Peppers

Painting smaller works has given me an opportunity to experiment with a variety of techniques and styles. This painting is based on a technique called Flemish Realism taught by my mentor David E.Weaver.  I will be using this technique and experimenting with some new mediums and surfaces. Now more than ever I appreciate what David taught me in the beginning of my oil painting journey.  R.I.P. David.

Wrapping up a still life

Lately this still life has demanded my attention.  This is a 20 x 24 oil on hardboard.  It is very wet and the photograph is showing some glare.    Now it needs to sit and dry for a week and then I will know if it is a finished painting.

Yellow pepper

Look what was in the vegetable drawer waiting to be painted.   Yellow and orange such warm colors.  We long for those warm days to return after this arctic winter.  Maybe next week?

Crocus

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The first day of spring and no sign of crocus.  These were photographed last spring and never made it to the easel.   We rolled right into summer and lost the window of opportunity to paint them.   The lilac/blue flowers look great as they pop up through the leaves.   We can rejoice when they start appearing.

What happened

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We were pretending that spring is on it's way and had a barbecue with yummy ribs.   My job was to make potato salad only the crime scene caught my eye and delayed the process.

This quote might have influenced me.

“A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.” Leonardo da Vinci.  

Purple power

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The finished painting after my return.  

This plant has been living with me for about a decade without ever blooming. If the purple ceramic pot wasn't so cute the plant would have been garbage material long ago.  It must like all this snow and extreme cold.  It is so beautiful the colors are amazing.

 

Working color and value

More color variations and values are added.  I could have done more to this layer however something came up, my 7 day cruise.  So off I went.

Drawing with paint

This is the beginning of Purple Power.  I used the paint to draw and lay down some values.  This approach is useful for detail.  With flowers the colors look more intense with layers of oil paint.

Pink grapefruit

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Pink grapefruits are my favorite along with sausage links so when a challenge to paint citrus fruits came up it was just a matter of not eating it first.  On this day blackberries were a great addition.  Anyone play Free Cell Solitaire? It's a card game that I play while eating breakfast, then it's into the studio to paint.

Stand up

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What a rough winter remembering warm sunny days and flowers.  If anything my appreciation will increase this summer.

It's a busy time lining up adventures for summer and working on other paintings.

Hopefully my artist residency application to the Porcupine Mountains in the Upper Peninsula for two weeks of painting will come to fruition or my stay as a lighthouse keeper in Tawas will happen.  Actually I want to do both.

In my studio is a 24 x 48 inch painting of trees and a still life 20 x 24 that have been getting my attention lately so you aren't seeing as many daily paintings this month.

Two tulips

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The idea of this painting was to capture realism and fade into more of an impression.  One this one I left some hard edges the soft edges were faded with brush strokes.  Another method is to use pure color in the focal area then use varying degrees of grayed colors to fade away.

Peppy shrooms

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Painted this for the Stroke Challenge on Daily Paintworks.  Having a domestic dilemma upon my return from Tennessee was very distracting so decided that this challenge would be great to refocus. This was an exercise to use one stroke for each color and then mix a new color, caught myself a couple of times being a bad girl, lucky you could go over to make corrections.

Red tulips

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We have a local coffee shop that keeps fresh flowers on their tables supplied by the florist a few doors down.  The trade, unlimited coffee for the flowers, love this deal everyone wins.  Last week every table had miniature tulips in coffee cups, so lovely, made me want some.

This painting was in progress for a week to much distraction.

We had a major dilemma our well quit working.  No water for 10 days.  We weren't the only one's these cold temperatures have caused many problems with wells in the area.  It took heavy duty snow removal equipment to access the ground to work.  We have 3 feet of snow in our yard this reminds me of winters from my childhood.

Inviting

This little two track takes off from a road that T's right into it, you must turn left or right.  Straight looks very tempting.

Way back in December we had a nice sunny warm day that took me outdoors it hasn't been that warm since.

Statistics confirm the month of January 2014 as a record breaking historical amount of snow fall in Detroit history and out here where I live we have three times as much snow as the city.

Minneola

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This is an interesting composition at least that is how it ended up being after the painting began.  The blue vase behind the orange peel is an eye grabber however the orange pieces and clear glass have their own appeal they seem to work together very nicely.

The minneola is a tangelo, a hybrid of Duncan grapefruit and Dancy mandarin who would have thought?

Apple in pieces

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Had time to get a painting done today, yeah.  The workshop starts tonight so this might be it for the week.  Sent some of these fuji apples home with Kaylee for her mom to try, anxious to hear if she likes them.  Kaylee tried to get her to buy them without success.  We decided she just needs to eat one like lays potato chips and she won't be able to stop eating them and everyone will be happy.

