Grain Harvest is going!

Fields White

Oil on Cradled Canvas Panel 8"x8"
sold

This time of year brings such visual feasting! I love seeing the colors of ripe grains both before and after cutting, It is such a glorious light vibrant yellow....

A few days ago I toured some of the farming areas around us and watched grains being cut, straw being bailed and trucks delivering and lining up for the next load. What activity! What beauty!

Summertime Still Life

Daisies and Fruit

Oil on Canvas Panel 8"x10"

This began as the first demonstration piece for my painting workshop. I loved the colors of the fruits with gold drape and so decided to finish it. I also love painting French Jelly glasses, and daisies are a favorite flower. It all makes for a happy reflection of good days.

 

A new Walkway to the Studio!

Part of a great working crew...

A few weeks ago my studio and I became the objects of a wonderful Service Project from the dear people of my Church! I had mentioned to a friend an impossible dream of mine to make a walkway from the street to my studio so that people visiting would be able to walk somewhere other than on the grass which is very uneven and dangerous.

Next thing I knew, I had a crew of people here laying it out and preparing it for concrete! I love it! It has a great inviting curve! I love the people who are making it! We are of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Burley 5th Ward!

From the street..... From the Studio door!

Seven Posts Challenge

My Most Popular Post has consistently been "Mourning Cloak on Crab Apple Blossoms". I can not find it in my files so this is a similar painting done this year without a butterfly. I do love painting these blossoms each year that they bloom. The tree is now very old (planted in about 1949) and only blooms every other year. One year, as it bloomed, I was sick and feeling so sad until a Mourning Cloak Butterfly appeared and flitted about the blossoms for a time leaving me full of joy!

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Most Beautiful Post ~ I lived with this painting for a few years before it found its home and I really enjoyed the serenity of the piece.

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Most Proud of this painting done as a commission piece for my dear friends in Switzerland. They have a home in the incredible little valley with these majestic surrounding mountains and they asked me create a painting of it. That alone brought me great joy! But while I was there, there were no mountains, just clouds. So I did it all from photos and what I felt as Karin and I took three separate tram rides to get to the summit of Mt. Titlis, the snow topped mountain on the far right of the painting. At the summit we met up with her husband, Daniel for lunch. He had climbed the mountain! It was great being there with them and seeing their encouraging responses as I made this painting. ________________________________________________

More Attention Deserved? I am not sure of that, but this is the direction I would like to be going with my painting and was just sure it would get a bit of notice.... _________________________________________________

This painting of Shoshone Falls has been Most Helpful to me because it was the first time in many years I had set up on location and made the painting there entirely. I found out I can do it!!! And I have done others since and love working outdoors, en pleine aire. I even purchased a French Easel and really enjoy working with it! _______________________________________________

I was Most Surprised by Success when this painting sold in the Auction on the Daily Paintwork site to benefit the catastrophe in Japan earlier this year. _______________________________________________

Because my faith (I am one of those dreaded "Mormons." Me and Mitt Romney..both very controversial...), I feel this, in today's world of unbelievers, might be my Most Controversial Posting. It was rejected from the Church's International Art competition in Salt Lake after many of my very dear and supportive friends encouraged me to enter the competition. I think I may have deleted the posting after the rejection. Still, it was a fine experience for me. Painting it was quite inspirational and a time of learning and of growing closer to my Savior. __________________________________________________

Nancy Laliberte and I were selected for a broadcast of "Artists Helping Artists"* last year and she has become a treasured and helpful e-friend. I enjoy a subscription to her Blog and she frequently comments on my paintings.

Recently she included me in a this Challenge. I was in the middle of a teaching project and could not get to it (partly because this is difficult!)

I received another artist's response to the same list today and it reminded me that I had not responded, so, here we go..... Thank you, Nancy! I almost found enough to do it....

In many ways, I think each painting I have done fits each category... Except I think I have never painted anything controversial.... I am a cautious old lady... and always have been. Perhaps some of my more religious paintings of Temples or of Christ. And I suppose anything can be controversial if the right, or wrong, person sees it....I have never had enough folks look or comment to make any piece "Popular". Four comments is tops anywhere on my blog.

* Great Blogtalk Radio show created and hosted by Leslie Saeta and Dreama Tolle Perry, two wonderful painters, to assist all artists with the difficult task of marketing. They do wonderful work!!!! Click on the connection in my left column....Nancy's blog is there too...

In a Garden....

"Jim's Archway"

Oil on Canvas Panel 14" x 11" sold

One of my demonstration pieces from the recent Oil Painting Workshop taught in my studio. My dear neighbors allowed us to invade their lovely garden. It is beautiful in every corner. I find the Stick Archway very inviting. Choosing which way to explore is always difficult ~ colorful vistas in every direction! Humming birds are everywhere and Jim keeps track of them individually! His children explore here daily and play wonderful games. Truly a Magical place.

 

Snake River Canyon near Murtaugh, Idaho

Still a Work in Progress...

sold

The latest incarnation on my painting of the Snake River Canyon from near Murtaugh. Now all the steps I knew needed to be taken have been done. It is still not what I wish it to be so now I must look at it and let it tell me what is next....

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Let's Paint! Oil Painting Workshop July 2011

Merete with her Daisy Still Life Painting

Soni with her Daisy Still Life Painting Connor concentrating! Soni and Merete Drawing in preparation to painting in a neighbor's beautiful garden.

Already a week has gone past since our small Oil Painting Workshop, "Let's Paint!" I was very pleased with all that happened. What a great little group of painters! They were each happy to be painting and willing to try new ideas!

It was a first for me to try out some ideas for a workshop in Oil Painting. I was nervous, but I think it worked out and I am willing to try it all again! Each seemed to feel that it was a fun occasion, each seemed to feel they accomplished and learned. We had great times talking, working, and lunching.

I am very pleased with the paintings they each did, and pleased that each is individual!

A few comments from fine participants:

"This was the most fun time painting!... I plan on taking more classes too!"

"I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I believe I will continue to try to paint. ...I can do this ..."

"...a delight!!!"