Trina's Paintings

These are my two newest paintings that were commissioned by my friend Trina.

New Painting Exhibit

I now have 7 paintings hanging at a local Tucson beauty salon. It is "A Cut Above" located at
3960 N. Oracle. The phone number is 888-5456. If you need a hair cut and want to see my paintings give them a call!

Cross Collection

I have done many cross paintings in various sizes from very small (3x5) to very large (24x36) and everything in between. When I do an art fair I always have a selection of small cross paintings. I usually sell all that I take. Below are four cross paintings that I donated to Casas Church which is the church we attend.

Here is the above painting hanging in the prayer room of our church.

A New Desert Painting

Yellow Poppy Paradise

16x20

$150

Here is my latest painting. If you scroll through my blog and see some of my other desert scenes and notice a lot of them have a similar look and wonder why, I'll tell you the reason. It is because they are very popular and I sell them. Every so often I will try different colors in the sky and mountains but find that they don't sell as fast as those I do with this color scheme.

Since I have two art festivals coming up in October it is time to get ready for them. I will start working on small paintings soon. Some will be 11x14 but most will be 8x10 and smaller. I always have a special sale on small paintings when I do an art festival. Most of these paintings will be southwest paintings, desert scenes, cactus flowers and my crazy saguaros. I also will have some cross paintings. In a few days I will post paintings of crosses. They too are very popular with my clients.

After saying all of that, before I start the small paintings I plan to do another crazy saguaro. It will probably be a version of my "Surreal Saguaro". I love the fun I have doing that painting! I never know how it will turn out. Since I love to paint so much I would rather do new versions of the same painting then just doing one painting and selling prints of it. This way everyone has an original painting and they are all slightly different from each other.

Just for Fun!

Margarita & Bougainvillea

11x14

$100

This is my latest painting. I did it just for the fun of doing it. I had this vision of hot pink and lime green dancing around in my head and the idea of a margarita for the green and bougainvillea for the pink came to me. It is someting different then my usual southwest paintings.

I think it will be a good picture for a greeting card. Did I mention I make cards? I don't do them to sell but of course if someone wants to buy one I won't say no. I make them to send for my own personal use but also a number of years ago I was asked to be the "sunshine" person for our square-dance club. That is the person who sends cards to those in the club who are sick. I decide to make the cards myself using my paintings and add a personal touch by putting the receiver's name on the front of the card. I have lost count on how many years I have been doing the job. Every time we have a new president come in to office I get a call to see if I will continue being the card person. Since everyone who gets a card seems to love it I say yes.

Time to start another painting. This one will be a desert scene. They are my best sellers and I have very few in back stock. I do not have a new exhibit scheduled but I like to have enough paintings ready in case something comes up. I can apply to the airport in October for another exhibit next year and I have a lead on a possible show in 2012 but can't apply until December. I doubt that I will do show until next year but I do have two art fairs coming up in the fall. If anyone has a lead on a possible venue for an exhibition please contact me. I would appreciate that. I am always looking for a "call for artists" but they are few and far between.

Audio Books and Bowl

What is this all about ? Why a photo of an audio book on an art blog?

I am a great multi-tasker. I listen to books on CDs while I paint.

I just finished this one at the same time I finished my latest painting.

It is not ready to post yet because I still have to apply the polycrylic but you will see it soon.

If you want a preview look at the top left hand corner in the photo below and you will see a tiny portion of it. Click on the photo to make it bigger.

This bowl was on the counter when I took the photo of the CD so I decided to include it in this post. This is the type of painting I used to do before I converted to fine art. I called it functional art. I painted on objects like boxes, trays, bowls and furniture. Since we never stray far from our roots when I find something too good to pass up at a garage sale I will buy it and paint it to take to an arts and craft fair. If you look below you will see what it looked like when I bought it.

I will sell it for $65.

A great garage sale find.
I got this large bowl and a smaller one just like it that I will paint for the art fair I do in the fall.

