Summertime Blues

These gorgeous purple/blue hydrangeas seem to want to soar with the clouds on a perfect summer day. I added a hint of yellow ochre  to the clouds as a compliment to so much blue. This painting was done for the Inspiration All  Around Us July Challenge. The challenge photo didn't have the sky and clouds in the background. I wanted to do something other than the house siding that is in the original and remembered a photo I took once of flowers at the same angle, with sky and clouds in the background. So I used that idea. I added lots of clouds so the blues would not overwhelm and make a nice backdrop for the purples. I have included the photo here, as testament to DanaMarie's challenge - inspiration IS all around us.

Bings

This little painting of Bing cherries was done for the July Rookie Challenge.  Took me awhile to get around to painting it as I had never painted cherries before and kept putting it off. Actually, as a new painter, there are many things I have never painted before - so eventually I just dived right in. It was a good challenge, and a learning experience as well.

Koi Pond

I had been taking pictures of the lovely white water lilies in my daughter's pond with the intention of painting a pond scene one day. Then Studio Atelier's July challenge was a Koi Pond, so it was a perfect opportunity. I used the portion of the challenge photo with the white water lilies. I painted most of the lily pads and greenery as they were - but added the two koi fish - one (the smaller orangish one) was in the challenge photo. I took the liberty (or is it artistic license) and added the bright spotted one in the center. I deepened the cobalt blue a tad, as a counter point to the orange fish.

Old Mission Chapel Santa Barbara, Ca.

 I was excited to do this painting for A Day Not Wasted July Challenge. As soon as I saw the wonderful old rock walls, patched together with plaster, with bricks peeking through here and there, and the faded old wooden door - I knew I wanted to paint this picture with a palette knife to achieve the rustic look. I also love the beautiful bright cobalt blue sky, a lovely contrast to orange/ochre rocks and the vermilion wrought iron fence, that surrounds the chapel cemetery. As I looked at the picture now that it is finished and posted, my only critique is that I should have painted the shadow areas around the door. At the time I wanted the door itself to be seen -  in Lee's beautiful photo it was partially in deep shadows. Maybe I'll try to fix that - maybe! Sometimes it is better to leave well enough alone and learn from your mistakes...  We'll see!

The Falcon Handler

This is a pencil sketch I did of the young woman in the photo below. I liked the almost dreamy look that she had on her face, which I felt, spoke volumes about the love she has for her job and the birds she handles. That look and what I believed was in her heart, is what prompted me to paint the picture "Freedom Dreaming". 

Freedom Dreaming

 The Oregon Daily Monthly Challenge had this interesting picture of a captive Falcon being shown by a young woman handler. I know that usually when a bird like this is in a zoo show, it is most likely an injured and healing animal or one that for some reason cannot be returned to the wild. In any case, I felt that both the handler and the Falcon would choose freedom, if possible. So I named this painting, "Freedom Dreaming".