Daisy’s Place

 

The entire surface of the floor is painted first, establishing the light and shadows. Mixes of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + a tiny touch of Pthalo Blue + White are used. A few strokes of Ultramarine Blue + White are made along the base of the wall to make the floor recede.

Lines separating the tiles are drawn into the wet paint of the floor with a long liner brush dipped in a thin oil wash of MUD + Liquin.

The blossoms of the Geraniums are blocked in with Cadmium Red Deep + Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Deep and Cadmium Red Light. Then leaves are painted around the masses of red with mixtures of Pthalo Blue + Lemon Yellow. Please keep in mind as you read through my blog, you may click on any of the images to see them larger.

White is mixed into the leaf color for the flower buds on the Geraniums.

Matilla Poppies snuggle up by the door, the large blossoms have been blocked in with combinations of White + Dioxazine Purple, White + Pthalo Blue and White + Ultramarine Blue. Several shades of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White are used for the foliage.

A POP of pure White illuminates the blossoms bathed in sunlight; next large yellow centers are added. You can see why many people call these, “Fried Egg Flowers”!

Bougainvillea clambers over the wall. Mixes in different combinations of Permanent Rose + White are used for this colorful plant.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting Miss Daisy Part 1

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting Miss Daisy Part 2

The butterfly of Cadmium Yellow Medium and Cadmium Yellow Medium + a bit of MUD, lazily hovers in front of Daisy. The edges of its delicate wings are tipped with Ivory Black. 

Daisy’s Place

This terrace garden overlooking the peaceful Napa Valley is definitely “Daisy’s Place”! She’ll need a few days to dry before heading off on FedEX to go home! Wonder what the “real” Daisy will think of her painting? Thanks for following along, I appreciate all of your kind comments! With Big Hugs,

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Pines and Trumpet Vine

 

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Distant Trees

The rows of the vineyard are blocked in with several mixes of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White. After the vines are painted the posts supporting them are drawn into the wet paint with MUD + Liquin.

Now that the background is complete, construction on the old stone villa begins. The walls are covered with mixes in various proportions of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + a bit of Cadmium Yellow Medium + White. The darker, shadow mixtures contain more MUD.

I come back with a mix of MUD + Liquin to make the crevices between the rugged, irregular stones.

The shadows on the door are combinations of Cadmium Red Deep + Alizarin Crimson while the sunny portions are made with pure Cadmium Red Light.

The red door is finished up by highlighting the edges of the individual boards and adding the handle.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Trumpet Vine

The bright Red-Orange Trumpet Vine tumbles over the tile roof and down the rock wall. That’s all for this session, I’ll be working on the flowers and Daisy next. Hope you’ll come back to my studio and watch! With Colorful Smiles,

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My Studio Setup

 

Several of you have asked about my studio setup. SO….here it is! This picture shows how a large mirror is placed directly across from my easel, behind me as I paint. This enables me to turn and study the reflection of my painting as I’m working. Looking at the reversed image in the mirror allows you to see mistakes that you don’t see when viewing your work regularly. Many years ago when reading about Leonardo da Vinci, Jack learned that he used a mirror in order to critique his own work. Jack taught me this technique; I use it constantly and highly recommend you do the same. You may click on the image to enlarge the picture.

A 4 bulb florescent light unit is mounted on the ceiling above my easel. I use daylight color corrected bulbs that are available at Home Depot, they provide consistent lighting whether it’s sunny or cloudy outside. An aluminum walker acts as a holder for my garbage bag and a gallon plastic water jug is used for paint thinner. I stand on a GelPro mat that one of my generous collectors sent me, my feet thank Ed each and every day! My palette is 1/4 glass resting on a white shelf board that is placed on top of a kitchen cart. A second culinary cart serves as a taboret where I put the laptop to view my reference photos. Notice my mahl stick hooked over the board at the top of the easel.

OK, let’s get to painting. This is a commission based on the painting above, “Peaceful Valley”. My collector saw the piece in Gallery 1870, they represent my work in the Napa Valley. She loved everything about it but wanted her sweet fur baby in the scene instead of the kitty.

Here’s the sweet Daisy!

Dana provided this picture to use as reference for Daisy’s body in the painting.

