Exhibition Time!

My excitement overfloweth.... it's exhibition time! And soon too! November 3rd already! My my.... much to do... much to do.... When I have the full details I'll post them for you. In the meantime, my daily paintings are going on the side as I work on some larger ones for the exhibit. My visits may or may not be sporadic on this blog. I may very well crank out daily paintings along with some paintings for the exhibition one month away. I won't make any promises though... my full focus and attention is going there. Off to prepare the panels!!! Have a beautiful day. Be well....

Let's Swing

Oil on Acrylic on MDF support 20 x 20 x .06 cm, 8 x 8 x .20" (approx) BID starts at 45 dollars A vibrant painting with lots of movement and energy. I love her expression as the girl sits on her swing... it's as if she holds the secret to life and living.... and she probably does. Have a beautiful day! Be well...

Technorati Tags: figure, greece, impressionism, oil painting, portrait, puppy

"Arhontiko" / SOLD

Oil on Acrylic on Canvas Board
18 x 24cm, 7 x 9.5"

Bid starts at 89 dollars

A beautiful, "Arhontiko" Greek village home with lush bougainvillea in bloom. Ochre is one of the colors of choice for the outside of a home. I love the white around the window and around the corner of the home and the little blue wooden shutters add so much character.

Have a beautiful day...

Be well....

Grazing in the Fields

Oil on canvas board 18 x 24cm, 7 x 9.5 BID Sheep and a goat peacefully grazing in the golden fields at the end of summer. It is a common enough sight and one that I would personally miss if I lived anywhere else. More times than I care to remember, we had to slam on the brakes while driving on a country road because the sheep and goats were crossing. Once we realized we weren't going to hit one of them I would relax to the sounds of bells and baa's mixed with a stark earthy smell. This painting was done from a photo reference. Be well....

In the Harbor

Oil on Canvas Board 9 x 12cm, 3.5 x 4.70" BID Three colorful fishing boats resting in the harbor. It is always a scene that bring tranquility to mind. Fishing is incredibly difficult work. When I see the boats in the harbor, peacefully swaying to the slow undulations of the sea, I know that their captains are also resting, rejuvenating themselves for another day of hard work. Be well....

Technorati Tags: boat, fishing, greece, harbor, oil painting, puppy, seascape

Pikrodaphne

Oils on Acrylic Canvas Board 18 x 24cm, 7 x 9.5" BID I took this picture yesterday evening as the sun was setting. We have pikro-daphne's all around the house. Due to the lack of water over the years the poor things haven't grown much. Now that the island does have water (finally) I am able to water them and we finally got to see some in bloom! The house in the background is part of our house. Pikro-daphne's can be seen along the roads. Huge colorful bushes of white and pink blossoms that last until October (maybe even longer). It is hard to believe that these bushes create a nice wind breaker when their flowers are so tender and delicate.... but then, strength does not lie in muscle alone..... Have a beautiful day... Be well.....

Technorati Tags: floral, greece, oil painting, rododendron

Kissing Sunfish 2

Acrylics on gessoed MDF 30 x 60cm (approx), 12 x 23" (approx) I love these fish. Some paintings are so fun to paint. This one had me smiling the whole time. I am a happy woman most of the time and I love bright colors and the combination of the fun subject with the bright colors was just perfect for my mood yesterday. Hope it brightens your day too! Be well.....

Olive Trees & Cottage/ SOLD

Acrylic on Canvas Board

9 x 12cm, 3.5 x 4.7"

SOLD

I recently bought artist grade acrylics on a whim. Here is my first painting with them. I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as oils, but in fact I did. The consistency of the paint is different. An avid oil-painter once said that painting with acrylics is like painting with toothpaste.

I liked that they dry fast and you can almost immediately work the next level of the painting. I'll keep working with them. My original idea was to use the acrylics to get the underpaintings done faster but after working this little painting I saw no reason to use oils over it.

It is always hard to break away from self-imposed limitations. I just assumed I didn't like acrylics, that they were somehow inferior to oils. I've always assumed that. But how can I make that judgment without working with them seriously? All my painting years have been in oils. Now I get to see a different medium... and anything different will bring on new results and deeper understanding.

Perhaps I will tackle watercolors one day...... strong self-imposed limitation there. I find them extremely difficult to work with.

Be well....

A Walk in the Forest

Oil on Gessoed Board 42 x 52 cm, 16.5 x 20.5” After many days of phone calls, reservations, rushing to clean and ready villas on turn-over days and fulfilling needs I so desperately needed a walk in the forest.... I couldn't, since I must stay here for the summer business. The forest is too far away in my physical reality.... painting this need for rest, quiet and stillness was even better than if I could have done the real thing. Here the wild Self (yours and mine) pads barefoot on the moist earth... no clothes to hinder her.... no cell phones to alter and intrude on the space around her.... just her, or you, or me..... I started this painting with a palette knife but as I lost myself I found myself finger painting. It was inspiring.... like chucking the garb of daily life (clothes and cell phones).... I chucked the paintbrushes and knives and got right into the paint. It's very liberating..... ... you should try it sometime.... (and I don't just mean the paintbrush and knife)... Be well....

Village

Oil on canvas

64 x 80cm, 25 x 31.5″

Finally finished.

I kept pulling this one out and setting it on my easel and then taking it down again. It needed something, but that something wouldn’t come through until recently. Since I haven’t been able to paint with the incredibly busy season, I felt stiff whenever I took hold of my brushes. One morning I simply walked over to my painting area… pulled out this painting, squeezed all sorts of colors out and… well… dove right into painting. I moved too fast for thinking and editing (I have a strong editor in my head who had grown stronger with the lack of painting) and in doing so dipped into that lovely creative stream once more…..

This is now hanging in one of the rentals.

Be well……