Happy New Year!

This is the large (36x60") commission that I did in December...the canine family of a sweet couple that have been clients for a long time.  It was a present from husband to wife and I do think that they were both as happy with it as I was. 

They said the magic words...that I had managed to capture each dog's personality.  And believe me, these dogs are loaded with personality. 

I plan to try to be more regular with my appearances here on the blog, but for now I hope the new year is loaded with possiblitlies for all of you and that you expand your horizons and make the most of what God gives you. 

Heading out...Oil Painting Shrimp Boat

Heading Out....30x30.....Oil on canvas.......$950



This is my other shrimp boat painting that I did recently (a couple of months ago).  The family is divided on which one they like better.  I like them both, a lot, but my favorite is yesterday's I think.

***I have a question for other bloggers...Things have changed in Blogville since I was here last and I think I like most of it.  But one thing I don't like (and maybe I am doing something wrong). When I go to upload photos the upload screen stays displayed and I can't minimize it so that I can start my text.  I used to could make it go away and I would work on my text while the photo loaded and then the picture would pop up when it had loaded.  Is there no way to do this now?  Any help would be appreciated.

I'm back!

Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy

Well, it has been almost 6 months since my last post I believe!  That's pretty sad.  But since the life circumstances that have kept me from blogging have all been happy things I cannot complain. 

My lovely daughter got married to a guy we would have picked out of the "Perfect Son-In-Law" catalog.  We had our beautiful twin grandbabies with us for 6 weeks, and we took a two week dream trip to Italy.  So, as I said, I cannot complain.  But I couldn't find the time to post on my blog either.

So, now it is time to really get back to work!  I have painted in this absence, so over the next couple of days I will post some of the things that I have done in the last few months to get everyone caught up.  How about that?

"At Rest"...30x30.....oil on canvas....$950

 

Thanks to those who have enquired about my absence from the blogging world!

Fruits of the Sea...(or ditch)...oil paintngs

These are three of the paintings I did for my show this past weekend in Oxford, MS. ( all of them sold, by the way.)

Doubledecker is always a whirlwind...we set up, have the show and take it all down in one day.  But this year was made doubly crazy by the weather.  It was so bad that they had to postpone the show until Sunday which meant that not only was everything crammed into one day, but we also had to drive 3 hours back to Jackson when it was all over...after having gotten up at 4:30 AM! 

Plus the wind was UNBELIEVEABLE on my corner where I was.  Got to give props to my husband who created the weights that kept my whole set-up from "relocating".  And more props to my incredible support staff...Dacia and Shaun.  They were there with us in the early morning hours helping set up and cheering every step of the way.

Tools of the Trade....oil painting.....

"Tools of the Trade"......12x24....oil......SOLD

This is a variation of my Tabasco trend...I like it and plan to do more similar pairings....with other condiments, on tablescapes, and with spices and foods that you would commonly see with Tabasco.

This is one of the paintings that I have done for my upcoming outdoor festival...Doubledecker in Oxford.  I am done painting now and need to do prints and put wires on the backs and make title cards.  All aspects of the "other side" of the glamorous life of an artist.  The part that people don't think about when they ask how long it takes to do a "painting".  Sometimes the painting is the quick part...it's the "work" that takes all the time.

Tailgating at MSU....Oil Painting...

Tailgating at MSU.....30 x30.....Oil....$990

I have done several paintings of tailgating in the grove at Ole Miss, but Rebels are not the only football fans that enjoy a good party under the trees!  To my good friends and family that are MSU fans this one is for you!

Baker's Half Dozen....Oysters....oil painting

Baker's Half Dozen.....16x20....Oil.....$350

This is a fun painting that I did for my upcoming outdoor shows.  I think oysters are cool to paint, but very hard to capture.  They are such a funky, interesting food that I couldn't resist.  I have been on a seafood kick lately.  More to come soon.

Cup Stack....Oil painting

Cup Stack......10x20.....Oil.......$225

This one draws from the imagination....a bit....I just couldn't get a set of cups and saucers to stay like that for long!

"Imported" Wine Bottles...Oil Painting...Commission

"Imported Wine Bottles".....36x48........Oil......Commission(sold)

This is a commissioned painting for a nice gentleman in Missouri. He found me via my blog (Yay blog!) by googling wine bottle artist (yay Google!). This is the second largest piece I have done.


I loved working on this painting! The wine bottles were "imported" to me, here in Mississippi, from Missouri. Each one is from a local Missouri winery that Jim and his wife have visited and each one has an interesting story to go with it.


It was a long back and forth process but this past week the painting finally went to its new home and Jim is very happy with it which makes me VERY happy!


Commissions are a diferent breed of painting....I explained it to Jim this way:


For a commissioned painting to be successful...

• first you have to realize what it is, exactly, that you want
• then you have to communicate that to me
• then I have to understand what you are saying that you want
• then I have to get my eyes, brain and brushes to execute what I heard that you want
• then when you see it you interpret, in your own way, to decide if it is what you wanted

There are many points along the way where a disconect can occur. I think my years of painting murals in people's homes have helped me to be a good listener when it comes to what people want. I recognize some of the pitfalls and ask a LOT of questions. When a client says "I want it to be sort of like this picture" I ask what it is they like about it. Sometimes the end result bears little resemblance to the orginal inspiration. But that's the fun of it!

Picnic Pairing...oil painting...

Picnic Pairing....12x24.....oil.......SOLD
This is one of those paintings that has a mood to it. It is based on a photo I took of wine that my mom and I enjoyed at lunch one day on a shopping trip in Ocean Springs. (hey, we had to refuel for a long afternoon!)

I tweaked it here and there to make it look like it was outside at a picnic...I just want to lay down on the blanket in the grass and grab a book and sip away.