I begin by lightly sketching the building, door and pooch on the canvas with pencil.

Next the basic composition is drawn on the canvas with a brush dipped in a thin oil wash made of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin. I’ve decided to change the position of Daisy’s body. This stance, facing to the left with her head turned back toward the butterfly, is more feminine and graceful. It will also help to lead the viewer through the painting to our stars of the show, Daisy and the Butterfly.

Since the light will be streaming into the piece from the right, the viewer’s eye will follow the splash of sunshine on the floor to Daisy, up her body and then back around to the butterfly. This will be more clear when the piece is complete.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Sky

The most distant mountains are made bluer so they recede. The closest range is warmer and darker, made with mixes of MUD + Ultramarine Blue + a touch of Pthalo Blue + White. The spots of sunlight filtering across the mountainside are painted with the same combination + more White.

A bright stroke of light illuminates the valley, then the hill on this side of it is blocked in with warmer mixtures of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + Lemon Yellow + White and Pthalo Blue + White. Dark trees along the top of the hill accentuate the light behind them. Thanks for following along; I hope you’ll come back and watch the step by step progression of this painting.

If you would like to receive an email every time I publish a new post please feel free to subscribe to my blog. CLICK THIS LINK and scroll to the upper right side of the page. You will see a heading EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS. Just enter your email address and click the button “Sign me up!”  It’s easy.

Please keep in mind, to move through the blog when you get the posts just CLICK on the small titles at the top of the page. The right one for the next post or the title on the left side for the previous session. And if you enjoy my blog please CLICK the FaceBook LIKE Button. As Jack would say, “Much Obliged!”

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A Trip to My Canvas Maker

Well, I’ve been on the road the last few days! One of my upcoming commissions is going to be quite large. So instead of having my canvas maker, Sunbelt Manufacturing, ship the canvas to me I decided to make a visit to their new facilities to pick it up. Jack and I had toured their old plant in Longview, Texas, but I had not been to see them since they moved to Gladewater a few years ago. It was also a great opportunity to visit a couple of my collectors along the way.

Pat Conner and his son Perry run Sunbelt and they are truly wonderful to work with. Not only do they make artist canvases and cradled wood panels, they also manufacture screens for silkscreen printers. Jack’s and my longtime collector Ann Wylie joined me, she was excited to visit Pat and Perry’s operation.

When we arrived Perry was helping Sharon Grimes crate some of her abstract paintings to be shipped to a gallery in Sarasota, Florida that represents her work. Sharon has been using Sunbelt canvases for years and it was fun to meet her. Pat and Perry are amazing; they really go out of their way to help “Their” artists. They go Above and Beyond what you’d expect, all with a smile! By the way, here is Sharon’s website if you’d like to see what she paints on on the canvases she purchases from Sunbelt:  www.sharongrimesart.com

Let’s take a tour through the facility, here is where they make all the silkscreens. You may click on this or any of the other images to view them larger.

I couldn’t believe all the stretcher bars!

Take a look at the rolls of canvas and this isn’t even all of their supply! Pat said they keep regular cotton, poly cotton and smooth portrait canvas on hand to stretch for their customers.

I wasn’t aware of this but Pat, Perry and their wonderful staff at Sunbelt have started making frames. The high quality of construction with tight, smooth miter joints is impressive and they have a great selection of moulding available. So if you need frames for your paintings please check with Pat or Perry. You may call them at 1-800-333-8412 or CLICK HERE to go to their website.

My special canvas was all ready to go!

The 4 foot by 6 foot canvas just fit in the back of my SUV! This baby is going to be fun to paint. I have a few other commissions in line ahead of this one so stay turned.

Please feel free to contact Sunbelt Manufacturing for any of your canvas, cradled panel or framing needs, call them at 1-800-333-8412 or CLICK HERE to go to their website. They even offer a 15% savings for ALL NEW CUSTOMERS, all you have to do is use the code NEWCUSTOMER15 when ordering. Or just tell them I sent you when you talk with Pat or Perry, I guarantee you will love working with them.

With Colorful Smiles!

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Aggie Version of “The Glory Never Fades”

The water is glazed with a thin oil wash made of Pthalo Turquoise Blue + Liquin. This makes the water a little darker and richer in color. If you will enlarge the image by clicking on the picture you can see the line, a few inches to the right of the brush, separating the glazed and unglazed portion of the water.

