Oooh! Dramatic, intense, FABULOUS color. Laguna Canyon – California is a wonderful piece at a super wonderful price ($120, if it’s still available)! Check out Kevin’s Etsy shop, you’ll be amazed at the work that’s available and very affordable! This oil painting almost looks like a mixture of pastel and oil to me. I love the texture and the many colors showing through!
The Laundry Scene by Kevin Inman
I thought this would be a great piece for a cool laundry room, The Laundry Scene. This was painted at the Suds O Fun, ha ha… with the paintings come a little blip about it. This is a watercolor ($50 if still available)!
This building demands your attention. Striking isn’t it? This is the John Rutledge House Inn located on Broad Street in Charleston, SC. We spent a night there almost twenty three years ago! It was so wonderful, the breakfast was to die for, and the inn itself… absolutely beautiful! This wasn’t the best photo, but it was snapped on the way to my car, as usual ;)
Here is a little bit about the history (from their website), but I urge you to check out their website, they have wonderful photos that show the transformation of this building!
John Rutledge built this elegant home as a wedding gift for his bride Elizabeth Grimke in 1763. In the 2nd floor drawing room, now the Signer’s Ballroom, John Rutledge, chairman of the drafting committee, wrote several iterations of the Constitution of the U.S. He later signed the document with the other founding fathers. In 1791, George Washington had breakfast with Mrs. Rutledge during his Presidential visit to Charleston.
Cool shot, eh? Broad Street, Charleston, SC taken through the car windshield with my iPhone. Charleston has such unique charm and beauty, I love sharing it!
Cannon Beach View by Michael Orwick 30x40x2 Oil on Canvas
Michael Orwick. Beautiful painting! What else can you say? Stunning with the dark trees against that beautiful background. Everything about this painting is appealing. You see the sharpness of the detail that is up close and you can feel the distance. There is some wonderful light going on! Michael’s paintings are fabulous, and it wasn’t easy to choose just one!
Michael has some workshops coming up this year, so be sure to check them out!
Growing up in the Oregon Cascades and the Willamette Valley, nature and the landscape have had a profound impact on Michael Orwick. He has always been inspired by the ability of landscapes to tell stories.
Michael’s career in art started in animation at Will Vinton Studios and moved quickly into illustration, where he enjoyed bringing the ideas of others to life. As is true for many creative people, Michael was drawn to develop his own signature style of “Inspired Expressionism,” painting his ideas on canvas and inviting the viewer to provide the narrative.
Orwick is a master of creating mood through atmosphere and color, utilizing space, a sense of place, and time of day to convey his vision. His work hints at a story and it is what he leaves untold that that engages the viewer in the creative process of storytelling. He often hears that people feel as if they have “seen this place before”.
Orwick’s paintings offer the chance to return and explore a special place that lingers in memory and imagination.
Art evokes the mystery without which the world would not exist. —Magritte
Michael Orwick, at his best melds pictorial storytelling with a hauntingly familiar world. He creates compelling views of our world that move beyond time and place – full environments for your mind to explore, your senses to imagine.
— Mari Rockett, Curator, DragonFire Gallery, Canon Beach, Oregon
Artist Statement …
There is a reason we are drawn toward beauty. It is the language of God and nature. Nothing more provocative than beauty — it inspires deep reflection and motivates me to create.
I blend from a primary color palette, painting wet into wet and with layers, to both reveal and hide what lies behind; in this way I entice you into the painting. I love it when people share the feeling and stories my paintings evoke. It is my sincere wish that you will want to revisit these beautiful locations and painterly stories again and again.
I love the aesthetics on the exterior of this house. The white and the light metal roof make it appear cooler to me on a hot day. The dormers add charm and I love the cool awnings over the windows. They will help protect the window as well as keep out some of the harsh light, but still let in enough light!
But just wait until you see the inside… Click above link for the house plan to see images of the interior on the Flatfish Design website – whoa!
Dewees Breeze by Flatfish Island Designs
An open floor plan gives you the ability to participate while you’re cooking or cleaning the kitchen, something it seems that we do quite often! The master bedroom/bathroom are downstairs which is so convenient! Off the kitchen is a wonderful pantry (oh la la!) and a very nice size laundry room! What a dream!
Dewees Breeze by Flatfish Island Designs
Upstairs are 2-3 bedrooms. Two bedrooms over the main portion of the house. Above the garage is a wonderful space, perfect for an artists studio, extra bedroom, or office space! The options are limitless! There is also room for additional stackable washer/dryer upstairs. Which is a nice option should you need it! Personally I would make the bathroom a Jack & Jill with a door to each bedroom? What a great plan!
