Dating: Then and Now

I so enjoy painting this sort of work..   The "then" couple are my parents ( i used an old B&W photo of them for reference) going on a date.  The young "now" couple is from a sketch i did in my sketch book, thinking of a couple i saw on the street corner. I drew them too far apart to make it real (he had his hand on her buttocks, of course)  

 This is done in watercolor. Yes,  Pink Boots.  
 

"4 Windows, 1 view"

This 28"x 22" painting took alot of hours.  I used a photo i took at the Oregon coast several years ago as reference. The canvas is almost as big as my drawing table and i am beginning to understand abstract better, 'cause it would have been ahellofa lot easier.  of course i used my beloved small brushes and my favorite colors.  
 

Stepping Outside the Box

 

 

I had painted this image about 20 years ago to enter in a Women's Prospectus  Art show.  Of course, when G4 decided to have Outside the Box as one of their themes for '24, i went for this w/c version.  There is a story about the shoe art show that i can't really remember.  

 

This is the acrylic painting from 20 years ago. 

 

Early Frost

 Enjoying some new colors in acrylics. also am using the palette knife a little on this one.  Idea was to add trees with orange leaves but when i did the distance trees, it reminded me of frost.  Struggled with the foreground wanting it to look like "new" snow..  oh well,  yes, it snowed here yesterday..    

Holiday Balls 4 (One sold to my new neighbor.. )

4 5"x7" acrylic paintings with Christmas theme to display in the gift shop area at G4.  I spent a lot of hours on these.  I'm not one to paint little stuff, then again, i'm not one to paint big stuff.  Gee Whiz..  

'Pie for 2' #3 of my pastry series sold

 I'm not one who paints "series" works.  altho i have painted a lot of shoes, barns, folks, vehicles, chairs, birds, windows, doors, frogs, yada, yada, yada.   Theme for Nov at G4  is Bon Appetit so i may hang all 3.    Pie for 2 sold at G4

Yard Light: 1954

Wow  a trip down memory lane. This image was painted straight from my memory bank.  When boyfriend, Carl, (later, husband) and I would sit in the car "probably necking" a little, the yard light would come on. There were no sensors or automatic lights at that time. Just watchful Parents. 

 In fact, we didn't have electricity 'til the '50s.   

 

Fauve Bird

 At our HAGS meeting we watched a video about the Fauve Art Era.  Matisse and his buddies painted with bright unrelated colors.  Brave at that time (early 1900's) Since i had paint and a canvas left over from my Family art project, I did this yesterday.  Acrylic. 

The ROXY

 I was commissioned by a friend of my son, Matt, to paint the Roxy, kinda like it was in the 80's.  Not many photos of it but i had painted it 3X in the early 90's, so those paintings were my go-to material.  I personally love the lavender colored sidewalk. 

 Memories, esp. seeing Bambi as a kid.. never will forget the gunshot..  

"It's a cape, not an apron"

1-30-24      Bored today..  added an acrylic playground and a lake to this dull watercolor. will have to have a matt cut special to show the trees ..  geez... 

Now it is a " Mixed Media" work.

Next months theme at G4 is "super heroes "  ..  I think MOMS are super heroes in our society.  Especially  young mothers with jobs, goals, and ambition.   I took a snap of a neighbor as she walked by, (I did ask her permission).  It is watercolor.    Grandson, Sam, thought i should call it Cap-ron ,, you know, Cape + Apron?? 

Young and Older.

I painted this young cowboy a long time ago.. He always looked older than i wanted.  Well, Acrylics aged him .. Love the white beard, had to enlarge his hands and shoulders but it worked.

  This happens when i run out of ideas.   

 

Chicken in the Woodpile

 I took a colored pencil class a couple of weeks ago.  Hadn't used my pencils in years.  With the right paper and a few tips, i think i might try some more.. so fun to layer and blend..  

Boots on the porch

I loved my sketch of Sharon's boots..   Had to put them on the porch.  Acrylic.  love it..  

Boots for Sharon

Good friend, Sharon, asked me to paint her bro-in-laws boots.  she sent me a photo she took.  it was really fun.  my sketch of the boots turned out good, i think, so i may use it again.  Painted canvas w red acrylic first..  

Drinks Up 9-12-23 SOLD at G4 this week

 Girl Friend, Sherri, gave me this canvas already with orange and green background. I loved it and stared at it for several weeks..  Then the Fargo Monthly magazine came out with a list of bars and photos of their specialized drinks. It got me thinking about the shapes and colors of the "drinks" that weren't Miller Lite. 

 P.S. I haven't had a alcoholic drink for years.  Whatever, they say..  that changed this week, as well..

