SPOTLIGHT!!!!

My Tuesday COLOR CAFE class ALL did such wonderful work on Tuesday! The stars did indeed align! Just take a look at the few I was able to get pics of!

Dana's Tuscan landscape!


Pam F.'s horse that she's not finished with but that I loved as is!


Pam F.'s daughter in front of the Coor's mountain!


Pam B.'s pumkins painted from life (she brought them in...)!

Keep up the great work, ladies!!!! Just LOVE working with you!

They LOVED it!

This painting was done for a wonderful couple of their two sons and dog. The couple was the winning bidder last year from the Dodge Nature Center's fall benefit auction. They bid nicely ($3500) for this painting to be done. It was the highest bid item in the auction, so I was super flattered! I did a shoot with the boys and dog. I worked from 3 different photos for the painting - one of just the boys and ball, a different one for the background, and yet another of the dog. This was the finished composition, and I'm so proud (and relieved) to say,
"They LOVED it!"

14 x 22", oil on canvas, SOLD

Down from Santa Margarita

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I got to paint today!!!! Just back from Cortona, Italy with my sister planning our C&C Creativa Painting Journey for 2010! What a great time we had in the most beautiful place.This image is one I took as we were walking down from visiting beautiful Santa Margarita Church where Margarita lies in rest at the altar well preserved. The church is at the top of Cortona and is quite a trek (hike). Monks and nuns walk it daily. The views are simply breath-taking! I started this in my Thursday class to demonstrate for one of my students who chose to paint it. Just finished today...

20 x 10", oil on canvas, $195, $18 s/h

Is ITALY Calling YOU???

Painting Ladies,

Is Italy Calling YOU???

We are so excited about our upcoming trip to Italy this September to stake out our next
C&C painting journey!

Carole and Claire are now taking reservations for the few spots in our Italy painting journey week in the Tuscan town of Cortona September 11 - 18, 2010!
Cortona is a most charming walled town that Claire spent the summer of 1994
studying drawing and painting for her Master's degree.
The town dates back to 500 B.C.!!! Read more in the link above.
The experience was life changing!

The painting journey will include several hours of daily painting and instruction by Carole and Claire, creative spirit time, shopping and sipping cappucino along Via Nationale (Cortona's lovely main street full of boutiques, antique shops, dress shops, perfumerias, restaurants, coffee shops, etc.), and a day trip to Florence to visit the wonderful Uffizzi Museum and to see Michelangelo's David! We will stay in the heart of Cortona just a few steps away from Via Nationale! Cortona is a walking town and boasts a gorgeous park and a 2-mile walk around the town giving you the most breath-taking
views from every direction that you will ever see!

This journey is limited to only12 spots.
It will be first come, first serve by submitting 1/2 of the total fee due by
November 30, 2009
balance due August 11, 2010.
Total fee will be $2900.

We will be planning a detailed itinerary in the coming weeks once we visit next month!

CORTONA, ITALY 2010 (at a glance)
September 11 - 18, 2010
Fee: $2900
Key Date: 1/2 fee due by November 30, 2009
12 student limit
2 instructors (Carole & Claire)
Lovely accommodations
Breakfast each morning
Evening dinner
All painting supplies
Shipping of your work back to the U. S.

All that YOU provide:
Your fun spirit!
Air fare to and from Florence
Tickets for train and other activities
and lunch

Let us know ASAP as we expect spots to go fast! Questions? Call or email Carole or Claire.

We hope you can be a part of this fabulous, life-changing experience in your painting journey!

Love,
Carole & Claire

Carole's phone: 256.232.2521
Claire's phone: 651.983.2743

Garden At Dodge

What a great time and a most gorgeous day we had with plein air painting today at the Dodge Nature Center! We could not have asked for more perfect weather - sunny with those big, puffy clouds and about 75 non-humid degrees! This painting is from across a pasture toward the garden with beautiful trees behind it. The view offered so many greens with spruce trees in the background offering a touch of blue green to the more earthy greens of the trees in front of them. I LOVE a sky with these puffy clouds (cumulonimbus? clouds). I wanted keep this as loose as possible by using only one 1/2" brush for this 6x12 painting. I love the feeling of it!

