Daily Painting Habit - Day 18 of 21 - Sunflowers on Lake

6 x 6 inches - Oil on Canvas - Sunflowers on Lake

More work on this little painting of sunflowers. I have been feeling kind of pressured to get a painting done every day, but my intention was really just to do some art every day. When I rush, I tend to make mistakes that end up taking me 3 times as long to correct. So, it is better to just relax and enjoy the process.

Daily Painting Habit - Day 17 of 21 - Transparent Block-In of Sunflowers

Transparent Block-In of Shapes

It seems I am not cut out for this "painting a day" gig. Today, I spent most of my painting time fixing a whole bunch of minor things that bugged me on the painting I did yesterday (which basically still looks exactly the same to anyone but me).

 As a result, I just barely got started on this one of some sunflowers. This is the first stage with basic drawing and transparent block-in. And, because I am ADD, I also started a watercolour that I have been procrastinating on for about a year.

The completed Sunflower painting will be posted tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Daily Painting Habit - Day 16 of 21 - Pink Peonies

6 x 6 inches - Oil on Canvas - Pink Peonies

I prefer a brushy, painterly style, so I think this is finished. Peonies are so beautiful and lush.

Daily Painting Habit - Day 15 of 21 - Work in Progress - Pink Peonies

WIP - Transparent Underpainting

WIP - Starting to add more colour and correct shapes

So, today was pretty busy in my non-art life, so I just got started on this little painting of some pink peonies. I am always interested in seeing how a painting is made, so I hope you are too!

What attracted me to this subject was actually more the reflections in the glass jar, although peonies are my favourite flower!

Hopefully, tomorrow I will have time to finish this one.

Daily Painting Habit Challenge - Day 14 of 21 - Landscape

6 x 6 inches - Oil on Canvas

I was really attracted to the bright colours in this landscape. I used a palette knife in the creation of this painting, which adds texture.

Daily Painting Habit Challenge - Day 13 of 21 - Paint Tubes with Brush

5 x 7 inches - Oil on Panel - Paint Tubes with Brush

Here is a little studio oil which was fun to create. Artists may recognize the Classico oil tubes, Gamblin Cold-Pressed Linseed Oil and Robert Simmons Signet brush.

This painting would look nice in a wide moulding. It is a piece I started awhile back, to which I just added some finishing touches.

Daily Painting Habit Challenge - Day 12 of 21 - Beets

6 x 6 inches - Oil on Canvas

It is January once again, the start of a new year and many of us are assessing our priorities and goals to figure out what we want to accomplish in 2017. I have quite a list of things I want to get done.

When it comes to my art,  I am once again joining Leslie Saeta's painting challenge and committing to finishing the 21-day daily painting project I set for myself (but didn't complete) in September 2016. Most of my work consists of large paintings that take a long time to create, so this is a fun break and a chance to try some new subjects and techniques.

As per usual, I am getting a late start, but I have just enough time left in the challenge to complete the "ten paintings in ten days" I need to do to finish my personal goal, a 21-day Daily Painting Challenge.

Painting every day, especially completing a small work all at once, is a great way to experiment with new subject matter, colour palettes and techniques. A lot of accelerated growth and learning is to be expected.

Here is my first small, daily painting of 2017 which is on the theme of my other obsession, which is food and nutritional healing, some BEETS!

Collage of Daily Painting Challenge for September!

This was kind of fun! I used picmonkey (a free, online image editing software), to make a collage of some of the paintings I completed in September.

The 30 in 30 challenge by Leslie Saeta, which I kind of failed at, once again, due to starting way late and then getting sick, is over, but my challenge is not! Click on the link for her site to see other collages of people who actually did paint 30 pieces, which is very impressive.

I have set a goal to complete 21 paintings and I haven't met that quota yet so the work continues....

Daily Painting Habit Challenge - Day 9 of 21 - Spring Fountain

9 x 6 inches - Oil on Panel - Spring Fountain
NFS

Here is another previous painting (from June 2007), now finally signed and ready for framing! I love the bleeding heart and forget-me-not floating in the fountain.  It was such a beautiful day, I remember well the serenity of the moment.

Since tomorrow is the last day of Leslie Saeta's "30 in 30" painting challenge, in November I will be continuing my daily painting habit on my own. My goal is to be focused on either finishing some paintings that have been in storage, waiting for completion or to do a new, small painting.

I have found it very challenging to get started and keep up with this modified version of the challenge, but no regrets - I have done more painting and finished more loose ends than I would otherwise have done this month despite all the roadblocks that have unexpectedly arisen.

As Leslie Saeta would say, it doesn't matter how many you complete but just to get in the studio and paint more!

Daily Painting Habit Challenge - Day 5 of 21 - Goldfish

5 x 7 inches - Oil on Panel - Goldfish

Don't you find watching fish swimming around kind of soothing? I love the vibrant oranges, greens and purple in this painting.

Daily Painting Habit Challenge - Day 4 of 21 - Martini TIme

12 x 9 inches - Oil on Panel - Martini Time

Sorry this painting has been SOLD

Personally, I am more of a green juice kind of gal, but on occasion an extra dry vodka martini with lots of olives can be fun. The martini glass is waiting for the drink to be poured. I threw in the lemon for colour!

This is a slightly larger painting that I started a long time ago and just finished up.

Daily Painting Habit Challenge - Day 3 of 21 - Leeks

6 x 6 inches - Oil on Canvas - Leeks

With autumn upon us, the bounty found at Farmer's Markets is inspirational.

I loved this big pile of leeks, with just a hint of the red packing case showing at the back. I think a collage of vegetable paintings in the kitchen would be fun and perhaps also give subliminal encouragement to eat more veggies!

Since my two passions are art and food, I think it is time to head into the kitchen to make some soup!

Daily Painting Habit Challenge - Day 2 of 21 - Beach Entrance

6 x 6 inches - Oil on Canvas - Beach Entrance

Sorry this painting has been SOLD

You know that moment, when you are approaching the beach, when you suddenly catch a glimpse of that turquoise water and soft sand? This was it for me. The stunning view from this rustic boardwalk, through the shade of the trees took my breath away.

Daily Painting Habit Challenge - Day 1 of 21 - Pink Rose

6 x 6 Inches - Oil on Canvas - Glowy Pink Rose

Artist and marketing whiz, Leslie Saeta, holds a 30-day painting challenge two times every year. She also sells her art, teaches workshops, conducts online courses and has a podcast called "Artists Helping Artists". Interestingly, we were born on the exact same day and I think she got all the extra energy and ambition I was supposed to receive. Leslie is a dynamo and so inspiring in her ability to juggle so many things and get stuff done!

Since I was unable to start on schedule, and it is generally thought that it takes 21 days to create a habit, I have decided to embark on a 21-day painting challenge starting today. I tend to paint intensively, in spurts, and when I am able to immerse myself in creating art I usually work on a lot of things at once. It is harder for me to keep up a strict, daily painting habit, since it often seems that I do not have a large enough block of time to get much done. Then, there is all the cleanup required, scraping palettes, storing paint and my most dreaded task - brush washing.

This inaugural painting for my 21-Day Painting Challenge is a close view of a glowy pink rose. I enjoyed using transparent oils as my first layer and added the more opaque layers on top. The paintings I do for this challenge will be available for sale at a special price for a limited time so if you see something you like grab it while you can!