Monday, January 23, 2023

Pet Raccoon

 Lots of people have pets so why not a raccoon.  It was raised from infancy and kept indoors.   The raccoon died after a visitor brought a nursing dog and its litter to visit.   It was suspected that the dogs had the parvovirus and that the raccoon also got the virus.




June Bug Memorial Painting

10 x 11 inch oil on hardboard


Monday, September 5, 2022

Tawas Bay Lighthouse

Many years ago I was a Michigan Plein Air Painter, then my focus turned to daily painting for a couple of years before I ventured into cold wax and oils.  This was started on location at Tawas Bay Lighthouse and then completed in the studio.




8 x 10 oil on canvas paper

FOR SALE

Thursday, July 7, 2022

PADUCAH KENTUCKY ROBERT DAFFORD MURALS

 This project began in 1996, there are currently 53 murals, and the final 10 panels are being completed this summer.  I was seleceted along with some others to spend 2 weeks working on the final 10 panels, which will depict the train heritage, routes and states. 

Each panel is 14' x 40' , needless to say we weren't there long enough to complete them, Herb, Mark, Miguel and Robert will be fininshing the last 10 panels this summer.




From left to right, Wilson, Amelia, Loren, Debbie, Me, Robert Dafford.
The first evening some of us arrived in Paducah.




Shanon trying out the wheel in Shan's husband's pottery studio after an amazing dinner cooked by Robert, we had lot's of fun and good food.




Debbie on the left and Shan on the right, we also painted on the wall.  
It was high 90's in June during our two weeks in Kentucky.






Herb is an independent artist who has worked with Robert Dafford for many years on a variety of murals.  He is currently restoring (repainting) a mural from the Paducah flood wall.  


From the left front of the table down to the mural and over to the right, then up to the right front.

Mark, Miguel, Maddie, Wilson, Robert Dafford, me, Heidi, Amelia, and Loren.  Some of the crew that worked on the last 10 panels of the flood wall project others are missing.

 
Just a few of the murals


A trompe l'oeil mural


Main street Paducah


Paducah was part of the atomic age.


Boy scouts 


Each mural portrays part of Paducah's history.



Several times a week the river cruise ships come to port. The passengers walk the flood wall, tour town, visit museums, shop, enjoy a selection of restaurants, bars and ice cream shops. 

It's an amazing place to visit.

Friday, May 20, 2022

Surging


 

14 inches x 11 inches 

gallery wrapped canvas oil painting 


The rise and fall of waves coming to shore

Saturday, May 7, 2022

Great Neighbors


Ray's sunshine with him and cookie painted in acrylics.
The sunshine is 36 inches around made by another neighbor Ricky.
We have the best neighbors in Au Gres everyone helps 
each other, has fun, hang out, seems like the old days.


I now have some of my paintings on my website.

darlenemowatt.com

I hope you check it out.

 

Thursday, April 14, 2022

New Tree Painting

 


4 FEET WIDE   BY   6 FEET TALL

This is the largest painting I have ever created.   I am under 5 feet tall which is a foot shorter than the painting.  It was necessary to stand on a stool to reach the top when it was on the easel.  Often with cold wax applications of paint it is easier to work flat so it wasn't necessary to work upright all the time.  This will probably be the only painting I ever create this size.  If you have a large space for this painting let me know it needs a home.

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Robert Dafford, muralist, Paducah Wall to Wall Mural Project

Once upon a time (1981) we lived in Kentucky near Eddyville.  Paducah was the closest town to get spirits so we often drove up to this town.  In 2002 Paducah began an artist relocation plan which I read about in an art magazine.  This prompted us to visit our old stomping grounds and check out what was happening.  The city was offering old homes and financing to restore the homes if an artist resided in the home and opened an art studio.  We visited the area shortly after this relocation plan was enacted and many homes had been restored and many still needed occupancy.  The project seemed to be off to a great start.  During this visit we toured the National Quilt Museum which was new to us since living in the area.  In the  Fall of 2021 on Cafe I saw a call for artist to participate in a workshop with Robert Dafford to contribute to painting the final ten panels of Paducah's Wall to Wall mural project.  I applied and was accepted to participate so I will be returning to Paducah this summer in June 2022 for twelve days.  I'm so excited to be a part of this project.



















Tuesday, June 29, 2021


 SOLD

Today I became a member of the Tawas Bay Art Gallery.

The assigned space allowed for 6 paintings.

  After only 2 hours this painting sold, Thank-you.

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Painted Repurposed Furniture

We haven't let Covid stop us from enjoying Lake Huron or continuing to travel.  That being said, I'm working on painted furniture during our short down times.  After spending weeks in the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin surrounded by my favorite subject  "tree's" I'm getting antsy to get back to landscape painting.  After the holidays were headed out of Michigan for a couple of months, upon returning I'll be ready to paint some trees.  In the meantime, here are  two recent pieces of furniture that have been repurposed.


This table has a bottom piece of wood that can be flipped over so I painted each side differently.

This furniture is so whimsical and fun, a joy to paint!

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Painting Furniture then back to landscape painting.

 My husband and I purchased a home in Michigan last fall which turned out to be the best decision due to COVID happening, it was comforting to have a home base.  Upon our return from Arizona in late March hiking, sewing, and painting kept me sane and busy.  Lucky for me my accessory furniture needed a new life.  Here are the ones' that have been completed.  The heart table was a garage sale purchase perfect for my 4 year old granddaughter.  Hope you enjoy these little treasures as much as I have enjoyed painting them.