6 x 12", oil on board, $99, $12 s/h SOLD

Obama painting (price lowered!)

Here's a great deal!
$900
Own a painting of our 44th president, Barack Obama! I have reduced the price of this piece for a short time, hopefully, making it more affordable to those who have been interested. I am really proud of this piece as I was able to stay loose in capturing a likeness. Let me know if you have any questions! Can be seen in person at Carole Foret Fine Art in Athens, AL!

10 x 20, acrylic on canvas, $900, $30 s/h

Pay securely below and have it shipped today!

Above All

I finished this giraffe recently after my first Kids Art Camp a couple of weeks ago! I started this as a demo for the kids. They had the choice of painting a tiger or a giraffe. This painting is full of color and scumbling effects. This would look great in a kid's room! It has a strong vertical format, too, that makes it a lot of fun!

20 x 10, acrylic on canvas, $15 s/h
$225

Sky at Hamline & St. Clair

I was so taken by the dramatic sky at this intersection as I was stopped at the light! I'm here several times most days and thought I'd shoot this quickly with my phone. I wanted to concentrate on the sky and have the other details secondary. Let me know your thoughts! Purchase info below.

20" x 10" oil on canvas, $275, $15 s/h

Dixieland Band!

During our C&C Painting Weekend in Athens, AL there was a great Dixieland band playing down at Village Pizza that we went to hear and dance to. They were just off the streets of New Orleans and had come to town to also play at a wedding the following day. Village Pizza was packed! They were loads of fun!. I shot the photo for this painting with my iphone and got some hazy pictures, but I loved they way the pictures come out for a painting. I painted this on Saturday morning. I'm keeping this one... If you'd like me to paint one similar, I will. Just contact me at 651.983.2743 or email at claire@clairekayser.com!

Little Moo!

At our last C&C painting journey weekend, we painted cows as one of the subjects. This one was mine, and it's on a small board 6x6". We all LOVED painting cows, and it was so fun to see how different everyone painted the same one. This little moo would be great as is with no framing in a little spot in your house like a book shelf and some intimate spot!

6x6", acrylic on cradled board, $150, $12 s/h SOLD

He Did It for Me

I've been so reflective the last few days of all the events that led up to Jesus's crucifixion and felt compelled to find a different image of Jesus on the cross to paint. I loved the more intimate crop of this image that, to me, conveys so much emotion. It was hard painting the blood dripping from his body especially, but the whole painting is so humbling and is a constant reminder that He did it for us! We are saved by this mighty event. Also, when we feel like complaining about things in our daily lives, this is a constant reminder that what we're experiencing is NOTHING compared to the torture that Jesus endured for us because he loves us so much.

HAPPY EASTER, ALL!

20x20, oil on wood panel, $1000, $25 s/h

Gentle Jesus

I watched a great documentary this morning called "Who Was Jesus?" Very interesting to hear what he was like as he walked this earth. Also, scientists and forensic specialists have been able to come up with a skeletal structure that would have to resemble that of Jesus's taking into account the bone structure of the people at that time. Specifically, he supposedly had a fairly narrow jaw with an upside down triangular shape to his face. The man who was Jesus in the documentary was supposedly a very close match to what Jesus looked like. He was a very handsome man. I painted him today! I shot a still of the tv paused on him while he was explaining the beattitudes to the gathered crowd. I loved the gentleness conveyed in his expression and wanted to portray that. Even though it's Good Friday, and we remember Jesus in a more dramatic way today, I decided to paint today this one!

Happy Good Friday and Easter!

8x10, oil on board, $225, $12 s/h
(please allow 2 weeks so paint can dry.)

All on the Line

My painting this morning! .... this cold, cold March morning as I long for warm weather and the feeling of the sun and breezes giving cool relief... Back to reality, tho, I decided to paint this image of clothes on a line drying on that warm, breezy day. I love these kind of images reminding me of a slower pace to life, simplicity and just being. Hard to have those times in our day, but we need to work at carving that time out... Hope the feeling is conveyed in this peice!

9x12, oil on gessoboard, starting bid $150. Auction ends 8:00 pm March 21.

Email me at claire@clairekayser.com with your questions or bid!

