New Blog Site

I'm starting a new blog at my new website at FASO. Catch up on my latest paintings at
www.jackinewell.com

Practically Perfect Weekend Part III

Add caption

Pilot House

14x11 oil

$450

Here's the painting I did later that afternoon. It's the same scene that Kevin McPherson had done earlier that day only from a different spot. It was lovely, that hot afternoon, painting under the shade of a tree with the ocean breeze keeping me cool. I painted for 2 hours and then left immediately from there to change my clothes in a gas station before walking to the reception at Coleman Gallery. 

practically perfect weekend Part II

This is Kevin McPherson's painting, obviously not finished but he took a break from it for a while, then finished it. I saw it later at the Coleman Gallery, it was gorgeous, but wasn't allowed to photograph it unfortunately. Not only did Kevin do a free demo for us, but he invited us back the next morning and he would critique our paintings for us. That motivated me to make sure to get out to paint later that day, even though I was dying to explore the streets of Charleston's Gallery Row. I really wanted to learn from him and listening to critiques of mine and others work is a great way to learn. I'm having trouble adding additional photos to my posts for some reason, so I have been starting new posts continuing the details of my practicaly perfect weekend.

Practically Perfect Weekend

This past weekend I attended a painting demo by Kevin McPherson in Charleston's Waterfront Park. He was a fantastic teacher, so fun and interesting. He generously shared, free of cost, his wealth of knowledge of painting with a large group of artists gathered there, just to see him paint. We stood out there in the burning hot sun and humidity for almost 2 hours. I never would have stood there, dripping with sweat to watch someone paint that wasn't as intriging as Kevin. I love his warm and cool grays and astmospheric paintings. I was mezmerized the entire time.

Herb Garden, Plein Air Oil Painting by Jacki Newell

Herb Garden

8"x8"oil 

$225

I painted with a sketch group in Greenville on Monday. It was a gray, cool day. I found this scene in the courtyard of the Old Episciple Church on North and Church St. Since it was cloudy, I didn't have to rush to beat the shadows. It was nice. This photo is the original plein air piece. Then today I brought it into my studio to make some "adjustments". I will take a photo of the results tomorrow.

Commission!!!

Greenville, Downtown

18"x24" oil

SOLD

This may look like a familiar scene to you by now. I love downtown Greenville, and so do most people who have walked or driven down Main Street. I have done a few paintings similar to this one. Recently, a young man commissioned me to one for he and his wife's one year anniversary. He had tried to win the downtown painting that I donated  at a silent auction for Trees Greenville, but was outbid. He asked if I could do one similar, so this is the result. I just delivered it to him on Thursday evening and then treated myself to a delicious Greek salad at Kozani's. I sat outdoors at one of the very same tables that are in the scene. How cool is that?!

The dog in the painting is a depiction of his doggy. I had never met him or his wife, only through email, and so I had no idea how old they were or what they looked like, but it turned out that his wife is blonde!
Commissions are very scary for me. I get so nervous about them. I'd much rather do a painting and then have someone see it and decide they can't live without it and purchase it, but it's also nice when someone trusts me to do a special one for them. He seemed to like it very much and thought his wife would too.
This is my second commission for this year. That is a record for me so far. May they be the first of many.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
www.jacki-newell.artistwebsites.com

Back again

After a long absence, I am back to blogging. Alot has happened since I last blogged and I won't try to write about it tonite, but will share it a little at a time.
The main thing that happened, just 3 days after writing my last blog, was that my dear mom, who was living with us for the past 3 winters, passed away suddenly from a heart attack. She had been bravely battling cancer for 3 1/2 years. She also had a very weak heart, most likely from taking chemo for so long. Her quality of life had actually been quite good. She always overcame the obstacles that came her way, with an amazing attitude. Although she lived with us, she took great care of herself, always making her bed, washing her own laundry, etc. It was so easy to have her here. I miss her very much. Who do I call when I have good news or something cute that the grandkids did?

