Home Alone (Trixie)

This is an older painting, but since Trixie is the reason I couldn't paint today, I thought I would post it. Trixie (the sheltie you see here) gives me this look everytime I leave her home to go out somewhere...hence the title.

Today, Trixie had to go to the vet unexpectedly, due to an injury to her paw. She will be fine, but I was so preoccupied with my little dog and her bandaged foot, I couldn't get anything done!

Maestro - 7" x 7" Pastel

After painting lots of flowers and dogs lately, I was really in the mood to do a figure today. I really enjoyed painting this, which is based on a photo of Zubin Mehta of the Israel Philharmonic. Without rights to the photo, I cannot offer it for sale, and am probably breaking some law just by displaying it here.

The reason I chose this photo(other than the fact that it is a very cool image) is that I was intrigued by the idea of doing a figure clothed in black against a black background, I wanted the challenge of doing hands (uggh!) and his facial expression, and thought it was a good opportunity to play with lost edges. The overall gesture came out well I think, but I couldn't quite get the facial expression I was after. However, it was a good exercise.

Wildflowers - 12" x 15" Pastel

Spent a few hours finishing this painting, trying not to overwork it and to maintain the freshness that it had the other day. I am happy with it.

Wildflowers - Lisa's Daisies - Pastel WIP

I started this today and just completed the initial block-in; I hope to finish tomorrow, stating the flowers a little more definitively yet keeping the overall feeling loose.
The inspiration for this painting was the fence at my neighbor's house, specifically the yellow daisies against the blue shadows on the fence. Love that color contrast, hope it comes through on the finished painting.

Sun on Celadon Vase - 9.5" x 9.5" Pastel

I really like the way the afternoon sun hits this vase that I have in my living room, it makes such pretty reflections and a great shadow pattern on the wall, too. This is a study for a larger painting I am planning. It was fun to paint quickly today, which I had to do since I was pressed for time. Also, to get a painterly look I tried something new...I used styrofoam packing peanuts as little "brushes", to smear the pastel every so often. I had read about this technique but never tried it, and will most likely use it again. It worked great. Overall, the colors are a bit more intense than I had planned, but I kind of like it!

Little Moe (Poodle) - 11" x 14" Pastel Pet Portrait

This was a recently commissioned portrait of a little miniature poodle mix named Moe. I actually painted him twice...first in a more formal pose, and then in a pose which I felt captured his personality better. The owner liked both, while I was more partial to the version with Moe leaning on his paws.

I also got to try a new paper for this painting, Hannemuhle velour. I read about it on another artist's website; it has a very velvety surface, kind on like the paint on velvet paintings from way back when. I liked the surface very much...it held the pastel nicely, and had a softness that I think lends itself to creating the soft look of fur. I will definitely use it again for similar subjects...although I don't think you could get the hard edges you might want for other subjects.

House on Dune Road ( 17" x 22" Pastel, by Commission)

It has been a long time since I last posted; but in the spirit of the Daily Painters challenge for the next month, I am committing to doing a daily painting four days out of seven over the next month, keeping the remaining days for commissions and life in general. It will be challenge with kids home, but we'll see how it goes!

I painted quite a bit this past week, completing two commissions. This painting is of a beautiful beach house in Westhampton, which will be a Father's Day gift to the owner from his family. I loved doing this painting...I guess painting the beach is the next best thing to being there:)