Finger Painting #2 (Jessica's Monet #5)

Jessica's Monet #5
Acrylic on Canvas
16 X 20

If you have fun with something one day, why not do it again? This is inspired by Monet's "Flower Beds at Vetheuil".  There's something very therapeutic about using your hands directly on the canvas. Paint moves a little more consistently and colors blend better, but you need more paint! This will probably need a little longer to dry than usual because in some places the paint is very thick!




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For the joy of Finger Painting! (Monet #4)

"Jessica's Monet #4"
16 X 20
Acrylic on Canvas
SOLD

Okay... how many of us wish we were younger and could paint with our fingers??? Well, after being inspired by a favorite artist, Iris Scott (who paints with her fingers and is AMAZING) and being challenged by my friend Carolyn, I decided I would play today!! So this piece was done entirely with my fingers; no brushes. It is from Monet's "Regates At Argenteuil". I have to confess it only took about the length of time my children napped (about 1.5 hours) to complete!

Anyways, you should try it sometime! =D




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"Best Buddies"

"Best Buddies"
Acrylic on Canvas
16 X 20
Commissioned Piece

 

This is a commission for a dear friend of her little boy and their dog. She asked me to put two photos together into one picture since she had trouble getting the right look from both at the same time! Having never tried to combine things before, I was a little nervous, but excited to try it and see what happened!

I have included the two photos I worked from. I had to create a new photo first and then had to switch between photos in order to adjust the clothing and all the other things that were slightly off.

I'm a little sad to have finished this. My friend and her family are moving soon and I feel like finishing this makes the move a reality for me. I will miss them dearly! I am so glad we can keep in touch with modern technology, but my Thursday afternoons will not be the same.

A black and white version of my painting just for fun!

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"Red" Rocky Mountain Colt

I am so excited to have finished this and be able to share it with you!

As an exercise in improving my details, I chose a gorgeous photo from some of my favorite people Mike and Kathy Hartong. I feel myself improving! Horses are definitely going to become a trend in my painting! Nothing more beautiful than a horse (especially a Rocky Mountain horse!)

When I look at this all I can think is long, summer days brushing and riding horses and enjoying every second of it! How I miss it!

"Red"
16 X 20
Acrylic on Canvas

 As a reference, I used this photo from Cedar Grove Farm. Check them out on Facebook (Cedar Grove Farm) and under the picture there is a link to their website.

Photo by Cedar Grove Farm

Let's try a Renoir!

"Jessica's Renoir I"
16 X 20

It's New Year's Day! Here I am ushering in the new year with my last painting of 2016 and my first of 2017 since I finished today!

Pierre-Auguste Renoir - La Danse a la ville (1883) is the picture I worked from. Here is a copy of his work. I believe the original is nearly life sized, so mine at 16 X 20 is so small! But it will look beautiful on the wall!


As I work from famous artists pieces, I have learned alot. The time they must've spent on them! I can't imagine being so creative and capable that that is what ends up on canvas from their heads or a depiction of what they see.

I still need to work with a  reference photo most of the time, though I hope to work up to not needing one at some point! For now, I'm practicing.. and practicing..... and practicing some more. I know that the only way to improve is to put in as many hours into it as I can.

In the meantime, I offer my work for sale to those who would like a real painting but need a reasonable price!

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'Til Death Do Us Part

Sketch on canvas

Weddings are such a wonderful thing! As a challenge to myself and an attempt at a nice gift, I turned my brush to another portrait. I have done a portrait from my own wedding, but it was more distant; less detailed. This choice of photo was based off of my friend's photographer and her perception that this was a favorite of the newly married couple's.... Much to my dismay at the potential challenges the photo would present!

My first thought was to tell her to pick the second favorite!! I didn't think I could pull it off. This was going to be tough! But I figure if it flopped, I could send a different gift, and they would never know! It was worth it to try!

This took two weeks to complete... working on it for two hours every other day or so... My most time-consuming piece... but well worth it! I learned so much painting this!! The results speak for themselves and I wouldn't hesitate to state this as my best work to date!

Newlyweds
Acrylic on Canvas
16 X 20

Ashleigh Laureen Photography2016

My friend has graciously permitted me to post the painting on my website for you all to enjoy as has her photographer who permitted me to use her work to paint from! Directly above is a copy of her photo from Ashleigh Laureen Photography. Thank you all so much!!

Jessica's Monet #2

This is a copy of Claude Monet's "Cliffs and Sailboats at Pourville" (Look it up! You won't be disappointed!).  I seem to be drawn to his work. I'm hoping that if I practice some of his pieces I will be able to transfer his style to my own original work. He painted from real life. Usually while out in it. Many of his pieces are of family members or favorite places. I can't help but feel happy when I look at his work!

Painting Facelift

I have a few paintings that I have done that just aren't favorites.. not even close to a favorite.. like I want to hide it in a closet so I don't have to look at it. So I decided to makes some adjustments.

This is a makeover of one of those paintings. I'm much happier with it and will happily display it on my wall. What do you think? Do you like it before or after?

Here is the before picture which might be familiar.

Monet

Claude Monet.. I think his paintings are some of the most beautiful pieces! Yesterday I tried my hand at a copy of his piece "The Cliff Walk at Pourville".

I look at this and I imagine standing on one of these cliffs that he portrayed. I can feel the wind. I can smell the salt in the air. I feel so at home.. so nostalgic. Water views always make me feel this way since I practically grew up on a lake.. by no means the same as the ocean, but still full of the same emotional essence in my mind.

This picture also makes me think of my sister. We are the two girls in this picture. Enjoying the sea. We rarely dressed in this manner, but we would've liked to! We would imagine living in 'olden times' when we were little. She and I were always together making up stories and imagining we lived where the waves crashed on the shore.

Now, I assure you that my feeble attempts to recreate a masterpiece are by no means an accurate reflection of the original; however, emotion is a funny thing.. sometimes it's simply about how a picture makes you feel. Accuracy isn't needed to capture emotion.

I hope you connect to this painting like I have. Please let me know if you like it!! And for a challenge's sake, let me know your favorite 'old' piece. Favorite Master. I would be thrilled to make a rendition of one for you. Artists are at liberty to copy pieces from artists who have been gone for more than 70 years so long as we don't try to pass it off as the original (which I am definitely not capable of just yet! Ha!)

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Children are a Blessing from the Lord!

 I hardly have words to say. This is one of my beautiful little girls. A joy to paint her little face! The video will show the original trial and error, but I hope you like the end result!