Creativity Boot Camp Day 2 - Complete

"Fruit Picnic" 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

Fruit Picnic is complete! This is from Day 2 of Creativity Boot Camp. The word prompt was "picnic." I've never painted fruit before (I usually choose flowers) and I'm very happy with the way it turned out. So far I have painted 2 paintings that are very different for me - that is why I am loving Creativity Boot Camp! It's pushing me to try new things and I plan to continue challenging myself. If you are also participating in Boot Camp I would love to hear how it's going for you! And if you haven't heard of it, here is the link so you can get involved too - http://creativebootcamp.blogspot.com/

I really wish that I could "keep up" with the daily assignments, but because I'm a painter I just can't. This painting took me about 3 -3 1/2 hours to complete. That really isn't too bad, but sometimes they take longer (depending on the size). I'm just going to go at a comfortable pace for me because if I feel rushed to get something done, it won't turn out the way I want it to. So, if you're following my paintings for this camp, please have some patience :).

Creativity Boot Camp Day 2 - WIP

"Fruit Picnic"(Work in Progress) 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

The word prompt from the 2nd day of Creativity Boot Camp was "Picnic" and this is my response to that. I started it today and it took me about 2 hours to complete what you see above. It's a few slices of grapefruit on a mat, or cutting board. The background is pretty much done, but I have a lot of work to do on the fruit. I had a lot of fun working on it this morning, and I can't wait to get back to it. I do have to give credit to Kathleen Young for the photograph. She's a wonderful photographer and she's graciously allowed me to use her photos as references for paintings.

I just wanted to let you all know that I will be working on my art for Creativity Boot Camp daily, but I may not be able to finish a painting everyday. I just don't have several hours to set aside each day to complete a painting. As far as I know I am the only painter participating in the challenge. It's been great watching what others are doing! You can check out all of our work on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/groups/creativitybootcamp/

Creativity Boot Camp Day 1

"Ivory" 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

"Ivory" is my response to Day 1 of Creativity Boot Camp. "Ivory" was the prompt word of Day 1, so I decided to name my painting that as well. If you haven't heard about Creativity Boot Camp, it is a 2-week intensive online course designed to expand your creativity, no matter what your creative outlet is. It began yesterday, but I was unable to fit some painting in, so I started today. I plan on going at my own pace because my life is crazy busy at the moment. I have finals and final projects due within the next two weeks.

After having completed actual boot camp, 7 years ago (for the Air Force) I thought this Creativity Boot Camp would be a piece of cake! The truth is however that pushing yourself in any way, whether it's physically, mentally or creatively, requires hard work. It's going to take a lot of effort and discipline on my part to participate and stretch my creative muscles. But I'm really looking forward continuing this and growing as an artist.

I need to give credit to Mary Carroll for the photograph that she graciously allowed me to use as a reference for this painting. Thank you!

Painting Style and Pricing

I thought I would take this opportunity to talk about my painting style and how I price my work. I get asked the question, "What is your painting style?" a lot, and I never know how to answer it. I don't have one particular painting style. I like to paint in many different ways. It depends on the subject I'm painting, the medium I'm using, and sometimes even the music I'm listening to. I like to paint realistically, abstract, loose and everywhere in between. I've always been under the impression that people expect you to have one painting style, but I'm learning that that isn't necessary. Having one style of painting certainly makes your work more recognizable, but you shouldn't feel like you can't try new styles. I feel like I have many, many styles, and I paint in pastel, watercolor, and acrylic, but I would like to try new things too. Your creativity should be limitless. I have no plans to just stay with one medium or one painting style, and that is liberating for me.

As far as pricing goes, I have had some trouble with this too. In the beginning I wasn't sure what was a fair price for my work, so I just went with what I thought was reasonable. If you do some looking around you'll discover that artists charge all kinds of different amounts for their work. Some artists charge thousands for a piece, and some just hundreds, or tens of dollars. Even artists who have achieved some fame, and sell a lot of work, have fair prices. I suppose it all depends on how much work you're able to sell, and if you're selling a lot you can raise your prices. For me, I think art should be affordable. I'm not going to charge more than what I would be willing to pay. When pricing my art I take into account the time I put into it, and the price of the supplies or painting surface I used (which is why my paintings are all priced differently).

I hope this gives you a little more insight into me and my painting style! :) Have a wonderful weekend!

Sunny Day Tulip

"Sunny Day Tulip" 5 by 7, Watercolor and Pastel

Sunny Day Tulip is the painting I thought I had completed yesterday. I went back to it this morning and just built up the darks a little more. This is a 5 x 7 painting on Pastelbord (in watercolor and soft pastel). I've never used water on Pastelbord before, so this was certainly a new experience. The entire background is watercolor and watercolor pencil bits. The tulip was done entirely in soft pastel. For an experiment I think this turned out pretty good! :) Having the watercolor background really made this painting easier to handle. I didn't have to worry about accidentally resting my hand on it.

