Love Life

Love Life/ oil on board/ 6" x 6"/ available at Low Country Gallery (HH)

She just looks so happy, enjoying life and a beautiful day at the beach. Seemed like a perfect little painting for the end of 2012 and a new beginning. Wishing you joy this year and many days of dancing on the beach!

For Beth

Beth's Hand/oil on board/ 4" x 4"

A thank you for allowing me to borrow back a painting to exhibit in the gallery at Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem for the last three months. I have both to give to you. Happy New Year!!

Concentration

Concentration/ oil on board/ 6" x 6"/$125

I knew when I saw the beautiful aqua and lime greens reflected into the sand puddle that I would love painting this little person. This is under painted pink which seems to add dimension to her little body.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/concentration/110240

Link for Featured Artist for Daily Paintworks

I am so honored to have been chosen as the featured artist for the Daily Paintworks (DPW) Artist Spotlight and Giveaway this Friday, Dec 28. For this, the featured artist is interviewed, some of their paintings are highlighted during the interview and this is promoted on the DPW site and DPW Facebook page. The featured artist gives away one of their best paintings to previous DPW buyers from within the past 30 days. Winners are chosen at random.

Link is available tonight: Thursday, December 27, 10 PM Pacific Time

Come on in: Another Painting for the Beach

"Come On In"/ oil on board/5" x 7"/ sold

This painting was painted with an under layer of thin transparent colors. Then, the thicker layers of paint defined the details. Finally, some white was knifed on top for the waves (layering thicker paint catches the light so it appears brighter). I wanted the dog to be moving so many of the edges are softened or lost.

HH Reflections: A Painting for the Beach

HH Reflections/ oil on board/ 6" x 6"/sold

This royal tern was one I saw while at Karin Jurick's workshop at Hilton Head. It is hard to believe that the workshop was two months ago. I under painted my board with pink instead of black for this painting and I worked to place warm colors next to cool ones to create form.

Maybe something will drop...

Patience/ oil on gesso board/4" x 4"/sold

This dog sat patiently waiting for "snack morsels" from nearby children. I made up the background.  I love the way the blues set off the dog's warm orange coat.

Remember what it did to the cat....

Remember.../ oil on board/ 5" x 7"/sold

This adorable, curious puppy has a beautiful shiny coat and wonderful eyes that I wanted to paint today before the Christmas rush happens (and my painting table gets put way).

Watching and Waiting

Waiting for Your Return/ oil on board/ 4" x 4"/ $75/available at Suttons Gallery

I wanted to use loose brush work and still capture the form of the dog on this tiny painting.

Not a Creature was Stirring...

Not a Creature was stirring/ oil on board/ 6" x 6" /

"not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there."

Only three days until Christmas. This cat is ready.
Are you?

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/not-a-creature-was-stirring/109224

Puppy's Sisters

Puppy's Sisters/ oil on board/ 4" x 4"

The studies for a large painting of puppy (click for link) and his sisters continue. This tiny painting was done to test for the colors of the white rabbit and bear fur. In addition, some of the blues for the background were explored. Although there is texture in this painting, I didn't use a knife because of its tiny size. Tomorrow, I start the  large one......

Christmas Donkey

Christmas Donkey/ oil on board/ 4" x 4"/ SOLD

This miniature donkey was also at Christmas at the Farm in Castalia, NC last weekend. As the background evolved in Christmas reds, the little guy seemed to require a seasonal necklace.

Watchful Waiting

Watchful Waiting/ oil on board/ 4" x 4"/ SOLD

This hopeful pup was waiting for a child to drop something at "Christmas at the Farm" in Castalia, NC.

Christmas Clydesdales

Christmas Clydesdales/ watercolor/ 6" x 8"

These beautiful gentle horses were decorated for their Holiday Parade at Christmas at the Farm in Castalia, NC.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/christmas-clydesdales/108347

Christmas Amaryllis

Christmas Amaryllis/ 5"x6"/$75

Beautiful blooms just ahead of the holidays. The background is the visual compliment of the bright red to "push" the red further.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/christmas-amaryllis/108086

Playing in Puddles

Playing in Puddles/ oil on gesso board/ 6" x 6"/ gifted

I am still learning how to apply paint with a knife. I love the texture  and the edges that a knife creates.

Reflections: Jam Jars #3

Reflections: Jam Jars #3/ oil on gesso board/ 5" x 7" / SOLD

The possible compositions with these little jars seem endless. Their tops can be viewed with just the rims. The jars can change positions. The colors can reflect onto or into the background. They can be back lit, or seen in different color tones depending on the time of day. This is #3 in the series.

