"Watermelon Reflections"

8 x 10

oil on hardboard

Carol Marine continues to come up with great exercises for the DPW weekly challenge! This was a photograph that was presented upside down. By painting in this manner, one focuses more on shapes, values and colors rather than a certain object. This was especially challenging with all the reflections and then the reflections of reflections, do you see all that? It's always a pleasant surprise when you finish and finally flip the painting right side up! Try it, it works!

"Fresh Cherries"

6 x 6

oil

The DPW challenge this week is The Balance Challenge submitted by Cathleen Rehfeld. Lots of fun entries to check out!

"Confetti Gift"

6 x 6

oil
sold

After being out of town for a couple of weeks and house guests after that, I hadn't painted in about 3 weeks so it was fun to get back in the grove with the DPW weekly challenge.  

"Sliced Orange"

6 x 6

oil

Here's another small painting for the DailyPaintworks vegetable challenge for the week. Oops, just realized this is a fruit, hope that works!

"Can You Hear Me Now"

8 x 8

oil on gessoed hardboard

The Daily Paintworks challenge this week is a photo of a windy day in New York City taken by Linda Popple. Carol Marine, who started this weekly challenge, sent out a call for ideas and Linda provided this photo. Such a typical scene these days as we all try to stay connected. Check the link for all the different interpretations!

"Caged In"

8 x 10

oil on stretched canvas
sold

Carol Marine of The Daily Paintworks has a "chicken challenge" for this week, which gave me the chance to paint these guys that I photographed about a year ago in Monteagle, Tennessee. We stopped by a local flea market and there was everything from toys, farm equipment, typical garage sale items, locally produced honey, horses and lots of smaller animals in cages. We are going back this year and hope to be there again on market day!

"Down The Road"

6 x 6

oil on panel

The Daily Paintworks has another challenge this week by Carol Marine, this one of a winding road in the German countryside. She provided this photo with lots of color and late afternoon light and shadows.  A nice way to have a quick trip to Germany!

"Play Ball" for the Help Japan Challenge

8 x 10

oil on gessoed hardboard

March 11 marked the beginning of the devastation in Japan with the earthquake, following tsunamis and now the nuclear crisis. The Daily Paintworks website has found a way to help this stricken country. Artists worldwide are donating paintings to be auctioned off with all proceeds of the sold piece going to a charity of your choice that will benefit the Japanese people. Several charitable organizations are listed on the DPW webpage. The theme for this challenge is "home" and I can't help but think of all the children affected by this catastrophe with their loss of homes, schools and time to play and just be kids. After only a few days, over nine thousand dollars has already been raised, and with weeks to go, I expect that number to be much higher. I hope you will click on the above link and see all the wonderful art and consider helping in this much needed cause. I have chosen to let the buyer of "Play Ball" donate their winning bid amount to a charity of their own choice and upon documentation of their donation, I will cover all shipping costs and send the painting to them. Thanks for looking and helping this fundraiser. 

"Lincoln"

8 x 9

oil on canvas sheet

The Daily Paintworks Challenge this week was Raymond Logan's idea, paint a portrait of Lincoln from his photograph using just three colors: ultramarine blue, burnt umber, and titanium white. Limited palette but great for considering the correct values. It's fun to see all the submissions, check out the above link!

"Valentine Rose"

8 x 10

oil on gessoed hardboard

Daily Paintworks has a new Valentine's Day challenge this week posted by Qiang Huang, a very gifted artist from the Austin, Texas area and an incredible master of painting roses. Be sure to check out the other dozens, and I do mean dozens, of posted rose paintings. Wishing you a very happy Valentine's Day!

"Radishes"

8 x 8

oil on hardboard

sold

Carol Marine has started a new weekly challenge through Daily Paint Works. The object of the current challenge is to paint one subject in a ten minute time frame, and then repeat it multiple times. I had heard that this was one of Carol's exercises in her workshops but had never tried it myself. The idea is to simplify and to concentrate on shapes, color and values. What a great exercise! Be sure to click on the link above and check what other artists are submitting to the challenge. Do you have any idea how fast ten minutes can fly by?