Happy, 6x6 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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I labored on my paintings today.  I completely wiped down 2 canvases, and was feeling, well... discouraged.  I had the BEST subjects - roses, peonies, and ... more roses.  I had a perfect view of the morning on the river.   Yes, it was an early start to the day (waaaay before sunrise) because of an ongoing skirmish between my cats - enough said.  I think I may have been tired.  But then I took my acrylics out and plopped myself down in front of this vase of my favorite peonies and I felt.... just Happy.  Pharrell Williams Happy.  Foot tapping, humming, smiling and relaxed.  And then THIS happened.  Not my usual.  But very free... very...HAPPY! I hope it makes you happy too!

:D

This just may become a REALLY big painting.

All Of The Tulips, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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The last of these gorgeous tulips.  Now I'm itching for other colored tulips.  I've never painted white ones, so there's that, but I do love the orange ones, and then the yellow ones always 'get to' me....  We'll see what looks good when I shop!

Happy Easter, Passover, whatever holiday you observe.  I'm going to try for an Easter without chocolate (I know, right?  What's the point - kidding!).    

Well, I'm thinking that the warmer weather will bring some fun plein air painting.  I'm going to do a 'Safari' again this Spring/Summer, where we go to a different location each week, with a demo, painting and then a supportive critique.  Also, if you are in the Boston/South Shore area and are interested in a one-day Plein Air Workshop, I'm thinking of putting one together.  email me at kcareymac@hotmail.com.  Again... FUN!

Also I have room for maybe one more person in my Saturday class, it's ongoing and there are some very cool people you would love to paint with in it!  10-1 at my Warren Studio.  Just email me to let me know you're coming.  It's week-to-week, $25 each.

Pink Carnations, Oil, 6x6

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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!

Gerber Daisies in a Vase, 6x6 Oil

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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

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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

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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. :)

Rose Bouquet, Acrylic 5x7

We have an abundance of roses.  I'm thinking it's got to be easier to paint them one at a time! :)  But the gorgeous colors make it too hard to decide on any one.  In this bouquet I stuck little purple flowers that look like balls, or thistle into it.  Yesterday it was lavender sprigs.  

Anyway the zillions of petals are always what grind me to a halt when painting flowers.  Here I just stopped my eyes and let myself do one at a time.  One way to do it.  I also could have looked at the 'whole' of the bouquet and given the impression of the mix.  Another day, another bouquet...