This photo was taken just 5 days before she passed away. Like I said, her quality of life was good. My mom loved going to church with us on Sundays and afterwards, my daughter Corrie and her family came to Sunday dinner.We always went to a movie on Friday nights and out to dinner on Sat. nites. On Thursdays, we tried out new restaurants for lunch with Corrie and little almost 2 year old Macy. I was with her when it happened so suddenly and out of the blue, but can honestly say she didn't suffer a moment. While sitting at our dining room table, working on a puzzle at 3:30 on beautiful Wednesday afternoon, she and I were visiting, when she suddenly exclained "I'm so dizzy!" She laid her head down on the table and pretty much was gone, or in a coma, I'm not sure which by the time I ran to her side. She didn't even grab her chest in pain, so I'm convinced that God answered my prayer the past few years that she wouldn't suffer. I've been overwhelmed with amazement at God's kindness in answering that prayer and the sadness of missing her so much. Everything still reminds me of her around the house. The funeral was in Omaha, where she lived. So many wonderful friends and family were there to honor her. All the people she loved and enjoyed so much. The day after the funeral, my sister and I got started on getting her ready house for sale. We worked hard together for  a week and a half. We accomplished alot in that time and by the time I left, it was ready to go on the market. It was all quite a whirlwind, with so many decisions to make and memories to cherish. I feel so blessed to have had such wonderful parents who loved us so much. When I start missing her too much, I remind myself that she is safely home with Jesus now, and I feel His wonderful peace. Thank you Jesus, for dying for us so we can be with You forever.
Life goes on, and last night, Dave and I returned from a quick trip to Southern California. I will write more about that on a later date.
I feel like things are beginning to slow down now, so today, I cleaned my house. It was definitely in need of a good cleaning and pulled weeds. And tonite, I am blogging again after a 7 week break.

First Day of Spring! Original Plein Air Landscape painting

First Day of Spring

10"x8" oil

$175 free shipping

Ahhh, first day of spring!! I went painting outdoors for the first time today. It was dark and gray here, but the temps were nice and winds calm. Perfect plein air weather. My plein air friend, Robyn, invited me and took me to this gorgeous spot. I can't wait to go back when it greens up a bit, but painting these earth tones was a nice change from the bright green and reds I've been using.
www.jacki.newell@gmail.com if interested in purchasing this painting.
Thanks for visiting.

Boy and His Ball #6 original oil painting

Boy and His Ball #6  "Bounce It"

6x6"oil
$175

Here is #6. Some may recognize it as one that I have already done. That was a 8x8 and I decided to try it again, only do it in 6x6 so it would match the others and I might enter it into Randy Higbee's 6x6 show. I wanted to try this one over, because I felt in the first one, that he was taller and older than 2 1/2. This one looks more like his size at the time. He wasn't potty trained at the time I took the photos, so his "pampers" show at his waist line. My grandkids are growing way too fast, I would like them to stay this size for a while. I can't believe that Skylar, my oldest grandson, will be 9 next month!!!!

I know these titles are lame, I could really use some help in finding titles for all six. Something simple.

Thanks so much for view my art.

Boy and His Ball #5

Boy and His Ball #5
6x6 oil
$175.

These are so fun to paint. I love little boys at this age. 

Thanks for looking.

jacki

Boy and His Ball #4- original oil painting

Boy and His Ball#4

6x6 oil on Raymar board

$150

Continuing my series of the red ball and his boy :)  I've always loved this little shed, and I'm so glad that I took so many photos of it because a few months later it was torn down :( My little grandson, Xavier, has such a great life on the farm, playing with his sisters, kitties, dogs, tricycles, chasing balls, throwing rocks and all the other joys of playng outside in wide open spaces in the sun and Nebraska wind.

Thanks for looking.

Falls View, Greenville's Fall's Park

"In Memory"

6x6 oil on Raymar panel

$150

I love this scene in Fall's Park, here in Greenville. I have taken numerous photos of it and painted it en plein air twice, and now I'm so glad I did, because that lovely old sprawling tree is gone!!! I couldn't believe it when I went back there, expecting to see it last fall and instead of a shady. lovely spot, it was bare and sunny. I really miss it. I'm sure they had a good reason for cutting it down, that big branch may have cracked or something. They have planted a new little tree there, but it will be a long time before it can give comfortable shade like this one did.

