My Cup

                                  My Cup  
                                      Watercolor on acrylic 11 X 8

This painting is number 21 in the series of 30 paintings in 30 days. The background was started months ago waiting for just the right idea to come for a subject.The background is gesso over an old watercolor painting. Putting the curly ques on it reminded me of steam from a cup of hot coffee or tea. Cups always remind me of the Psalm verse that I put on the painting. I used gold background to emphasize the value of God's word. Sometimes that's how a painting is conceived, one thing leads to another. I call it intuitive painting. 

Paintings Number 19 and 20

                                                             Sara, Sitting 
                                         Watercolor, 11 1/2 X 7

I just had to do another painting of our cute little grand-dog, Sara. This time she is sitting and waiting for whatever a dog waits for. Food, attention, a toy. She would probably like to snuggle into a lap the best. She has different features for a dachshund, a little more hound like around the head and chest. And her eyes are large with very dark lid linings that look like she's wearing eye liner.

Three Amigos

Watercolor on Acrylic, 10 X !0

Yes, there really are three pelicans in this painting. If you look closely you can see the neck of the third pelican in between the outer birds. Most of the brown feathers in the center are the third pelican; it's head is completely covered by the bird in front. 

The acrylic on the paper has been textured after it was painted on a watercolor background. This gives the painting depth and interest. The subject is then painted on top in watercolor.  Ten more paintings to go in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days, although the challenge will be finished before I am since I started a few days late. I'm going to try to finish 30, though.

After Chiuly #18

                                                          After Chiuly
                                                     Watercolor 7 1/2 x 11

Chiuly's Blue Bowl, Interior

Over the Christmas Holidays we were able to visit the Chiuly Glass Garden in Seattle Washington with our daughter and son-in-law. The arrangements of blown glass objects, the colors, the lighting were all a feast for the eyes. There aren't enough adjectives to adequately describe it. I took many pictures with the idea of interpreting some of the works, especially the colors in watercolor. I'm pretty happy with my first attempt, I like the way the colors ran but I need to find a darker blue that will react to the water in the same way that the pthalo blue does. This painting is  #18 in the 30 Day Challenge.

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Heron, #17

                                                          Blue Heron
                                       Watercolor 5 1/2 x 3 3/4

One of my favorite subjects to paint is the blue heron. They are common here and in many parts of the country in ponds, lakes, and seashore. They can be found anywhere there is water that they can wade in and find creatures to eat. I love their elegant necks and graceful movement . They are a delight to watch and to paint.

Painting #15, My Set Up

 

                                                     My Set Up
                                              watercolor 6 1/2 x 9

This is just a small potion of the set up on my painting table. The essentials are the water, brushes, spray bottle, tissues and of course the paints are off to the side. I couldn't quite get them in. I have a little paper with instructions for figure painting on my wall in the back. Until I started painting my set up, I didn't even notice it and I don't think I've used it since I put it up there. Maybe that should be my project for day 16, put some figures in my paintings. 

Bouquet, Number 16

                                                     Bouquet
                                     Watercolor, 7 X 9 1/2

It's getting harder to get these little paintings done, life keeps getting in the way. One thing it's done for me is that I don't dilly dally, I get in there and get it done without a lot of pondering about color and whether it should be this or that. I just get the brushes and paints out and try to let the right brain take over. For the most part I think it's working for me.

Pretty Parrot #14

                                                   Pretty Parrot
                                         Watercolor 9 X 7

I loved painting this bird. I started with new gamboge on the breast feathers but it wasn't quite gold enough so I glazed it with quinacridone gold. The dark for the beak and under the chin were mixed with pthalo blue, alizarin crimson, with a touch of yellow. The blue is cobalt with a little turquoise. There are a few touches of quinacridone orange. The background is just a loose wash of sap green with some burnt sienna. A light spritz with  water creates the texture.

Young Burrowing Owls, # 13

                                        Young Burrowing Owls
                                      Watercolor, 5 X 5

I'm getting caught up with the 30 day challenge by posting two paintings today. This little painting is of the little owls that make their home here in Southwest Florida. They are an endangered species due to development where they like to nest. They dig their nests underground during the dry season, which is now. When the young hatch and are big enough, they like to come out of their hole in the ground and stand watchfully. They get used to humans coming around and snapping their picture. We even have a Burrowing Owl Festival which will take place in February. Birders from all over the world come to take the bus tour around the city to see the owl nests. The owls cooperate by coming out or their nests and look at the tourists. I wonder if they have a list to check off for each nationality of human they see. 

Island House, #12

                                                    Island House
                                         Watercolor, 5 X 7

Yesterday I sat outside beside a boat ramp and painted the little house across the canal. The island has canals that lead to the bay and out to the Gulf of Mexico so there are lots of fishermen who like to launch their boats or better yet, own a home with a sea wall and a dock. This little house didn't have a boat at the dock so maybe he's gone fishing. This is number 12, my submission for yesterday in the 30 day challenge, now I have to find a subject for today.

Rooster, #11

                                                               Rooster
                      Watercolor on patterned acrylic background, 8 X 10

I'm enjoying painting on the patterned backgrounds. The gesso allows for the watercolor to absorb a little but still be removable. The background is gesso tinted with some acrylic paint, the patterns are made with stamps that I have made with craft foam sheets and mat board. I think my rooster needs another leg to stand on, or maybe he has it tucked up under himself.