I actually have several other tulip pictures that I took along with this one and I think I might do a tulip series. This was just too much fun. I'm contemplating putting this on Etsy. I always have a difficult time parting with my original works, but I suppose if I want to make money I have to, right? :)

New Paintings

"Carnations" 7 by 10 Watercolor

"Greenhouse Iris" 6 by 11 1/2, Watercolor

"Zebra Butterflies and Lilacs" 6 by 11 1/2, Watercolor

Whew! Things have finally calmed down around here. I had a nice time with my company this weekend but it's nice to have things back to normal. These paintings are not ones that I've done recently, but they're ones that I've held onto because I wasn't sure if I wanted to sell them. They are now available for sale in my Etsy shop.

I completed a painting today, but I'm going to go back to it tomorrow to make sure that it's finished. I really like it and can't wait to share it! I combined watercolor and pastel for the first time on pastelbord. It was supposed to just be an experiment, but it turned out really good.

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend!

Day 15

Today's photograph is one that I took last weekend. I bought these lilies from a local florist and tried propping them against different things to get some interesting photos. I've never seen lilies this big before! They're so bright and fun.

I decided that I'm going to stop this "painting challenge" for now. I have just been posting photographs, which is fun, but wasn't my original intent. I am just too super busy at the moment to paint. I started a painting today, but I don't know when I'll have another opportunity to work on it. I'm going to be participating in "Creativity Bootcamp" in a couple weeks, and it's 2 weeks long. During this "training" I will be painting everyday for 2 weeks and it will wrap up this challenge perfectly. It begins June 6th, and I'm very excited about it.

Today's Quote: "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions." Alfred Lord Tennyson

New Studio

I've been working on my new studio for months. This room used to be my bedroom, but I moved it to the 2nd floor of my house. I put up new curtains, pictures, and tried to organize everything. Let me tell you, there is a lot of stuff in this room! I can be very creative when it comes to storage and organization. I absolutely love my new studio space. I guess that's good because I spend a lot of time in there! :)

Day 14

Today's photograph I took recently at my favorite greenhouse. I regret not purchasing some of these flowers. I bought Foxgloves instead, and I love them, but these would have been nice too.

Well today has been spent getting ready for company - hanging up curtains, pictures, and cleaning. I accomplished a lot, but I still have a lot to do. I'm pacing myself :). I'll be lucky if I can get any painting done this week. It just might be a week full of photographs! :)

Today's Quote: "I’ve learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life'." Maya Angelou

Day 13 - Painting Challenge

It's a photograph today. I love this picture. The colors of the Dahlia petals are just stunning. I think it would make a great pastel painting.. hmmm... All I need is more ideas! :)

I received an order of art supplies yesterday so I'm excited to break them in and try some new things. I mentioned botany artist Billy Showell the other day. I've been wanting to try some realism in watercolor (inspired by her), because I have more of a loose style, but I didn't have any hotpress paper. I've never even seen hotpress paper before, so I was quite surprised at the type of surface it is. I generally enjoy painting on rough watercolor paper, so this is very different. Now my only problem is finding the time. I'm expecting some company next week, and I've been busy getting the house ready. So, I will continue posting what I can, when I can. :)

Today's Quote: "I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers." - Claude Monet

Have a great weekend!!!

Day 12 - Painting Challenge

I finished the painting I started yesterday and named it, "Purple Polka Dot Petals." This painting was done using a real lily (still life) and had to be done quickly because the flower was beginning to wilt. I've actually never painted a flower from life before (at least not with this much detail), and it was interesting! The perspective I chose was to look down into the flower. I did make what I think was a mistake though, I put down a layer of white pastel first, and that seemed to have an effect on all the layers I put down after. I was hoping it would just make the colors pop a little more, but it ended up doing more than that. It didn't change the outcome of the painting, but it made the process slightly more difficult. I won't be doing that again.

I'm not sure what's next. I've been really inspired lately by Billy Showell, a botany artist. I've been reading some of her books, and I think I may try some realism in watercolor. We'll see.. I have about a million ideas and choosing what to do next is a challenge! :)

Today's Quote: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." - Albert Einstein

Day 11 - Painting Challenge

This is a work-in-progress. It's the same lily that I painted yesterday in watercolor. It's a 6 by 6, on pastelbord. It needs a lot of work yet - lots of touch ups and details. I plan to finish it tomorrow.