Red Ball Painting-#3

The Red Ball-#3

6"x6" oil on Raymar Panel

$150

Here's another one of my Red Ball series. This one was so fun to do and it went so smoothly, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe it was the new

Raymar Panels I ordered. A pleasure to paint on. I just noticed I forgot to put the highlight on the ball. I'll do that tomorrow. I could use some help naming these. I'd like to come up with simple one word titles for them. If you have any ideas, let me know.
Thanks for looking.
jacki

New painting. Beautiful Downtown Greenville

Downtown Greenville

18"x24x1.5" oil on stretched canvas

$550. plus shipping

Yikes,after reading my New Year's Painting goals, so far this year has been a major fail. The only thing I have kept up with is painting daily,well, almost.
I started this painting last year and just recently decided to go back and finish it. I love to do paintings of downtown Greenville (SC) and plan to do many more. I will probably always have a dog or two in them because Greenville is the dog walking-est place I've ever seen!!!

Boy and Ball Series #2

A Boy and His Ball/#2

6"x6" oil on panel

$125 plus $8 shipping

I can't believe how much time I spent on this little guy, trying to get his mouth the way I wanted it. In the reference photo he has a playful, happy look on his face with his mouth open and tongue kinda sticking out. I have failed in capturing that look, rather, in my painting he looks a little upset. I have spent so many hours on it already, for such a small painting, I'm going to just accept the fact that painting people with their mouths open is beyond my skill level for now, since I am really pretty new at attempting to put people in my scenes. Hopefully, by the end of this series, I will be better at it. The model is my little Grandson, Xavier. He was two and half at the time this was taken.
Thanks for visiting my blog.

10 Minute Challenges

I finally remembered to photograph this while there was still light outside. I finished these the next morning and enjoyed doing them, but was also a little alarmed at how difficult it was for me to finish each of them in 10 minutes. I decided to try something simpler, like an apple, just to see if I'm slow or if it was because the subject was difficult for me. I'm happy to report that the apple was much quicker to do. I would look up at the clock and see that I had plenty of time to do the background, unlike the bottles.

Green Apple

8x12.5x2 oil on stretched canvas

$195

10 minute Challenge

One of my favorite artists, Carol Marine, has challenged us to an exersize where we paint an object 8 times, but can only take 10 minutes for each of them. As you can see, although these rectangles are only 3x4, I barely have time to get the background painted and no details. I chose a subject that is really challenging to me, and I'm hoping when I finish I will be better at painting that little bottle than i was when I started. So far, I'm not sure that's happening. I was unable to finish today, so hopefully tomorrow I will be able to get the other 3 painted and can post it on her blog. Check it out, it's interesting to see the various objects and styles. http://bit.ly/g0VHGj
Thanks for visiting my blog,
God bless.

Boy and His Ball- oil painting

Boy and His Ball

8"x8" oil

$150 plus $8 shipping

Gah!!! Writing regularly in my blog is one of the new years resolutions that I have not been keeping. No excuses. I am happy to say that I have been painting regularly though!! I did this little piece a few days ago. That's my adorable little grandson, Xavier with his big, red ball. He is 3 now, but last spring when the photo was taken he was two and a half. I was visiting my daughter, Jaimi and her family at their farm and got a bunch of great photos of little Xavier with his ball. I plan to do a series of these, so stay tuned.

For now, my attention has been on a commission that I am doing of Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. It's a challenge to me, because I'm not used to working so large-it's 4'x2'. I'll be posting that soon.

Thanks for visiting here.

jacki

Grapefruit Still Life Oil Painting

Grapefruit

6"x6" oil on panel

$75 plus $5 shipping

I've wanted to paint a pink grapefruit in this bowl ever since eating breakfast at my daughter, Jaimi's house. She gave me the set of bowls because I enjoyed eating my grapefruit out of them so much. It's taken a year to get around to doing a painting, but is definitely something I want to do more of. The photo is bluer than the actual painting, which is more greenish blue. Thanks for visiting my blog.

Clementine

"Clementine"

8"x8" Oil on panel

$175 plus $5 shipping

I finally finished this one. I didn't expect it to take as long as it did. I was happy with the way the silver spoon came out, and I enjoy silver with that turquoise colored bowl.
Thanks for looking.