Garage Sale Adventure

Today was garage sale day. What an adventure. I always feel like I am on Safari looking for big game but the prey I am looking to bag are frames. The hunt was very successful today!

I may have mentioned in a previous post that all the frames I use for my paintings are recycled. I get them at garage or rummage sales and sometimes a friend will give me a frame they want to get rid of.

By using old frames I can keep my paintings at an affordable price. Have you ever taken something to a frame or craft shop to be framed? It might be a print that cost you $20 but the frame and mat will cost $150. That is why I recycle frames and paint boarders.

I don't care how beat up the frame I buy is as long as it is structurally solid. I can refinish it and sometimes I beat it up more to give it a distressed look.

I always do a painting to compliment the frame. I put a blank canvas in the frame then decide what to paint instead of doing a painting and try to find a frame it will match the painting.

The Happy Hunter unloading the van.

Another photo of what I bought today.

Some of the frames are in perfect condition and others need some work.

I paid $2 or less per frame.

Here are a collection of frames waiting for paintings.

I purchased them all at garage or rummage sales.

Below are finished paintings I have done and put in frames with a history.

(a nice way to say recycled)

Some stories I know and some I don't.

If they could talk I bet they would have a lot to tell.

Where did they come from and what paintings or photos were in them and where did they hang?

Wouldn't you love to know? I would.

This is an old frame I bought at a garage sale.

I painted it in the colors I used in the painting

and added dot work to match what I used in the border.

Fruit of the Saguaro

16x20
This frame was another garage sale find. It is rather rustic and beat up.

I liked the look and left it as is for the desert scene I created for it.

Hedgehog in Bloom

11x14

My wedding picture was in this frame which means it is over 50 years old.

Don't worry I did not throw away the photo.

I still display a small version of it along with one taken on our 50th anniversary.

My father was a professional photographer.
He operated a Studio in PA and retired in the early 1970's.

This frame came from his studio.

This bamboo frame was an interesting find.
You can see how I did the painting to compliment the frame.
I think it works well.

Award Winning Paintings

This is the painting that changed the direction of my art career. As you can see I won third place and the People's Choice Award. I was thrilled when I won a prize in the contest but the PCA meant more to me because everyone who attend the exhibit for the three months it was open voted this their favorite painting. I sold it on opening night and was commissioned to do another version of it for a client who became a friend and one of my best customers.

Thanks Trina for your friendship and loyalty!

The theme of the first contest I entered was flowers and I was proud to have won a prize on both of my entries. I sold this one on opening night.

The theme of the contest in 2009 was Oro Valley. It was the 30th anniversary of the community and entries were to be anything that pertained to Oro Valley. This is my version of a crested saguaro that is within walking distance from my home and is located in an area called Honey Bee Canyon. It is easily seen by all who travel the main road that passes through the canyon.

I sold it on the day after the show opening.

The theme of the 2010 contest was Cultural Diversity. I did this painting to honor all of those people who celebrate the Day of the Dead. I sold it the first week of the contest.

Art Exhibition Opening

Today is take down day for the art exhibition I had during the month of May at the National Western Parks Association. They have a lecture room that doubles as an art gallery. Here are photos taken at the opening reception. I was happy at how many people came. It was a fun time and I have had a lot of good feedback from those who attended the opening and also from people who saw the show during the month. Some people even went back a second time.
I was so pleased at the turn out. Many friends attended but there were also strangers who showed up. Hopefully they will become art friends. Over 60 people signed my art information email list and I know there were some people there that did not sign in.

It was such a nice surprise to have my Aunt Betty come.

These are my friends Roy & Sue who commissioned me to paint "Appreciation of Friendship".

If you scroll down a few posts you will see a photo of the painting.

Here I am chatting with friends. It was getting close to closing time and there was still a crowd of people. Some people arrived when it opened at 3 and were still there when it closed at 5.

I sold 5 paintings out of the 20 that I showed.

I have posted photos of them below.

Patchwork Saguaro

Red Beauty

Golden Glow

Candy Barrel in Bloom