More of the wildflowers are painted with mixes of Magenta + White. Some of the underlying color, Cadmium Red Light, is allowed to peak through which adds variety within the beautiful spring blossoms.

Indian Paintbrush are embellished with Cadmium Red Deep and Alizarin Crimson + Cadmium Red Light. This brings more red tones to these Texas Wildflowers that are some of my favorites.

Bright petals of the Coreopsis are highlighted with mixes of Cadmium Yellow Medium and Cadmium Yellow Medium + White. Dark centers are made with MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin.

After glazing the Bluebonnets with washes of Cobalt Blue + Liquin the tops of our Texas State Wildflower are accented with Pure White.

Sunlight warms the limestone rocks along the stream. The light is accentuated with mixes, in various combinations, of MUD + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Cactus Flowers

The Indian Blanket Flowers below the cactus are repainted with Cadmium Red Deep and Cadmium Red Light + Alizarin Crimson. Those on the right have not been worked on yet.

Dark centers are added with MUD + Liquin. Step two is to make a yellow dot in the dark center. Last is to put a tiny dark speck in the middle of the yellow (far left).

Now the ends of the red petals of the Blanket Flowers are tipped with Lemon Yellow.

Aggie Maroon Thistle Poppies are painted with Alizarin Crimson + White.

MeL and Jason asked me to faintly depict three tiny crosses on the distant hill. My wrist is braced on the mahl stick to steady my hand as I draw them with a thin mix of MUD + Liquin.

The very last step is to paint the bottom of the gallery wrap canvas where the image extends over the edge. The canvas is taken off the easel and leaned up against my taboret to make my job easier.

This way I don’t have to stand on my head to work!

TA DA! Here’s our Texas A&M version of “The Glory Never Fades”. My collectors are going to put this in their music room. MeL and Jason said the color of the water matches the drums! Now, how cool is that? I appreciate you following along and thank you for your kind comments. With Colorful Smiles,

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Embellishing a BIG Giclee!

I’m working on a commission of a LARGE Limited Original Hand Embellished Giclee on Canvas of “The Glory Never Fades” with an Aggie Twist! The following is actually a couple of days’ work compressed into one post. After stretching the 40 inch by 60 inch piece I leaned it up against Jack’s easel as I set mine up for the large canvas. Sissie, one of our rescue kitties, had to check it out! This gives you an idea of the size and how the giclee looks before I do any painting on it. You may click on the image to view an enlargement.

The entire sky is repainted, it was just too faded for my liking. The closest clouds are highlighted with warm mixtures of White + Cadmium Orange + Alizarin Crimson + MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson).  I haven’t worked on the more distant ones yet, they will be painted with cooler combinations of White + Ultramarine Blue + MUD. The warmer pinks and lavenders make the clouds directly over the barn pop forward, the cooler colors cause the ones farther away to recede.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Embellishing the Majestic Live Oak next to the Barn.

You saw me repainting some of the Orange Indian Paintbrush in the background with mixes of White + Magenta. There are a few clumps of White Thistle Poppies scattered in the field of wildflowers. The large blossoms are embellished with mixes of White + Ultramarine Blue. I don’t use pure White on these, I’m going to reserve that for the caps of the Bluebonnets in the foreground. That will make them come forward.

I begin repainting the metal roof on the barn. The more upright, slanted roof is made a bit darker than the two flatter ones below. But the leading edge of the upper roof is accentuated to give the impression that it’s coming forward.

The Texas A&M Logo is glazed with a thin oil wash made of Alizarin Crimson + Liquin, making it a rich Maroon.

The two lower, flatter roofs are now repainted.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Enhancing the Sunlit Wall of the Barn. The perspective looks a little off because I have to film the Video from an angle! If I put the camera straight on to the canvas I’d block your view!

Sunlight washes across the gate and along the top rails of the cedar fence.

That’s all for this session, I’ll be embellishing the Wildflowers and Creek next! Hope you’ll come back to visit my studio and follow along. If you would like to receive an email every time I publish a new post please feel free to subscribe to my blog. CLICK THIS LINK and scroll to the upper right side of the page. You will see a heading EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS. Just enter your email address and click the button “Sign me up!”  It’s easy.