Today's quote: "All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness." - Eckhart Tolle

Day 10 - Painting Challenge

I finally painted today! I was missing it too much so I made sure that I set aside some time today. I got these lovely lily stems from the florist yesterday and I wish I would have asked what kind of lily they were. Anyway, the picture above is just a quick shot of my painting setup. I'm not sure if the painting is done. I painted it very loose, and I may have gotten a little too carried away! :) I'm going to leave it for now and go back to it and see what I think. Tomorrow I think I will try the same lily in pastel. I'm not sure I can wait, I might start it today!

Just a few quick notes - I am now on Flickr and my username is "AngelaMarie292." I'm not entirely sure how active I will be on the site, but I am giving it a try. Also, it was recently brought to my attention that my blog was not allowing people to leave comments. I had no idea that I had the comments disabled! Oops! So needless to say, I have fixed it, and you can leave comments now.

Today's Quote: "A beautiful thing is never perfect." - Proverb

Day 9 - Painting Challenge

I definitely could not have picked a worse time to do this painting challenge. I have been busier in the past few weeks than I have been in a long time, and there is no end in sight. I have various appointments lined up. I'm also expecting some company in a couple of weeks. So, I'm not going to worry about posting everyday, if I'm unable to. If I paint something, I will definitely share it with you (if it's worth sharing :) ) and I may post other things as well.

Today I have a little homework to finish, and I think I'm going to head to the greenhouse and pick out some annuals to plant. It's 75 and sunny today! Perfect day to be outside! Enjoy your Sunday!!

Today's Quote: "There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love."
Bryant H. McGill

Day 8 - Painting Challenge

It's my birthday today and to celebrate, I went to one of my favorite greenhouses to take some pictures. I just feel in heaven surrounded by all those beautiful flowers! The photo above is one of my favorites from the day. I just love the color of those pansies. So rich and beautiful.

I plan on getting back to painting tomorrow since my homework is complete!

Today's Quote: "We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace." William Ewart Gladstone

Day 7 - Painting Challenge

I wish I would have had time to paint today, but I was doing homework all day. So, instead of a painting, I'll share another photograph! I also took this one this past Sunday at the park. I wish I could remember the name of this flower, but I can't think of it! Oh well. I took several pictures of this flower and this is one of my favorites. The wind was blowing and it was difficult to get a good shot.

Tomorrow is my birthday and I have a bunch of things planned, so I'm not sure that I will get a painting in. If not, I will be sure to share something :).

Today's Quote: "The happiest man is he who learns from nature the lesson of worship." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Day 6 - Painting Challenge

As you can tell, no painting today. This is a photograph that I took on Sunday at the local park. I was completely struck by the beautiful colors of the tulips. They were probably the prettiest pink I have ever seen. I look forward to painting some of these flowers.

I was looking over how much school work I have this week, and I was overwhelmed! I have midterms and big assignments due this week. Don't they know I have a birthday Friday? :) Something tells me they really don't care! :) So, I have A LOT of work to do, and I don't have any time to sit down and paint. I hope to get back to painting by the weekend, or next week at the latest.

Today's Quote: "Chase down your passion like it's the last bus of the night." Glade Byron Addams

Day 5 - Painting Challenge

I didn't have much time today, so today's paintings are very simple. Sometimes simple is better! These are 4 by 6 watercolors. The center two (the purple coneflower and poppy) are my favorites. I have done a set of blank greeting cards in a very similar way. They sold a while back, but perhaps I should do another set! :)

Don't forget about my Birthday Sale in my Etsy shop this week! Free shipping on everything and you'll also receive a free gift!

Today's Quote: "We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves." Guatama Buddha

Day 4 - Painting Challenge

Today's painting, "Sunshine Lily," is on pastelbord (6x6). I've been wanting to paint this picture for a while now. The reference photo is from my own collection. I actually have a print of the original photograph available in my Etsy shop (It's called "Bright Yellow Lily"). I really like this painting, and I think it looks much more lifelike, in person. All paintings look better in person!

Today's Quote: "The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature." Anne Frank

Birthday Week Sale

I'm celebrating Birthday Week in my Etsy shop!! My Fiance is celebrating a birthday tomorrow, and my twin sister and I are celebrating a birthday on Friday! The sale goes from May 10th to May 16th. Free shipping store wide (You will need to pay the shipping price at checkout and I will refund the shipping cost via Paypal). Also, you will receive a free gift with every purchase!!! A 4x6 print of any painting or photograph that you see in my store. Just let me know in the "Message to Seller" box which photograph or painting you would like. If you don't tell me which one you'd like, I will choose one myself. Happy Shopping!