Morning Light

"Morning Light", Acrylic on Panel, 5x7"

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Over the last year I've developed an odd habit.  I wake up very early (like 3 or 4 am) and go out and paint in the studio for a few hours before the kids wake up.  I love being up before everyone.  I love the quiet and lack of interruptions.  This image is what my husband sees when he wakes up and looks out in the backyard to see if I'm working.

Hanging Tree

"Hanging Tree", Acrylic on Panel 5x7"

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Here is yet another tree.  I drive by this one frequently (on North Lamar) and it always makes me pause.  It looks so sinister standing apart from all of the other trees.  Even in the summer, it has a gnarled, half-dead feel.  Despite that, it has its own beauty and I can't stop looking.  I find the tree especially interesting in late fall when the christmas tree lot sets up across the way - such a contrast.

Stretch

"Stretch", Acrylic on Panel, 5x7"

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It's funny how hard it is to do my style of tree in this smaller size - kind of like trying to sew with mittens on.  That said, I feel like I'm getting better.

I found this tree up in Dallas, at the park across from my gallery there.  I love how it looks like the tree is reaching towards the lake.

Messenger

"Messenger", Acrylic on Panel 7x5"

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I sometimes feel like there are only a handful of subjects that I'm able to paint. Why bicycles and their shadows would be one of them, is anyone's guess.  I'm not much of a cyclist myself - especially now that helmets are de rigueur.  I feel silly wearing one and miss the freedom I remember from my childhood...a childhood that I suppose was fraught with the risk of head injury.  Progress?

Mini Hockney

"Mini Hockney", Acrylic on Panel, 5x7"

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Here's a bright and cheerful one to end the week.  It's a typical Austin sight interpreted as an early David Hockney painting.  I don't actually like his work all that much overall, but I think he makes some bold and interesting color choices.

Also, I've decided that I'm going to use fewer exclamation points in my posts.  I was rereading a few of them and realized that I use one or more almost every day.  I'm just not that perky in person.

Snow White

"Snow White", Acrylic on Panel, 5x7"

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What is it about apples that makes them so fun to paint?  I think it has more to do with the mythological connotations (garden of eden, snow white, etc.) than the actual fruit.  Somehow a painting of an orange, no matter how beautifully rendered, doesn't have the same emotional punch.  There now, I've just challenged myself to paint a soulful orange.  Maybe next week.  :)

Harmony

"Harmony", Acrylic on Panel, 40x30"

Ok, today I'm cheating.  I was too caught up in finishing my 'big' painting to do my daily (small) painting.  I'm really happy with how this turned out.  I can't seem to stop painting trees.  I've called it 'Harmony' because I think the final image is very unified and soft, despite the fact that I've used complementary colors, which should be jarring.

I'll get back to the daily paintings tomorrow.  Promise!

Blue

"Blue", Acrylic on Panel, 6x6"

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Another day, another dog.  I decided to try Stuart in a different style.  I was always amused by the commercial success of those 'blue dog' paintings, so thought I'd try my own version.  I like how his eyes look soulful.  Then again, that may be more due to the dog than the painter!

Stuart

"Stuart", Acrylic on Panel, 5x7"

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The thing I missed most being away from home last week was my dog, Stuart - so I thought I'd kick things off with a portrait of him.  He's only 11 months old and already 65 pounds...  Not quite the 40 lb dog we thought we were adopting, but still pretty cute!

Red Boots

"Red Boots", Acrylic on Panel, 5x7"

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Another fun boot image to end the week.  I like painting these more than I thought I would... I guess I'm becoming a Texan. ;)

Note: I'm headed out of town for spring break, so I'll be taking a week off from the daily paintings.   Expect to see more the week of the 18th!

Note: When my four-year-old saw this picture, she said that she wanted to trade in her real boots for the red ones in the picture.  Lol!

Boots

"Boots", Acrylic on Panel, 6x6"

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My daughter, who is 4, got these boots a few months ago and wears them nearly every day.  It's still odd to think of my kids growing up identifying themselves as 'Texans'.   It's much cooler than being from Ohio...  If I'm going to live in Austin, I'm going to have to paint cowboy boots at some point, so I might as well get it out of the way.

Yellow Fence

"Yellow Fence", Acrylic on Panel, 5x7"

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This is the last one in the 'thread' style for a while.  I took a trip back to the midwest last year and was surprised by how pretty the countryside was.  I certainly didn't remember it being that way when I was a kid!

Thread Bicycle

"Thread Bicycle", Acrylic on Panel, 5x7"

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Here's the thread style applied to my bicycle/shadow subject.  I especially like how the thread lines define the wheel spokes.

Thread Succulent

"Thread Succulent", Acrylic on Panel, 5x7"

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Here is a bright and happy painting for a Monday morning.  I did a bunch of these 'thread' paintings over the weekend and will be posting them as the week goes on.  I'm beginning to tire of a style a bit, so I may be refining my approach.  It still feels too derivative.

Thread Tango

"Thread Tango", Acrylic on Panel, 7x5"

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Here's another in the 'thread' style.  I did this same image in my previous style and didn't end up liking it.  I guess I should post that one too, for comparison's sake...  I like this one a bit better, but it's still not quite what I want.  I'll keep going.