Lemon Slices

Lemon slices
Oil  8"x 10"
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$295.00 + $10. s/h

Day 2 of my lemon paintings.  For this piece I used an old, place mat for the green.  I wanted to compare the green from this one with the purple from yesterday.  

Make Lemonade

Make Lemonade
Oil  8" x 10"
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$295.00 + $10. s/h

I love Costco.  I really do.  But, sometimes we end up with way too many fruits and vegetables.  We try to eat them all and consequently feel pretty healthy.  But, sometimes it's hard to eat all of them.  It's only just the two of us.  So, when you have too many lemons, you usually make lemonade.  Or, in my case, you paint lemons!

I painted lemons for several days.  for this piece I used cool, purple (the complement of yellow) for the  shadows.  In a plein air painting you usually have warm light/cool shadows.  With a still life, it depends on what light bulbs you use when setting up your still life.  Or what kind of natural light you have coming in from your windows.

Old Coffee Pot

Old Coffee Pot
plein air oil  12" x 9"
$295.00 + $10. s/h
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This piece was done in the afternoon of the first day of the South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration.  I painted yesterday's posted piece in the morning, then lunch was delivered to us out on the ranch.  We're not talking about a simple sandwich, we're talking pulled pork barbecue, cole slaw, fruit, cookies.  As I said, this is a GREAT plein air event!

Anyway, as time progressed, obviously the ranch owners purchased modern appliances and kitchen utensils.  The old favorites weren't thrown away, they were set up around the barns and out buildings. Every one of them called out to me to become a painting!

In A Heart Beet

In A Heart Beet
Oil 8" x 10"
$195.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

Last week I went out to my friend Marianne's ranch.  They live about 45 minutes east of me.  We had a great lunch, fed the chickens, goats, ducks.  Saw the turkeys, horses, machines, etc....everything you'd see on a small ranch.  And, I came home with a big supply of beets from her garden.  As I do with many vegetables, I painted them right away before they became part of our dinner!  Thank you Marianne and Grant! 

Beta Vulgaris

Beta Vulgaris
Oil  8" x 8"
$195.00 + $10. s/h

According to Wikipedia, the scientific name for beet root is "Beta Vulgaris."  No wonder kids don't always eat their vegetables.  With names like that!  

I wanted to do some plein air still lives so I set the beets up on the patio and painted away!

I had to spray the beets with water every few minutes to keep them bright and red-violet.  

When dry they look more purple and brownish/gray.

And The Beet Goes On!

And The Beet Goes On!
Oil  8" x 8"
$195.00 + $10. s/h

A friend has a huge plot in a nearby community garden and dropped off a bunch (is a group of beets a "bunch"?) of beets a while ago.  I love the color of beets and new that before we ate them they would become a painting!

I just googled "beet" and learned so much from Wikepedia!  I didn't know that "Betanin" the color which is obtained from the beet, or root, is used industrially as a food color.  That makes sense, it's so bright and beautiful!  I didn't realize that the betanin is used to improve the color and flavor of tomato paste,  jams and jellies, ice cream (I've never had beet ice cream..maybe it's used to color strawberry ice cream!!??), and breakfast cereal (so now kids can say that eating cereal is really healthy!)  

"Come Share The Wine"

Come Share The Wine
Oil  6" x 6"
$100.00 + $10. s/h
SOLD

Day 29 in the 30 in 30 Day Challenge
In a recent post I talked about how I find my painting titles.  For this painting I Googled "songs about wine" and clicked on the page for "Wine in song titles."  There are a lot of songs about wine!  One thing I noticed is how many songs are about cheap wine!

I liked this Bing Crosby song because I agree with him, wine is for sharing.  When we have friends over for dinner, we always serve wine.  And, Bing Crosby reminds me of my late dad.

Come Share the Wine by Bing Crosby
"Come share the wine,
It's so nice and warm in here
we're happy and kind."

There must be more to the song, but this is all that was on the list!

As I Pour The Wine

As I Pour The Wine
Oil  6" x 6"
$100.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

Day 28 in the 30 in 30 Days Challenge

Wine glasses also are something I like to paint.  For this painting I toned the canvas black and really like the way it looks.  

Heavenly Bounty

Heavenly Bounty
Oil  6" x 6"
$100.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

Day 27 in the 30 in 30 Days Challenge

I've mentioned in the past that I often Google "poems about ..and then whatever I happen to be painting" to help me find titles.  For this series I put "wine" in that spot.  In the last half hour I've read dozens of poems about wine and find it interesting that so many of them have religious and Biblical references.  

How do you come up with titles for your paintings?

For Bacchus

For Bacchus
Oil  6" x 6"
$100.00 + $10. s/h

Day 26 in the 30 in 30 Days Challenge

I recently painted several wine bottle and wine glass pieces that I'll be posting over the next few days.      I've painted lots of these over the years and always like the challenge of painting ellipses.  Enjoy!

Spicy Flavor

Spicy Flavor
Oil  6" x 6"
$100.00 + $10.s/h

Day 25 in the 30 in 30 Days Challenge

This is the last of the 4 garlic paintings that I recently finished.  It was a fun little series which I think I'll do again sometime.  Because they were painted on different days in different light, but on the same surface, it really got me looking at the grays.  A great exercise.

Fleshy Sections

Fleshy Sections
Oil  6" x 6"
$100.00 + $10. s/h

Day 23 in the 30 in 30 Challenge

This is another title that I found while Googling "garlic".  I love the sensual sound of it and think that it is just the right description!  What would you title a garlic painting?

Prince Of The Night

Prince Of The Night
Oil  6" x 6"
$100.00
SOLD

If you read what I wrote yesterday in my blog, you'll know where I got my title!!

For those of you who live here in Colorado Springs, I hope that today and tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday September 20th and 21st you can stop by Summerland Gardens, 124 E. Cheyenne Blvd, 80906 where Dottie Lirette and I will be in the upstairs gallery/studio as part of the Pikes Peak Studio Tour.  We have lots of new paintings as well as marked down oldies but goodies!  Hope to see you there!

Then God Made Wine

Then God Made Wine
Oil  6" x 6"
SOLD

I'm thrilled that this painting is off to a wedding shower!  May the bride and groom have much happiness, love and laughter.  Cheers!

Orange Slices

Orange Slices

Oil 11" x 14"

$295.00 + $10. s/h

I love how reflections add so much dimension and color to a painting.

My knee is continuing to improve.  Today I was able to paint for about 1 1/2 hours!  I'm slowly getting back to my old (I should say former) self!  Thank you to everyone for your comments, emails and thoughts about my recovery!  Another great thing about the blogosphere and social media:  there are always friends out there!

Bottled Poetry

Bottled Poetry
Oil  6" x 6"
$100.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

This was the last of my 30 in 31 and also painted for the wine tasting on February 7th at G44 Gallery 1785 South 8th Street, Colorado Springs.

Again for this piece, as I've done in the past, I googled "sayings about wine" and found these words.  

Blueberry Jam -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 98/100

Blueberry Jam - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 98/100
8" x 10"  Oil on stretched canvas
$195.00 + $10. s/h

My friend, Marty, made this jam from blueberrries that she planted and which now successfully grow in her garden.  Here in Colorado Springs, at 6,000 feet, that is great to have these plants grow so abundantly.  And, the jam was delicious!