Beautiful Florida Sunset, #10

                                                    Beautiful Florida Sunset
                                         Watercolor on paper 7 X 10

Sometimes the sunsets are just spectacular, it must be the moisture in the air  from the Gulf of Mexico lingering in the sky so that the sun can do it's magic. I take pictures often and this time I painted one. Usually the palms appear dark, almost black in photos but in life they are really not that dark. So, dig out some of those photos you've taken of sunsets, get out your paints and have a little fun mingling the yellows, pinks and blues into a beautiful sunset. The variety is never ending.

Sara, #9

                                                             Sara
                      Watercolor on paper textured with acrylic, 7.5 X 5.5

This challenge has really gotten me out of my comfort zone and into trying some things that I don't ordinarily paint. I haven't painted many animals except for birds. I thought I try this little dachshund named Sara who belongs to my son's family. She has an unusual coat for a dachshund since it's white with tan markings. This turned out to be more of a cartoon or caricature, but still has a freshness that I like.

Whatchamacallit #8

                                                       Whatchamacallit,
                                     Acrylic, collage on paper, 9X12

We all have them, they're whatchamacallits, just crazy  ideas, paintings, do-dads. We're not sure what they are or what to do with them but there they are and sometime they just make us smile. This little painting has lots of layers that have been  rubbed, scribbled, stamped painted over and around. Even a little collage was added  for good measure. Sometimes it's just fun

to do something that's a little bit out of my comfort zone and put it out there for the world to see. How crazy is that?

Hammock on the Beach, #7

                                      Hammock on the Beach, 
                                    Acrylic on textured paper, 15 X 11

I feel like I've really accomplished something! 7 paintings in 7 days. It's so much fun to be painting regularly, it makes me wonder why I haven't kept up with it before. I guess life just gets in the way sometimes, and once I get away from painting every day it's harder to get back to it. 
This painting was from a photo I took at a resort in the Florida Keys. I think I've seen this scene pop up more than once. I've eliminated some palms that were in the original picture but left in the little island of mangroves off shore. It was certainly an inviting and idyllic spot, probably photographed hundreds of times. But each artist has their own interpretation and style of painting it. No two are alike. 

Challenge painting #6

                                                Ap"pear"antly, 
                                  Acrylic on textured background. 11X11

OK, I'll stop making any more puns about pears, at least for now. You can't see it on this photo but there is a lot of iridescence on the surface of this painting. I just thought it would be fun to add a little gold on the pears and a blue sheen to the background. This is very freeing to paint everyday and not be too concerned about whether it's perfect or not. Just get out the paper and the brushes and do it. I think pears are easier to paint in watercolor than in acrylic. Acrylic looks flat to me, and it's difficult not to get hard edges. I prefer the ability to soften some edges in watercolor.

Challenge paintings # 4 and 5

                                        New Year Angel 
                   Watercolor on gesso background, 7X15

I decided that the backgrounds I made of thinned gesso over old watercolor paintings would be a good canvas for my challenge paintings. It eliminates the need for a background and makes me stretch my imagination for subjects to be compatible with them. This New Year Angel is done in watercolor over the gesso. She is holding a basket of fruit to symbolize prosperity in the New Year. 

   Suddenly Ap"pears"   
       Acrylic and collage on gesso textured paper

Number 5 is another one done on gesso-textured paper. I love painting pears and this one seemed to fit right in that spot. The moon face in the upper right is a collage piece, the other areas were scraped and stamped into the gesso when it was wet. A friend looked at it after I painted it and said, "A pear suddenly appeared in the city". I guess the grid shapes do look like buildings. 

Painting Large

                             Message In An Aquarium
                Watercolor and collage, 22X30

We were encouraged to paint larger paintings at the Florida Watercolor Society convention last September. I have balked at the idea in the past because of the lack of space in my studio and the expense of framing a full sheet painting. But, I decided I was tired of having my small paintings hung in the corner so many times. I took the plunge and painted a full sheet painting. Not my first but the  first in a long time. I started with the background with lots of textural materials, papers, gauze and stamps then added the fish shapes when it was dry. I like the path of light from top to bottom with the implied connections to each side. It was fun to do and now I must get to the framing. Then on to another full sheet painting.

Two Paintings for the Challenge

                                             Waiting Lady  acrylic on paper

                                      Two Spoonbills, acrylic on paper

These are the first two paintings I posted on the 30 day challenge. I found that I had to use Google Chrome in order to get the download feature to work.  Check my last blog for the address of the 30 day challenge if you want to know more or to participate. I have another painting "in my camera" to post later for today's painting. This really takes commitment. I hope I'm up to the challenge.

30 Day Challenge

I'm having trouble with blogspot. I'm unable to access my own picture files in order to post a picture of my painting. I've been able to post my paintings on a challenge called 30 Paintings in 30 days. I thought it would be a good way to jump start the new year and get into the swing of painting again after the holidays. I have been in a workshop for the last 3 days so that has also helped. I decided that I won't know if I can do it (do a painting a day for 30 days) unless I try. The blog for the 30 day challenge is http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com
Check it out!

                            Bells of Siena, Italy, 7 1/2" X 5 1/2", watercolor

I wanted to save posting this until all my cards were sent out. Now I can put it up because that task is done. I found the stamp about the bells at a craft shop and remembered that I had pictures of this bell tower in Siena, Italy. I think they were part of a convent there. It's different for me because I usually paint something more traditional but this is what inspired me this year.
I wish everyone a very happy and blessed Christmas!