Red Beach Hat 2

This is the second in my series of "Red Beach Hat" from images from St. Martin. This one is a bit tighter than the first. It was a little difficult to get interesting shadows and tones in the figure as it was flatter towards the sunlight. However, I took that as a challenge to "contrast" the figure myself thus rendering a tighter-looking depiction.

8" x 10", oil on cradled gessoboard, starting bid: $125, Auction ends: March 13
Email me at: claire@clairekayser.com for questions and bid!

Red Beach Hat

I wanted to keep this loose and NOT about the identity of the subject (me). I wanted to play a bit with negative space here offsetting the figure to the left side and having the ocean and beach loosely depicted. I started this painting last Thursday when we were having our snow storm. I kept warm in my studio painting a warm scene! Fun!

She, in Fields of Gold

I was inspired to do a figure today and found an image of a figure I liked. I made her in a field of gold with this great blue sky - this is a new color for me - radiant turquoise, and I love it! Another artist I admire greatly, Karin Jurick, from Atlanta talks about using the radiant colors, so I bought a few, and, MAN, are they not ever wonderful. I kept things pretty loose and chunky.

8 x 10, oil on board, $195, s/h $12 SOLD

Barack Obama Painting

I have been so touched by the events surrounding Obama's inauguration in so many ways as many of you have been, too. I was holding my painting class during the inauguration last Tuesday, and I had assigned my students to paint something patriotic and left it open to them. I wanted to paint Obama and searched online for pictures. It was hard deciding which one to paint. I loved this one

Here's the deal:

Painting is 10 x 20", acrilic on canvas, $1100, S/H $30

Email me at claire@clairekayser.com for additional detail pictures of the painting!

Your purchase is safe and secure thru Paypal. Click the "buy now" button below if you'd like to purchase! If you're in the twin cities area, come by my studio to see the painting in person!

Also, if you would like a giclee print of this Obama painting, please let me know. I will be offering only 25 limited addition giclee prints, numbered. Available in various sizes ranging from $195 to $795 ...

Miss Hottie!

I had had this painting started and set aside for over a year and finally finished today! I have done several Tabasco bottles in both oil and encaustic, and people love them as much as the sauce itself! I LOVE Tabasco and put on almost everything. Also, it's made in Louisiana around where I was born which is a reason I love to paint them. This one has a tremendous amount of oil paint applied with both palette knife and brush. Fun!

12 x 24", oil on canvas, $595

Mia's Shoes

Merry Christmas!

I was commissioned to do this shoe painting for a friend of mine by her husband. I heard that her friends had wanted to purchase one of my other shoe paintings, but they had all sold, so I told them that I thought it would be more special to paint some of Michelle's own shoes to make it that much more personal to her. I knew she had some fabulous shoes! So, I received an email from her husband asking me to paint this for Christmas for her. I asked if he could shoot the pictures of the shoes and gave him very specific instructions on how to shoot them (at eye level, in a row, maybe turning one around, etc.), and he came back with great pictures for me to work from. I made this composition up by mixing her athletic shoes with her dressy heels. I can hardly wait to know her reaction! I hope she was pleased!

All Auburn Paintings seen below...

... are now at Carole Foret Fine Art! Go to her gallery in Athens, AL for a chance to see and purchase these AU-themed peices. They will make great gifts for those AU fans on your list this holiday season. Christmas Open House in Athens is this weekend, so head there for first choices!

Contact the gallery by phone: 256.232.2521 or by email at cforet@mac.com for information!

Sledding Fun! (Encaustic)

I have done some sledding-themed peices in oil in the past couple of years but wanted to try one in encaustic (beeswax + pigment). I loved how this turned out with some relatively smooth areas and some "crunchy" areas just like real sledding snow. I toned the board in darker colors and in blue tones first then layered and torched several times with white tones. I did this one for the Art Open House event, too.

8x8 encaustic on clayboard, $495 SOLD

United We Stand ("Pear-sonification series...)

This is one of many pear paintings I've done and have created titles that personify the pears. The one before this one was called, "Help a Sista!" in which two pears were side by side standing, and the third one had fallen down. The inspiration from this painting came just a day after the election and the feeling that we all need to come together for the greater good. I painted this will a palette knife to acheive some really thick areas of paint and a richness to the color. My intent was to paint differing varieties of pears (colors) to coincide with the title. This was for my recent Art Open House event held this past weekend.