Christmas #1

Christmas #1/ watercolor/ 6.75" x 8.5"/ 

I think that it is difficult to paint  poinsettias well.  This is my second attempt this year and I know I will try another.  In Robert Genn's Painters Keys art quotations, I found this quote from Michelangelo " Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish."

Practice Puppy

Practice Puppy, oil on gesso board/ 6" x 6"

This adorable puppy has lived a loved life. Once, he even flew across the country by himself to find his master. His tail is a tattered strip of worn, stroked velveteen. His right shoulder seam is open. He has two equally-loved rabbit sisters.  I am lucky to be painting all of them as soon as I have a large enough board.
Stay tuned!

HH mug #4

HH mug #4/ oil on board/ 4" x 4"

The drawing makes the difference.

This is the first mug shot that I have done for our challenge that looks like the person (even as a sad, hardened "criminal").

I had help since I was late with mine. Maria Bennett Hock (link) had already helped with how to execute the glasses and Kat Coy(link) had suggested orange for the lipstick.

You can enjoy the wonderful descriptions that Wanda Rottenfusser has accompanying each "criminal" you can visit the link on the HH mug #3 post.

Kentucky Foal #5

Kentucky Foal #5/ watercolor/ 6" x 8.5"/ SOLD

I love painting these little horses. Each is a study in color. This one had cobalt purple legs and lots of green in the coat.

Okay, I'll Go For a Walk

"Okay, I'll go for a walk"/ oil on board/ 5" x 7"/ NFS

The dog's head is gently bowed.  The leash is slack and dragging on the ground as the "master" takes this kind animal on a walk.
I have painted this image three times and each time I love it more.

Zinnia Color Dots #2

Zinnia Color Dots#2/ oil on board/ 6" x 6"/sold

I like how the color dots create the texture and the form.

Jam Jars Study #2

Jam Jars Study #2/ oil on board/ 6" x 6"/ sold

This study was photographed with different light and formatted as a square. I wanted the sunlight to come through the jars. I love the bounced and reflected color.

Do You Want Some Milk With That?

Do you want some milk with that?/ oil on board/ 6" x 6"/ sold

Lots of knife-texture in this one.

Learning to paint a portrait

#3/ oil on board/4" x 4"

Recently I was lucky enough to attend a workshop by Karin Jurick. As I already mentioned, Karin taught herself to paint portraits by painting mug shots. In her workshop, she had all of us paint our own mug shot. In the tradition of last year's Hilton Head class, our class is painting each other, posed as felons (unhappy, scowling, "arrested" expressions). This is the third of our class series and the first one I am publishing here. I love the colors. However, the likeness is not correct. Therefore, I have something to work on next week! If you want to see all the descriptions and the other class mug shots you can click here.

Jam Jars Study #1

Jam Jars Study #1/ oil on board/ 5" x 7"/sold

These beautiful jam jars are from Colonial Weekend in Enfield. Probably the jams taste wonderful but tasting will have to follow painting!

Pansy Kindness

Pansy Kindness/ oil on board/ 6" x 6" /gifted

Earlier this fall, someone removed  pansies from my front porch. This was not a minor feat because these pansies were planted in large incredibly heavy blue stone pots. These pots had been replanted seasonally for the last almost 20 years. A truly kind friend left these beauties in their place.

Zinnia Study #3

Zinnia Study #3/ oil on board/ 6" x 6"/ sold

I love zinnias. This week my sister-in-law painted a beautiful painting with well-executed zinnias. Her painting inspired me to paint my own small study today.

Kentucky Foal #4

Kentucky Foal #4/ watercolor/ 6" x 8"/sold

The fourth in the series of foals from Kentucky. Using warm and cool contrasting colors for form, this one has more yellow in it.

Peek at You

Peek At You /watercolor/6"x 5.5"/ sold

This squirrel watched me as I collected images on a walk, including his.

Color Harmony

Color Harmony

I had a large painting juried into a national show and the juror commented that the painting needed better "color harmony". Color harmony is defined as a pleasing use of colors: one that has a sense of order. Many references suggest that one use complimentary colors in a painting and mix those to create harmonious grays in that painting. A different reference suggested that a painting use a "mother color".  The "mother color reference" suggested that the mother color be mixed into all of the colors of that  painting. Many references summarized color harmony as "pleasing and engaging to the viewer often with a sense of order".

The top is my painting of the Hilton Head salt marsh. After looking at the painting photographed, I wasn't happy with the colors.This was an example of "poor color harmony".

I altered the colors as seen on the lower painting and I think it improved "color harmony".

However, I painted it once more and the final painting of the salt marsh is below.

