Willamette Valley Wonder

 

This is not a new painting, but a refresh of an existing one. I love how I got lost in capturing the light and shadows of the evening relaxing with a glass of Pinot Noir. Willamette Valley Oregon has some of the best wines, and Pinot Noir is a major wine produced here. I originally painted this in March of 2016 at St Josef Winery with a friend during one of those "Wine and Canvas" classes as I was just beginning to explore my passion with painting. This one was done in acrylics originally, and the re-do is also in acrylics. 

Below is the original version.

I debated about re-doing this painting just to have physical evidence of my first works. For years this painting as it was above sat in my kitchen displayed, and I couldn't stop looking at what I could change on it as I have grown more confident in my painting. So, the next best thing is to take a photo of it and document, which is part of the point of this post. 

This is an acrylic on 16X20 canvas.

Virgo

 Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone with creativity helps determine where focus should be placed upon. While I am pleased with this piece for the most part, it has taught me that my preference for watercolors and gouache runs deep. 

Virgo is a zodiac sign that I have encountered on a deep and personal level. We can just leave it at that. The actual symbolism of the sign is a maiden, who reigns over wheat, who are portrayed as innocent, and apply logic, practicality and order into everything they do. They are the perfectionists, the critics, but always kind. This painting shows the maiden peering out over the windy atmosphere, hair flowing to the wheat she stands among, and her collected daisies disperse with the flow of turbulent airflow. Her eyes hold concern for a coming storm, but she remains grounded.

I used M. Graham acrylics, which are high quality paints on a 16" X 20" canvas. This piece taught me that acrylics aren't a medium I enjoy. It took a few months to complete this, mostly because I couldn't find the enthusiasm and joy I feel when working with watercolors and gouache. Acrylics don't flow well, even when mediums are added. And you have to use A LOT to get the vibrancy I am after. Once it dries on the palette, you can't rehydrate it like watercolors and gouache. I have a huge set of nice acrylics, so I will save them for other projects, like rock painting.

PNW Glow

 This was a larger canvas painting I made for a family member as a gift (yet to be gived as of today). His favorite season is winter, and he loves the mountains. Bigfoot peeks out from the forest to see the comet over the dormant volcano. This uses acrylic and much of the white paint glows in the dark, including the eyes of Bigfoot!

The Eternal Love of our Universe

 Often we think of the sun as male, the moon as female. In reality, sometimes her sun is his moon, and she gives him light. The conjunction of their love is incredible. Acrylic on 10x12 canvas board.

Eye Candy

 Definitely feeling fun when I painted this one. It's acrylic on 5x7 canvas board and features the evil eye on gumballs. 

The Glow of Ms. Etna

 Sometimes I'm amazed at some of the stories of my Sicilian family ancestry, how they came to America in the early part of the 20th century, the traditions they still carry on, and the pride of their heritage. The DNA test I took claimed I have 24% Italian in my genes. Whether that's accurate or not, I'm definitely of a Sicilian bloodline, and I think it's pretty cool 😊

What I love about Sicily is the blend of being a desert yet so fertile with citrus fruits, grapes and plumerias. Visiting Hawaii a few years ago, the scent of plumerias were everywhere and it is one of my favorite floral scents. I'm surprised plumerias grow in Sicily because I think of that flower growing in a more lush tropical environment. Blood oranges are also a thing in Sicily, and those are delicious. Sicilians grow the best tasting lemons too. And of course wine is another gift from this volcanic island.

This abundance is due to the rich fertile soil from the volcanos nearby, particularly the active Mt. Etna. In this painting, I refer to her as Ms. Etna, and the glowing flow of her lava and plumes of ash contribute to this soil. I also imagine standing at a market in Catania, indulging in the beautiful colors of this magical place.

Painted on 10x12 canvas board in gouache, fluorescent acrylic and other mixed media.

A Green Eyed Jester

Happy Halloween! My husband doesn't care for this painting because of the green eyes staring directly into your soul! I had fun with the black, white, green and pink colors. I used acrylic on this one on canvas board. Some metallic and flourescent paints also enhance the vivid coloring.

Americana series-9 mini snapshots of the USA

Working at an art supply distributor has its perks. I was able to score these 4 x 4 mini canvases as a discontinued deal for next to nothing, and I turned them into something! America is a diverse landscape that I have great appreciation for. I doubt just these nine paintings capture all of them, but here are my viewpoints of the landscapes of America. Notice I did not do a big city as these represent escapes to the beautiful American countryside. All of these painted with acrylics.

Starting from top left:

• The covered bridge can be found many places, especially in rural America.
• This is obviously O'ahu, but it is definitely an escape!
• The southwestern desert has amazing saguaro cactus.
• Lighthouses also can be found in many areas of America, including the Great Lakes.
• Route 66 is the all American road.
• The high desert regions of Native Americans is very sacred.
• The mountains and lakes of the western USA hold a special place in my heart.
• The Great Plains is our bread basket, usually not a destination but just as important to America.
• The beach, which also can be the ocean, lakes or rivers that Americans escape to for recreation.
  

Wine and Canvas, Round 2

Recently, I did another Wine and Canvas class at the St Josef winery in Canby, Oregon. The first class I took nearly a year ago got my inspiration started with painting, but these are so much fun that I had to take another. This is acrylic on a 16 x 20 canvas sitting above my kitchen cabinets. Although acrylic isn't my favorite, the social aspect of a Wine and Canvas class is a lot of fun.

Paint Nite

Paint Nite is a lot of fun. I signed up for one on a whim more as a social gathering with some friends (many who didn't actually show up!), and never anticipating the door it would open. It wasn't the finished product that I was proud of, but it was the feeling I got from brushing color onto a surface, slowly spreading it, watching how it created an image from my mind. I found a form of meditation I never knew existed, and fell in love. What's even more incredible is, I work for the largest art supply distributor in Oregon, so my access and choices of paints, brushes and canvas is within easy reach. Don't mind the rosy cheeks, I did have a healthy glass of Merlot.