Lady with Lilies

This is the new painting I mentioned in my last post.  I have a friend who commissioned me to do a collage painting.  She wanted me to incorporate two paintings I have done before with some modifications along with a third panel based on a work by Diego Rivera.  I did some internet research and also came up with the work of Lorenzo Cruz Sunu from Guatemala who has done similar types of paintings.  What my friend wanted is an Indian or Mexican lady viewed from the back with a bouquet of calla lilies with a sarape draped on her shoulders and a long braid.  My painting is not a copy of the artists I mentioned but by looking at their work of similar subject matter I got inspiration for my own painting.  I did this 8 1/2 X 11 painting as a test run.  Once I get approval from my friend I will start her large 20X24 collage painting.  I enjoyed doing this one because it is something I have never tried before.  I am sure I will do variations of it in the future.  Maybe do a series using different types of flowers. 

June Blooms

This is my newest desert scene painting.  It is titled "June Blooms".  The size is 16X12.  June is the month the saguaro is in full bloom along with a lot of the other cacti and wildflowers.  I decided to do a painting featuring all of these.  For some reason the photo looks a little washed out.  The colors in the painting are much more vibrant.  I think I had the lighting wrong when I took the picture but am too lazy to take another one. 
Now that most of the exhibitions are over I have some time to devote to painting.  My next one is something new and different.  Actually it is a test run on an idea that a friend gave me to include in a collage painting I will do for her.  I decided to do a small painting of the idea and if I like how it comes out that will be the prototype for the one in the collage.  I'll post a photo when it is done and try to get the lighting better.

Equine Mystic times two

I finished the two commissioned paintings.  They are new versions of Equine Mystic.  I sold the first one at DeGrazia but had two couples who saw it before it was picked up and wanted to buy it.  Since it was already sold I did two new ones.  It is hard to tell by the photos but one is larger than the other one which is what the customer wanted.  I listed the size under the painting.  I tried to get them as close as possible to the original but it is hard to get them exactly the same.  I do this often...paint the same subject matter so each painting is an original in its own right.   If you go back to my last post you will see the first version of the painting.

16X20

12X16

Flowers for Valentine's Day

I decided to post some paintings of flowers that I did in the past.  Most of these sold a long time ago but I thought it would be nice to share them with you on this Valentine's Day.  Hope you enjoy seeing them.

Happy Valentines Day!

Finally a new painting done!

"Crested Saguaro"
16X12

After weeks of exhibitions and no time to paint I finally was able to finish a painting I started before the hectic time. This is one of six paintings  I am going to take it to the Skyline Country Club Gallery tomorrow to exchange for the paintings I sold.  I am meeting the purchasers to give them their paintings and hang the new ones. Along with the exchanged paintings, I was asked to bring a few extras to hang on an open wall.  I may take photos of what I hang on that wall and post them later.  I am now ready to start a couple of commissioned paintings.  They are both new versions of "Equine Mystic" but in different sizes.  I sold one at DeGrazia but two other couples liked it so commissioned me to do one for each of them.  Below is a photo of the first one sold that I will be doing again.

Report on Degrazia Show

The DeGrazia Show opened on January 27 and closed yesterday which was February 8.  There were emotional highs and lows during that time.  If you read older posts you know that Earl Wettstein who was showing with me passed away on January 9.  His family decided to go on with the show in his honor.  We had good publicity with a couple of newspaper articles about the circumstances of the show.  This brought in lots of people along with many of Earl's friends who came because they wanted to purchase Earl's art.  Also, there are so many tourists who come to DeGrazia to enjoy Ted DeGrazia's art then come to the little gallery to see the guest artists art. Sales were good for both Earl and myself. About half way through the show we had our own family tragedy with the death of my mother-in-law in Ohio.  With the help of Earl's family and friends and members of SAAG working the show I was able to fly back to Ohio with my husband for her funeral. I am so thankful to all those people who pitched in to help during a stressful time.  As I mentioned above, emotions were high with the sadness of loss of love ones and the excitement of having a successful show.  I am ready to settle back into the routine of everyday life spending time in my studio each day creating art.  I have three commissioned paintings I have to do first then I will start new paintings working towards more shows later this year.  I'll post photos upon completion of each painting.