Red Gerbera Daisies II, 6x6, Oil

Here's a second take on those red Gerbera daisies.  I couldn't figure out why they were so stiff looking - and I realized I put them in the vase with the green plastic tubes on their stems which keep them from wilting! *sigh* Pay attention, Kelley!

Gerbera and Seashell, 6x8 Oil

Well, I'm back in the blogging saddle! I took a few days off to get ready for Easter and get my house organized, and it was almost painful being away from my paints. And then today, the first day back, it was such a struggle to do the Daily Painting! I'm seeing many things I would do differently as I upload the photo. But... I'm going to leave it, and move on to other things. I started Karin Jurick's latest 'Challenge' yesterday, too, and will post that soon. I hope you all had a good weekend!

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!

Pink and Yellow Gerbers, Oil, 5x7

Reserved

Click To Bid

Today I combined two colors of the daisies, but stuck them in a pink lemonade bottle. I just loved the undulating shape of the bottle, and thought the colored labels might be fun. The format, 5x7, is not my favorite. I've decided that I'm most comfortable with 6x6 or 6x8. It's a good thing to know, but now.. all those odd sizes of canvases & boards.... I'll think of something to do with them!

OK - let's talk POLITICS! No, really, let's not. But I guess the Obama girls are going to get a puppy, and being an animal lover (do you remember that I'm such a dog freak that I go - by myself- to the big AKC dog show in Boston every December?) I'm listing a few of my favorite breeds in a POLL on the top right of my blog. Out of my suggestions which dog would YOU like to see in the White House (on the sofas, on the White House lawn, in Lincoln's bed, etc.). It's just for fun, though I promise I'll send our recommendation to Michelle Obama!

Yellow Gerbers, 6x8 Oil

Click To Bid

More Gerbers.  I find I like their shapes as well as their intense colors.  I put them against a dark chocolate brown background to make them stand out.  The cloth they were resting on was a warm white - I don't know if it came out that way in the photo.  I think I'm definitely buying PhotoShop!  The program that came with my mac is great for storing, cropping, etc., but for quick resizing and color matching, I don't think you can beat PhotoShop.  I used to have it on an older computer (isn't it amazing how quickly we burn through computers?), and I can't even remember which one!

Gerber Daisies in a Vase, 6x6 Oil

Click To Bid

Here's the whole bunch.  I had this fabric from when I went to Carol Marine's workshop, but I never used it there (too much to think about).  I was a bit intimidated with multiple flowers, plus a patterned background, but I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.  Trying also to think about the dominant value (and in this one I think the dominant value is the middle value, with the dark value second and a smidge - Carol's word - of light values).  So at least for now, I'm sticking with simple exercises that incorporate value dominance, color (Munsel color wheel), edges, and of course, composition.  Not to exclude the 'joy' factor (my own term) - each painting I do must have a certain something that makes me 'want it', something that gives me, and hopefully the viewer, a little jolt of joy.

Little Gerber Daisy, 6x6 Oil

SOLD

I'm playing around with backgrounds and lighting now, and 'line of sight'. I really like the way this one came out. My husband noticed that the vase did not reflect the black-ish (actually green, red & blue) background, and asked if it were accurate. Well, it was one of the things that was interesting to me when I painted it - that at this angle the glass in the vase only reflected the cloth below. But I'm enjoying the daisy structure so much, I may do a few more.... different poses, different vases, hope you don't mind...

Pink Gerber, 8x6 Oil

Click to Bid

I really enjoy painting these Gerber Daisies - I love their saturated color and the almost chunky petals - they're just wild!  So I bought a small bunch today and am going to play with them in different settings.  All the Daily Paintings will have a 'click to bid' option now - it's taken me a while, I'm technologically challenged.  Good news, my daughter is seeing a nice young man who works in 'IT'... so I've got to find out what kind of cookies he likes and get busy with some good bribes!

Other good news: I got 2 pieces into the very competitive North River Arts Calendar Competition - and while neither was selected for a 'month' in the 2010 calendar, it was an honor to be selected for the finals & show.  Also I got into another national juried show :  Small Wonders, in Annapolis, MD, which will run for the month of December at the Maryland Federation of Art. :)