Poodle Double Portrait

The photo image of these poodles, mother and child, was emailed to me by a woman who saw my work at an outdoor festival. I loved the pose and their sweetness. Here's how I painted it, I didn't use my usual colors, but used the three primary colors, naples yellow and white. This made my color decisions easier and I think made the composition more cohesive. 

Pink Rose

I painted this pink rose at a Karen O'Neil workshop in July. I'm not quite sure why I didn't post it except that I had to go out of town two days later and I had a lot on my mind.  It's been hanging in my studio and I've come to like it. So I thought I would share a couple of things I learned; deep in the shadows the colors get warmer and more saturated and the tips of the petals reflect the background color. 

Dressed in Pink

This golden retriever stopped by my booth to pose at this summer's Strawberry Festival in June. She looked so lovely in her pink bow and neckerchief and so eager to please. I couldn't resist. 

Pink Bowl and Oranges Adjusted

This painting has been sitting around in my studio and I always thought it wasn't quite complete. It had two oranges so I added another one and it finally feels right. I now like the composition and the contrast between the translucent bowl in front and the solid oranges behind giving it more depth.

Yellow Pitcher and Cherry Tomatoes

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This little yellow pitcher was a bit of a challenge. It's taken me a few days to work it out.  I'm not complaining because I understand painting is a matter of problem solving. I worked with small value shifts and pushed to make some of my yellows darker than they appeared. I have to admit that yellow sometimes feels like my undoing, but I persist.