Bowl of raspberries 2

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Yesterday this painting was done however getting it photographed before sunset is part of the process and next thing the sun had set.  This morning before leaving on my trip to Nashville got it photographed.  Now here in Nashville all settled in and hope you like it.

Radiant in yellow

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Looking back into the summer photographs from the garden for this one.  This was a new purchase and it did good in my yard, yeah!  This bloom was about six inches wide and the plant had lot's of blooms.   This became a negative painting as those shapes were grabbing my attention.  It was a technique taught for watercolors and it works with oils.

Get me outta here

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My grandson's most loved animal "doggy" came for medical attention.  After stitching he wanted a bath.  He has fully recovered and been reunited with Darren who was all smiles and hugs when he saw him.  This makes me the best Grandmother ...EVER.......smiles for me too.

This could be a nice gift for someone who needs to get out.

Red and green

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Asparagus in purple rubber bands.  Someone with an eye for color picked this color and it works.  Still haven't actually tried the persimmon need to quit being a scaredy cat and get on with it.

Spell check didn't like SCAREDY ...

All the snow no school it was me and the grand kids we had a blast.

Cherry 2

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Beginning 2014 with a cherry.  In the fruit category cherries are at the top one of my list.  Were covered in snow this morning yet thinking about summer and the great cherries we produce here in Michigan, happy thoughts and may they continue throughout the year.  HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Topless

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This week's DPW challenge is "The Root and Bulb Challenge".   As I was heading out to the grocery store it occurred to me pick up some carrots if they had any with the tops.  Luckily there were some organic carrots with the longest tops and greenery I've ever seen.   Like most vegetables they were put into the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator.  Later while working at my computer my husband approached me with the carrot tops hanging from his hand..........to let me know not to store carrots with the tops on.

Pink cone flower

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This was painting was done over a year ago it won a ribbon at an art exhibit.  It was painted in my Flemish style and not sure how it got missed but here it is.  It is only  5 x 7 inches however you can see the detail from 40 feet away.  The juror noted that it was a small painting yet really caught her eye.

Today was 46 degrees, sunny, snowy, perfect to paint plein air.   So skipped out of the studio to enjoy the outdoors.  Hope everyone was able to get some fresh air today.

Daily Paintworks Interview & Painting Giveaway

This painting will be given away on Daily Paintworks, (DPW).  Follow the link below to read my interview and learn some art history about me.

http://dpwnews.blogspot.com/2013/12/dpw-spotlight-interview-darlene-mowatt.html

Rosebud 2

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I was feeling melancholy thinking about my Brother and Mother.  So may this rose represent those lost but not forgotten and to take time reminiscing., it felt great. 

 It was only a bud it never blossomed yet managed to be outstanding.

Eggshells

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What a way to start your day.  This was the beginning to my creation ""a bowl of breakfast.   In a bowl put a layer of fried hash browns, cooked scrambled eggs, then add sauteed onion, green pepper, bacon or sausage, tomatoes and whatever else you have.  Top this with cheddar cheese and melt the cheese in the microwave and enjoy.  Over the summer the Hammy Slammy became my favorite breakfast to buy when traveling.   Guess what the only difference was it had ham my choice of meat for breakfast when eating out.

Persimmon 1

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Other artist have been painting these and my recent grocery store visit prompted me to try this fruit.  The lovely reds and oranges are my favorite colors to paint and this fruit is pretty interesting.  It seems rather confusing to determine when it's ripe.  My problem, a couple of years ago I lost my smell and taste so my husband will have to do the tasting.  It's amazing how foods make your glands react  sour, bitter, and salty is easy for me to without the taste.   Most foods are in my memory and I enjoy eating them, only if I stop and think do I get disappointed.  This fruit is not in my memory so not sure how this will end.

Snowman sledding 2

What do I collect....snowman, it happened by accident it wasn't a conscious effort.  After many years it dawned on me, I purchase a snowman of one kind or another each year for myself.  These have become my subjects for my Christmas Cards.  Hope you enjoy these happy snow lovers who visit during winter and the holiday season.

Rose bud 1

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What a struggle to get the light hitting this correctly.  The thing about painting sometimes you must walk away.  This is what happened with this painting today it is a success yesterday it seemed like a failure.  Darn good thing it was so pretty as a bud it's wilting and not going to open.

Cantaloupe 1

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Not sure where this melon came from, it lacked flavor, this didn't surprise me, this is not the time of year to buy melons in Michigan.  Although Pinckney is my home town, Howell is just North of me, they celebrate melons with an annual festival, we take them pretty serious around these parts.  Melon slices make a great painting bringing back memories of warm summer days.  This could really cheer someone up over the winter months.