Here is a list of some of the paintings I am working on for Part II.
I have finished some and just need to list them and some are in the works.
- Turpentine
- Nest with Eggs
- Box of animal crackers
- Eye shadow case
- Jar of washi tape (watercolor)
- Jar of fireflies
- Bag of feed oats for horses
- Green soda bottle with butterfly
- Sugar bag and mouse
I am also ramping up my small bird painting production. More news on that soon. But check my shop for birds. I am listing at least one a day right now.
]]>Due to a hand injury a couple weeks ago, I got behind on my schedule. My new upcoming schedule is as follows:
January 21: Tropical Bird Art
January 27: Sweet Treats Still Life Paintings
February 8: Containers Part II Still Life Paintings
February 12: Paper Cuttings
February 24: Large Bird Paintings
March 5: Baby Animals
March 10: Spring Birds and Blossoms
March 16: Small Landscapes
March 28: Containers Part III Still Life Paintings
]]>Due to some unexpected events, I have only released a few of the tropical bird paintings. I plan to release the rest this week and announce them to my subscribers. Feel free and look and shop all that are currently available! They are mostly fresh off the easel. So most of the oil paintings will be ship after they have completely dried, in about two weeks. Read item details to see if the painting needs any drying time.
]]>New tropical bird original paintings will be available on my website starting Sunday, January 14!
Is winter getting you down? Bold and sunny tropical paintings can brighten any space and add a pop of color.
]]>Hi everyone!
I will release the new paintings from my Containers, Part I series on Sunday, July 7, at noon Mountain Standard Time.
I am excited to share my latest painting project with you!
]]>January 7th is the release date of my latest series called "Containers, Part I". I am so excited to share this collection of still life paintings with you!
]]>A new still life series is in the works for January called "Containers". The focus will be still life paintings featuring the many different and varied containers used in every day life. The purpose is to explore a variety of colors, shapes, settings, and examples and even metaphors for containers. I will give a release date soon as I have hundreds of ideas I need to narrow down.
]]>A misty, magical kind of day.
The fog reminds me of Ireland and Scotland.
But we are in Idaho.
]]>Framing a stretched canvas is a great way to compliment and provide extra support to the canvas. A stretched canvas is wrapped around and secured to a support. The support is usually made of wood. But some larger supports are made of aluminum.
Many of my paintings on stretched canvas come with the sides already painted and a hook or wire on the back. So there is no need to add a frame to display it. But if you desire a frame, there are options.
I list the depth of the stretched canvas for sale with each item. They usually go between 3/4-inch to 1.5 inches. The type of frame you want to get depends on the depth. The depth a frame can handle is called the rabbet (not a bunny!). So if you are framing yourself with an online website source, look at the rabbet measurement to make sure it can accommodate the stretched canvas painting. If you go to a picture frame business, they can assist in choosing the best frame for your needs.
The nice thing about picking a frame, is it can match your home or office decor.
In the future, I plan to offer framed artwork. I will choose frames to match and accentuate the painting. As decor comes and goes, matching the painting will be my goal.
]]>Framing art is both a personal decision and a practical one. Some art must be framed in order to be displayed properly, like watercolor painting on paper. But other art may be perfect without any additional frame.
Unless I state otherwise, the sides of my canvases are painted. This makes it easy to hang unframed.
My flat panels without a notch in the back can be framed OR displayed on an easel or specialized wall shelf for displaying photos and art. Some of these special shelves have a notch running along the shelf to keep the propped up photos and paintings from sliding off.
Stretched canvases can also be framed if desired. A specialty frame for stretched canvas is required so it is deep enough. I will make a separate blog post on framing paintings.
]]>Vintage Rose collection of frameable prints now available at Artfully Walls.
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If I haven't posted lately, it's because we were in Milwaukee, WI for my daughter's wedding.
It was wonderful! I feel so happy for my daughter and her new husband.
My daughter and me.
]]>High-quality stretched canvas are known to be very archival. A canvas can be much lighter for hanging on a wall than a solid piece of wood or metal.
But one issue with canvases is the possibility, over time, of them being slack or sagging. A high-quality well-made stretched canvas will be less likely to do so. But it can happen due to extreme temperature or humidity changes, age and time, being stored improperly, among other things.
The best thing to do is avoid these threats to your stretched canvas to begin with.
There are several things one can do if a stretched canvas starts to sag. Many canvas frames come with corner wedges than can be pushed by hand or with a small mallet or hammer into the corners of the stretched canvas frame to remove any sag and keep the canvas tight.
If a stretched canvas has a splined background, one would have to use a special canvas stretching solution on the back that would tighten the weave of the canvas. It can only do so much tightening though.
Splined Back
The other two options include removing the canvas entirely and restapling to the stretcher bars.
And the last option, which many conservators of very old and fragile paintings do, is to remove the canvas from the stretcher bars and gently mount it to a solid panel. Raymar Panels got this idea from conservators and sells their linens directly on lightweight panels now.
Linen canvas mounted on archival panel by Raymar Panels
In conclusion, a sagging canvas can be fixed. The method to restretch it will be depend on the type of stretcher bars, whether stapled or splined onto the stretcher bars, age and value of the painting, and even size of the canvas. But there is more than hope for a sagging canvas. There are solutions that can actually improve the painting over time.
]]>Some of my earliest memories are my time spent with my parents at Indiana University Bloomington where my dad got his PhD.
Married student housing was old Army Barracks called Hoosier Court.
I had many playmates including a lot of International friends.
My Jordanian friend.
]]>Today's painting is inspired by my garden roses in a milk glass vase on vintage embroidered table cloth.
I really find joy in bringing the outdoors inside especially during summer. I love the natural lines juxtaposed with the linear tall vase.
]]>Happy Fourth of July!
]]>Watercolor seemed like the medium for these cactus flowers.
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My latest baking endeavor were ginger cut-out cookies. Not to sweet and a great snack!
]]>There are many pretty things growing in the garden now. These are fava bean blossoms. They look like tiny orchids.
Caraway flowers.
A pink cosmo flower.
A bright nasturtium flower.
]]>My newest painting is based on a wildflower called bladder campion.
I just picked it in my garden growing wild. My daughter saw it and told me it also grows in her yard in Wisconsin.
I really like the distinct ribbing and white blossoms.
]]>I have been starting to paint a few candid photos and turning them into oil paintings. We have quite a few cats. They make very good subject matter. Cats are so curious, active, and fun.
]]>Making a lilac infused enfleurage on coconut oil. I will add beeswax after the next week of lilac layering.
]]>The lilacs are in bloom here.
Inspired by all the lilacs.
Lavender, white, deep violet...
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My adorable baby chicks are getting their adult feathers now.
Hi!
]]>Shown are previously painted and already sold paintings of baby animals. I am doing a series of baby animals now. The series will be available soon.
All paintings here have already been sold. But I will be making a new series of baby animals available May 16.
]]>Today I finished this Golden Eagle painting.
I was inspired to paint it by a resident Golden Eagle hanging out in a cottonwood tree in our yard.
And since he is a "golden" eagle. I decided to add some sparkly flecks of Alaskan placer gold to the surface.
I applied the flecks with a French walnut oil. But in a month I will affix the flecks of gold with a glossy varnish. The painting is actually available for pre-order since I have to wait for it to dry and varnish it before I can ship it.
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It may be spring. But we are still getting some snow here in Idaho.
]]>I made homemade macaroons because I always wanted to try making them. Also, I made them because I am painting a still life of them. I was going to make different colored and flavored ones. But I will start with just vanilla macaroons.
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It's April but still snowing here in Idaho. We wish you a happy spring wherever you are!
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