"say cheese"

I really love all my "stuff" that I have bought for my studio. Paints, brushes, even solvents are exciting to buy. Its a little weird, but it is my candy store. Some people like buying shoes, (actually I do as well), handbags, (well, me too), gourmet food ingredients in little bottles, (I really like doing that too), car shopping, (nah), sporting goods, (sort of), craft store shopping, (been there, bought too much of that).  No, It is an art supply store that I can honestly say makes me the happiest. I just walk through the aisles and look over everything and think, "oh if I could buy that right now, it would bring me such joy"! Is there a reality show for art supply pack rats, hoarders? 

in one of my many jars

I was really frustrated yesterday trying to figure out what to paint, when I looked around and saw my  collection of jars. I must have hundreds of recycled glass vessels that I simply cannot throw away. I kinda have a thing for them, I can usually remember what was in them, and they become a little special. I have some jars that had been filled with things like lemon curd, fig or apricot jam, mango chutney, mustards or mint sauce, and these were from when I lived in England, so they became especially precious to me. YES, I actually moved them across the Atlantic ocean to be here with me in Denver, and now they have a new use in my studio. SO, here is a larger jar that had once housed some yummy spicy Garlic Fra Diavolo sauce. NOW, it holds some of my precious brushes. 

Derbyshire, be still

Another view of Derbyshire, UK. I have so many photographs of this view, but I really cannot wait to paint here again in person. There was such a peace in my heart when I was here, it was like magic. I am working currently on another view of the UK, a larger piece. It is a view of Wales and I am so excited to be working on this. My friend has commissioned me to paint a scene from her husbands, cousins land. The photo she has selected has many sheep wandering along the slopes of the land, they look like lithe white blobs, hopefully they will resister as sheep. Wish me luck.

Good for you, Garlic

Oil on Gesso Board, 6x6, Still life

There is always raw garlic lying around my pantry. I love to cook with it. Lately I have had this thing for roasted garlic and goats cheese on a crusty baguette. My mother says you should consume garlic daily to stay well. I believe she is right. Good advise from Mom as always. So, I will paint it and eat it. 

I'm working on my website. I cannot decide between using Weebly or FASO for building my site.  I like the idea of FASO, (FIne Art Studio Online), it is designed with artists in mind of course, but Weebly seems to have so many great options for a good looking site, so the artist in me cannot make up her mind. I just want to get going and move on to doing a facebook fan page. That is next in my agenda. I would appreciate any input or opinions about building a nice place to hang your hat on the web,,,,,anyone?

a red onion is not red

6x6, Oil on Gesso Board, Red Onion, Still life

Here is a red onion. It is not really red. It is purple, and violet, perhaps blue red. I can tell you that it is very fragrant, VERY. It almost made my eyes water, I think I may go back to lemons simply to rid my studio of the odor. 

lemony

6x6, Oil on Gessoboard, Lemons

I really am having this thing with Lemons. They are just so lemony and fresh and good for you, right? Also, I am also a bit obsessed with trying to get this right. I have 3 different tubes of yellow paint that I am experimenting with.  A Cadmium yellow lemon pure from Utrecht Artists colors, a Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue from Jackson's oil paints form the United Kingdom, left over from my studio purchases there, and a Winton Cad yellow hue from another purchase in England. (I had ordered a Cad Yellow pure from Utrecht, and a Burnt Umber came instead. Utrecht handled the mistake by apologizing and sending out the correct tube straight away and allowed me to keep the Burnt Umber for free. Utrecht is awesome with customer service!)  Yellows are incredibly vast  in intensity and color. Attempting to get the correct saturation that I am seeking is a great learning experience. I find that some are more red, some more blue, it's wild. So, I'm thinking that these lemons are quite lemony.

more lemons

6x6, still life, lemons, oil on gesso board 

I painted more lemons, and I will again today, as the lovely scent of lemons sliced up in my studio is way better than my last subject, red onions. I have not yet finished the little painting of the sliced red onion, but I had to bag it and put it very away very sealed up into the fridge. I could not believe how it how stinky it got in my studio. So the onion painting can wait for a few days and I will gladly paint more lovely and very fresh scented lemons.

Lemons

Lemons

6x6, Oil on Gesso Board, Still life, 

I think that I will be painting lemons for the nest few days. What is the saying, "when life gives you lemons"... I will paint lemons

Dos Jalapeños

I think I have started to buy at least 3-4 Jalapeños at the store each week. I love throwing them into recipes where they are not expected, it just brings a little something exciting to what ever you make.

When my Brother and his wife were visiting recently, he asked if he could make us something special for breakfast, "eggs in the hole". Well, sure I thought, but what's so different about an egg and bread and butter? That is not how they made it. They said upon a visit to one of my sisters house, they made eggs in the hole but added some interesting ingredients. One of which was Jalapeños. Try this on the weekend, you will not be disappointed.

Whole Wheat bread
Eggs
Jalapeños
Feta Cheese or Cotija Cheese crumbled
Garlic
Arugula

Take a small glass or something round to cut out a circle in you bread. Chop up your jalapenos, and mince your garlic. Add butter to a hot skillet and over medium to high heat place the bread and the little round into the pan. Add an egg in the hole. Fry egg to desired doneness. Flip and top hot egg and bread with minced garlic, chopped Jalapeños and Cheese. Do not flip again. Wait 30 seconds and take everything out of the pan and place on serving plate. Top with the little toasted round and finish with arugula.

Tell me if think this is out of this world delicious, because I know it is.

I painted these Jalapeños the other day and really like the bright crisp reflections that were cast from my studio light. This will not be my only time painting these peppers.

Mini Peppers

I bought a huge bag of mini peppers at Costco, everything is huge at that store, I bought them to paint them and also and try a new recipe. I found one that is delish! It is straight off of the food network by Giada. I love how she cooks and describes food while she's preparing it and tasting. She has so much passion for what she does and so much joy. The mini peppers are stuffed with cheese and bacon yumminess. Great for parties, bright and festive.

Vitamin C

Did you know that yellow and red peppers have over 3 times the daily allowance of Vitamin C? Oh!! and they are rich in antioxidants too! I like to use peppers as my subject matter for a still life mostly because I like to eat them and I cannot resist buying them. They are truly one of natures work of art.

portrait of a Pepper

Here is a portrait of a Red Pepper, A very cooperative subject, though challenging with all the nuances of" blue red" and "yellow red" etc. I think I will be painting another pepper soon, a different one, as I used this one for a very good recipe I found for "Peperonata", an sicilian pepper relish of sorts with garlic, tomatoes, onions,  and olive oil,  delicious on crostini or over fish. So, soon, look for another bright and shiny pepper painted by me and then eaten again.

Tomato, tomatoes

Daily Paintworks



I am entering a new phase to my art career as I am going to start selling my 6"x 6" paintings on a website called Daily Paintworks. It has new original fine art for sale everyday. I have more time to spend in my studio as all the kids are now in school and things are finally getting a bit more organized in our crazy lives. Thank goodness

My first painting for sale: