Apple cutting board and two small bowls

I decided to work on a few small projects for the first show of 2014 at the SAAG Gallery.  The first photo is of a 9" cutting board in the shape of an apple.  I did a "Pots, Plant and Apples" painting which I thought would fit the theme of the board.

Next is a very small bowl.  I have a big box full of small salad bowls which sometime come with the large serving size bowls that I like to paint.  I really didn't want to put time and effort into painting these small bowls but since I have so many of them I thought maybe it was time to paint a few and show them at the gallery.  I love the shape of this bowl and the finish was beautiful so I left it natural and painted a gecko on it because it fit the shape of the bowl and is quick to do.

While rummaging around in the box of small bowls I came across this bowl that I had painted in the past but never finished off with polycrylic.  It only took a few minutes to touch up a few scratches that happened when I threw new bowls into the box.  I think I will not sell this one but use it for my business cards.  I'll make that decision when I set up my booth. 

Colorful Coyote

I had fun painting this colorful guy.  He is made of tin on a wooden base and stands 17" high.  He will go to the SAAG Gallery next week and will be looking for a home. 

I have a couple of canvases prepped and ready but not sure which one I will work on first.  I only have a couple of days until the gallery change over.  I may hold off on the canvas paintings and do another craft item.  Decisions, decisions......What to do next?

Queen of the Night In Purple Frame

I sold a larger Queen of the Night painting at Soundpoint Audiology a month or so ago so decided to do a new one in a smaller size which I plan to show at the SAAG Gallery.  I finished this one on Christmas Eve.  The size is 11X14.  I refinished the white frame by painting it a purple metallic then antiquing it with a dark wash.  It pulls out the purple shading in the flowers.  I've painted a number of versions of this painting but each one is unique because I free hand the flowers on the canvas.  I'll post photos of the two other ones I painted in the past.

As you can see they are all the same subject...the queen of the night cactus flower....but each painting is different from the others.  The two bottom paintings have sold.  Hopefully the new one will sell too!

Merry Christmas

A small version of "I Love to Paint Roses"

This is a small version of a painting I did some time ago.  I sold the large one at the show I did at Skyline Country Club last January.  Since I really do love to paint roses I thought it was time to do another one.  I decided to do an 8X10 for two reasons.  The first is that I want to show it at the SAAG Gallery in the next session and my booth size is not that large so smaller paintings work better.  The other reason is that I had this perfect 8X10 frame.  If you look closely it has a design of tiny rosebuds.  It was a very bright gold which I toned down with a wash of dark green paint. I think it works better with the painting. I also used a more intense orange in the new version.  I free handed the pattern so it is not exactly the same.  To tell the truth I think I like the first one I did better.  It was always one of my personal favorites.  I'll post a photo of it below.  The size is 12X24 but it looks smaller in the photo. 

A different bowl and box

I finished two new projects.  The subject matter of both fit my usual style but the objects are a little different. 

This box has a rough textured finish and has an insert for the painting which gives it a framed effect. 

I decided to call this object a bowl.  It is has an odd shape and is about 3" deep and has a flat bottom.  I don't think it was meant to be a planter because it is made of wood.  Anyway, it is a great decorative piece.  I think it would be perfect to set on a coffee table and use for a container for the TV remote.

 I finally got the news of when my show at the Tucson Botanical Gardens will be.  I was hoping it wouldn't be too soon because I need time to prepare.  Guess I don't need to worry about having enough time....my show is scheduled for December of 2015!

I will work on some canvas paintings next.  They will be for the SAAG Gallery and Soundpoint Audiology. 

Desert Beauty

 

I decided it was time to do another 11X14 desert scene.  I titled this one "Desert Beauty".  I have probably used that title before but I am running out of names for this type of painting.  If the painting is 8X10 or smaller I call them "Classic Desert Scene" but if they are larger I give them a title but coming up with new names gets harder with each new painting. 

 

 I took a break from a bowl I was working on to do this painting.  I will finish the bowl next and post a photo when it is done. 

 

 By-the-way, for some reason this blog was acting up today and giving me a hard time downloading the photo.  I hate when that kind of thing happens.  I also had problems this week getting my email.  I had to prove that I was me.  When I took my first computer class the instructor told us not to keep a baseball bat in the same room as the computer.  I know why he said that...I have been tempted many times over the years to give the computer a good wack with a bat!

