Eagles over the Platte, Schram Park, Gretna, Ne

This is a small oil painting, 8"x6". It's a study for the large painting I did for my husband earlier this month, only instead of the deer, I have eagles flying overhead. There's a cute story I have of my sister when she was college age. As I remember it, I think she was at Schram Park, called Gretna Fish Hatchery at the time, and was watching an eagle there. To her delight, he flew right over her blue pinto and pooped on it. The whole car was covered in white splats over the top. She was so proud of it, she didn't wash her car for a long time.
It is for sale, unframed for $50. add $5. for shipping.If interested in purchasing this painting, email me at www.jacki.newell@gmail.com

Painting for Different Strokes from Different Folks blog

The original photo of the Victorian house is from artist Karin Jurik's blog called Different Strokes from Different Folks. It's a facinating blog. Every other Wednesday, Karin posts a photo and anyone who cares to try, can paint it. She puts them all up on her blog and it's fun to see all the different styles and methods that artists use to paint the same photo. Check it out at www.differentstrokesfromdifferentfolks.blogspot.com
So I figured I give it a try. It was definitely a struggle. I grew frustrated and bored with it, so i used my pallette knife and started to glob paint on. I used brighter colors and lightened the scene. It then became fun. I felt like i was frosting cookies or cupcakes with pink and yellow frosting. Pallette knife painting is so much fun, I should do it more often.

Victorian House
6"x8" oil on canvas board
$50. plus $5. shipping
email me at www.jacki.newell@gmail.com if interested.

smaller version

Here's a smaller version i did, just for the practice and to give as a gift. Once again I really struggled with that deer.

Dave's painting-finished?

Well, here it is. That painting that has given me so much trouble. I'll let it sit around awhile to decide what else needs to be done with it.
It is 30x24 on canvas.
Dave seems to like it a lot.

I think it's finished!

Yay! i think that deer painting is finished. I don't have a decent photo of it yet, but as soon as i do, I will post it.
It's not the painting i wanted it to be, but I think Dave will like it and i learned quite a bit from it.
Whew, now I can get started on some other things.

Fiasco

Wow, I hate to say it, but my painting, that had such great beginnings turned out to be a fiasco!!
You won't believe how many hours i have spent on that painting, and before i went to bed last night, i scraped it all down. I couldn't stand it. So many hours, I'm amazed actually, at the amount of time i've had to paint and the stamina i've had to stand before the easel, which is a good thing, but oh, how much paint i have used and how many things i have tried to remedy the painting. It's kind of sad that it had to be my first painting of my new career to be such a fiasco, but, I can say that i have learned from it and hopefully will benefit in the future from those things i have learned. Yes, and how embarrasing that it would have to be my first painting for my blog that is turning out like this. And sad that it is my husband's Christmas/retirement present. (Oh well, he's getting that TV also :) One thing i have definately learned-I will not make a large painting again (this one was huge for me-24x30) without doing a smaller version to work out the colors, etc. Live and learn. If i can get a decent photo of the scraped canvas i will post it. It's kind of interesting and i might be able to make a buck emerge from the scraped down landscape. That might be fun.

Needs work

Here it is. I'm disappointed with it.I worked a long time on it today but am not happy with the results of all that work. I can see all kinds of problems that I need to fix. Mainly, if you look back to my original plan, I wandered away from it. Tomorow I will try to get the original design of of darks and lights back. I will also put the deer's antlers back on!
Sorry about the glare.

I'll post tomorrow

It's been a while, but now that I've had my mamogram on Friday and today my colonoscopy, tomorrow I will be ready to paint. Actually, I painted yesterday quite a bit, but scraped off a large amount of it in frustration. I told Dave, I'm ready to shoot that deer! I want a fresh, more painterly look to it, but it keeps getting overworked at stiff, looking like a stuffed deer at Cabela's. Tomorrow, no matter how it looks i will take a photo and post it.

Day 3 Happy New Year

This is taking forever, mainly because it's still officially "the Holidays". There are just too many fun things to do, so my painting sessions get cut short.
As you can see, the painting is too dark and I haven't touched the foreground. I scraped the face off the deer and will redo much of him. I was going to spend all day today working on this and hopefully finishing it, but, the Nebraska game is going to be on soon and my mom will have to watch it alone if I don't watch it with her:)
I'm looking forward to this new year. 2008 was a rough one for many of my family and friends. So many life changes and illness, etc. Who knows what's in store for 09 but we press on, keeping our eyes on the Lord, who has been leading us in this great adventure. He is worthy of our trust and we have full confidence that He has our best interest in mind as we attempt to follow Him.
May your New Year be rich in blessings, big and small, and your heart and eyes able to see them as such.