Martini & 3 and a Cocktail Party Invitation!

NFS

OK, I won't apologize for the photo, but bear in mind that it is nighttime and I finally found my camera (hidden in plain sight, of course!).  Well I promised my daughter another couple of 'drink' paintings so she can auction them off because they were so popular, and that's how this martini came about.  My friend Janet Kingan asked for 3 olives last time, so here you are, Janet!  I'm always inspired by Shawn Kenney when I paint martini's - he been an inspiration since I started blogging!

OK - I'm inviting all my fellow bloggers to send me an image they paint of their favorite cocktail - and in a couple of weeks I'll post them - lets' say by the 15th of March - so it'll be a 'birthday cocktail party' for me!  I'll post them all here.  It's a non-recurring challenge, and I just need to be able to upload your images, and have your full name and link.  Cheers!*

*My husband asked WHY I needed vermouth to paint a martini - "You can't SEE it..." he said... I guess I just need it to be authentic!!  And I think you can SMELL it....

Hendrick's Gin & Tonic, 5x7 Acrylic

This Gin & Tonic is NFS, it's part of the raffle I mentioned in an earlier post for my daughter to participate in the Boston Marathon.  Since I'm not a big drinker, I splurge when I do, so... it's Hendrick's. If you like gin at all, this is the creme de la creme.  This painting, in acrylic, done at home (with a zillion light sources) drove me batty.  Literally.  I cried.  I threw stuff.  I bent my brush.  This is attempt #3, and I can't bring myself to show you the 1st two - they looked like it was my very first painting.  Not used to painting glass with acrylics - and it's different, and the light... So my husband suggested I shut all the shutters in the room, and turn on my clamp light... now why didn't I think of that?  And really... try, just TRY to paint ice under a hot light!!!!  Suffice it to say that my house looks like a hurricane hit it after all my fits...

Now, I think I'll drink my subject... I deserve it!

Pink Carnations, Oil, 6x6

$100 & $10 Shipping and Handling, via Paypal

I used to dislike Carnations, and still am not too keen about most of them.  There seems to be a variety without fringe, and I like those, and then there are these oversized carnations with a deep pink color - I like these, too.  Working on the drinks paintings, and thank you all so MUCH for your suggestions.  Good thing I'm painting them and not drinking them, or nothing would get done!

Bloody Mary Time, 6x8 Oil

NFS - Will be in Molly's Raffle for the Boston Marathon!!!

This is one painting I'm donating for the fundraiser that Molly's having to raise money so she can run the Marathon (it's donated to Brigham & Women's Hospital Charities).  I'm going to try to do a gin and tonic, too... what other drinks would be good/pretty/fun to paint?  I'm up for a virtual party!  Tell me, I'll be the bartender, and 'make' your drink!

Sunshine Award! And Roses, 6x12 Acrylic

Roses in February, 12x6 Acrylic

$100 & $10 Shipping  & Handling via PayPal

One fabulous by-product of Valentine's Day is wonderful subject matter to paint!

And I have been honored (not 3 but 4 times!) by being given the Sunshine Award!  I need to notify my 12 artists that I'd like to pass this on to, and list them with a link to their blogs here.  So although 12 is far fewer than the number of artists that actually bring rays of sunshine into my life ... here they are (if you don't show up here, don't be despondent, I could probably list at least double this amount and it would include YOU!)

1. Sally Dean
2. Kendra Ferreira
3. Kristen Reitz-Green
4. Nancy Hartley
5. Jala Pfaff
6. Mary Sheehan Winn
7. Dreama Tolle Perry
8. Kim Muller Thym
9. Anne Winthrop Cordin
10. Kathleen Coy
11. Amy Hillenbrand
12. Diane Hoeptner

Countryware Teacup, 6x6 Oil

$100 plus $10 shipping and handling via PayPal 

In my former life I did things like collect teacups from china patterns that I liked.  This one was a Wedgewood pattern named 'Countryware' with leaf-like embossed forms.  

ALSO I got not one, not two, but THREE Sunshine Awards!!!!  I will post the award tomorrow with the folks that I'm giving this lovely award to - how COOL is that?

Also, my new subscription box (top left on the blog) actually works.  You can put your email address in and get my posts in your inbox.  I'm trying to enter all the people who WERE on my other carrier, so if it turns out you get two... apologies in advance, and feel free to unsubscribe.  But thank you so much for your patience!!

Grandma Nellie's Creamer, 6x6 Oil

Still in the mode of thinking about 'Grandma's Kitchen'.. This is from my husband's MacDonald grandmother's kitchen.  I drove myself nearly crazy trying to get the cut glass, the red .... the shadows, the highlights... oh my.  Funny how seeing it here, on the post, I see things I maybe should have seen before I 'wrapped it up'... but ... on to the next thing!
** ETA, I didn't actually try to paint the 'cuts' in the glass - just the light bouncing off it and the shadows under it, but still...

Cat In A Box, 6x6 Acrylic

This is my boy cat, Harry, who had the idea that napping ON the cat food in the box would be  really great.  He kind of glowed orange and yellow, and it was fun to put the details on the Fancy Feast box.  I think I've got a good service to send out the posts to people's inboxes so I'll start uploading the emails from the group.  Till I can import their subscription box to my blog, just email me if you want to be put on the list.  Really, I'm hoping that happens within the week.  Thanks for your patience.

Congratulations!