10x20, oil on canvas, $595 SOLD

"War Eagle!" "War Eagle!"

The idea for this painting came from an Auburn commercial that came out about 3 years ago. The commercial showed people walking towards Old Faithful at Yellowstone all with black umbrellas except for only two colored umbrellas that happen to both be orange and blue making their ways toward Old Faithful but run into each other on their way. They say, "War Eagle!" to each other and instantly have a bond! Living so far away from Alabama now, I appreciate this connection we share no matter where in the world we are when we run into one another. I LOVE running into someone here in the twin cities that has on an Auburn cap or shirt and going up to them and saying, "War Eagle!" There's just something special about Auburn!

I kept this one very loose with broad brush strokes and with a slight abstract quality as I wanted to express this idea and emotion and not describe the people in any way.

"The Morning After..."

The morning after.... VICTORY!  Yes, this is the famous Toomer's corner viewed from Toomer's Drugs the morning after victory when it was rolled with tp.  I wanted to get the big orange paw that's painted in the intersection along with the view of the beautiful gates on the corner of campus.  The toilet paper was fun putting in the trees and on the traffic light bars.  I'm pleased with how this came out!

Toomer's Lemonade"

Another painting for Carole's and my show in Birmingham, AL at the Commissary Design Warehouse.  

Thursday night October 23.  Come, all you Auburn fans!

This is just a fun painting of the best lemonade on the planet and how charmingly it is served in those jelly jar glasses.  Toomer's Drug Store is quite the landmark on Auburn's campus.  It's also the corner that is rolled with tp after a victory.  Toomer's is very charming and is like stepping back in time as they make their lemonade the old fashioned way - with fresh lemons and sugar water.  You'd be hard pressed to find any better.  I tried to keep this one loose and bold - just like the lemonade!

The COOLEST Cat!

Yes, Aubie is THE COOLEST CAT!!! Not only by my standards, but also by the standards of being voted the best mascot in the nation several years running! Way to go, Aubie! I love this shot of him leaning in his "cool" way against the field goal post. Fun to paint him! Will be in the Oct. 24th show at The Commissary! See you there! SOLD

Bama 10 - Auburn 17 - War Eagle!!!

I found this image online of Brandon Cox smacking hands after the Auburn victory over Alabama (Iron Bowl) last year. I had to paint it! I've always thought Brandon was a beautiful young man, and I loved this huge smile on his face in the glory of victory!
See this in the Commissary Show in Birmingham, AL on October 24th! Hope to see you there!

16 x 20, acrylic on canvas

Top of Samford

Samford Hall is probably the most photographed building on Auburn's beautiful campus which sits on it's famous corner caddy corner to Toomer's Drugs (best lemonade in the world!). I wanted to capture it in a different way, so I chose to zoom in on the tower section and play a little with negative space. I'm pleased with the outcome and love the colors. This will be in the upcoming show at The Commissary in Birmingham, AL October 24th. Come to the opening that night if you can! War Eagle!

My 3

This is a painting I've done of my 3 children as an example of a "figurative landscape" painting for the Dodge Nature Center's fall benefit gala this weekend. I'm the featured artist this year and will be auctioning a commissioned painting of your children painted loosely that captures their character and energy in a setting. As I started this painting before there was any detail on the figures, my students easily could identify which child was which when it was in a sketchy state. I'm happy to have captured my 3!

18 x 24, acrylic on canvas, NFS

Loved!

I painted this up north while I was in Orr, MN a couple of weeks ago. This is my AU cap that I wear all the time. I thought it would be a fun study to paint it in the sunlight outside where I was painting. I wanted to punch up the color in it beyond the blue and orange in this simple study. I'm pleased with this little painting. I thought it could go in some fun spot in someone's home - a little boy's room perhaps!

acrylic on cradled board, 8 x 8 SOLD

Nova

War Eagle!!!!