Peacock Box

In my last post I said I wasn't sure what my next project would be.  Here is what I decided to do.  I had this box base coated in black and looked at it for a while trying to get a vision on what to paint on it when suddenly I thought of a peacock.  I keep an "idea" file on my computer and pulled up the one on peacocks and looked at peacock paintings I did in the past to give me an idea of how to draw one for the box.  I thought it would look good to have his tail droop over the front of the box.  I sketched out the pattern on tracing paper and transferred it to the box.  It only took me a half hour to paint the peacock and maybe another 20 minutes to free hand the design on the sides.  Sometimes it takes longer to prep a piece and make a decision on the pattern and then draw and transfer the pattern than it takes for the actual painting.  That is what happened in this case.  As soon as the paint was dry I applied the polycrylic then relized I hadn't taken a photo of the box with just the flat paint.  I had to wait until the polycrylic dried until I took the photo.  That is why there is a reflection on the box.  You can still get a pretty good idea of what the finished painting looks like.  I will take the box to the SAAG Gallery tomorrow.  I am ready to go back to my shop and paint something else but like before, I don't know what I will do. Guess I'll just go poke around in my collection of objects and see what strikes my fancy to paint on.  Once that decision is made I'll have to think of what to paint on it.  As always, I'll post a photo once it is done.

Camo Duck and another Desert Bowl

A few days ago I posted a before picture of the duck decoy that would be my next project.  Here is a photo of  what he looks like now.  I call him Camo Duck.  I decide to go the Duck Dynasty route which seems to be all the rage now. He doesn't have a beard but I dressed him in camo leaves.  I think he has personality.  He is for sale at the SAAG Gallery.

When I posted a photo of the last desert scene bowl I thought it would be the last one I would do for awhile but my "bowl lady" emailed me that she needed one more.  The only bowl I had left was a little different because it has a depression in the center.  I painted it and she came today to pick up both bowls and was very happy with them.  We made an agreement that in the future if she wanted anymore that she would shop for the bowls and bring them to me to paint.  Here is a photo of the last one.

I spent some time this morning straightening up my shop to get ready for my next project.  I have finished all my commissioned work and can now work on what ever I feel like.  At this point I haven't decided what I will do next.  I have some large paintings in mind but may wait until after the first of the year to work on them and spend the next coupe of weeks working on some of the 3D items I have collected.  As soon as I complete my next creation I'll post a photo.

Award

A month ago I entered a painting in the SAAG Show at the El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Resort.  At the opening reception paintings were judged and First, Second and Third prizes were awarded and the people attending had the opportunity to vote for their favorite painting for the People's Choice Award.  Yesterday at the SAAG meeting I found out my "Surreal Saguaro" painting won that award.   What a nice honor to receive.  Thanks to all who voted for my painting.  I was going to post a photo of the painting but would you believe I couldn't find one on my computer.  I have painted many versions of Surreal Saguaro but must not have taken a photo of that exact painting.  It is similar to the one you see at the beginning of this blog.

Tortoise in Many Colors

I finished this tortoise that I started a few weeks ago before I had to do the commissioned jobs.  All he needs is a coat of polycrylic and he will be ready to show at the gallery.  I have another critter I want to show with him.  Hopefully I can complete him in a few days.  Here is  the before painting photo. 

Last two commissioned jobs of the year

I finished the last two commissioned jobs I had to do.  The first is a roadrunner painting ordered by someone that bought one for her home and decided she wanted another one with a purple border for her office. The desert scene bowl was ordered by the customer that I nick-named "the bowl lady".  I lost track of how many bowls she ordered.....I think this one makes 5.  I still have to finish the back of the painting and apply polycrylic to the bowl before I call and let them know they are finished and ready for pick up.  My next project is to finish something I was working on before I got these jobs.

Flowers in Yellow Vase

This is a painting I did a few years ago for our Son Brian & his wife Sarah.  When we were visiting them in San Antonio I realized I never took a photo of it so decided to take one.  I am posting it even though it is not the best quality because of the reflection but you get the idea of the painting.  The photos I take at home are much better because I have a place to take them where I don't have to use a flash which minimizes reflections.

I am back to painting and completed one commissioned job but still have to apply polycrylic.  I am working on the other commissioned bowl which I may have done tomorrow.  I'll post photos when they are done.  Once these two projects are finished I can work on what ever I feel like doing.  I need to work on boxes and and other functional items for the gallery and also must start on some larger paintings for shows that I will be doing next year.

I will take a break tonight and decorate the tree.  If I don't do it before I get too involved in painting it might not get done.

More trip doodles

I am back from our Thanksgiving trip to San Antonio.  That means I have more travel doodles to show you.  The round trip was 1800 miles and if I was not driving I was doing doodles.  This is what I came up with. 

Each of these doodles was done on a separate page.  I did this computer composite to make them easier to post.

 I hope to get back to painting tomorrow.  I'll post new paintings when I complete them.