HONEYCOMB - Original Floral and Bee Painting

Hey Friends,  This painting is 16" x 20" canvas that was a pleasure to do.

This shot shows the texture I made with a stencil and modeling paste at the beginning.

This shows how well the transparent brown oxide paint makes the honeycomb show up.

Laid some large pieces of painted papers down.  Wish I had taken a close up of the paper, they are so pretty.

Incorporated some marks and smeared paints with fingers.

Here is the finish with the busy little bees added and a varnish.  It is ready to hang.

You can purchase at my website HERE.

You will find prints, totes etc, at FAA HERE.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Trails

NEW WORK ADDED TO NEW WEBSITE

Hey My Friends,  I'm still learning the ropes over at the new blog and website.  Added a couple new pieces.  Go see what you think.  www.suefurrow.com

Hope your weekend was good to you.

Happy Trails

Leslie Saeta's 30 Day Challenge - Day 28 !!

Hey Friends,  Hope all is well in your corners of this world.  All is good here in Salem, Va. but I do wish I was in Key West or even Cuba for a week.

Here is my 28th offering of flowers.

These delicate pale pink heavenly smelling roses are available in my ETSY SHOP.

Still hoping you will be there come Sunday going to be warm I hear.

Happy Trails

Leslie Saeta's 30 day Challenge - Day 24

Hey Friends,  I suppose most of you know that Virginia got a good dusting of Snow this weekend.  I've been holed up painting and eating like a mad woman.  Happy with the art work so far but I forgot to buy ice cream before the flurry HIT !

It's a good thing really.  I've been eating pretty healthy.  

The small painting pictured here is in my ETSY SHOP.  I painted it with a palette knife and I must say I really like working with a knife.  You can make a lot of texture and of course it keeps you loose.  Everything I've painted the last few days was done with knives.

Thanks for stopping in and leave a message if you have time.

Happy Trails

30 in 30 - Day 17

Hey Friends,  Here is one very similar to the painting 2 days ago.  Different color palette.  I didn't want to waste a good idea.

This is painted on a 4" sq. canvas panel and varnished.  I listed it in my ETSY shop.

And it's cold here in these beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains but I got outside anyway to pack and load my car for a trip to Altavista Tuesday Morning.  We DLP's are hanging another show Tues.

Should be fun as usual, if we don't get delayed by weather.  Write down that date on your calender so you don't forget to come to the reception.!  We would love to see you.

Have a happy healthy week.

Happy Trails

30 in 30 - Day 10

12x12 Stretched Canvas

Hey Friends,  Day 10 is here and almost gone !  I was invited by a sweet lady named Lavon to try out the "Paint New Mexico Challenge".  And they have a new photo for you to paint from every month and January's has flowers in it.  A good combo I thought.

"Pelargoniums on Turquoise" is the title and It's available in my Etsy Shop . I used a pallette knife a lot on this one and several coming up.  Enjoyed playing with these knives.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Trails

30 Day Challenge - Day 5

Hey Friends, Here is # 5 !!  Ta Da..."Wild Daisys" is available in my ETSY STORE.

It is painted with oils on an 8" x 6" canvas panel.

And here are two more starts.  Started with molding paste up there, right onto the board.  Never have done that before but I think it will work as well as gesso.

This is gessoed canvas with an under coat of  reddish acrylic.  The white is molding paste again.  I really like having all this texture  ready to go.

Happy Trails

30 Day Challenge - Day Four

Hey Friends,  It continues with Day 4 and a still life of  heavenly Lillies with a few hydrangeas to fill in the voids.  And the GranBabes sweet little ceramic birds.

It is in my Etsy shop HERE.

Now I had better get busy for the next day.  This is harder than you think.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Trails

30 Day Challenge - Day 3 and Starts

Hey Friends, Here is my floral for Day 3.  This has both of Nic's handmade birds and is 8x8 Oil.

You will find it in my Etsy shop HERE.

And it's nice when I can remember to take a few photos of my starts.  Or let you know I hate the texture of canvas so I usually put a layer of paste or heavy acrylics down before I start painting.

These two are 24" sq. and I finished them today.!! YaY.

