Hawaii Palms

"Hawaii Palms" is on 8x10" cradled panel that is stained on the sides. Originally I had anticipated adding more collage items, but ended up being happy with the trunks to the palms. Small as they are the tiny extra bit of texture brings them forward. My son sent me this picture from his recent trip to Hawaii and I was immediately fascinated with these mound hills off in the distance. I don't know what they are, but I've not seen anything like it, so it had to go in. This is added to the list I'm going to let my son choose from, and what is left I will add to my website.

The photo is the last I will post for our summer give-away contest. Red Bird was taking a bath in my mom's tree when I was there in June. I was surprised to see how long she sat there letting the sprinkler wash her off...Might be fun for any of you bird lovers out there!

As a reminder the contest is simple...Be a follower, choose ANY photograph I've posted this summer (or earlier if you want to go back that far), paint it, collage it, create an artwork and then send it to my e-mail at art4life44@hotmail.com and that is all there is to it!! I will put your name in the hat and choose from the artworks submitted and will send the winner their choice from the contest choices on my sidebar. I finally fixed the glitch on-line where my photos were stored so you can just click on the photo under contest choices to see the available little artworks to choose from. You still have time, especially if you are a daily painter...so why not give it a try!

Happy Painting to you all!!

Another Beautiful Entry!

It is rainy and SO dark here today that I can't photograph my latest, but that is OK, because I have a beautiful entry from Nancy Medina to post for our summer challenge contest. She calls this "Berries and Creme" and it is beautiful. I posted this photo a bit ago and remember commenting on all the PINK and sort of shuddered...and yet she attempted and completed something so wonderful with the photo. So, for your viewing pleasure! Nancy also completed another flower painting earlier on in the contest, so as promised her name goes in the drawing twice! I encourage anyone who wants to wander through my posts from the last couple of months to try one of the photos. You have until July 19 at midnight to enter!

Hopefully the sun will come out tomorrow so I can photograph the latest beach scene from Hawaii from photos my son sent...if not...hmmm...I may try it anyway.

Thank you again Nancy! I encourage you to click on her name above and visit her site...she does some wonderful work!

Welcome to my newest followers! Happy Painting to you all!

Another Entry

My friend and fellow blogger Liz Pearson painted this beautiful portrait of Shadow my cat that I lost through an accident at home. I posted the picture of Shadow as a part of our summer competition challenge. You can read about Liz's version of Shadow on her blog Art with Liz. Not only did Liz capture the feeling of who Shadow was, but in a way I have yet to be able to even attempt. Thank you Liz for painting Shadow! Liz is now another entrant into our summer challenge give-away! If you feel like attempting any of the photo's I've posted and sending it to my e-mail I will gladly post it and put you (one of my followers) into the hat for the drawing to win one of the contest choices that you can see on my sidebar by clicking the one shown to take you to a page with them all!

Three Poppies

"Three Poppies" is an acrylic created on a 9"x6" gesso on panel. As I have said before I do not want to give up painting, as sometimes I just feel like it! I know, I know...it messes with my recognizable self...but, this is the year I will experiment as I wish and see what comes of it. I know my different approaches to things keeps me from some prestigious sites, but I must be true to myself first. Who knows...maybe being versatile visually will catch on...HA

We have some days left to our contest, so hopefully some of you will have a moment to attack one of the photos I've posted the past couple of months...if so...YIPEE!

Three Poppies is available on my website.

Collage Poppy

Collage Poppy is a 6x6" cradled panel that I've stained on the sides. I used colored papers with acrylic painting here and there. I like using transparent papers as you can build up shadows by overlapping. I am going to look at this again in the morning before I decide if I've finished all I wanted to do, but for now I'm happy with it.

I finally figured out what was wrong with my 4G laptop. It had begun to run very slowly like my old dinosaur laptop and I was very discouraged! All it took was to change from Internet Explorer to Firefox and here I am speeding along like I had hoped in the beginning! YEA! I had to share that as it has taken a HUGE part of my time away from painting and I'm sure all your artists out there can relate!

We are 10 days from the conclusion of the summer contest give-away, so if you have a minute to poke through past posts (say that 3 times in a row without slipping) for photos I have posted and try your hand at one of them!

I think I have another poppy in me before I move along to perhaps another ocean scene! What fun!