space" for trees in the foreground.

Color washing the foreground in:

... and the leaves... one of my new obsessions is what I unofficially call "back-painting", essentially painting around an object (or branch in this case)... instead of drawing in something, you paint what is behind it, and leave the object as negative space... does that make sense? this works ESPECIALLY well with leaves- it gives a soft look that implies light is coming through from behind.

Palette knife in almost abstract squares in the foreground.

  

I used a different palette knife stroke, almost a fan-like sideways spread for the leaves....

Finished, thought this shot is a little bright.

 And a close shot:

Thanks for following!