Love it when an idea just falls into place and I don't struggle for hours on one stupid little element.  If I don't watch out Karma will bite me tomorrow.

Now if I can just get a decent photo for the web, I'll be happy.

My sister gave me a camera, a very nice Nikon.  All I have to do is learn how to use it.

Thank you little sister.

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL LANDSCAPE PAINTING FOR AUCTION AND MORE BEAUTIES AT THE JEFFERSON CENTER

Hey Friends,  Still listing more work for auction on EBAY.  Above a small lady drug her little folding chair to the edge of the Roanoke River in South Salem and settled in for a long time.

She caught several and I had a great time painting her relaxed silhouette.

Here are a couple you will see when you come to the reception at the Jefferson Center on Nov. 29th  2 pm til 4 pm.

These are pretty large at 24"x24" and have nice textures.  Make a statement ! !

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL OIL STILL LIFE PAINTING - PEONIES WITH BLUE BIRD

Hey Friends,  This piece of work will be installed at the Jefferson Center in DT Roanoke, Va. on Nov. 16th.  It will be hanging with 9 others of my own and the other artists that make up the Double Line Painters will each have 10 paintings in this show.  We also have Patrick and Mitchell of the Goose Creek Gallery FAME joining us.

Make plans to visit our reception on Nov. 29 from 2 to 4pm for a REAL close look at all the beauties on display.

Thanks for stopping in.

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL OIL FLORAL PAINTING - LESSON #2

Hey Friends,  This will be at the Jefferson Center's Holiday Show also.

It is 16"x20" and framed as shown.  

All of us with the DLP hope you will be there on Nov. 29th from 2-4 for our reception.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL OIL STILL LIFE PAINTING - LESSON NO. 3 LILACS

Hey Friends,  This painting will be at the Jefferson Center soon.

The Double Line Painters will be showing there from Nov. 16 through Jan. 15.

We will have a reception on Nov. 29th, a Sunday, from 2-4pm.

Hope to see everyone then, but if you can't make the reception, you can view the work anytime the Jefferson Center is open.

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL PAINTING FOR A SUMMER, BEACH LOVER

Hey Friends,  This little memory inducing painting is for sale in an EBAY auction.  It measures 5" x 4" and the sides are finished so you could display on an easel instead of framing, if you like.

Something to put in your windowsill or nightstand to conjour up memories of summer vacations.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL PAINTING - TWO ROBIN EGGS - NEST #7

Hey Friends,  Something a little different from the Key West Roosters.  A nest my sister found after a storm.  We imagined it was a robin's nest because there were a few pieces of turquoise  shells nearby.

A long format of 6" x 13" painted with acrylics on gessoed mat board.

It is available  HERE.

And the last photo from today's Paint out at South Peak.

The first ones turned out pretty good both days.  The others were wipers.

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL OIL PAINTING OF PINK GARDEN ROSES ON ETSY NOW

Hey Friends,  Just listed this 16" x 12" Oil Painting in my Etsy Shop.

CLICK HERE

Here is shot of the block in.  You may remember my saying I wanted to paint like Ovannes Berberian.  He is my favorite living artist!  He sets up his still lifes outside !  Plein-Air, Alla Prima.

It is a wonderful way to work, my favorite.

I got a few roses from a neighbor and stuck in a couple fake roses to fill it out. 

Now I want to remind you about the Home Builders Show at the Salem Civic Center this coming weekend.  Sat. 10-6pm and Sun 12-5

Hope you can come out.

Happy Trails

NEW STILL LIFE ON ETSY AND ART ON THE LAWN

Hey Friends, Finally getting some strength back!  Enough to post on this blog and Etsy and DLP blog.

This is another still life where I tried to paint like Ovannes Berberian.  I was digusted, or maybe irritated is a better word, when I finished this.  So after looking at it glumly for a bit, I got out the long haired liner brush and said I'll fix or destroy it.  When I finished all the squiggles, I liked it so much better!   CLICK HERE for a view on ETSY.