This painting is the first of about 10 that I plan to have done for late October. My sister and I are having a show together featuring all Auburn University - related subject matter at the Commissary in Birmingham, AL. I'm pretty excited about this as it will make me think of different things to paint from the typical "University" type paintings one sees. Nova is the Auburn eagle that so gloriously circles the Auburn stadium before all home games. It's quite a breathtaking and moving experience watching this beautiful bird so well trained. Nova is resting majestically on the arm of his trainer after flight here. It was fun putting more color into his feathers!

Acrylic on canvas, 10 x 20

OFF TO ORR!

We are going to northern MN to Orr for our annual family vacation - last one before school starts. I'm really looking forward to some outdoor time and R & R. I'm planning to take my painting supplies and paint away! Look for some new paintings in the near future...

Be well!

You've heard and seen all about it! It is here! Join us tonight for the Twins & Friends Art Show and meet both Carole & Claire and their Chicago friend Jean Basse who has brought her awesome handmade jewelry. We are looking forward to a very eventful evening full of specials and deals and seeing YOUR smiling face. See you at 7 at Carole Foret Fine Art Gallery in downtown Athens!

Peek-a-Moo!

Another cow! I found this cow image and slanted it to paint it in a gesture like it was peeking or craning it's neck to see you. I liked using so many colors for this one and still being able to capture lights and darks. Squint your eyes and see the colors blend!

10x10, acrylic on canvas, $450 SOLD

These Little Piggies

I've been wanting to paint more pigs since "Rose and Petunia" last year.  I found a picture I liked and did this painting on Friday.  It all clicked!  I've really enjoyed kicking the color up in my last few pieces and with my flat brushes, I find it easier to stay loose.  I would love to know your feedback!

10x10, acrylic on canvas, $450 SOLD

Stare Down

Just finished this one Saturday. My last one in oil for the show because I must ship my paintings by mid next week, so I will be using acrylics until then. They dry super fast painting out on my back porch! Wow!!!

I loved this cow! What else can I say about them. So much fun - love Holsteins, too. A huge cow lover bought this one and the "Peaceful Graze" yesterday! Thanks, Heidi!!

30 x 15, oil on canvas, $1400, SOLD

Yellow Earrings!

I have to laugh when I see this one!  I loved the fun distortion of his big snout checking you out.  So much character!  

10 x 20, acrylic on canvas, $650 SOLD

Choosters!

Well, I've stuck to a farm theme with all the cows and now roosters, I think!  The bodies look more like hens to me, but the heads look like a rooster.  Help me, here, if you know for certain what these are!  I loved being able to go to town with so much color in the feathers.  I've had this photo for at least 2 years, and I finally painted it.  I love how it turned out!  This will be at Carole Foret Studio next week for our show togther.  I will have more cows, too!

2' x 2', acrylic on canvas, $1500

Peaceful Graze

I loved this image of such a common site, cows grazing.  I loved the dramatic sky and colors.  It's more of a landscape compared to my other cow-themed paintings which I will post soon.  I can't do enough cows.  I've sold a couple before I was even finished.  There's just something about cows... 

Peaceful grazing, indeed!

8 x 8, oil on cradled panel, $275 SOLD

Bob and Katie!

Just finished this commissioned piece of a couple Bob and Katie!  Katie commissioned this portrait to give to Bob for their 25th wedding anniversary.  It was a surprise!  I had so much fun working on it and trying to convey a likeness yet keeping it full of color.  They love it!  I'm thrilled!

SOLD!

I'm finally back! It's been a long time since I finished a painting with so much going on at the end of the school year and having a new puppy! Life's great, but I sure miss the painting. This painting came from an image I took in Feb. at the Starbuck's at beautiful Rosemary Beach. Carole and I were sitting in a little vignette area enjoying our lattes, and I loved the comfortable look of this man reading the paper. I'm intrigued by the light of the outside coming in casting more cooler tones of light along with the warmer-toned lighting of the incandescent lighting in Starbuck's. I love working both kinds of lighting to paint this scene. I wanna be there!

6x6, oil on gesso board, $175

Off...

... to Carmel, CA this weekend all thru the end of next week to learn encaustic painting with the wonderful people with Artista Creative.  Check out their whole site to see what a wonderful experience it will be as it encourages women to connect creativity with all body, mind and spirit!  Just up my alley.  I will be posting more work before too long.  End of the school year has been very busy along with finding a potential new family pet.

