Irises

This is a large watercolor I have been working on. It is shown as the full size painting and as a cropped image of a single flower. I am interested in which makes a better painting. Your opinions are welcomed. And thanks, in advance.

Faster!!

Faster!!/ oil on board / 4x4/ SOLD

I struggled to get this little one painted. The painting posted is after two wipes. I think I had trouble with both the perspective and the color of this little guy. Finally, however, I like it.

This weekend, I spent a day at a photography workshop sponsored by ASAP in Greenville in partnership with Canon. We photographed the birds at Sylvan Heights after learning new settings to try. The goals were to capture the light and the movement of the birds. ASAP is sponsoring a competition and will post photos from the class on their Facebook page if you are interested. I was trying for images that would make paintings, not necessarily great photos. It was a great day and hopefully, you will see some great paintings. I LOVE to paint birds!!

Kitchen Chicken

Kitchen Chicken/ oil on board/ 4 x 4/ SOLD

I painted this on a black ground which you can see peeking around the edges. Leaving the black visible both sets off and flattens (which tends to somewhat abstract) the chicken.
The orange red of this little bird "called for" a for a complementary greyed-down green background.  I think the beautiful spring weather is finally here!!

I called this "Kitchen Chicken" because it is the kind of chicken I want to have in my garden to supply eggs and organic fertilizer AND it would be a perfect little painting for a kitchen!

Little White Feet

Little White Feet/ oil on board/ 5 x 7/ $ 100

I loved this wipe out process so much, that I looked for another subject to use it with. As a child, I spent hours drawing horses, so this seemed like a perfect subject. This process is so much fine: wipe on and off the paint. Push the mixture warmer or cooler with more of the red or blue.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/little-white-feet/208185

Wipe Out Rabbit

Wipe Out Rabbit/ oil on board/ 5x5/ SOLD

I have been struggling with painting quality work. Therefore, I have wiped many boards and ripped many pieces of paper. With spring and light just around the corner, I am hopeful this is behind me (for a while). I find whenever I am working on moving ahead, I am less satisfied with work that might have been acceptable to me in the past.
I have been carefully reading Richard Schmid's Alla Prima II book with my book reading buddy, Maria Bennett Hock. This week the chapter we read had a wonderful painting of rabbits in brown using a wiping away method.  This painting was my inspiration (that and the nibbled tulips in the yard and the reappearance of my back yard rabbit).

Tulip Study

Tulip Study/ oil in board/ 5 x 7/ $100

Many, many wipes before this painting of tulips from my florist.
My student set up this composition and his painting seemed effortless, so I tried again and I like this one!!!

Happy Spring!

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/tulip-study/205852