Please keep in mind, to move through the blog when you get the posts just CLICK on the small titles at the top of the page. The right one for the next post or the title on the left side for the previous session. And if you enjoy my blog please CLICK the FaceBook LIKE Button. As Jack would say, “Much Obliged!”

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Vigilant Sentry

 

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Comb, Wattles and Eye

The iridescent feathers on the Rooster’s shoulder at the top of the wing are painted with mixtures of Pthalo Blue + White.

After the long feathers at the tip of the wing are made with MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + White, work begins on the “Saddle”. These are the long, fine feathers that cascade over the Rooster’s back. I’ve decided to block these in with mixtures of Magenta + White and Magenta + Dioxazine Purple + White.

Now we’re ready to begin painting the colorful Tail Feathers of our boisterous bugler! COME WATCH…

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Tail Feathers

“Vigilant Sentry ”        11 inches x 11 inches

This cocky fellow is a “Vigilant Sentry”, keeping an Eagle Eye out for all of his barnyard friends! Thank you for following my blog. Also, I appreciate your wonderfully kind comments. With BIG HUGS,

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Remembering that Day…

I imagine each one of you vividly remembers that morning of September 11th, 2001. Jack and I lived in Sarasota at the time, ironically about a mile from where President Bush was sitting in the school classroom as he received the news of the attack on America.  I still get sick to my stomach and tears come to my eyes as I recall the events of that day and the months after. I’d like to share something that I was not aware of about a wonderful thing a Church organization did to help comfort the American People. The following excerpt is from a devotion by Rev. Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick that I received this morning:

“The attack occurred only three days after my installation as 12th president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. One of my most poignant memories of this historic tragedy is the full page letter unanimously approved by the LCMS Council of Presidents for publication in USA Today and The New York Times Oct. 2, 2001, three weeks after the event. Here is the letter:

A PROMISE

The New York Times and USA Today – October 2, 2001

In the aftermath of our nation’s tragedy three weeks ago today, we of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod wholeheartedly offer our love and prayers for those tens of thousands of people whose lives have been drastically altered by the sudden loss of their loved ones and friends.

At such a time it is natural to wonder how we can get on with life.

Still heavy with the burden of our enormous loss, we face the potential for even more danger at our doorstep. And as we look out upon the world seeking a promise of comfort and hope, we may see only darkness.

Yet we are not the first people to suffer such darkness, nor to long for such a promise.

David in the Old Testament, in time of great personal and national distress, looked to God and took comfort in His promise:

“The Lord is my shepherd … Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” 

Jesus, to whom the Scriptures refer as our “Good Shepherd,” spoke words that are particularly poignant right now:

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”    

That Good Shepherd understands suffering and death … and His own death and resurrection promise hope and comfort to us all.

In these days of great personal and national trial, it is important to remember the words of St. Paul as we struggle with ‘getting on with life’:

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

And that’s His promise!”

Please take a moment to remember and say a prayer for all those thousands of people whose lives were changed forever in just seconds on 9/11. Thank you,

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Workin’ on a Rooster!

I’m starting a new commission today. Here’s my VIDEO DEMONSTRATION showing how I begin with the oil wash sketch of the Rooster.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Washing in the colorful feathers

The background is painted with several shades of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White. The lightest mixtures are used behind the Rooster’s head and neck to draw attention to his brilliant red comb and wattles.

Mixes in different combinations of Ptalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White make the grassy hill. Sunlight illuminates the ground directly in front of our cocky fella, this also serves to lead the eye of the viewer to the Rooster. Your gaze will follow the light into the painting and up his leg to the tail feathers. The curve of the feathers then directs the eye back around to the Rooster’s head.

Legs are first painted with a dark mix of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + Ultramarine Blue + White. A lighter shade is used for the highlights.

I’ll paint the Rooster in our next session, hope you’ll come watch. If you would like to receive an email every time I publish a new post please feel free to subscribe to my blog. CLICK THIS LINK and scroll to the upper right side of the page. You will see a heading EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS. Just enter your email address and click the button “Sign me up!”  It’s easy.