Peace all!

Claire

Coffee & News

Another Italian scene that is all so common! Seeing the regulars getting their morning paper and espresso before heading off to work. This is a piece of another image that I will make into 2 separate paintings. I loved the lines and subtle changes in whites in this image. The sunlight on the ground to the left was fun, too. That warm Italian light is sumptuous!
6x12, oil on canvas, $125, $10 s/h SOLD

"Fairly" Thirsty!

Oh, how I wish it were this warm here in MN! I shot this image 3 years ago from the Washington County Fair that we took the children to on a hot, summer day. Just thought it would make me feel like I'd experienced a more summer-y day than winter. I loved this little concession stand off the beaten path of most of the activity of the fair. It was right near the barn with all the farm animals - one of our favorite places to visit.
8 x 10, oil on canvas, $125 plus $10 s/h SOLD

Mayos!

Finally, I'm back with much more painting time after our 2-week spring break! We had a spring day of about 6 inches of snow here in MN, so it was a great day to be in the studio finishing this painting. My client wanted me to do sort of an impression (without details - only suggestions) of her husband and son and daughter. Mom is a gorgeous woman whose parents are from Sri Lanka, and the husband is Caucasian. The two children have the beautiful mocha, olive skin their Mom has, and we wanted to portray that. I did a few other abstract paintings about a year ago that can be seen on my site, and my client wanted something much like those.
SOLD

Sorrento Street

I finally finished my client's Italian street scene from the coastal town of Sorrento. I was there in the summer of 1994, and it was so very charming and beautiful. I tried to keep a looseness throughout and put lots of color and energy into it as requested by my client. Hope she likes it!
SOLD

Progress...

I've made some progress in my painting commission this week. Hard finding the time! Kids are on a two-week spring break, so it will be sketchy. Just wanted to show you the work so far. My client wanted some kind of street scene, cafe scene - something with people and color. It needed to be a vertical for a 40x30" for the space the client wants to put it. I've reworked the right side tables and people 4 times now finally getting them positioned with the right perspective. I will be adding a few more people and action more in the background and will be working the architectural elements more, too. I'm trying to keep it loose, colorful, and with fun textures...

Working...

...on that big 30x40 street scene! I will post a picture soon when I make a little more progress on it. Hope to get more done tomorrow. Check back in the next day or so!

Sorry, no new posts...

Please check back here again soon. The sickness I had spread to family, so I've been playing nurse and covering other areas of family life and not getting time to paint. I have classes tomorrow and hope to get started on a very large commission I have (30x40). Maybe I'll work on something smaller for class - not sure, yet. Thanks for your patience!

Snow Tubin' Fun! (finished!)

I finished my client's commissioned painting of these snow tubers! He hasn't seen it yet, but I'm going to notify him tonight that it's ready to pick up. I did a study, smaller painting of the the sledder in the lower right that I was going to incorporate into this painting. I'm pleased with it. I love the happy expressions on the faces which I wanted to keep fairly loose as I wanted the whole painting to be. I've had strong compliments from those who've seen it in my studio - hopefully, from my client, too!

Sick!

Check back here later. I've been under the weather and still am. Hope to get something up again sooooooooooon!!!

Update: Don't know what I had, but I felt very tired and weak starting out the day Tuesday, went on with my morning class, slept for 2 hours after, got up, felt weak, tired and groggy (worse), canceled my evening class, felt more and more feverish. One of my students who is an Episcopal priest showed up anyway for class having not received my phone message about canceling the class. She offered to lay hands on me and pray for my healing, so we did. She combined her prayers with Eastern medicine (checking my chakras and finding where my virus was.) Amazing! She said that the virus will have to take its course, but that God would heal me through the his healing light that we invited into my body. My fever spiked big time around 9:00 pm last night (had the chills for an hour and then got very warm), went to bed, and I woke up feeling about 85% and better and better all day today. I've never had a virus to go right thru me that fast! This is the first time I've been sick in the last few years. Thanks for that healing blessing, Joanie! Our Lord works wonders!

