A Cause for Celebration

5" x 7"

Oil on Gessoboard

 

The last day for Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days Painting Challenge.  I thought a celebration cupcake would be well suited for the occasion.  As well it is my birthday today so more reason for celebration.  I had a great day today and finished it off this evening by painting my cupcake.  It has been fun the past month!

Bowl of Boscs

5 " x 7"

Oil on Gessoboard

Day 29 of Leslie Saeta's Painting Challenge.  The second to last day.  Another weekend with too much to do so I had to squeeze the painting time in.  I have painted this pottery bowl in pastel before and could capture the texture very well.  I found it difficult to do it with oil in one sitting because of the wetness of the oils.  I will probably go back to this one once it dries and work on the bowl a bit.

Slice of Lemon

3" x 4"

Oil on Cradled Wood Panel

Day 28 of the Painting Challenge.  This one was a challenge for me.  I haven't painted anything this small before.  I think I bought the small board to do a Christmas ornament a number of years ago but didn't use it.  It was sitting on the shelf for ages so I thought I would give it a try.  I would have liked some brushes that were a bit smaller, it got quite frustrating to work with.  Larger size from now on.

Lemon Yellow

5" x 7"

Oil on Gessoboard

Day 27 of Leslie Saeta's Painting Challenge.  Only three more to go.  I really do enjoy doing these and they have become a warm up for working on larger paintings.  When I work on small pieces I don't feel the same hesitation that I feel when working on a larger piece.  If a small painting doesn't work out, it's no big deal.  If a larger painting isn't working I feel I am wasting materials and time.  Working on a small painting before moving to a larger piece allows me to loosen up and relax.

Cherry Perfume

6" x 8"

Oil on Canvas

Day 26 of the painting challenge.  It is getting down to the final few.  I am hoping to continue to paint regularly but not daily.  I don't want painting to be a chore.  Also, I find I am not spending as much time with a painting as I would like.  I will probably go back to a number of the pieces I have done over the past month and add some more to them.  With the oil paint I would like to give it a chance to dry before I add final details and trying to finish one each day means that the paint is too wet to add any details.

Lean on Me

6" x 6"

Oil on Canvas

Day 25 of the painting challenge.  Another song going through my head as I am painting gives it the title.  I should have done my whole thirty paintings based on song titles.  Maybe next time.  I don't have much time for painting today so I decided to do another pear.  The background color is different for me and it gave me some trouble so it took me longer than usual.  I just notice as I am writing this that the shadow for my stem in the front pear isn't right.  That's what happens when you are in a hurry and don't spend time with the painting.

Under the Sea

5" x 5"

Oil on Board

Day 24 of Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days.  I have been watching the Little Mermaid with my Granddaughter lately.  I seemed to be singing 'Under the Sea' while painting so that's the title it is given.  You know how it is with little kids, you watch the movie over and over again and sometimes you can't get a song out of your mind.

I am on the Dundas Studio Tour in a couple of weeks and today I set up some of my paintings in a cafe in town to advertise the tour.  Hopefully it will help attract people to my studio.  We have seven studios with 30 artists participating.  I am looking forward to it.