Please keep in mind, to move through the blog when you get the posts just CLICK on the small titles at the top of the page. The right one for the next post or the title on the left side for the previous session. And if you enjoy my blog please CLICK the FaceBook LIKE Button. As Jack would say, “Much Obliged!”

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We had just TOO MUCH FUN!

WOW! WHAT FUN!

 

And the fun began even before I got to the gallery. Three friends, Ziqi (Effy) Yu, Lauren and Ann Wylie, accompanied me on the drive to Santa Fe. We had a blast! Please remember, as you read through my blog, you may click on any of the images to see them larger.

On Friday evening a few of my collectors dropped by the gallery for a visit. Here I am with Mitch and Lynne Coppedge, Joe Miracle and Kent DeYoung.

I came in Saturday to find that Darrell and Phyllis Hilley, the owners of Santa Fe Art Collector Gallery, had rehung my entire display of paintings. Doesn’t it look beautiful?

A table was set aside to lay out a few special goodies for my collectors that we drew names for.

Gary Burkholder and his wife Katherine own “Breathtaking Retreat”, the largest painting I’ve ever done.

“Breathtaking Retreat” is 72 inches tall by 96 inches wide. This piece was the inspiration for me to begin blogging! CLICK HERE to go to the first blog post.

Jeana Winterbottom has become a dear friend over the years I’ve worked with her on several different commissions. This was a great opportunity to go over a sketch on our newest collaboration, a gift for one of her nieces!

Michel and Andie Perreault added “Colorful Explosion” to their collection.

It’s fun adding a special personalization on the back of the painting for my Team Senkarik Members.

Mike and Rachel Black came up from Albuquerque to attend the event. She told me, “Watch out, that Mike is sneaky!” Turns out that the day before last year’s Collector Event he bought one of my paintings as a surprise for Rachel. When she came in the gallery for the Party she was dismayed to find the painting she loved had a RED SOLD DOT. Then Mike didn’t give it to her until Christmas!  Rachel said, “I was Happy and Mad all at the same time!”

Rick Vaught played the guitar and sang during the Event. It was so wonderful to hear all of my favorite songs in the background!

Rick and his wife, Sonja purchased “Hidden Oasis”!

Stacy Cobb, Ed Marhanka and Gayle Wisbon had fun sharing stories. Ed is the Captain of Team Senkarik. He spoke to our gathering and told how he came up with the term “Billboards of Happiness” to describe my paintings. That’s when Jack said, “I’m going to make Ed our TEAM SENKARIK Captain!”

Blanche and Roy Cavarretta show their beautiful gourds in the gallery. Their artwork is amazing; they use a technique called pyrography, or fire drawing, to etch their intricate artwork on the gourds. Lynne and Mitch even asked me to include one of Roy’s gourds in a commission I painted for them!

Finally the time came for our GRAND PRIZE DRAWING to see who would WIN my Limited Original Hand Embellished Giclee “Invitation to Return”. One of our Gallery Consultants, Arlene Siebenlist, reached way up high, rustled the papers and drew the name. AND THE WINNER IS……….

LAURA HOLT! That’s her husband Greg in the white shirt.

You won’t believe the “REST OF THE HEARTWARMING STORY” behind this. Laura’s father, Tony McConaughey, collected my paintings. Jack and I met him at my Collector Event in 2013. Our Lord took Tony to Heaven a few years ago, he willed one of his Senkarik paintings to Laura. Not long before he passed he gave Laura and Greg a wonderful trip to Greece which included several days in Santorini. Tony had wanted to go but just wasn’t strong enough. Laura said they have such delightful memories of the trip and when they walked in the gallery she immediately gravitated to the painting of Santorini. She was very disappointed to find it wasn’t for sale.

So HOW fitting for Laura to win “Invitation to Return”! Somehow I think Tony and Jack were up in Heaven pulling some strings!

With paint and brush handy I added their initials right then!

Laura and Greg, Two Hearts together as One!

I feel so blessed for this chance to meet new collectors and renew friendships with those who have been attending our event for several years. A BIG THANK YOU to Darrell and Phyllis for all of your hard work! Ed Reif, another long time member of Team Senkarik, is shown with them. As Our Jack would say, “Much Obliged to all of you who made this wonderful event possible!” WITH HUGE, APPRECIATIVE HUGS,

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