Viewing David

The David is probably my favorite of all figurative sculpture. It was almost a religious experience when I got to see him in 1994 when I spent the summer in Italy for art school. I had my painting class today paint him, too, as I'm trying to teach them more about modeling the figure and getting proportion and scale. They're doing a great job. Finished this one tonight. I'm pleased!

6x12", oil on canvas, $295, $12 s/h SOLD

Hanging the Show

I was attracted immediately to this image because of the red and geometric quality. I love gallery images, and the capture of the man hanging the large, heavy painting was something I wanted to portray - his body positioning. I enjoyed working on this so much partly because I'm back to my oils! My acrylic paints are drying way too fast in my studio these days making it frustrating to have to mix colors over and over. Slows my process...

10x20," oil on canvas, $395, $12 s/s

Yes, Julia!

This painting is another in my "shopping" series. Julia found this awesome dress out on the mannequin and had to try it on at the Saint Tropez shop in Seaside, FL. It looked FABULOUS on her! I changed her shoes - she had on (clogs) - and put more elegant shoes on her in the painting. I entitled it "Yes, Julia!" because she had just stepped out of the dressing room looking great in the dress, and that's what we all said!

9x12" acrylic on masonite, $175, $10 s/h SOLD

Sidewalk Sale

I shot a picture of Carole in Seaside, FL at this great boutique called Saint Tropez. I was just inside the door, and I loved the bright light coming from behind her a t 45 degree angle producing such lovely shadow toward the door. This is a first in a 2 or 3 shopping-themed paintings I will do. I haven't painted my sister in a long time! Fun!

20x10" $195, $12 s/h SOLD

A little more to go...

I'm doing this painting for my neighbor Chris. I shot this photo when we were at there house last spring as Lucy Brown (on left) was being honored. She's in her early 80s and has lived in our neighborhood all her life. She was moving out of her beautiful home to a condo/retirement home. We miss her fun, fiery spirit, but she loves not having to worry with home maintenance and snow shoveling! Anyway, I'm almost finished with the painting and don't want to do much more. I want Chris to be more prominent and not "finish" Lucy as much, so I plan to keep a sketchiness to her figure. I'll post the end piece when finished.
NFS

Off...

... to Rosemary Beach, FL for my workshop and show with Carole! Back late on Monday. Will have some more work up sooooooooooon!

Be well, all!
Claire

Shelf O'Shoes

This is my last painting to take for the Women's Getaway Weekend in Rosemary Beach, FL! I must mail all paintings today. Anyway, women love shoes! I love painting these sort of whimsical paintings. I chose some from a picture and pumped up the colors a bit more. Wanted to keep a looseness and fun feeling.
8x24" acrylic on canvas, $325, $15 s/h SOLD

Study

I showed one of my painting students the way to start her painting by painting this image of her son jumping off a dock. I struggled with getting all of the boy's left foot on the canvas without cutting off his toes. I finally got it! We liked this stage of the painting alot. This is a point in a painting where you have to decide how much farther you want to develop it - putting more details or not. When you want to keep a looseness, then you'd stop around this point. We'll see how it turns out.
NFS

Winter Sliding - just a start

Back to winter after all the beach paintings... This is just a start of about an hour today - all I've gotten to paint all weekend. :((( This is a commissioned piece of some snow sledders and tubers. I had done one before and sold it at about the same time 2 other clients inquired about it. So, they are both commissioning snow sledding - themed paintings. This one is a 24x30" oil on canvas. More work on it tomorrow!

Beach Converstations

Another in my beach series. Image shot at the same time last summer while sitting underneath my umbrella. I wonder the conversations of the walkers by. Painting these beach paintings has taken me there, thankfully, as it's actually about 5 degrees outside my Minnesota studio right now! :((((

8x8, oil on masonite, $225, $10 s/h SOLD

One Last Time

This image I shot at Orange Beach, AL last summer. It shows a young family ending their day on the beach. Mom is washing out sand toys while son and daughter play on the beach's edge one last time for the day. Dad is waiting patiently... I love the long shadows and contrasting light and shadows in the late evening on the beach.
8x8, acrylic on masonite panel, $225, $10 s/h

