Paintings since the beginning of 2018

Watercolor on 5x7" canvases: 

8x10"

Acrylic on canvas and on wood. Trying to study the effects of light. The umbrella should have the sun coming right thru the fabric, not blocked like it is here. But after many tries I was finally happy with the water. The sunset--who knew how much brown is in the sky? This was only a value and color study in one layer of paint. I never finished it with more layers.

5x7"

11x14"

                                              

Mini 2" versions of a large painting I was doing of a lemon and apple:

Larger than life 18x24" Lemon and Apple

Bacon, eggs, pancakes, etc, Befores and Afters: 6x6"

 

 

No before, just an after.

            

Set of miniature breakfast plates--each of these is 2" square:

Fried Eggs and Homefries 10x20" deep canvas, ref photo from pixabay. I plan to make a lunch, dinner, dessert, and snack to go with this breakfast.

2 restaurants here in the southwest. I love the architecture here. Both 11x14" deep canvas and based on my own reference photos. Again challenging myself with different lighting--one with setting sun glowing on the side of the building and the other a dusk scene brightened up with different lighting.

Elephant and Macaw Watercolor Paintings

These are my first tries (since high school, 1986) at watercolor with cheap-ass paint and paper from Hobby Lobby. Master's Touch--I wouldn't recommend their stuff to a 3 yr old! But I framed these two and they're hanging in my living room, lol.

A Few Watercolor Paintings

I decided to try out watercolor painting....sold one already (the Cherry Pie) to a fb friend from my hometown. Still working on skills and finding the right products and how to stretch paper properly!

Each one of these is done on a 6x9"piece of Arches 140 lb paper. These were all 2nd tries. I'm pretty happy with them so far.

"Los Hornos" painting

Finally finished this one. "Los Hornos", "the ovens." Don't ask me how they work, I just painted them.

Idk, at this rate I'll never get 20 southwestern style pieces done...

I am quite happy with it--just wish it didn't take me so long to plow through the psychological stuff every time I try to paint.

Acrylic on 16x20" stretched canvas. Based on a photo from the website Paint My Photo dot com.

Southern NM State Fair Wins and More Art Plans

My 5 entries all won ribbons at the Fair. I also got Best of Show in the 2 dimensional art section (competing with about 70 total pieces). I was so shocked and happy. Felt like a star for a day, and I have a big 18" ribbon too. Also won a little money, yay!

I got a white ribbon on "Cap Off the Toothpaste," a red on "Silver Cup with Grapes" and "French Glazed Donut." And then I got a blue ribbon on "Silver Cup with Green Apples" and "Rhyolite Mercantile" which I had just finished literally the day of the evening I had to deliver it for set up. The bowl of apples won the Best of Show.

So now I have a display wall at home, lol.

Now I've decided to work on a collection of southwest architecture paintings. I love the feel of it (being new to NM) and so hopefully I won't get bored. The newest one is "Santa Fe Door." That's the second one and I have 2 more barely started. I hope to do at least 10, maybe even 15 or 20. In any case, I want to do a "southwest collection" that will include landscapes, architecture, and still lifes. At least a total of 20!

New long-term goal:  To become an "art-vendor" here in the city. First I have to make a collection and a website....was supposed to do that a long time ago.

  

A Pair of Impressionistic Paintings

Toothpaste and Cheez-Its

Acrylic on 8x12" canvas sheets. Both done in one afternoon. I wish I could paint like that everyday!

Pair of paintings--Grapes and Apples

I learned a lot in doing these two pieces. I am finally getting to where I wished I could be 4 or 5 yrs ago. When I put these in groups called "realism" on artist print on demand sites, I don't wonder if I'll be judged not good enough for the category. I think I'm where I wanted to get as far as technique and effect. But I need to find more interesting subjects one of these days. I mean apples are boring. But it doesn't matter to me because when I paint, all paintings are challenging and fun!