A Walk by the Pond

6x8 Oil on gessoboard

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Thought I would try something different today...a little abstract painted with a palette knife. I love the palette knife but have a lot to learn! I walk by this pond most days and the colors vary so much, I enjoyed it so I will be trying more of these! I am going on holiday so it will be next year before there will be any painting done. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy your holidays!!

Farm Girls

6"x8" Oil on gessoboard

$100+s/h

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Changing it up again...sheep this time! Love these woolly farm girls and the way they stand and stare. I used a limited palette of raw sienna, burnt sienna,yellow ochre, ultra blue and white. It's a whole lot of fun  painting their coats and trying to get that woolly look!! I have another one coming up...stay tuned!

First Sales for 2016

A happy start to 2016. Two lovely ladies came to my studio and bought these paintings, it was so good to meet and talk with them and to know where my work is going to live! That is the BEST thing about my job, I get to meet the nicest people!!

New Studio

No small painting today...time for blocking in larger ones.
A couple of years ago I took  part in a Blog Carnival where all involved showed photos of their studios. Since then I have shifted house and have another studio, so I thought I'd share a few photos...it's not as big as my last one but it has all that I need to paint and it's lovely and sunny!!

This is the main area I work in  with my easel and new taboret  that I love!!! A daylight lamp for when the light isn't so good on a dull day and my computer  moniter for enlarging photos when I use them to work from.

Over the other side  I have my bookshelf full of art books.... and canvases ready to paint.

At the back, is a  storage cupboard for more canvases and still life objects, my small paintings shelf and a couch for when my art friends come over!!

Last but not least my mixing area with my glass palette. It's all pretty simple...the way I like things!!!

Pears on a Palette

8"x8" Oil on gessoboard

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Once again I have used my glass palette to sit these pears on. I have used it so many times...it is painted a medium gray and I love the reflections!  I'd say I use it just about as much for still life as I do for painting, I like to keep it simple...so easy...wipe it clean and it's ready!!

It's All About Glass

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard
$100+ s/h

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Time for a bit of a change! I like the difference in the size and shape of these bottles. I love the blue with the green and the marbles too.  To top it off they are standing on my glass palette...my favorite thing to use when painting still life. So it really is... all about glass!!

Blue Matches

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard
$90 + s/h

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Nearly back to normal again!! Most of the house renovations are finished at last! The builders start my studio next week...I will be so glad to have some space! 

I've had this box of matches sitting around for ages, it's the first time I've seen blue ones, I have no idea where it came from but love painting closeups and reflections... my glass palette has become ideal  to sit still life subjects on!!

I'm busy doing a few larger paintings but will always love doing my small ones and will fit them in whenever I have time.

Art Class

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

This is another one of the ladies in the art group I go to each week! I kept it simple and left out the table  where she kept her paints and palette. I was running out of time and it was just too much detail for a painting this small!!

Red Onions

8"x8" Oil on board

$120 + s/h
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These red onions came from the market, I don't often see them with the roots still attached like this...so it was a lucky find! They look like they have beards...fun to paint!! I liked the strong shadow the light created and muted reflection from my gray glass palette.

Where's My Hairdresser?

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard

SOLD

I had the title for this before I painted it! It was my first thought when I saw the woolly mess...she definitely needs a good wash and haircut!! Sheep aren't very colorful but I love painting them...I used a limited palette of  raw umber, ultramarine blue,yellow ochre and white for this.

Winter Day- Sketch

Pastel

This last weekend it was so cold I couldn't be bothered even getting my palette set up! I sat looking out the window at this view across from my studio...after a couple of hours it got the better of me and I got my pastels out and did this quick small sketch! Felt much better for doing it instead of procrastinating....and it beats housework!!

Lavender

8"x6" Oil on canvas

I picked this bunch of lavender when I was out walking, I love the perfume of it and it lasts for days! Instead of putting it in a vase, I left it on my table and painted it as it was. I have been working on larger work and have got a little behind with my daily paintings. I used a palette knife as well as a brush. I definitely need a lot more practice but loved using it....love violet and green together too!

Coconut

6"x6" oil on board

$90 + s/h
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Finally...here is the oil version of the coconut I did as a daily drawing. I have two small shoe paintings in progress for a gallery, so have had to work on those...and  a larger flower one I want to paint  that I haven't even got to yet!  This is a different palette than I normally use... ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, white and  cerulean blue. I have used it a few times and really like it!

My drawing today #13

Elephant....graphite pencil and white pastel. Love elephants!!  I wasn't sure what medium I was going to use to draw  this! I have a clay elephant ornament in my garden and that helped me to make up my mind! I was able to use it to get the effect of the rough texture of their skin. I enjoyed drawing with graphite and think I will use it more.   

Ready and Waiting

6"x6" Oil on board

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$85

Another from my holiday photos. The image isn't a very good one I'm not sure what went wrong but this is the best I could do! It looks much better in life. This was outside a cafe in Sydney, I had been watching this small dog trying to get his owner to move.... obviously he  was sick of waiting and ready to go!
I didn't paint with my usual palette for this...thought I'd try something different so I used burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre and white.

Hibiscus Bud

6"x6" Oil on board

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This hibiscus is from my garden, they flower most of the year and turn a darker orange in the winter....thought I would try the orange again!  I used the same palette as the persimmon and like the range of greys I can make with it! The next landscape I paint I am going to use it...stay tuned!

Path Marker

6"x6" Oil on board

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$85 +$20 s/h

This painting was done with a palette of alizarin crimson, cad yellow, ultramarine blue, white and black for the Limited Palette Challenge on facebook... I used very little black and was surprised at the range of colors I was able to mix! These markers are along the Estuary walkway where I often walk in the mornings.