Afternoon Sky

Afternoon Sky
9" x 12" oil
$155.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE   All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular price

I love how the clouds build up over the mountains in the afternoon.

Patzcuaro Rooster

Patzcuaro Rooster
6" x 8" Oil
$80.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE  All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular price

May you and your family have a Merry Christmas!

Moonet

Moonet
6" x 8"  Oil
$80.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

HOLIDAY SALE  All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices

As I've mentioned in the past, I often Google topics to find a title for one of my pieces, or for information when writing a post.  Today I googled "cow poems".  I had "A Child's Garden Of Verses" by Robert Louis  Stevenson when I was a child, so when I saw this poem I thought it fit!

Stevenson, Robert Louis (1850–1894).  A Child’s Garden of Verses and Underwoods.  1913.

24. The Cow

THE FRIENDLY cow all red and white
I love with all my heart:
She gives me cream with all her might,
To eat with apple-tart.
She wanders lowing here and there,	5
And yet she cannot stray,
All in the pleasant open air,
The pleasant light of day;
And blown by all the winds that pass
And wet with all the showers,	10
She walks among the meadow grass
And eats the meadow flowers.

  

Lawn Mower

Lawn Mower
Oil 6" x 6"
$80.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE  All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices

Some interesting sheep facts:

White House woolies
President Woodrow Wilson grazed sheep on the White House South Lawn. The wool obtained from the sheep was sold to raise money for the Red Cross during World War I. The flock included "Old Ike," a tobacco-chewing ram.

Sheep on the White House lawn
Photo courtesy of 
Presidential Pet Museum

Won't You Come Out Tonight

Won't You Come Out Tonight
Oil  6" x 8"
$80.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

HOLIDAY SALE  All paintings sold during December are 20% off my normal price

OK, I know that this buffalo is not a gal, but the title seemed to work.  And, yes, I did Google the song and read all the words.  If I ever paint a woman w/ feet as big as the sidewalk, I already have my title chosen!
Click here if you want a quick song review!

Christmas Collage

HOLIDAY SALE  All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices.  

A few of these are still available for the Holiday price of $80.00.  While I won't be able to send them out before Christmas, let me know if you're interested!

One More Poinsettia -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 95/100

One More Poinsettia -- 100 garden and Floral Oil Paintings 95/100
6" x 6"  Oil
$80.00 + $10. s.h
SOLD

HOLIDAY SALE  All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices

Here are a few more Poinsettia facts that I googled:

• Poinsettias are priced according to the number of blooms. The more blooms, the more expensive the plant.
• The flowers or cyathia of the poinsettia are in the center of the colorful bracts.
• Poinsettias have been called the lobster flower and flame leaf flower.
• Poinsettias are not poisonous.
• A study at Ohio State University showed that a 50 pound child who ate 500 bracts might have a slight tummy ache.
• Poinsettia sap that can irritate the skin and cause an upset stomach if consumed in large enough quantities.
• A fresh poinsettia is one on which little or no yellow pollen is showing on the flower clusters in the center of the bracts. Plants that have shed their pollen will soon drop their colorful bracts.
• Poinsettias represent over 85 percent of the potted plant sales during the holiday season.

Poinsettia 2 -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings

Poinsettia 2 - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 94/100

6" x 6"  Oil

$80.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE  All paintings sold in december are 20% off my regular prices

Many artists are painting holiday themed pieces, as am I.  When I saw several other poinsettias I thought that the reds were so deep and strong.  I went back and looked at my still life set up.  My reds aren't deep because my poinsettia is a very cad red one.  Not an alizaron one.  Next year I'm going to get some in alizaron!

His Lonesome Cattle Call

His Lonesome Cattle Call
8" x 8" Oil on cradled panel
$155.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE  All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices

This is from a fall trip my husband and I took over to the Western Slope.  For those of you not from Colorado, the Western Slope is the name we call all of the mountains on the west side of the Continental Divide (which runs down the middle of the Rockies.)  This was about 6 hours from Colorado Springs.  We live on the Front Range.  That encompasses Fort Collins, Denver, Colo Springs, and Pueblo, or all of the towns on the range (you know, like home, home, on the range) on the eastern side of the Rockies.  Just a little geography lesson thrown in!

Anyway, we were out driving around on back roads and a herd of cattle came across a hill top.  So, I had to get out!  And then, this cowboy comes riding over the top of the hill.  What a perfect setting and scene!  Just meant to be a painting!

Sometimes when I'm looking for a title I use google to help me.  When I googled "song lyrics about cows" up came this song, Cattle Call, by Eddy Arnold, sung along w/ Lee Ann Rimes.  It seemed appropriate and provided a title.  I especially like the yodeling!