Carol Schiff was the winner of the Giveaway to celebrate my 500th post!  She chose the Gold Rimmed Teacup, and said it will be happy hanging with her Teapot Series!  Check her out. In the meantime I'm hunting for my camera... seemed to have misplaced it after the Blogging Talk in Duxbury.... Calling St. Anthony!!! (again!)

Karin Jurick, 6x8 acrylic

Well, I hope you are all having a happy Valentine's day!  Today, I'm posting my contribution to a tribute to Karin Jurick, who has tirelessly organized and produced Different Strokes From Different Folks, which, I believe, is one of the first 'challenge' groups for painters.  After her December assignment, which was to produce a portrait of another painter that she randomly assigned, one of the painters decided to thank her by having everyone paint a photo of Karin!  She made them into a book and sent it to her.  The cat's out of the bag, now (horrible saying, I think), and it's safe to publish and talk about our portraits.  The whole kit and caboodle can be seen here.

Let's Forget About The Snow And Cold!

Just a reminder that you can look over this week's paintings, which include

• The Valentine Pop
• The Baby Steps
• The Fortune Cookie
• The Gold Rimmed Teacup

And make a comment on that post AND send me an email if you'd like to be part of the Giveaway Raffle.  I'll pull a name out of the hat on Monday, and announce it.  There's not too many names as of today, so you've got a good chance.  And, Paco says 'hi', and he misses you all!

Gold Rimmed Teacup, 6x6 Oil, and a GIVEAWAY!

  $100 & $10 Shipping & Handling via PayPal

I'm giving away a painting from this week!  That would include the Valentine Pop, the Baby Steps, the Fortune and the Gold Rimmed Teacup!  Help me celebrate my 500th post this week by

1. commenting on my blog under the painting you'd like, and
2. sending me an email, with the painting you'd like, and your EMAIL address so I can notify the winner.

My friend Sally Dean gave me this cup, and she has a matching one, that she'll paint and post on her blog, too!  Painting shimmering gold is so hard, but I do love a challenge.  I think this is not the last you'll see of this cup.  My new subscriber system will hopefully be chosen soon, I'll let you know the status of that!

Come See Me Tonight!

Details, in case you can't see them... Tonight, Feb 11, 2010 at the  Duxbury Art Complex, 6:30, Paula Villanova, Sally Dean and I will talk about Blogging and our art!  FREE!  Thank goodness the roads are clear!

Fortune, Oil, 6x6

$100 & $10 Shipping & Handling via PayPal

"He who climbs the high tree has a right to the fruit".  And I love the background.. it's called "Radiant Violet" by Gamblin.  Good 'fortune' to you!

Baby Steps, Oil, 6x8

$100 & $10 Shipping & Handling via PayPal

My mom had a pink ceramic baby shoe for each baby.  I THINK this one was my sister's, as I seem to remember a big chip in mine.  But the pink was so delicate it was a bear to paint.  I suppose putting it in front of a pink background only made it more difficult, but I tried putting it on bright, neutral and white backgrounds, and none looked 'easy' (that's what I'm looking for...;).  So this is a sentimental piece, I wish I had these for my own babies....

Valentine Pop, 5x7, Acrylic

$100 & $10 Shipping and Handling via PayPal

I'm a hopeless romantic, and Valentine's Day is a favorite of mine.  I don't care if it's a 'made up' holiday or not.  My Dad was my first Valentine, and never let the day go by without some little treat that said "I love you".  Now that he's gone I STILL think of him in a special way on Valentine's day - and in that vein I'm going to do a giveaway to celebrate this holiday plus my 500th (! I know!) post!  Details later this week!  Stay tuned!  And have a good week!

Last Light Over The Sakonnet, 6x8, Acrylic

SOLD

This is a little painting of one of my many sunset views, overlooking the Sakonnet River.  The land mass is Aquidneck Island, which is home to Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport, RI.  I have always loved to paint these sunsets, but since the Fall I'd not been able to bring myself to.  A rejection of these paintings, which I said would not bother me, apparently did, more than I realized.  But now I'm able to put it behind me and move forward, and love this every changing view again.

And because you are so wonderful to me I'm going to share a photo from our Challenge Group's Meetup last week - with NO NAMES attached (because I value my life) - trust me these were fabulous 'grandma's'  - and the strudel was TDF.

Grammy Croft's Cream Whipper, Oil 5x7

$100 & $10 Shipping & Handling via PayPal

This was a tall pottery container my husband's grandmother used to whip cream (I was astonished when I learned this as a young woman - I thought whipped cream came out of an Redi-Whip container!). My MIL has some gems like this from that generation, that I borrowed to paint for my Challenge group's theme "Grandmother's Kitchen" this month. It's updated and available for viewing HERE. Do you guys want to see some photos from our 'dress-up' gathering for that theme last night? It was fun, we had all 50's food, and we dressed like our grannies. A fun, wild night, and getting to see the paintings in person was amazing as usual.

Step On It, 8x8 Oil

The scariest thing just happened - I clicked on my blog title to go to my blog and post, and my blog showed up, but 30 seconds into it a different address showed up in the browser ON ITS OWN and then this spam page came up. I tried it again and again, and could not get IN to my blog. I had to get here from Paco's blog and hit the 'x' on the browser as soon as the SPAM address came in. Blogger is no help on this, either. So... here I am... having snuck in, hoping someone can see it. These shoes were done in Denise Zompa's studio, getting ready for a show in Newport. Tried to keep it loose. RESTRAINT is my guide these days.