Artsy Inspiration Wrought from Everyday Life

Whew- I think it's as much work to put these together on a blog as it is to paint them.  I've been really busy with commissions and juried show entries this month, so it was a little hard to make time for daily paintings, but it's worth the time every time.  Still, I was glad I'd committed myself to 300 paintings in one year instead of 365!

#34

10x8 oil on canvas panel

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Still not back to serious work yet, I hadn't done a "cayuse" painting in awhile.  I designed these stylized versions of horses I knew as a kid years ago while waiting at doctor's offices.  They are fun to paint, and remind me to stay playful.

#35

8x10 oil on canvas panel

NFS

This was a "make up" painting of my favorite hay meadow in the world, which is just outside our little town of Dayton, WY.  We had a similar painting in our house for years, and I sold it on a whim during my winter sale on Facebook, not knowing it was one of my husband's favorites.  I love the "retake," but he's still convinced that the first one is better.

#37

9x12 oil on canvas

NFS

I've always wanted to paint Emily, our daughter's dear old cat.  When the local animal shelter wanted a donation, I painted this as a sample for a pet portrait commission for their fundraiser.  I'm really happy with this painting- Emily is a beautiful old cat who won Over-all Champion in the County 4-H fair 2 years in a row.  She's also a very good hunter.

#38

6x9-ish oil on panel

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When we first bought this property 20 years ago, there were very few turkeys in town.  Now our street is overrun with them.  They remind me of boxelder bugs- prehistoric-looking and hard to get rid of.  They are charming birds, though.  This was a fun painting, and upon its completion, I realized that looking at Mara Schasteen's business card while I brush my teeth inspires me even more than I thought.

#39

9x15-ish oil on panel

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Again, I obviously used paint from the day before on this pair of horses.  I like the contrasts- this would be fun to explore in a much larger format.  I was more interested in the feeling of a late winter morning than the anatomical correctness of the horses here.  I'd love to paint this scene larger one day.

#40

8x10 oil on canvas panel

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This was a very quick painting during a much larger cow painting (Sunday Morning Fellowship).  I was studying the facial differences between the Hereford/Angus cross Black Baldie, and the Angus.  I love Herefords, therefore I love Black Baldies.  Sorry, Angus people.