Spring Colors

I love the flowering trees in Spring. The town I live in lined the street with the most gorgeous, flowering trees. I know some of them are Dogwoods, and some are an intense, scarlet pink. I would love to have the time to know more about these beautiful trees. I grew up with a magnolia tree, and it was amazing when it was in full bloom. Someday, I hope to have a magnolia in my yard.

This painting is available to purchase in my etsy shop.

The Color Yellow

When I think of the color yellow a lot of images come to mind. Flowers, butterflies, crayons and paint cards from the paint dept. at the hardware store. I keep going back to sunsets, living on the shores of Lake Erie, past life on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and a visit to Key West, all about the sunsets. We should all take a page from Key West, every evening, pause, celebrate and reflect on the sunset. My favorite example of the color yellow.

Shadows

As a child I remember, on those summer nights it was difficult to sleep, making shadows on the wall. This weeks challenge was to paint something with a shadow. I received these tulips over the Easter Holiday and photographed them on a rare sunny day in the North East. A difficult exercise, since my first attempt was wiped away. I love how shadows bring back such strong childhood imaginations. Do children of the electronic age still get a kick out of their shadow?

Cropping challenge

Second painting from the DPW cropping challenge. The author of this challenge mentioned the amount of paintings one could work out of a single photo. After painting the porch, I loved the mood of this place. I have always wanted a yellow home, with a wrap around porch. Inside would be lots of nooks and outside, gardens of colorful flowers. In the back is my private art studio.... In my dreams, this is in Key West.....

Crop Challenge

A very busy photo offered for the challenge, this is the first one.....

Animal Faces

It has been awhile since I picked up a paintbrush. I have missed a few Daily Paintworks Challenges. You could say I am trying to get back in the saddle with this one. The challenge was to crop and capture an animal, the focus being on the eyes or expression for the painting. I chose this photo taken by my daughter, Kara. She captured this Mother and baby snuggling on a farm in Ireland. The reason I have been to busy to paint, the addition of my first Grandchildren, twin boys. This photo really spoke to me. In a few weeks, Kara will also welcome a new addition to our family. Love those baby faces!

New England

I love visiting New England. It has architecture, history, and scenic places that touch me in many ways. An artist paradise. I have family there, and I miss them. This day I spent with my son at the Quabbin Park, the main fresh water source for the Boston area. It had a quiet peacefulness that I have never experienced. A lot like the Grand Canyon. It was an unusual day in the mid seventies, mild and calm. I am looking forward to revisiting this place in the fall, with my watercolor journal.

I also can't wait to start a group of paintings from my photographs of this serene place near Ware, Massachusetts. If you live nearby or are visiting New England, look this place up, it is a photographers paradise. Thanks, Ryan, for taking time from your incredibly busy life to show me this treasure.