Pearisburg was tuff, even if we did have some of the best volunteers EVER.!  If  I could get some sleep the night before a show, the experience would be so much better.  But I can't sleep and get up at 4:30am and drink caffeine until I'm nearly sick.  Pack up the cooler and brush the teeth and jump in the already loaded and gassed up car and go whizzing to meet Linda, another DLP member.  The drive to Pearisburg takes > < an hour.  So I'm hoping I make with out having to PEE!  Remember ALL the caffeine... Nope I don't make it.  Somewhere in the dark, not to far from my destination, I must stop.  Pee and get more coffee !!

Betty Herbert and her vast staff of volunteers were so helpful.  But like I said, it's still tuff.  It turned into a beautiful day.  Not to hot and lots of sunshine and blue sky with billowing clouds.

I did meet a super couple, above, that bought two of my pieces.  And they are Inn Keepers near by and said they would love to have us, the DLP's, come up in the fall and paint some of their beautiful views at the Inn..  How cool is that.

I will post more photos at the www.doublelinepaintersoftheblueridge.blogspot.com so check it out too.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Trails

EXPERIMENTING WITH DISPLAYS

 

Hey Friends,  I have wanted for a long time to show my work in an actual home setting.  I know this can be done virtually but have not found any DIY or tutorials on such.

 

So the only thing left, is do it manually.  And what a job !  And no, I did not feel like painting the wall or doing hours of house keeping.  I'm not much of a house wife, would much rather be painting.

I took photos of most of the larger work on hand.  That took several hours.  Now if anyone out there would please take a moment to let me know if this stinks or is it acceptable?

And while you are visiting, go take a look at the DLP Blog.  Maybe the timing of some of our local shows will fit into your schedule and you can come by to say HI !

                                                             Happy Trails

New Work at Goose Creek Gallery in Bedford, Virginia

 

Hey Friends,  New work was installed in Bedford today.  My plein aire painting group, the Double Line Painters, with Judy and Mary Anne hung this new show. Goose Creek participates in the 2nd Friday Art Walk so this is a great time for you to stretch your legs and view all the gorgeous art they have in their one of a kind gallery.

 

 

I have been trying very hard to mimic Ovannes Berbarian's painting style.  He paints in the Russian Impressionist style like Sergei Bongart.

 

Well, let me tell you . . . It's very difficult.  I doubt if I will ever master it.  I'm sure it would take a long life time and I don't have much of it left.

 

I still enjoy this challenge and hope it will become second nature.  Only time will tell.

In the meantime, please try to get out to Bedford.  It is a short little drive, very scenic, and low stress.

I'm sure you will enjoy the pretty little town of Bedford.

 

Happy Trails

LEARNING HOW TO PAINT THE OVANNES AND SERGEI WAY

 

Hey Friends,  I'll probably get my hand smacked but I put in the labels, NFS, .  I am trying, finally, to follow along on a demo post, Made by Keene Wilson, about a workshop with Ovannes Berberian.

 

I set up my own still life outside, this morning.  If I had not given a lot of thought to what I wanted to use with what few flowers I had on hand, last night.  I don't believe I could have made an arrangement before noon.  Arranging a still life is hard.

This photo shows the marks I made to show location of each item. (That's how HE does it).

 

Then I spent a good amount of time blocking in the colors like HE does.  I tried hard to stay loose and paint SHAPES, not things.  And that ain't easy for a fiddler.

Looks pretty ugly at this stage, huh?

 

This photo shows all the colors in place and the refinement starts.  I read recently that if you can paint still life's you can paint anything.  I used to think if you can paint the figure you can paint anything. Not so sure now, the still life is TUFF, like a figure.  Is that why so many painters prefer the landscape?

 

 

The sun has really changed by this photo and the blessed gnats have arrived to cheer me on.

If this is finished, obviously I will take a better photo.  I put her in that block studio you see in back to rest or age gracefully.  If she has not aged properly I will do another practice painting on her.

Normally I'm pretty busy on Fridays with my Gran Babes but they needed/wanted to spend some time with their Daddy.  Isn't that great?  Love it.

I have another smaller one I started this evening and hope to finish it tomorrow.

OUTSIDE.

If you have not given it a try, makes plans to paint a still life outside, Maybe tomorrow!!

 

Listening to the sweet birds whispering to each other and the breeze waving the trees is so heaven like, that I hate for anyone to miss it.

Happy Mother's Day to All

Happy Trails