Out to the Pool

I just finished this painting of my beautiful, sweet niece Catherine. I shot this picture of her last summer as she was walking out to their pool. I wanted to keep a looseness but it be recognizable as Catherine. This is another in a series of beach, poolside, warmer weather paintings I want to do for my upcoming show and workshop at Rosemary Beach.
12x9, $295, oil on cradled masonite, $12 s/h SOLD

Beach Walk

I did this painting late this evening, and it all clicked! This is the kind of painting session I love! I'm trying to get a few small pieces done for Carole's and my art show and workshop at Rosemary Beach, FL Feb. 1-3 and thought I would do some beach-themed stuff. I shot a few pics last summer when we were at Orange Beach on our family vacation. I have another one started and hope to post in the next day or so. I bought some flat brushes today to produce a different brush effect than what filberts produce. I also bought more masonite in slightly bigger sizes, too. I like the effect! Much harder to photograph, however, as the brush strokes create glare. Tell me what you think!

8x8, oil on masonite, $250, $10 s/h

Sunday Afternoon

I shot of photo from our back stairs window that looks out onto our neighbors lovely back deck and yard area. I was so struck the beautiful light in the mid afternoon in September on my neighbor as he read underneath his umbrella. My neighbor was relaxing - reading his book with a glass of wine. Lovely! This was one of the first smaller paintings I challenged myself to do. It has a softer feel compared to the more vibrant colors I typically use, but I wanted the colors to portray the mood. I did it one day during my painting class and later.

$100, $10 s/h

Belkins

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
First post of the new year for me! One of my painting students commissioned this painting of her husband and only daughter who just went off to college (Hamilton). This photo was taken at a lacrosse match that they attended this fall. The mom hasn't seen this yet! Your comments!!! SOLD

Tumble!

I'm about to do a couple of commissioned snow and sledding themed paintings for some clients, and this little painting is a study. I will probably incorporate this tumbling sledder in one of them.
8x10, $125 SOLD

Sunbeam

It's been a while since my last post! I finished this little pink chair painting today in class. It's another of my chairs that I loved. The photo was a bit void of color, but I think I fixed that in this painting.

20x10, acrylic on canvas, $225, $15 s/h SOLD

"Sacrifice!"

This painting is of my son and friends from our annual trip up to Orr, MN to the Shangri-La Resort. It's a great place to vacation with the kids or just you and your spouse. It's a chance for simple living for a week, the most gorgeous sunsets every night (all the cabins face west over Pelican Lake), great people, etc. My family loves it! Anyway, in the painting, the boys were playing a game they called "Sacrifice" on the Rave trampoline in the water. As you can imagine, it's about being the last to go in the water. Can you guess which son is mine???

SUMMER COLLECTION

I love shoes! What woman doesn't??? I saw an ad for shoes and loved so many and just had to pick some of my favorite ones for a colorful painting. This is what came out! It's a 6x14" acrylic on canvas, $195, $10 s/h

Lavender French

I got to paint more tonight, and I did this little chair painting on a 5x7 canvas! I'm proud of myself as I've thought it more difficult to paint so small, but I just got out my smaller brushes and painted away. This is just another of many chairs I've done and will continue to do. Tell me what you think. All comments and critiques welcome!

acrylic on canvas, 5x7, $100, $10 s/h SOLD

Help a Sista!

I did this painting today in my class. I love painting pears especially the Bosc variety with all their beautiful golden tones. I had these on my kitchen counter the other day and they reminded me of 3 women - one who has "fallen" and the other 2 talking about "Helping a Sista!"
Acrylic on canvas, 10x20", $225, s/h $15 SOLD 

Cafe Du Monde

Originally being from Louisiana and having visited this spot in New Orleans so many times as a child, I love the energy and busyness of this popular spot that serves the best beignets and coffee! I love New Orleans - there's no place that has the soul, energy and spirit it has!

This painting is an oil on canvas sized 16x20. Price is $450 plus $15 s/h. Minnesota sales tax applied to Minnesota buyers.
SOLD

NEW BLOG JUST FOR PAINTINGS!

I have created this new blog just to showcase and give more information about my paintings. I will be painting more and more in the coming days and will be posting them as soon as their done! Also, if you're interested in more information or purchasing a piece, you may buy straight thru my blog with credit cards and Paypal. EASY!!! All transactions are safe and secure. Check out my blog every few days to see something new!