(LeAnn Rimes and Eddy Arnold)

LeAnn: 
(yodeling) 
The cattle are prowlin', 
The coyotes are howlin' 
Way out where the doggies roam 
Where spurs are a jinglin' 
And the cowboy is singing 
His lonesome cattle call 
(yodeling) 

He rides in the sun 
'Til his days work is done 
And he rounds up the cattle each fall 
(yodeling) 
Singing his cattle call 

Eddy: 
For hours he would ride 
On the range far and wide 
When the night wind blows up and slow 
His heart is a feather 
In all kinds of weather 
He sings his cattle call 
(yodeling) 

He's browned as a fairy 
From ridin' the prairie 
And he sings with an western drawl 
Singing his cattle call 

LeAnn and Eddy: 
(yodeling) 

Poinsettia -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 93/100

Poinsettia -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 93/100
6" x 6"  Oil
$80.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE  All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices.

I love the tradition of poinsettia plants around the holidays.  They add such color to the house.  Some interesting facts about poinsettias, complements of Wikipedia:

• Poinsettias are native to Mexico.
• The Aztecs called the poinsettia Cuetlaxochitl. They made a reddish purple dye from the bracts.
• Chile and Peru called the poinsettia the "Crown of the Andes."
• Poinsettias are part of the Euphorbiaceae family. Many plants in this family ooze a milky sap.
• Some people may have skin irritation from the milky sap
• In nature, poinsettias are perennial flowering shrubs that can grow to ten feet tall.
• The showy colored parts of poinsettias that most people think are the flowers are actually colored bracts (modified leaves).
• Poinsettias are priced according to the number of blooms. The more blooms, the more expensive the plant.
• The flowers or cyathia of the poinsettia are in the center of the colorful bracts.
• 
  

I might re-photo this.  There's more contrast in the reds than shows here.

Old Chevy

Old Chevy
12" x 12" Oil on cradled panel
$245.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE  All paintings sold in December will be 20% off my regular prices

This truck belongs to my friend Marianne's husband, Grant.  It sits on their ranch out behind the barn.  I've painted their chickens, eggs, garden chair, and now their truck.  I love the colors, I hope to paint this again! I think the 100th anniversary of Chevys commercial is so well done!

A Great "Good Morning"

A Great "Good Morning"
5" x 7"  Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h
click here to bid at the Daily PaintWorks Auction

When I wake up and look at this view with my morning coffee I know that someone is wishing me a great "Good Morning"!

Today was a gorgeous Colorado day with afternoon highs in the 60s and lows last night of 19.  It is typical to have more than 40 degrees temperature change in one day.  Tomorrow's high is to be 26 with an overnight low of 4!  Knowing how cold it will be for the rest of the week, I went for a hike at the Garden of The Gods this morning!

I had a question about how I paint these skies from my deck, ie:  do I set up on the deck, do I paint from the kitchen?  Actually, I do both of these as well as use photo references.  I think that whatever way works best for the artist, is the best way to paint!  As I've said, some mornings I just sit with my cup of coffee and look, as these sunrises pass pretty quickly!

Palette of Color

Palette of Color
5" x 7"  Oil
$75.00 + 10. s/h
SOLD

Sometimes in the morning our sunrises are quiet, calm, peaceful.  Other mornings I look out and see only soft blues, with very little "real" sunrise.  There are other mornings when the sky is a palette of color.

Blessed View

Blessed View
5" x 7"  Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h
click here to bid at the Daily PaintWorks Auction

As we have family in town for the weekend, I'm not getting any painting done.  We've gone for walks, have had great meals with lots of visiting, went to the movies.  These sunrises from our deck were painted a short while ago to be posted this weekend.

The title for this piece is complements of Dean Haven who told me in a comment yesterday that I was "more than lucky to have this view...Blessed is more like it!"  He's right!  I thought that that made a great title!

Quiet Dawn

Quiet Dawn
5" x 7"  Oil
SOLD

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with delicious food, great friends and family.  I am thankful for all of that and more.  I am grateful for all the friends I've made and the many people that I've met through blogging.  I am so thankful that I can spend my time painting.  I would also have to say that I'm lucky to look at this view in the morning.

Some Mighty Fine Wine

Some Mighty Fine Wine
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is one of the pieces that I have hanging at Summerland Gardens.  I photographed it there, instead of in my usual spot, and there's a slight glare.  I'll try to get over there and re-photo it.
I'm not sure that all of these are mighty fine wines, but...

Joy to the World by Three Dog Night
"Jeremiah was a bullfrog.
Was a good friend of mine.
Never understood a single word he said,
but he always had some mighty fine wine."

Tis The Season

This The Season
6" x 6"  Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is the second of the vintage, non shiny Christmas ornaments that I recently painted.  It was great how so many commenters on my last post talked about the ornaments from their childhood, their mother's ornaments, etc.  What wonderful memories of the past.  I would love to have all, or even some, of the ornaments from my childhood trees to paint.  How many ornaments from your childhood do you still have?

