"Peonies Bianca" by Jonathan Aller

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"Peonies Bianca"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

These peonies were at my girlfriends sisters house and just loved how the light was falling on it, of course they're not in season anymore and at the time I was able to capture the essence of these peonies with my camera phone.  I usually like painting from life which is always the best way to go in order to get truer colors, but these peonies which I forgot I had in my phone were just to good not to paint.  It's a challenge to try to paint these beautiful flowers from a photo, they have such subtle colors that can be lost in a photo but since I've painting white peonies before I knew what to look for.  The photo wasn't actually bad at all, I think it captured most of the colors and subtle transitions I was looking for.  I do not plan to make this a norm taking photos with my camera phone but for this painting I think it works just fine.  The background was another challenge I was not looking forward to, to do a complete black background in one session is pretty difficult.  Painting with pure ivory black can get muddy really quick when mixed with other colors, I had to be extra careful to not mix it with the rest of my palette.  Like in any painting there's always challenges, the key is figuring it out and making a successful work of art.  

You can see the making of this painting on my blog:

http://www.jonaller.blogspot.com

Purple Finch

 

Purple Finch

8x8 Oil on linen panel

©2011 Deb Kirkeeide

This guy seems to be a cheeky little fellow! I love his attitude.  Due to my recent interest in birds (besides the ravens) I've been paying attention and find myself being more observant of their presence.

I'm also learning more about them from various websites and blogs One such source is Sharon Stiteler, aka The BirdChick. If you're interested in birds, be sure to check out her website and blog.

Friday night, we had our opening reception for the exhibition of this cycle for Project Art For Nature.

It is an awesome and beautiful show. So many diverse styles. I'm inspired to try some new techniques

and mediums.  My experimentation will have to wait until I finish a few projects. I've got an animation I need to create art for and I'm headed out to Wyoming in two weeks with a group of artists to spend 

5 days painting in the mountains. I'm really looking forward to our time back out at the 7D.

If interested in this painting you can make it yours right here.

Thanks!

"Reversed Pears" by Jonathan Aller

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"Reversed Pear"

6 x 6 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

I wanted to do another version of these pears this time having one reversed with the other facing the viewer.  The skin of the pears have so much different textures to them, its neat trying to decipher it and translate it onto a painting.  Their colors are also enjoyable to paint they have such a subtle transition from one color to another, from yellows to greens and to even burnt umbers its fun painting those blends.  

I wanted to apologize for being away for so long without posting anything, the day after posting "Grandfather" I got into a really bad bicycle accident.  I went over a curb and the front tire completely came out of my bike, I landed on the road hands first then hitting my ribs pretty bad.  I was really lucky I didn't break anything I did scrape up my hands and feet pretty bad, my ribs have given me the worst pain out of it all.  That accident occurred on a Tuesday and I left out of town on Wednesday until yesterday, so you can imagine how much i've been wanting to paint.  I'm recovering well from the accident my ribs  and left hand are still pretty sore, but I do feel better each day.  I cannot express how happy I am today to finally get back into painting, I tried after the accident on Tuesday to paint but I was in to much paint to do so.  Now I truly I mean it its time to get back to the painting easel and start producing, its been to long.  

See the making of this painting on my blog:

http://www.jonaller.blogspot.com

"Thoughts of You" by Terry Honstead

"Thoughts of You is a Mixed Media piece that I did in watercolor, fiber, and paper.  It is approximately 14 x 14.  If anyone is interested in purchasing this you may email me at  honstead@paulbunyan.net or visit :  http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/terry-honstead.html

August Morning

August Morning

6x8 Oil

© 2011 Deb Kirkeeide

This was my morning warm up piece from our paint out at the winery. Since I don't go out and paint terribly often, I'm always a little rusty and tend to dive in for a quick study just to warm up.

I think I would like to try this one again a little bigger. Hopefully I'll have a chance to go back soon.

There's something very intriguing and poetic about the path leading through the pasture and into the woods. I wonder where it would have led me to.

For all  of you in the Minnesota / Wisconsin area, I'd like to invite you to our opening reception for

Project Art For Nature. Reception is Friday the 26th 6:30 - 8:30 at The Phipps Center For the Arts in Hudson, WI. I've heard it's a great show and I've got several pieces in it. So come on out for a visit!

Baseball and Glove

Baseball and Glove

About This Painting:
Daily Painting

Media: oil on canvas
Size: 8 in X 6 in (20.3 cm X 15.2 cm)
Price: $75 USD

How to Purchase:

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $75 USD plus $7 USD s/h
Or, send me an email

http://www.judithmandersonfinearts.com/

Orchard Delight

Orchard Delight
6x8 Oil
©2011 Deb Kirkeeide

Another from the day at the vineyard. I was tempted to pick one, but I was good. I love this time of year when the apples start coming in. A sure sign it's about time for the State Fair, and fall is right around the corner and after that...well, I refuse to think about that yet.

Purchase here.

125 + SH

Please visit my blog or website for more paintings.

The Winery Barn

The Winery Barn

9x12 Oil

©2011 Deb Kirkeeide

This past Saturday, Outdoor Painters of Minnesota had our paint-out at Parley Lake Winery in Victoria, MN. I have to say it was a fabulous event with over 20 painters showing up to paint. It's a beautiful

area with rolling hills, orchards and vineyards and wine tasting! 

