Printer Purchase: Canon Pixma Pro 100

I am the proud owner of a new, professional inkjet printer.  Never did I imagine how much goes into paper choices, dye vs pigment ink, etc.  I will spare you the details.  I will tell you...I LOVE this printer.  The output lives up to the outstanding reviews.

The goal is to make quality reproductions of my artwork in house.  I can already scan my watercolors.  One day I am going to get the 'Oxford Oils' (Mom and Dad's Square Books and City Grocery) scanned for reproduction, too.   I can print directly onto watercolor paper for excellent reproduction.  It will even handle canvas paper.

But for now I will stick to note cards.  I have a Red River Paper shipment coming later this week.  If you know me, you know I have loved this stuff for a long, long time.   It combines my love for computers and art!

Amber Commission: Finley's Dress

My VERY first blog post, in October 2007, was for Amber! Amber has been a friend of mine since... was it 7th grade?  The 2007 painting was for her son's nursery, who is now a big brother to two sisters! 

This painting is for Amber's oldest daughter.  Amber has a precious picture of her daughter twirling in her favorite yellow dress. It was the perfect inspiration!  Yes, I painted a face on this painting (something I am normally terrified of doing). 

One of the hardest parts about photographing a wet picture is also the most beautiful (and my favorite part about oil paintings - you can see every brush stroke).

Hunter's Grand Teton Aspens

Hunter and I were able to visit Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone this past fall during the peak of the aspens (and elk rutting which is another cool story).  I wanted a picture to paint.  This one was fun for me considering I am normally scared to death of painting trees (and still could use some practice).  This painting will find a home in Hunter's office.  I found the perfect frame for it this week!  I had to make room in my "studio" for another couple projects underway.  I started this one before the holidays!

Square Books Painting - Stages Mississippi

Mom and Dad's Oxford Condo was featured this month in Stages Mississippi (p41).  There is special mention of Square Books.  Maybe I can make it big so I can quit my day job (wouldn't that be DANDY)!

Fish Out of Water 2 - Take 3

I wish I had better lighting but, yet again, it is late at night.  I spent the last several hours on cost accounting and made myself finish a chapter before I had a break.  The break, much like college, was painting!  Here is the painting...round 3.  I may touch up a few things in passing but I am rather pleased with it!

(Reminder: This is for the Triumph Art Show!)

On another note, my social media class has me exploring different website and blog options.  This is why you might see my site changing daily.  I plan to spend some time with the blog in May.  Of course I have said that before I already have a jam-packed May.  Stay tuned.

For now I must work on using Goop (as featured in other blog posts and used even more than that) to get the paint out of my new City Grocery T-Shirt.  It is officially initiated. :)

Fish Out of Water Take 2

Still a-working...I should have waited until it was dry.  It started to get muddy so I had to stop...for now.

Fish Out of Water 2 - Prepping for the art show

I have been hard at work.  I am donating some of my old pieces to the art show but I wanted to complete at least one newer one.  Look familiar?  Instead of a marlin I am going with a sailfish.  Stay tuned!

City Grocery Returns

Tonight I decided to take a stab at an old painting in my art room.  This is after I tried to gesso (recover) two canvases I had started for something else to find out they cracked and look terrible.  I swear I have covered them before and they turned out just fine.  BUT now I won't start on anything until I finish this guy. I've made a promise to myself! Forgive the phone post but it is late and I am POOPED!

Shelley (sent via phone)

Baby Henry's Shoes - Completed

Introducing Baby Henry’s Shoes! It took me awhile to complete due to life’s events BUT, it will be dry in time for Baby H’s arrival.  I will have to take a picture of it in the nursery.  The nursery is absolutely perfect and now it will be completed. Yeaa!

I am thankful this morning for the bright sunshine that allowed me to finish this painting.  (My power has been off and on since last night.  It’s been more off than on…on the weekend I have dedicated to catching up with schoolwork!)  

Booties #2

I might be able to do this after all...

New painting, new theme

Despite the craziness of my life lately, I have found time to paint.  Nancy reminded me last night I have been a "bad blogger" so this is my attempt to get back in good graces.

This painting will be for baby Henry Smith's room for above his crib.  In case you cannot tell, they are kid's booties.  I have a ways to go.

Fish Out of Water - Take 2

This is my first creature to paint.  So far so good, I think.

Pic from my new Droid (G2 which I love)...

Fish Out of Water - Take 1

I started my new project tonight.  This one will be 24x48.  I've already named it "Fish Out of Water."  It will be for the Smith's beach condo.  They were our gracious hosts on numerous beach trips this past summer!

Paint overload

I paid a visit to Forstall's art this week to use a 40% off coupon. I came back with all this. The paint is high quality, 70% off, and they were so sweet to throw in the already squeezed tube. Ill take it!

 It is hard to get a good perspective in this photo.  My new brush is on the left.  The brush on the right was previously the largest brush I owned.  This extra large brush will make painting large canvases MUCH easier....


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City Grocery Update 2

It's been awhile.   Here is a reminder with a few updates from this past weekend.  I forget how long building paintings take me.  Right now the painting is in its ugly stage.  It always frustrates me but causes me to work harder.

I had a little help this weekend from this girl.  (Meet Savannah who belongs to the Smiths.  Savannah's Mom is Julie from my cooking blog!  She might look a little tired because she had just gone on a 2 mile jog with me.  Never mind the fact her legs are 1/4th as long as mine.  I've always wanted a dog to run with!)

Double Decker Arts Festival (Oxford, MS)

My past weekend was spent here:

The Double Decker Festival (Oxford, MS) had a 24 hour delay due to the severe weather that passed through.  We were spared but unfortuantely Yazoo City was not.  It is amazing how beautiful the sky can appear after a storm.  Driving home was the perfect example.   I think this would make a perfect painting. (So perfect that I turned around and stopped the car for a picture.)

And before I forget...I left the show with this...thanks to my parents for the unexpected early bday gift!  It's a magnolia ( Mississippi appropriate).

Stay tuned for some artwork updates. I am motivated!

Couple Dancers and City Grocery

I still have detail work to do on the couple.  I am debating painting windows in the background looking through to dark branches.  Thoughts?  I almost like it simple.  Why am I painting this? Because I found a picture I like.

I sketched this from the picture to the left a couple weeks ago.  I started with the underpainting tonight.  I am trying to follow the rulebooks and paint the underpainting first.  (Ok, the dark blue is too dark for a typical underpainting but it'll be fine.)  Remember, don't judge by the underpainting.  They are always ugly and the colors are never final!  This one should be challenging to say the least.  Straight lines are my enemy!

New art

I might or might not have read the manual of my digital camera for 2 hours this weekend.  Is that really surprising, though?  I had figured out how to make the photographs look more natural and less dark by playing with white balance and appeture.  Then I go to take pictures this Sunday night and I completely forgot everything I learned.  It's going to take some practice.  In the meantime, here is a peak at what I started to paint.  I am going to tackle a big painting here soon.  More on that later...

Intimidation!

Never have I been more intimidated in my LIFE about finishing a painting as I have been with this stadium. I've procrastinated painting players/spectators on the sidelines until last night. And then when I got down to it, wasn't sure what colors to paint the uniforms and had to seek advice from an avid fan. Here is a taste of the people that are appearing...

P.S.

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