Early Morning Flower Series #49 and #50

Early Morning Flower Series #49

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

click on picture for a larger view

Below is a picture my friend Karen took of me painting the last of the series...#50!  My goal was to paint 50 in the 6" x 6" format and as varied as possible.The flower is just out of view on the window pane. I really enjoyed painting these and loved the freedom a small painting provided. I used whatever flowers I could find and sometimes the same one(s) for various paintings, even as they wilted or petals fell off. It made me really look at it instead of "filling in the blank spaces" to make a pretty picture. Backgrounds were fun and creatively invented, a real trial and error with textures and colours.

Early Morning Flower Series #50

Oil on Board 6" x 6"
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Early Morning Flower Series #47 & #48

Early Morning Flower Series #47

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

These two paintings were done because I was interested in their petal shapes. It is usually colour that interests me, but the shapes were so different on these. It was quite a contrast painting a flower with very few petals, then one with many petals that overlap.

Early Morning Flower Series #48

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

Early Morning Flower Series #45 & #46

Early Morning Flower Series #45

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

I really enjoyed working on these flower paintings. Keeping an orange background, I wanted to see how two different flowers would look and if I could keep the bold background from taking over. I really enjoy the vibrancy and looseness of the both of these.

Early Morning Flower Series #46

Oil on Board 6" x 6"
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I changed the position of the 9 flower paintings in my office (3 across by 3 down) and it looks like a whole new set! As I have sold some, putting the new ones up make the variations feel endless.

Early Morning Flower Series #43 & #44

Early Morning Flower Series #43  SOLD
Oil on Board 6" x 6"

The two morning challenges was to use the same flowers with completely different coloured backgrounds.It is amazing how differently we respond to different colours. The flowers were starting to get a little old in the one below and I think the background made it feel even more so.

Early Morning Flower Series #44

Oil on Board 6" x 6"



Early Morning Flower Series #41 & #42

Early Morning Flower Series #41

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

I have enjoyed this series of small flower paintings. My goal was to paint 50 very different paintings. I had not painted in a small square format before. They certainly have been fun and challenging to try and do something different each time. Using the same flower (a couple of days apart) with different backgrounds really changes the whole feel.

Early Morning Flower Series #42  SOLD

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

Early Morning Flower Series #39 & #40

Early Morning Flower Series #39   SOLD

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

These are two of my favorites...bright, cheery, full of colour and fun! The one below is a little over exposed, as you can't quite see the detail in the blue flower. The essence is still fun and bold.

Early Morning Flower Series #40

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

Early Morning Flower Series #37 & #38

Early Morning Flower Series #38

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

Both of these paintings are for sale at the Eagle Valley Art Show and Sale in Sicamous B.C. I challenged myself by painting a different flower painting during my shifts helping out greeting visitors etc. I am uncomfortable painting in front of people and find as soon as eye contact is made, observers feel the need to comment. I know they are being kind and friendly but feel my painting is unworthy of their generous comments until it is completed. It was such a fun environment that I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. If you get a chance, the show is in Sicamous at the Red Barn community centre 10 am to 6pm ending Tuesday evening.

Early Morning Flower Series #39

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

Early Morning Flower Series #35 & #36

Early Morning Flower Series #35

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

I am off to set up art work for the Eagle Brush and Palette Club Art show. This is an annual art and craft show and sale in Sicamous B.C. It is usually held over the July long weekend into the following week but due to flooding was postponed. The "meet the artist" is 7 - 9pm tonight and then runs 10am - 6pm with the last day being Aug 7. It is really inspiring to be included in this group. I have a table with some of my flower series, frameable art cards and hand painted wine glasses as well as the 4 paintings for the show. If you get a chance to come and enjoy, it is at the Red Barn community centre.  

Early Morning Flower Series #36

Oil on Board 6" x 6"



Early Morning Flower Series #31 and #32

Early Morning Flower Painting #31

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

I am still in Sicamous and haven't had a chance to paint, so happily can post some of my flower painting series. It is interesting to see my colour choices on each day when they are together in a post like this. I try to challenge myself with something different in each one, changing up flowers, colour, design, thickness etc.

Early Morning Flower Painting #32

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

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It is much easier to get out of bed early in the morning to start a painting before I head to work....much harder to quit before I am mentally or physically done. It is amazing how physical painting is. I stand when I paint and move back and forth...kind of like a mini early morning workout, a painting tai chi!