Yule Tide Treasure

Yule Tide Treasure
6" x 6"  Oil
$100.00 + $10.00 s/h

I love painting Christmas ornaments.  I love the shine, sparkle and reflections.  These ornaments are vintage, and aren't regular, shiny glass balls.  They're antiqued and somewhat matte.  I found this a fun challenge.

This is one of my paintings that will be at Summerland Gardens during the holiday season.  This weekend, November 18 and 19, 10am-8pm is their Holiday Open House.   Hope you can stop by and share some holiday cheer.

I also have paintings at Dream Pastries in Castle Rock.  This Saturday is the annual Starlighting event, (the lighting of the star on the castle like rock).  Events and openings will be taking place downtown, so please stop by there as well.

6 Inch Squared Show

I'm pleased that these two pieces, "Make The Season Bright" and "Late Bloom", have been accepted into the Six Inch Squared Show at the Randy Higbee Gallery in Costa Mesa, California.  The Holiday Gala Artists Reception will be held the evening of December 3, 2011.  I hope that anyone in that area will be able to attend.

You're A Grand Old Flag

You're A Grand Old Flag
8" x 8"  Oil on cradled panel
$195.00 + $10. s/h  click here to bid

Last fall fellow Daily Painter Original blogger Karen Werner posted two incredible paintings, Old Glory and Old Glory 2.  They were my inspiration for this piece and I thought it appropriate for Veteran's Day.  Both of my parent's served in WWII, my dad was in the Army and my mom was a WASP.  My grandfather was in both WWI and WWII.

This painting is of the flag that was on my grandfather's grave when he passed away in 1964.  The flag went to my dad,  who later passed down to my son (who was given my grandfather's name as his middle name.)  We don't hang this flag outside, I should probably take it to the VFW and have them ceremoniously fold it.  I'm pleased how this piece turned out.  If I paint it again, I might try to make it look even a little more aged and faded.

"You're a grand old flag,
You're a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave."
George M. Cohan

Warts And All

Warts and All
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This post is for Andy Rooney, who just passed away.  I so enjoyed listening to this cantankerous man.  He was famous for speaking the truth, as he saw it anyway.  So...."Did you ever wonder"  why there are warts on gourds?  As there is a purpose for everything in nature, the purpose of warts on gourds must be so that....animals don't chew on them?....frogs don't jump on them?...princes stay away from them?....any thoughts?  Did the makers of Compound W ever really look at gourds?  Why do you think that there are warts on gourds?   Thank you Andy for all of your humorous thoughts and words.

Oh My Gourd

Oh My Gourd
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I love that there are things growing in the garden that have no purpose other than beauty and display....at least for me.

PleinAir Today/OutDoor Painter: Plein Air Magazines's Online Newsletter

I was thrilled the other day to wake up and see that a photo of me painting on the Colorado River during one of the Quick Draws at Plein Air Moab is in Plein Air Magazine's PleinAir Today "Outdoor Painter" Weekly Online Newsletter.  I've included a link to the article:

http://www.outdoorpainter.com/awards/plein-air-moab-utah-420.html

Plein Air Magazine provided each Plein air Moab participant with a recent magazine.  If you're not subscribing to PleinAir Today Online Newsletter , I highly recommend it.  After all, such great photos are included!  Who knows, one of you might be in it someday, too!

Distant Light

Distant Light
18" x 24"  Oil
$595.00 + $20. s/h

SOLD

I loved the way the distant canyon was lit up with the afternoon sun light.

While in Moab my husband and I hiked to Corona Arch (it is not in the National Parks.)  It was a fun, but challenging hike, and I took lots of photos.  And, here are some of them:

Much of the hike was across canyons.  There are cairns along the trail so you don't wander off the trail.

At one point we had to climb up this ladder to continue.  (It's bolted onto the top of the cliff.)

This is Corona Arch from about 1/2 mile away.  The little dots below and near it are people.

This arch is before Corona Arch.

Here's Corona Arch from very close.  I don't know how this girl could have rappelled 

from it!!  I plan on sticking to hiking and painting!

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Canyonlands After The Rain

Canyonlands After The Rain
18" x 24" Oil
$595.00 + 20. s/h

SOLD

Our first day in Utah was cold (39 degrees) and rainy.  Because of that the next day gave us Maynard Dixon clouds.

Canyonlands National Park is very appropriately named.  Around every bend in the road and across every vista is another incredible canyon.  Here are a few:

Late Bloom - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 91/100

Late Bloom - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 91/100
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

I was working in the back yard this morning, raking and pulling out the dead annuals.  We have one last, lonely hollyhock happily blooming away.  I'm sure that it'll be gone by Wednesday as we're expecting possible snow and 19 degrees overnight on Tuesday.  We've had such a gorgeous fall;  I'm not looking forward to cold and snow.