Rust in Peace

3-22-24   I really wanted to add a background to this painting so i did.. ha.. and made the windows more believable but i kept the blue shadow.  Neither photo does it justice.  much brighter in person..   love Acrylics..  

 This is for the Square foot Show in Bismarck later this summer.  I used a sketch i did a long time ago. Wheels are a bit wonky but that is OK.  Color on photo is pale. 

I remember i put a wreath on the grill one year and used this image for Christmas cards. 

S'more Happiness

June, the theme at the Gallery is "happy Camper"..  i looked thru photos from our camping days back in the 70's - 80's.  remembered a photo of me drinking Boone's Farm right out of the bottle with a sun hat on.  horrible but would have been fun to work on.  ANYWAY, i went with this and i love it. 

 

Penguina (Spanish for this bird) baby Gift

Another baby shower in my home town, for my niece, Katy. ..  They requested books instead of cards and i found a bedtime story book with a penguin on cover and painted this to match. He is pretty cute.  Son, Mike, does surfing in Baja, Mex, and said a friend said he looked like a Penquina .  thought that was a great likeness..  

 

When I think Blues.. SOLD at the BDAC in Bismarck..

 I used a photo i took in New Orleans years ago as reference for this watercolor.  Used almost all my blue hues on this., I gave him flip-flops for some unknown reason. 

These shoes were made for workin' SOLD

 I  loosely painted these with watercolor. The photo i used was of my nephew's shoes, i think.  I was looking at Van Gogh paintings and if he could paint worn out brown shoes, so can I..  no need for A. I. 

Posted on FB and sold to a sweetie that went to school with my sons.  

Parenthood

 

Oh the color is so pale on this photo..  i found this image in my sketch book, Mama Goat and baby..  i think i painted this in Watercolor many years ago.   The colors i used are magic and DO NOT show up well here,  ugh.   another photo added, it is a little better.. ugh  

Babushka Mama, revisited.. SOLD in Pekin 6-'23

 I painted B. Mama several years ago and have added color and shapes to it often.  Standard matts were smallish and didn't show the entire painting.  I just added the dark path and other "darks" and actually had a matt cut to fit it.  I have always loved this for some reason.  

I think i named it Babushka Baby b/4 but Mama is more fitting. 

moody, mopey moa

 Painted this Hawaiian Chicken (Moa) this week in Watercolor. i used a photo i took 20+ years ago in Hawaii, as reference.  I stewed over the background and it is OK.. altho the left side looks a little like coleslaw.

Miss Lily & Her Pads

 I started this at our Hjemkomst gathering last week, using a photo i took when we would go on fishing trips to Canada. I remember taking it leaning over edge of the boat.  Why would i remember that?  ANYWAY  it was fun, using a small w/c kit of weird cake paints, then i spritzed it around the edges.  

Baby Shower

Attended the baby shower for my sweet step granddaughter last weekend.  Since we don't know the gender of baby, i painted teddy white.  i told her if she has a girl i can easily paint it PINK..   
 

Prairie Road Get Away-- sold at Gallery4 today

 Another 8x8 canvas, this one was painted purple.  i love painting cars altho my brothers had a blue  Ford, that i  remember.  This makes me think how a teen ager, raised on a farm, that would want to leave before "Chores".  Remember Chores???   

Lovey Dovey

 I've been going to the HAGS group every Thursday, for many years.  our "leader" Donna is so giving and organized. This past week she gave a mini watercolor workshop and it was SO fun.  We all painted birds, some with snow, some with berries, some with too much water, some on cheap paper, some with leaves, some with soft bendy brushes, some whatever.   

Thank You

 Theme wall at Gallery this month is KINDNESS.  It is part of a movement toward being kind and aware of it's possibilities..  I had painted these 2 hands a long time ago so i added $$$, sleeve, shirt and wall..  thank folks for their kindness, OK???

"I know i'm cute, but i'm not sure I can fly" 3-13-24 Sold today At G4

During Christmas week when grandson and family were in town, from CA, we had a painting day. I prepared 8x8 canvases and everyone painted different images in acrylic (and i have several canvases left)   I did this one cold boring day last week.  having title problems, tho.

  2-4-24  i added some leaves .. hope it helped..  
 

Matinee or "Waiting to see Magic Mike"

sketch from the 90's, Watercolor probably painted then, as well.. favorite subjects of all times.. 

 This watercolor is painted using a sketch i did years ago at a concert. These ladies were so cute. I also painted them in w/c back in the 90's and I saved the sketch..  i may add the other interpretations to this post. As usual, it is hard to photograph white.  ugh.