HH Salt Marsh/ oil on board/ 6" x 6"/ house warming

Single Pansy Study on Red #2

Small Pansy #2/ oil on board/ 4" x 4"/ gifted

This is actually the third small pansy painted on a small red-primed board. I liked the pansy against the brighter orange background.

This is another pansy study on red, painted with a knife.

Fishing Again

Fishing Again/ oil on board/5" x 7"/sold

I love this model in many ways!
Here he is fishing again.I experimented with colors and reflections in this painting. Next time I will paint this fisherman with a knife to experiment with texture.

Single Pansy Study

Single Pansy/ oil on board/ 4" x 4"/ NFS

I remember a beautiful painting I saw on DPW of a single white cosmos in a small jar on a fuchsia and pink background. That little painting is the inspiration for my small series of single flowers on different red backgrounds. This is the first.

Kentucky Foal #3

Kentucky Foal #3/ watercolor/ 6" x 7.5"/ sold

Sunlit dappled light,  warm and cool colors and lots of water.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/kentucky-foal-3/103655

Road Runner and Pear

Road Runner/ watercolor/ 5" x 6"

Red Pear and Lime green/ oil on board/ 6"' x 6"/ repainted

Another bird from Sylvan Heights. This little guy looks like he had a bad hair day. He really is a Road Runner. I will repaint him with his feet next time.















This is a painting inspired by a comment about kitchen colors. When I saw the red pear at the market, I wanted to try it with the requested lime green.

"Nice Birdies"

Nice Birdies/ oil ob board/ 6" x 6"/sold

This little girl was fascinated by the pigeons in Piazza San Marco. The hungry birds kept moving just out of her reach still managing to stay close enough to retrieve any stray scrap she might share.

Hurricane Sandy Auction Painting

Scottie/ oil on gesso board/ 6" x 6" / DPW auction for Hurricane Sandy

DailyPaintWorks, the site where I sell many of my paintings has a Hurricane Sandy Fundraiser. I have added this little painting today to this auction. 100% of my sale proceeds will go to the Hurricane Sandy effort through the Salvation Army. I chose SA because most of the donation proceeds gets into the hands that need it. If you would like this little painting, please click on the DPW auction link or go to the DPW site directly and thank you, in advance.

Bird Series continued

watercolor

This is another in my bird series. It has been done twice. The lower (first) one seemed too dark at the base of its body but I like its blues.  Neither one feels finished, so this bird will likely be painted again.

A great part of today was spent painting my first class mug shot from Karin Jurik's workshop. Karin originally painted mug shots to teach herself to paint faces. She uses this exercise in her classes. It is fairly liberating to try to paint someone you are not emotionally connected to. Last year, Karin's Hilton Head group photographed each others posing as "felons" so that as each person was painted, there was less pressure to make someone you now knew, look attractive. Maria Bennett Hock organized this effort and created a wonderful narrative: http://mariahock.blogspot.com/2011/11/hilton-head-gang-wreaks-havoc.html
Wanda Rottenfusser is our HH organizer. She is equally clever with her descriptions. Our first mug was of Karin. Although Karin is scowling, there is still the desire to render a likeness. Since this is a new endeavor, I can't post my mutilated attempt here. However, after painting all 20 of us, perhaps some will be posted.

Pin Wheels

Pin Wheels/ oil on board/ 6" x 6"/ sold

I read recently in Richard Schmid's book "Alla Prima" about using both thin paint (dark transparent)  and thick (light opaque) paint to add dimension to a painting. James Gurney also recently describes using white as a thick impasto to make white sparkle as it sits above and casts a small shadow on the paint underneath. With that in mind, the closer umbrella has thicker paint than the one behind it. It seems to work to me.
You can check James Gurney's blog by clicking http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com

HH Royal Tern

Hh Royal Tern/watercolor/5"x 7.5"/ sold

This bird has form because of the side by side placement of the warm and cool colors. The white on the bird's head appears brighter than the unpainted paper white because of the very light value near by.
I love the bright orange beaks on these birds.

"Got It!"

"Got It!/ oil on board/ 8" x 8"/ sold

Shhhh, this is a Christmas present. A beautiful dog caught in a wonderful photograph.

 Let's hope he loves it!

Windy Tea Party

Windy Tea Party/oil on board/ 6" x 6"/ available at Low Country Gallery )(HH)

The last days of summer are still excellent tea-making days, even if a jacket is required!

HH Heron

HH Heron/ watercolor/ 8" x 5"/ sold

This guy seemed to be as interested in me as I was in him. I crept closer and closer to get this image. It is painted again with a lot of water.

Jars #2

Jars 2/ watercolor/ 8.5" x 11.75"/ 

A watercolor warmup study after this busy week. This uses a lot of water to make the glass transparent.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/jar-study-2/101049