https://kelleymacdonaldart.com

My Website

Thursday, February 26, 2009

And A Red Bead, 6x12, Oil


I have a pale turquoise vase and I popped a Gerber Daisy into it, and put a little red bead that I bought in Ptown in front of it. Once again the shiny cover for the gray cloth on the table, and the black box to cut down on bouncing light. I love painting the daisies, although I used to hate painting flowers. Also I'll post the next pass at my skyscape on my Studio Blog. Thanks so much, everyone, for all the comments. It means a lot to me, each and every one is appreciated!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Same Carnations, Different Vase, Oil 6x8


An artist friend from Hull, MA, Jeanne MacFarland, came to paint at my studio today. We changed the vase from yesterday, and she put this little glass vase in my 'black box' with a black velvet background and a lime cloth under that wonderful clear plastic. I didn't realize all my photos were blurry till I got home and tried to post - I'll shoot another one tomorrow. After painting and eating (very important) we hit a few of Warren's many Antique shops, then went to the local coffee shop so I could see photos on her computer (love that WiFi) of her daughter's SIX brand new pug puppies. I'm going to have to get one of those photos and post it on my studio blog! Wrapping up the day by sipping Coffee Cabinets (do you know what they are? a delectable whirled combo of coffee syrup, coffee ice cream, malt powder and milk - mMMmm!) from Delecta's old fashioned Pharmacy, Jeanne went home, but left me with her painting of the carnations - I'll post that tomorrow!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

New Vase, Oil, 6x6

SOLD

I picked up this little vase this weekend in Ptown - I liked the gray - it looked different according to what it was near. Very reflective. These are the carnations from Valentine's day - still looking good! I will post more of my studio photos AND a new WIP on the studio blog!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Lemon And Aqua, 6x6 Oil


Here is one of my water glasses that I love, and a lemon. I bought a piece of shiny clear plastic from Walmart and put it over a neutral piece of fabric. That's what's up with the wavy reflections. I liked the way the colors bounced around, too. I enlisted my son (he's 6'4") to help hang some paintings in the studio today (to get them off the floor), and we spent a very productive hour together - I'll post a photo in my Studio blog tomorrow.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Orange, You Sweet! 8x8 Oil


This is from a painting session with Nancy Colella. She found these great looking little oranges at Whole Foods, with stems still on. It was fun to paint, but I was without my orange paint. I guess it worked out with Cadmium Yellow and Camium Red Light. Wish I lived closer to a Whole Foods!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Milk Glass Pitcher, 6x6 Oil

This looks better in person. Last Summer I was searching and searching for a 2 cup pitcher for milk and this was in my cabinet all along. It was Tim's aunt's and when she broke up her house she gave me this. Perfect. It was a real challenge, because the only 'white' is on the little tiny highlights at the top of the pitcher. I've been rigging up a photo area in my studio, and have surrounded it with white sheets, to avoid the glare, but I had to take this photo at home without it because I'd forgotten my camera today.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Re-Do Butterscotches, 6x6 Po;

When I got into the studio today I couldn't BELIEVE how much I hated yesterday's post of the butterscotch candies in my mother's candy dish. I wiped it right off and that's something I rarely do. I changed the format, to a 6x6 (yes, today I remembered my Gessoboards!), changed the viewpoint ( a little), the color of the background became light blue when I put a piece of blue tissue paper over the white ground. This time I didn't worry at all about the dark side of the yellow wrapper or the twisted ends of the cellophane. I believe (and I was on autopilot when I did this, so I can't say for sure) I made the yellow cooler and darker. So! I also attempted to paint the calla lilies again, too and I'm not happy with it, so I'll put it on the Studio Blog just to show you.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Butterscotch on Mom's Candy Dish, 8x6, oil

On Saturday I poured these butterscotch candies into my Mom's candy dish. It was a sunny day, and the light from the window lit up the golden wrappers, it was awesome - and without saying anything I turned to my son Conor, who looked at me and said "Daily Painting!" I don't feel I 'got it' and may try again with different viewpoints and backgrounds. I'm particularly challenged by the shadow side of yellow. Remembering Carol Marine's adage : "If you can't figure out what color something is, it's probably a gray...", I attempted a gray-yellow, but I don't think it 'showcased' the highlights enough. And believe it or not, it looks a LOT better in real life! :)

Monday, February 16, 2009

Valentine's Bouquet, 6x6 Oil



SOLD


I hope everyone had fun on Valentine's day. I was recovering from a cold (sorry, that's why no posts for the last few days) and my head felt foggy, but I sure appreciated these beautiful flowers that were on the table when I got up! I was a complete zero this year - didn't send a single Valentine card, but I hope to make it up! I got a bunch of Gessoboard 6x6's this weekend, because I really like the flat resistance to the brush loaded with paint, but, of course I left them at home (or somewhere buried in a gym bag) when I came to the studio today. I did find an old stray Gessoboard with the shiny finish (that's a bear to paint on), and just coated it with black acrylic paint, then painted in oil when it was dry. It feels so good to be back in the studio, I've got a few more projects I'm working on and will post them in the Studio Blog this afternoon!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Limey, 6x6 Oil