Add award winning wine, live music and art on display to a beautiful day and great camaraderie,

the day couldn't get any better!

This is where they make the wine. I heard they were serving wine slushies inside - I never had the chance to check it out. Though I did have a glass of the Frontenac Gris in hand while I painted this.

Purchase here.

Grace In Gravity

Grace In Gravity

16 x 20 Oil

I've somehow tuned into Blue Herons and the White Egrets this year. Being fairly common along our lakes and ponds, the herons and egrets have captured my interest.  It's amazing how these large birds can gracefully maneuver its surrender to gravity and set itself down in the reeds along the shoreline of our lakes and ponds.

This, along with some previous paintings, is off to our Project Art for Nature (PAN) exhibition coming up at The Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, WI. Aug 19 - Sept 25. Opening reception Aug 26.

If you are in the area please be sure to stop by!

"Leaning Pear" by Jonathan Aller

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"Leaning Pear"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

Walking along the grocery store today pears stood out to me more than usual, I guess because of their textures I was intrigued to paint them again.  They remind me of painting marble the way you have to be subtle with each tone and stroke.  Pears are difficult in their own right to paint, they have so much subtle textures that are challenging to control.  Needless to say its good practice to paint them.  I also decided to bring back the wooden board rather than paint then marble top.  It's been a while since i've painted this board painting the grains and its textures was fun for the most part.

You can see the making of this painting on my blog:

http://www.jonaller.blogspot.com

"Circus Plums" by Jonathan Aller

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"Circus Plums"

6 x 6 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

I wanted to revisit these fun plums and be a bit more whimsical, I also miss painting this beautiful marble top.  Painting these two surfaces together contrast each other nicely.  The tension this composition creates is pretty interesting, the plums seem to be having a hard time holding up the top plum.  You can create infinite story lines with this one, it'll be interesting to read what you guys can come up with?  I've always said if you want to better yourself in painting paint marble, it's so true.  Aside from painting flowers which also excels you in every way, painting marble teaches to control your medium and notice with each stroke the type of textures you'r laying down.  You can easily apply what you've learned to anything you paint, of course you have to conform it to the subject you'r painting.  I miss painting the wooden board I use for the majority of these alla prima's, but painting this marble has given me so much joy and teaches me something new every time.  

You can see the making of this painting on my blog:

http://www.jonaller.blogspot.com

"Subtle Roses" by Jonathan Aller

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"Subtle Roses"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

I really liked the roses I painted at the demo, I decided to get another bunch that where similar and painted them again.  This time I felt I had more time and a better set up to paint.  These roses have so much beauty between each pedal, you have to be careful painting pedals they can become generic very quick.  The ferns also played a supporting role to the roses, I decided to keep them soft and not rendered as much as the roses.  This keeps more of the attention to the roses which was more of the direction I was going.  I did this painting in a flemish style, I was able to render the values with a burnt umber  and just concentrate getting all the tones right.  Once the tones are working I add color on top of the values, doing this allows me to have a stronger painting since the drawing and tones are in tact.  I'm a firm believer that you have to know how to draw in order to paint well, essentially painting is drawing just with a brush and some color.

You can see the making of this painting on my blog:

http://www.jonaller.blogspot.com

In The Beginning

I am new to this site and I thought I would post this painting as my introduction to myself.  "In the Beginning" ia a painting that I did recently as a tribute to my daughter-in-law and new granddaughter because of all the trauma  they went through before and after birth. I was so very privilaged to be a part of the whole experience!   "In The Beginning" is a 12 x 16 watercolor on 300 lb Arches paper.  Anyone interested in purchasing it can email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net

The Road

The Road

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/7688About This Painting:
Daily Painting Landscape
This painting is available by auction!

Media: oil on linen panel
Size: 12 in X 9 in (30.5 cm X 22.9 cm)
Price: $50 USD

How to Purchase:
click here to bid on this painting

Or, send me an email

"Roses" by Jonathan Aller

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"Roses"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

These roses I gave to my wonderful girlfriend, she just got a promotion at her job and wanted to surprise her.  She brought it home after a while which I'm glad for, seeing how beautiful they are I had to paint them.  I've been painting fruits on marble for a while and wanted to re-visit flowers, painting marble is fun but you have to be very meticulous with every section of it or its not going to look right.  It's great practice as mentioned in previous posts but I do need a little break from painting them so much.  These roses are beautiful in shape and color, each pedal has its own value scale that can be challenging after so many.  I feel after painting marble for a while I can tackle on anything, funny thing is I said the same thing when I finished painting peonies.  I'm finding when painting new objects that it has its own characteristics, you have to just break it down and simplify it in order to better understand what you'r painting.  

I wanted to remind everyone again that I will be giving a live demo at the Uptown Art Fair, it'll be on August 5 which is this Friday from 1-5 p.m.  It'll be great to see you guys there!  I will also be teaching a still life and figure drawing workshops at the Bloomington Art Center, if anyone's interested you can now sign up for the classes.  Click here to sign up!

You can see the making of this painting on my blog:

http://www.jonaller.blogspot.com