Baby Got Beak

Baby Got Beak

Acrylic 5" x 7" $55.00

Hello, "Baby Got Beak" was painted for the http://www.dailypaintworks.com/ value challenge. The challenge for acrylic painters was to paint in black, white, and gray. You could only use a smidge of one, a larger amount of another, and then the final color was to be the majority. In my case I chose the white in the eye as my smidge and gray as my majority. I just got done looking at this weeks challenge and "Oh Wow" does it look hard. I shall put it off for a bit.

Penelope

MEJIRO

MEJIRO Sold

Hello, "Mejiro" is the first http://www.dailypaintworks/ challenge that I painted for. The challenge was to paint for an auction, whose proceeds would benefit Japan, after the tragic earthquake and the terrible consequences from it. The subject should remind you of home. I chose to paint a bird that is native to Japan in front of the red circle of their flag. These birds, also known as the Japanese White Eye, are very popular in Japan and often come to their back yards. I posed Mejiro on a branch with a cherry blossom flower that is just beginning to open. I really did like this painting and I was happy to see that it sold in the DPW auction.

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

"Eat The Muse"

Acrylic on Stretched Canvas 6 x 6 inch. $55.00

Hello, it has been a very long time since I have blogged. Much has happened. Most importantly, I have been painting almost every day, AND, I can now complete a painting in a day. Something I thought would never happen. What has helped me the most is my painting the challenges on www.dailypaintworks.com. I have always checked out this site on a daily basis as they have show really exceptional artists. Recently, they have made a lot of changes to their site. They have added new and exciting artists, added auctions, and added weekly challenges. What is great for me is that ANYONE can participate in the challenges, then show the results on their site. The challenges are a bit like taking a class. You never know what you will be asked to paint. Choosing what to paint has always been a bit difficult for me. The challenges give you an assignment. Such as, paint a vegetable, and then eat it for dinner. I chose a bunch of radishes. The result was "Eat The Muse" which you see above. You can see it here, on my etsy shop, and on the daily paint works site under the vegetable challenge.

My plan is to continue to paint the challenges and then blog about the results.

Love Birds

Love Birds Sold

5 x 7 inches, Acrylic on stretched canvas. $95.

Hello. "Love Birds" is the result of the drawing that I posted on May 23. I really do like this painting and I really do love birds, but I have decided to explore a different muse for a while. I will be adding this painting to my Etsy shop at http://www.penelopearts.etsy.com/., probably next week. Hope you like it!

Thanks for looking,

Penelope

TOMORROW

Tomorrow

8 x 10 inches. Acrylic. $125.00

Thanks for looking!

Penelope

Preliminary drawing

Hello! I have decided to take a break from a painting that I drag out from time to time that makes me absolutely crazy and go back to the drawing board. Literally. My best paintings always start with a good drawing. I can work out the values, placement, size etc. without committing to canvas. I moved this Chickadee pair around the page in very small increments until I got the connection that I wanted. I have not worked out what background would be best so I will continue to think and ponder, and wonder, then think some more, until my feelings shove all of that left brain stuff out of the way and the background appears. Even though the hammering, clanging, and screeching of the renovation continues, I will begin the painting tomorrow ( hopefully).

Penelope

YAY II!

Hello! Below are the two paintings that were juried into the 2010 Kent Summer Art Exhibit. The show will run from June 4 through August 27th at the Centennial Gallery at Kent City Hall, Kent, WA.

Visionary

Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20 inches, $275.00.

Coneflowers

Acrylic on Canvas, 16 x 20 inches, $275.

Thanks for looking!

Penelope

Fine Water

Fine Water

8 x 10 inch Acrylic on stretched canvas. $145.00

Hello! This is the finished painting of my two favorite chickadees. In the end, I did decide to add the Lily of the Valley foliage that surrounds this small birdbath (thanks Loretta). I decided against adding the flowers as it seemed to detract from the birds. I will also be showing this painting in my Etsy store: www.penelopearts.etsy.com

Thanks for looking!

Penelope

WORK IN PROGRESS

Hello! This is a sneak peek at a painting I am working on. I have had an extremely difficult time painting with the construction all around me so I am trying to finish this painting this weekend. I am very happy with the relationship between these two, and I am almost there with the chickadee feathers, but I am not sure how I want to proceed with the base of the bath. The birdbath that I am modeling in the painting, is in my shade garden. The bath is very low to the ground, and surrounded by all manner of ground covers and flowers. I don't want to distract from the chickadees, but I am not sure I shouldn't add more. Any suggestions?

Thanks, Penelope

YAY!!!

I am so excited to say that of the seven paintings that I submitted to the jury panel of the Parklane Gallery's 18th International Miniature Show, SIX were accepted. I am so pleased. To see all six paintings, go to www.parklanegallery.com/miniatures2010/ My work is on page 37 of the Miniature show. Thank you for your continued support.

Penelope.

Robin

Robin Sold

Acrylic on canvas, 5 x 7 inches. $95.00

Hello! As I mentioned in my last blog, here is my bowl of lemons painting. Just kidding. It seems that no matter what my intentions are, when I actually get into my studio, anything can happen. I really did intend to paint a bowl of lemons. I went to the local big box store and bought a huge bag of bright yellow lemony lemons. But then, the sun came out in my small corner of the Pacific Northwest. It seems that the birds in my yard hide behind every fern, flower, and tree, just waiting for the sun. My whole yard was alive with all manner of my favorite backyard birds. A robin caught my eye, then another, and another. I am always excited to see them but especially in Spring as they signal another Winter has passed and my favorite season has begun. I decided right away that I had to paint a robin and that the lemons could wait for a grayer day. "Robin" is the result. It does make me ponder though, if I had gone to a big box store and bought a box of robins, would I have painted a bowl of lemons? Just wondering. I really like this painting and I hope you do to.

