espresso cups and saucers 8 x 10

I found these cute little espresso cups and saucers at world market. They had some great stuff. I hadn't been there in a long time.  I loved the bright colors. They were a little difficult to paint. I am not sure how i feel about this painting.  I will not be painting for a almost a week. We have guests coming so I will be taking a break.

Abby 16" x 20"

This is my dog Abby. She really is a sweet dog. She walks around with this ball in her mouth hoping someone will throw it for her.

three amigos 5 x 7 oil

This was pretty fun to paint. Three jalapenos. It took forever for me to set up. It has to catch my eye and be interesting to me for me to feel like painting it. When you paint you get into a kind of zone. Time seems to slide by but sometimes while I paint I tend to work through or dwell on different problems.  

fiesta cups 5 x 7 oil

My sister-in-law loaned me her fabulous fiesta teacups. I am very grateful for that. I love the bright colors. 

tomatoes on a vine 5 x 7 oil

campari tomatoes 8 x 10 oil

I have had these little tomatoes for a little while trying to find a set up that clicked for me. I think i have tried about 3 or 4 times and ended up wiping off the paint with turpentine. I am happy with this painting. I loved the pale blue with the tomatoes. It is actually a shirt. Alot of the time i have an idea of what color would work but no fabric to match so i scour through the closets trying to find it.

Apples on a plate 5 x 7 oil

Yes, more apples. They are so beautiful and fun to paint. It is my sons 8th birthday today.

norm 24 x 30 acrylic

I painted this one in sometime in November or December. Norman is my sister in law's dog. I like painting dogs. I haven't tried a long haired dog yet, only labs. I have a golden retriever that i want to paint next.

untitled 5 x 7 oil

apples 5 x 7 oil

oranges with blue bowl II 8 x 10 oil

Same set up pretty much. I just changed the perspective.

oranges with blue bowl 8 x 10 oil

Obviously I have a horrible time naming my paintings. I can never come up with those cute little titles some artists do. It would be easier if i could just call it still life #362 or something along those lines. I really loved painting this. When i set this still life up and saw the bowl and the oranges together and the way the light from the window fell on it I got excited.  Right then I felt grateful that I can see the beauty in the things around me. It felt as though that was my reward.

limes on a plate 8 x 10 oil

 So i haven't been able to paint too much over the long weekend. I worked on this one a little bit on friday and sunday. I love the colors of the limes. I notice i am using gray a lot lately. I am into interior design and even worked for a little bit in the field.  I get a lot of home interiors magazines and i am noticing gray being a hot color. I love the color.  I am seeing gray and yellow in the magazines but i also like it with orange and pretty much every color. It influences me when i set up my still life sometimes because the colors i see together in the magazines make an impression. Nature of course is also an inspiration.