Gerbera Daisies, 20x16, oil on canvas.
This dramatic still life was one of the larger works holding up my regular postings of my smaller, 6x6 paintings.  I did most of this painting from a photo and had to manipulate the light a bit in order to put "my spin" on it. 

Thinking a painting through before the brush touches the canvas is becoming a regular part of my repertoire.  You'll find me alone in my studio, sitting my my chair, often without the radio playing, simply looking at my props and/or photos considering possible outcomes.  What do I want from this painting?  How can I play it?  And the big question:  How much Transparent Oxide Red do I have left??? 

Amber Jar

Amber Jar, 6x6, oil on canvas.   Click here to bid.

I'm falling a little behind on my daily paintings due to working on larger projects.  This painting was done using a little jar I bought in Sedona. I cant get away from this color combo:  Transparent Oxide Red/ Prussian Blue.  I guess there is a richness to them that just draws me in.

Pansies and Tin

Pansies & Tin, 16x12 oil on canvas

This recent painting taught me the value of color temperature.  The background was done with prussian blue and transparent oxide red (my two favs).  My first foreground was a cool mix and very light.  I scraped and explored several options until I landed on this one.  Eureka! My intention was to bring attention to the foreground.  BAM!  There she is!  So in fact, the placement of warm and cool colors can play significant roles if you think them through.
To bad I dont use blue in my house...

Candle Snuffer oil Painting

Candle Snuffer, 6x6 oil on canvas.  Click here to bid

Saturdays show at the Auburn Wine and Caviar Company was a good experience and exhausting.  It was so helpful to have so many familiar faces show up for support!  A big fat "thank you!" to all of you who were able to attend!

 This week I'm back to a somewhat normal schedule and I'm looking forward to hiding out in my studio.  I want to continue my quest for capturing space and atmosphere on a small canvas.

Forkful of Blueberries oil painting

Forkful, 6x6, oil on canvas. Click here to bid

I am HAPPY to announce that I will be having a show at the  Auburn Wine and Caviar Company!
I will be there from 4-8 PM Saturday, Jan 26th 2012.  Wish me luck.  I had in my mind a spring show which would give me plenty of time to prepare but the owner surprised us (my husband and I) with this slot. How could we say no??
This will be a new experience for me but I was told this winery has done this before.

As usual, I've let my paintings sit unframed and so had to order several at once and I'm crossing my fingers that they arrive in time.  If not, well, it is what it is, right?  My 6x6's do very well on a table top easel and I can always go that route.  And may have to anyway because I dont think there will be a whole lot of wall space to hang framed paintings.

I think my lesson so far is to always be prepared for a show.  You never know when the opportunity may spring its self on you!

Black Seedless

Black Seedless, 6x6 oil on canvas.  click to bid

I've recently come to the conclusion that after several years of searching I now believe I know who a I am as a painter!  That is, I know what I connect with, what I gravitate to, what I know and most importantly, what I want out of a painting.

I remember the days when I painted anything at all that I could find to paint because I wanted to paint something!  Just get that brush wet!  I still get that way but now I find myself traveling down a frequently traveled road painting much the same way, similar subjects with quite possibly similar messages - whatever that is.   And I'm grateful for that.

I believe this is due to daily research through books, magazines (Southwest Art is a great one), internet and the occasional trips to galleries and museums.  Looking at a lot of really good art and finding myself somewhere in the mix. 

I highly recommend that anyone wanting to become a better anything to immerse themselves and focus on their interest rather than spread themselves over a variety of activities.  Remember the saying,  "A Jack of all trades and a master of none" ?

Well, it may be some time before I master this trade but I've come a long way and now I can finally see where I'm going!

Apple 1

Apple 1, 6x6 oil on canvas.  Click to bid.

Whew!  I dont know about you but the holidays can sometimes feel a bit like a marathon at times!  I'm feeling like I just finished a race and I'm back in the locker room for decompression.  :)

I am putting the finishing touches on a painting I am doing for a Daniel Edmondson online painting workshop and will post it soon.  I have only taken 3 workshops (two of them were out of state and this one being online) and one of the biggest lessons I've learned is that painting is like handwriting.  We paint like we paint.  We can learn a great deal of helpful technical information to get us past difficulties but at the end of the day and away from the instructor, my paintings are a Lori Twiggs.  I see what I see and translate it as such.  That said, I'm learning how to use warm and cool colors to their advantage, light and shadow, hard and soft edges, composition...  and so forth.  I refer to my notes periodically for refreshers.  But, it's still a Lori Twiggs.  Fortunately, I'm okay with that.

The lesson now is being completely satisfied with NOT being Richard Schmid, David Leffel and a myriad of other high level painters that I've studied.  BUT I have learned a great deal from them and by comparing some of my earlier works to my more recent works, I believe I've been able to apply much of what I've learned and enhanced, albeit  improved, my painting.  See examples below:

The differences being a better use of all of the a fore mentioned issues.  At first glance the biggest differences I see here are composition (spacial), warms vs. cools and edge control.   I wonder if, in a couple of years, I'll be using my 'More Recent' painting here as an example of my 'Early Stuff'  that I will have then learned and grown from.   But until then I will continue to read my books and magazines, watch my DVD's and attend a workshop or two then wander to my studio for practical application.  I suppose only time will tell.

Pear 2

Pear 2,  6x6 oil on canvas.  Click here to bid

I lied.  Here is the third painting up for grabs.  I decided not to wait until after the holidays (as I mentioned in my last post) to post again.  So here is number 3 of the 4 shown below:

 

The top apple is also currently being auctioned.  

I've become a serial painting killer in my studio.  Lately, I find myself picking up 'finished' paintings to re-work or make changes just for the heck of it.  Just yesterday, I had a cute little painting but I just couldnt leave it alone.  I wonder what would happen if I took out the green leaf and put in red grapes??  Well, you dont know if you dont try, right?  And so it goes.  More on that later...    :)

Apple 2 Auction

Apple 2, 6x6 oil on canvas.  click here to bid

Second painting up for grabs, so to speak.  I think I will wait until after Christmas to post the others.  I dont know about you but get a little taxed about now with the upcoming holidays. 

Black Grapes

Black Grapes 10x8, oil on canvas.

Now I have a dilemma.  I wanted to begin posting my paintings to the Daily Paintworks auctions as I finish them but I'm back logged ...  and it's the Christmas season.  Both are good things but experience tells me not to start an auction that will end on a holiday - or the Super Bowl Game.  Yeah, I didnt really think that through last year.   :(

At any rate, this painting was an attempt to paint a little more atmospheric than I usually do.  I think the image may be a bit darker than the painting.  For future paintings I think I will just sit and look at the set up for a while and work out the problems BEFORE dipping into paint!