In my home is a beautiful open loft with views of Lake Huron on one side and wetlands on the other.  This beauty is calling me back to the easel and what a perfect spot to paint.



  













  

Monday, April 13, 2020

2019/2020 Thoughts about art and traveling

Living in our motor-home and traveling has changed my artistic focus. With limited space and idle time, smaller painting and sewing projects keep me occupied. Visiting art galleries and a variety of art venues along the way have given me a new appreciation of both local art and history. While on the road these are the projects that keep me creating.



These fish are custom cabinet nobs 
made from Sculpey clay. 





The soap dispenser is a Softsoap bottle primed and painted to match the mermaid which hangs above one or our bathroom sinks.  
The mermaid is made with paper twill from Japan, the other fish is made of metal  by an unknown artist.





The kitchen soap dispenser was primed and painted along with the 3 drawer dresser, the makeup bag was a sewing project.






A queen bed size quilt, another sewing project completed.





This painted soap dispenser is for the other bathroom sink.  A Sculpey soap dish custom fitted for the sink rim.  The desert landscape was created by an artist from Tubac Arizona.  






This Sculpey fish is for another cabinet. The fabric piece is a table runner.





Monday, October 22, 2018

from artist to rv living and traveling America with my husband Deck

On October 12, 2018 we sold our house and moved into our motorhome to travel America.  I removed my art from Somebody's Gallery in Petoskey.  My paintings and everything we wanted to keep was put into storage.  

We have started a blog of our travels and hope you follow along https://rollingamerica.blogspot.com

My art supplies are with me, it's time to let things roll along and see where my passion leads me next.

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Meet me at Somebodys Gallery


I've been quiet while recovering from my lung reduction surgery.  It has given me my life back, yeah !!!!

As you can see there are many great Michigan artist showing their work in Petoskey, be sure to stop by this summer. 

Monday, April 23, 2018

Meadow


SOLD


24 inches wide x 48 inches tall, oil and cold wax on cradled hardboard.



The woods are dark and shaded then you notice the light, your pulled toward the opening and there lies a beautiful meadow.

Monday, April 2, 2018

Happy 3rd anniversary


Congratulations to Julie and Joel Stoppel owners of Somebody's Gallery in Petoskey Michigan on their 3rd anniversary.  Also thanks to Sandra Lee Photography Studio and Gallery in Bay Harbor for taking this picture of Julie and I in front of my paintings.  We had a great celebration at the studio in March.  Check out their website for some great art www.somebodysgallery.com

April 3rd is a big day for me.  After 8 months of preparation to become a candidate for LVRS, lung volume reduction surgery a great doctor at the University of Michigan will perform this surgery to improve my quality of life.  Not compaining, my studio is a great place to paint however painting plein air had been something that was a big part of my life until I could no longer do it.  After this surgery and recovery my chances are very good that I will be able to return to doing many things that were important to me, I feel very blessed.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Magical Spread


36 inches wide x 48 inches tall x 1.5 inches deep on cradled hardboard.  

Original oil and cold wax painting.

Never stop enjoying the landscape around you.  Every tree is important and part of the big picture.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Timber



12 inches x 12 inches x 2 inches original cold wax oil on cradled hardboard.


Standing timber simply beautiful stretching towards the sky.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Opening


SOLD
6 inches tall x 12 inches wide original cold wax and oil painting on cradled hardboard.


As were heading to the end of fall this will be a reminder of more colorful days.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Monday, October 16, 2017

Immersed


3 feet tall x 4 feet wide x 1 1/2 inch deep, cold wax oil on cradled hardboard. 

The forest is a crowded place seeing only one tree takes insight.

Friday, August 4, 2017

Habitat



24 inches tall x 48 inches wide 
cold wax oil on cradled hardboard.

A wooded area along the road viewed often from your vehicle, or if your like me it comes while your hiking as you emerge from the woods.

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Sandy Beach


5 feet wide by 4 feet tall

Cold wax and oil on cradled hardboard

From start to finish my paintings average 6 months on my easel.  There are many layers to build the colors into the finished surface and complete the sides.  It was cold dark and snowy when thoughts of summer shimmered in my mind. 

That sandy beach has real sand added to the painting, how cool is that!

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Virginia Blue Ridge Parkway



Deck and I are on our 8th day traveling in our RV.  Were on our way back to Michigan after visiting his parents in FL (80th birthday party) and hanging out in Savannah, GA.  Well had to see the Mercer House from the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, also a movie.

Tomorrow is a drive up to Lover's Leap in our Jeep.  This is not a road for an RV.  We did this drive a couple of years ago, it was soooo foggy, very nerve wracking-nail biting-foot braking (me) you get the idea, hopefully tomorrow we will get to see the sights.



Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Surge


SOLD

12 inches tall x 36 inches wide

cold wax oil on cradled hardboard.

Exciting 
waves crashing 
on an endless shore.

Friday, May 12, 2017

Ripple



If you can imagine a little gem this is it, the size 
 12 inches wide x 6 inches tall.

Cold wax and oil on craddled hardboard.

I love the tree's and woods until we hit the 90's then off to the water I go.   


Saturday, March 18, 2017

Petoskey Michigan


Somebody's Gallery
302 E Lake St.
Petoskey, MI 49770

Now displaying my paintings.
Meet me at the gallery July 7, 2017