*The computer has decided to cut off a portion of the bottom of my painting. I am trying to fix it. It includes about 3/4" more of sky and branch.

Penelope

LIME

LIME

Acrylic on canvas, 5 x 7 inches. $95.00

Hello! This is "Lime". In case you notice a difference, it is not your eyes, I put up a more accurate photo, but while the limes are very close to the painting, the background has less blue in it. I have been enjoying painting citrus, particularly on this bumpy canvas. I plan to paint a bowl of lemons next, we'll see. Both "Lemon" and "Lime" are also on: http://www.penelopearts.etsy.com/. Back to the studio.

Penelope

Lemon

Lemon

Acrylic on canvas, 5 x 7. $95.00

Hello. Lemon is my new fruit painting. I am trying a new technique and a new background. The technique is impossible to describe but the background is a combination of: titanium white,
yellow ochre, moonglow and marine blue on a ochre and white gesso ground. It is difficult to see the complexity of it in the photo but I do like it and have started a "lime" painting on the same ground. What do you think?

Penelope

Golden

Golden

Acrylic, 5 x 7 inches. $95.00 Sold

Hello. This is my finished painting of an American Goldfinch (Washington's' State bird), and a Species Rhododendron (Washington's State flower). I can't believe that I was able to paint "Golden" with all of its fine detail, amidst the ear-shattering sounds and raucous shaking of the walls, that occur during my remodel. Through it all, I was able to maintain my focus, which is a great thing since I get to do it all over again for the next several months. I will also be showing this piece on ETSY at: http://www.penelopearts.etsy.com/. Hope you like it!

Penelope

Quick "Sky Fruit" Update.

Hello, for those of you who have been asking where to purchase the "Sky Fruit" citrus paintings, they are currently being shown at: Bella, in Kent Station, Kent WA. Her number is 253. 852. 9945. Thanks for asking.
Penelope

Golden in Progress

Hello. This is the painting I am currently working on. I have to say, painting during an extensive restoration of the rooms adjacent to my studio, is a real challenge. Some of my larger bird paintings have even flown off of the wall during some of the more extreme pounding. Kind of poetic for a bird painting. The only thing that could have made it worse was to have my eyes dilated at the same time. So, picture it, an artist at her easel, giant yellow ear phones on, inches from the canvas due to dilated eyes, and paintings falling off the wall. Needless to say, painting is going a bit slowly. I do like this current painting of an American Goldfinch on a Rhododendron species flower. I have a long way to go, but considering the craziness, I am happy today.

Penelope

Sky Fruit

Hello, I finished the fruit triptych. I am happy with all three of them. The pictures do not do the paintings justice and I will probably post more accurate ones later. I am in a bit of a hurry as I have a pretty extensive remodel starting tomorrow, and I have a lot of work to do before that happens. These three 5 x 7 inch pieces are currently being shown at Bella, in Kent Station, Kent WA. It is a beautiful environment as the owner Marci, has wonderful taste with a European sensibility.

One of my discoveries during this process, is that the really textured canvas that plagues me so much when painting fine detail in birds, really lends itself to the texture of citrus fruits. Who knew? Thanks for looking!

Penelope

Sky Fruit Day Two

Hello! Is it a bad sign when people offer to buy the muse? I am making progress on my triptych (set of 3) of citrus fruit. I still have a way to go. I am liking the largest lime, though the leaves need work and highlights, and the smaller limes continue to hurt my feelings. I do like the lemon, but I am unsure if I should add more low lights toward the bottom to make the high lights at the top appear brighter. The orange is coming along nicely, but as you can see, I have not added any highlights at all yet which gives it a very matte finish. This experiment has been very fun and helpful. As I move back and forth between the fruits, the image of a bell ringer in an old talent show comes to mind, fast and a bit crazy. The sides of all three are now painted blue, and the stem of each one continues across the side. My jerry-rigged support system is holding perfectly. Okay, back to the studio.

Penelope

Work in Progress

Hello everyone! I am trying something new. I have been asked to paint a triptych of fruit. Originally I was supposed to paint a lemon, orange, and pear. Well those of you who have been reading my blog know how excited I am to paint pears, but I thought in order to appeal to my sense of symmetry, I would substitute a lime. As you can see, I just started. I decided that since they are all going to be the same size and subject, that I would like to put them all on my easel at the same time. My support looks really strange, but it works very well. I taped two stir sticks to my Masonite drawing board with blue tape. I used a level to make sure they lined up and were on the same plane. I used museum putty ( holds like iron, comes off easily) on back of my canvases in the center of each wood piece. Then I set the canvases on the level sticks for support and pushed the puttied backs against the board. Voila! It worked. The canvases are absolutely supported, level, and attached. I can now move back and forth between them very easily.

I was lucky enough to acquire a lemon and a tangerine that still had its leaves on. Now I am in dire need of a lime. Even though I know the color of a lime, I like to turn the fruit over in my hand and mind from time to time. Thanks for listening.

Penelope

Spring Rising

Spring Rising NFS

Acrylic on stretched canvas, 16 x 20 inches.

Hello. At last, Spring is here! "Spring Rising" is one of my favorite paintings as it captures my feelings about Spring. I like the abstraction of the background colors as they rise from soil, through new growth, to sky. The rusty garden stake is a popular choice for the backyard birds to perch on. The single bud is always a hopeful symbol of mine. Possibilities abound.

Penelope