Chickadee #156

6"x6" Oil on Panel

I had seriously planned on participating in Leslie Saeta's 30 Day Painting Challenge beginning January 1st.  However, the week after Christmas, I came down with the flu bug & also injured my left shoulder (moving boxes of art books around).  My plan was to complete a small bird painting each day.  Even though I didn't get in on Leslie's challenge, I thought I would go ahead and paint a series of these delightful little creatures.  I will be experimenting with the palette knife and the brush to find a look & style I'm pleased with.

Thanks for viewing my art.

~ Sarah 

From Palette Knife to Paste

Whole Hog Rooster

12"x12" Torn Paper Collage on Canvas

 

Lately I have been busy creating some torn paper collages.  I have found this new passion that allows me to work on art in places that I can't always take my oils to.  It all started when I saw a torn paper collage that Nancy Medina created in Nancy Standlee's workshop this summer. (By the way, these are two great artists that you need to check out.)  After working on this rooster my disorganized studio became even more disorganized than ever with papers, magazines, books, junk mail, & all kinds of stuff on the floor & every available surface.  Since then I have worked out a little better system to keep things a little neater.  I'm thinking I may have to start another blog just for the torn paper collages I create.  For now, I'll just go ahead & show some of them here on this blog & hope you find them fun & interesting.

 

The background for the rooster is mostly from an Arkansas State Highway map and mostly from northwest Arkansas where the University of Arkansas is located.  There are several references to the Arkansas Razorbacks scattered in the collage.  That's how the name "Whole Hog Rooster" came about.  I bet this little rooster can even call the hogs.  "Wooo Pig Sooooie, Razorbacks."

 

~Sarah

Swan Song

20"x24" Oil on Canvas

"Swan Song" is the newest painting drying on my easel.  I don't dare move it for fear of getting phthalo blue all over the rest of the house.  It's one of those colors that just seems to want to reach out and touch you & everything else in the studio.  This a little larger palette knife painting than I usually paint so I painted it in two sessions.  Yesterday I painted the background & today I finished the swans.  It's really a good thing that I painted this one in two sessions as today's paint was beginning to get a little dry before I finished. 

These two swans used to come by our dock every day to visit & I really miss them.  I'm so glad I took lots of photos while they were here.  I enjoyed painting them & preserving this sweet memory.

~Sarah

Swans - Part One

Yesterday I started a new palette knife painting from a photo of two swans that used to live on our lake.  I knew that I wouldn't be able to finish the painting in one session so I painted the background first.  Hopefully, by working in segments like this, it will all work out.  I will post the results as well as additional comments when I am finished.

~ Sarah

How Thick is Too Thick

Acrylic Impasto Palette Knife Painting

Today I decided to paint over a painting of red tulips that I did when I first started painting with thick acrylic paint.  First, I painted over them with a dark pink (this one not shown).  I wasn't too happy with that so I added in some white.  Then I decided the leaves & stems needed to be thicker (2nd photo).  Next, oh my, the jar looks wimpy.  So on & on the thick paint was piled on with the palette knife, really, really, thick (3rd photo)!

Oops, too thick, too messy & playing around in it didn't help.  Knowing when to stop is not always easy. 

~Sarah

Fun Flowers

Acrylic Impasto Painting

These simple flowers were fun to teach.  The kids enjoy picking out the colors & most any color will work.  Quick, easy, & fun = happy painting.

~ Sarah

Sunny Beach

Acrylic Impasto Painting

Today I had fun helping the kids create beach paintings.  They wanted to see just how thick the paint could be piled on. 

So much fun.  Such great memories.

~ Sarah