SOLD
You know, I don't know if my glasses are dirty or there's glare on this shot, but... if it looks 'glare-y' to you, then it's NOT my glasses! I didn't post yesterday because I spent all day painting a bigger (30x30) still life. Still lots to do on it, but soon I'll post it on my studio blog.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Wishing For Westminster, 8x6 Oil

Monday and Tuesday of this week are the nights that the Westminster Dog Show is on TV. I've DVR'd it and will watch both nights together. This little West Highland White Terrier is from the Ladies Dog Club Show at the Bayside Expo Center Show from December in Boston. Westies are (and were once grouped with) Cairn Terriers, coming from the same breeding stock in the same area. Some people really preferred the pure white Cairns, and bred them apart, so now they're different 'breeds', but really interchangeable in terms of disposition and structure (watch, I'll get Westie Moms telling me I'm wrong about this, and that the white ones are sweeter...:). I put off painting the white dog because I thought it would be boring, but it was anything but! In person, you can see all sorts of pretty, colorful 'shadows' in the white, that are beautiful grays made of up beautiful roses, and blues and ochres..

Monday, February 9, 2009

Swizzle, 6x8 Oil

This weekend I bought these red glasses that remind me of ones (lost in some move) I bought in Mexico. Added to that I was given a couple of turquoise glass swizzle sticks, a starfish and a seahorse. When I said I wanted to paint the glass, my husband said "Do you realize how many colors of red, plus orange and yellow are in this one glass?" "Yup." I said - that's what I love about it! Also the glass, being hand blown, was lopsided at the top, and inside. I really like the reflections I got on the shadow and on the table, they were fun to paint!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Empty, 8x8 Oil


This is your basic Crate & Barrel pitcher.* I keep it in the studio for Sangria (wait... I don't make it for MYSELF - it's for when I have company there!) So I do enjoy painting glass so much, and didn't have anything else to paint (if you could see my studio you'd get a kick out of that), I just put a lime-y green cloth under it and watched the reflected light. I thought I'd go cross-eyed! Aside from my directional lamp, there was light coming in from 3 sides (and rather than control it I thought I'd just try to paint it!). Ooooh, I'm getting an idea - of all the cut-up fruit for sangria in this.... I'll try that one of these days! In Rhode Island it's gotten in to the high 30's, and THAT's cause for celebration!

*Short story behind "basic Crate & Barrel pitcher..." - I bought one, brought it home and broke it while washing it before it's first use. The next week I bought another one and dropped it after I used it once... so this is #3, and you would not believe how careful I am with this one!

Friday, February 6, 2009

Squashed Valentine, 6x6 Oil

A bit of glare on the background, for which I apologize. I specifically asked the donut girl to be careful, and put this baby in a box because I was going to paint it... and it got squashed anyway. No sense trying to hide it, so I let it be. Although I could have been happier with the red and white drizzles, I like the actual donut better than ones I've done in the past - I guess it comes with experience. It actually looks lots better than in this photo, don't know why I couldn't capture it.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Ready and Waiting, 4x4, Oil


SOLD
I got this beautiful aqua glass from my son last Christmas - it's so beautiful I'm afraid to use it. I like the way the limes react to the strong light I put on them, too. It looked like they were waiting for a splash of.... San Pelligrino? Hendricks Gin & Tonic? Limeade? Flat Water?

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Sentry, 8x6 Oil

My Dad was a big fan of Bloodhounds. They look so wise. I had my son take the photo for this, as I left my camera in my husband's car yesterday, and when I imported it into my iPhoto, the colors got all weird. I think I've got them now. I loved the look on this dog's face at the Dog Show, so patient. I taped the Eukanuba Dog Show during the Super Bowl and forced everyone to watch it last night. Although I hate those 'best of the best' dog shows (how on earth can you compare the 'best' Puli with the 'best' Corgi?) I think it comes down to the showmanship of the individual dogs and the appeal they have to the judge. What.EVER. I still love to watch them. Something different tomorrow....

Monday, February 2, 2009

San Francisco Victorian, Oil - 8x6


This painting was submitted to Karin Jurick's Different Strokes From Different Folks Challenge. Wow. I put off attempting it because it was, for me, a perspective nightmare... 2 towers, sloping foreground, complicated roofline, a bare tree - there was a wroght iron fence that I omitted. Anyway, back to fun stuff today! I spent yesterday stuffing my husband and sons with Superbowl food - homemade calzones, homemade pizza, buffalo chicken, shrimp, chips, cookies and nuts. Surprisingly we are all still alive today (although on a little restrictive diet...:).
Related Posts with Thumbnails