the lonely tomato 5 x 7 oil

lemons and limes 8 x 10

I went to hobby lobby a couple of weeks ago and got some different fabric. I need to wash them or iron them so they aren't too wrinkly. I like this one. I do like the wrinkles in the cloth. There were a lot more but it would have been too busy to paint them all in.

limes in purple bowl 5 x 7 oil

Okay, so I haven't painted in a while. It has been a tough week for my art.  It was one of those when you aren't sure if you should just give up.  I don't think anyone looks at this blog. I am struggling and trying to tell myself I am doing this for myself and not other people. I am trying to look forward to what will happen if I continue. I should feel proud of myself. If I had been asked a yr ago if I ever thought I would have a blog I would have said no and yet here I am.   Obviously I am feeling sensitive and I am needing encouragement.  This has been a big jump for me painting as often as I can and starting a blog. My next step or big push is to try to sell on ebay or etsy. I am a little scared about it.

limes in a red bowl 5 x 7 oil

It is such a gloomy day today. My painting seems dark.  I paint by natural light so it affects my painting.  I felt like painting something more colorful after my last painting. I am not sure about this painting and my last one too. In the last one I like the pop of color of the limes and the colors in the fabric. Today i started to feel a little cramped in the 5 x 7. I felt boxed in. I couldn't focus on detail because I don't like detail and I kept trying to make myself go back over it with detail but I didn't want to. I just wanted to grab a big brush and go crazy like I would on a large painting.

I have never painted abstract, i don't even know how to begin. I think it would be fun to paint on a large canvas using whatever emotion I felt.  An artist I really love is de kooning.  I like how he approaches a canvas with his large brushes and buckets of paint surrounding him on the floor and the raw emotion coming out in his paintings.  Picasso is another artist I love. I didn't until i went a picasso gallery in France when I was 18. Standing in front of his work and hearing about his life is amazing. It changes the way you think about art.  When you know what is going on in the world during the time when the artist is painting, knowing about their lives, trying to see through their eyes...it changes your perspective.

pitcher with lemons 8 x 10 oil

tangerine slices 5 x 7 oil

I have really enjoyed painting almost everyday. I find that when I can't paint for a while I miss it and think of what I want to paint.  I notice that I am starting to "see" again. That is what I call it when wherever you look you think "that would be a nice painting". You get distracted by colors. I remember in college I went to the movies with some friends.  The movie wasn't that great, I don't even remember what it was but i was mesmerized by the colors on the faces on screen...the blues greens and reds in the skin tones.  I was in a spin class yesterday and I looked at a fellow spinner and the way the light and shadows fell on her face I thought I would like to paint her like that. 

tangerines 5 x 7 oil

mineola tangerines 5 x 7 oil

I am happy with this one. I love the bright color and odd shape of this fruit.

teacup and fruit 5 x 7 oil

My husband calls my artwork teacups and fruit so i thought that would be a good title for this one. It really is a teacup, one i picked up about a month ago from homegoods. It is different for me to paint something like this with a pattern on it.

still life with apples and limes 8" x 10" oil

abby touch up

I touched up my abby painting a little bit.  I like it better.

still life 5 x 7 oil

I am not sure how i feel about this one. I had placed these on the guest bed yesterday while painting yesterday's painting and then when i was done i saw these lying on the bed and liked the way the light fell on the fruit.  Once i started painting it i was a little frustrated because there is a shiny stripe pattern on the fabric and it did reflect the green from the limes.

two limes and apple 5 x 7 oil

It felt good to be back to painting. I guess it has become a routine to me now which is fantastic. I had a great visit with family. We celebrated my youngest son turning 3 yrs old. My mother in law and i went to p.f. changs yesterday for lunch and my fortune cookie said  "endurance and persistence will pay off" that is good. Hopefully that will come true!!