Early Morning Flower Series #29 and #30

Early Morning Painting #29

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

I think because of the oil shine, this painting came out so muted. It is a very soft looking painting. There are bits of bright orange that doesn't show well in the photograph, especially on the flower tips.

Early Morning Painting #30

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

You can just see how much fun I had with this one! It was after a rare full night's sleep, a celebration with paint. This one has very thick paint on it and screams fun!

click on paintings for a larger view

Early Morning Flower Series #25 and #26

Early Morning Flower Painting #25

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

Well I am happy to celebrate (with a bouquet of flowers) that I am half way in my flower series! I am getting up extra early before work to start these. I quickly gave up trying to get them done with the time I had but looked forward to finishing them after work. It is a great stress release. I am both very physical and tactile and these serve both those traits.

Early Morning Flower Painting #26

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

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Early Morning Flower Series #33 & 34

Morning Flower Painting #33

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

It was raining hard the morning I painted this. I couldn't bike to work so I had a little more time to paint. It takes me about 35 minutes to bike to work and 10 minutes to organize myself (make a coffee, put lunch away etc).  I think I chose the watery background based on the weather.

Morning Flower Painting #34

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

Funky, cheery, fun and bright...a good day ahead!

Click on the picture for a larger view.

Early Morning Flower Series #27 and #28

Morning Flower Painting #27

Oil on board 6" x 6"

Enjoyed painting a light background and a darker flower. Red is one of my favorite colours and I really have not used it boldy in this series before this one.

Morning Flower Painting #28

Oil on board 6" x 6"

Love, love, love using this Caribean Blue by Holland! It is easy to get carried away with it so I try to limit it by mixing with other colours.

Early Morning Flower Series #23 and #24

Early Morning Flower Painting #23

Oil on board 6" x 6"

What a wonderful way to start a day!! The tough part is quitting to go to work. These paintings really flowed and I loved putting the thicker paint on. Each painting is a different challenge.

Early Morning Flower Painting #24

Oil on board 6" x 6"

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Early Morning Flower Series #22

 

Early Morning Flower Painting #22

Oil on board 6" x 6"

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This painting is very textured with thick paint in places. I loved the bold and fresh feeling.

Early Morning Flower Series #20

Early Morning Flower Painting #20

Oil on board 6" x 6"

This one was really fun and just seemed to flow. It is interesting to paint white with many colours to still "read" white.

This a picture of my wall at work with the paintings hanging with plate hooks. The really fun part is I can swap them out at my leisure. I get so many interesting comments and have sold one right off the wall. It is much more reasonable than adding the costs of frames. I also have 3 in our lunch room framed. They also really look nice individually in plate stands.

Early morning flower series #18 & #19

Early Morning Flower Painting #18

Oil on board 6" x 6"

I decided to do a farther away view and catch the vase and flower reflections in this painting. It is interesting that my pick of purple for a background has come up so often. It must be an early morning darker colour, a reflection of the darkness at that time of morning. 

Early Morning Flower Painting #19

Oil on board 6" x 6"

I had donated a matted water colour painting and a set of 6 cards as a door prize at our annual MRSSA Professional Development Day. It was a surprise and delightful to see my name on such a big screen. What a fun way to be recognized!

Early Morning Flower Painting #16 and #17

Early Morning Flower Painting #16

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

I decided to add a darker background to see if the flowers would pop more. An unusual colour choice for me, again it is much brighter than the photograph.

Early Morning Flower Painting #17

Oil on Board 6" x 6"

I really enjoyed painting this one, it was whimsical and fun.

Early Morning Flower Series #14 and #15

Early Morning Flower Series #14

6" x 6" Oil on Board

I have been having trouble getting the colours to come through on this blog. These two are better, the last post was really dull in comparison. I am going to have to ask my friend Sue for some help!

Early Morning Flower Series #15

6" x 6" Oil on Board



Early Morning Flower Series #12 and #13

Early Morning Flower Series #12

6" x 6" Oil on Board

It seems I am mixing it up with bolder colours in #12 versus softer colours in #13. I wonder if the early morning light and mood have anything to do with my choices? With so many decisions to make when painting, it is easy to stay focused. The short time to paint before work goes by way to fast. The bonus - it is so easy to get out of bed early to paint and am eager to head home at the end of the day to complete it.

Early Morning Flower Series #13

6" x 6" Oil on Board