Spanish Colonial House by Mark Kerckhoff 12×16″ Oil on Panel
Mark Kerckhoff. Mark’s paintings are fabulous! He stops painting before the painting is tight and has every little detail included. His use of color is AHmazing! Just look at the light in the painting! That wee bit of color, the orange and red, just a dab here and there, stunning against that gorgeous blue, sky with those fabulous fluffy clouds. Nice!
Sunny Day at the Beach by Mark Kerckhoff 9×12″ Oil on Panel
Another great painting with a bit more looseness which I really love! The colors SING. Yep, they sing… a perfect harmony of color, feeling of movement, composition, and it’s just a great example of a nice painting!
Read a blip about Mark – from his website:
Mark Kerckhoff was born in Covina, California in 1959 and studied painting and drawing at California State University Long Beach. Mark was deeply influenced by his teachers – hyper realist painter Nicolas Boscovich, and figure drawer John Lincoln. Mark is a self-taught landscape painter. The base of his interest in landscape painting stems from growing up in rural Los Angeles County raising Cochin bantams and other exotic birds in his suburban backyard. Many of Mark’s early drawings were of his birds. Mark also enjoyed exploring the Sycamore-lined gullies near his home and riding horseback through the South Hills, observing the beauty of nature and its peaceful solitude. These early childhood memories continue to be a presence in his paintings. Mark rarely paints with companions, preferring the solitude of remote areas far from the maddening crowd and critic. Inspired by old and modern masters, Mark executes paintings that embrace his love of color, high aesthetics and craftsmanship. Mark’s favorite quote is by John Ruskin the great Victorian art critic, “All great schools enforce delicacy of drawing and subtlety of sight: as of yet, found without exception respecting art is that all great art is delicate”.
Wow! Just back from a trip to Michigan to see my family. I snuck this shot in when I arrived. I always loved the ice going down the river, the cool sounds it would make. It’s just so peaceful. There is so much that happens on this river. In the winter the ice freezes, then it jams, involving Coast Guard cutters to break the ice. Then for a period there will be no ice, and then it will start flowing again.
Summer you see boats, jet skies, swimmers, divers, you name it. It’s the greatest entertainment ever! Growing up, our summers were spent in the river, and floating down the river. There is a great current that keeps things moving, and we would jump in at one location and float home. I’ll never forget those days!
This river is always different and always amazing!
Linda Christensen has a style all her own. She paints (mostly) women, her colors, brush strokes and choice of subject is always interesting and fresh. I urge you to scroll through and see these amazing paintings! In this painting “Tea” it’s clearly a woman drinking her tea, but you can tell by the way she’s holding it with both hands that she’s savoring it. You can tell by her body language that she isn’t in a rush, she is enjoying it. With the nice warm sunlight streaming in the window this is a fabulous place to be. Neat how she continued the pattern on the floor onto the woman. Those few strokes that make up the sink are brilliant!
I continue to explore the figure and am looking more consciously at the reasons for doing so. I enjoy working on composition whilst creating obstacles for myself – this challenges me to select different solutions to familiar situations.
Sometimes throwing something onto the canvas that has little immediate connection to the current idea opens up a new awareness. I strive to keep myself interested in the process and therefore a challenge is welcome. Reworking my palette and exploring new color combinations is helping me to question the reason for selecting specific colors.
I like the challenge in my awareness of what isn’t happening, what isn’t being used, what isn’t being said and why, these are some of the obstacles I set myself.
Honesty about myself is a crucial factor in my paintings. My overall desire is to emit emotion through the paint, the line, the contrasts and composition. Redundancy is the enemy. I want to keep things interesting and with a hint of danger. Danger in the desire to obscure what is already there and what might be a beautiful passage in the painting. Courage to continue growing and recognizing my need for emotional movement is paramount.
See that vertical think that looks a little bit snake like? That’s Lizzie #432,994 – Charlie chases these “Lizzie’s” around for hours at a time. He stomps his feet, he kicks, he jumps, and he wags his tail. Constantly. For hours. Then he comes in the house, gets his face and feet washed and goes into a deep happy sleep. No doubt trying to find Lizzie #432, 995.
Speaking of snakes… we saw our first one of the season on the street behind us while going for a walk. Talk about getting your heart rate up. Whew! Tis the season…
Johnson, VT Porch by Lois Dodd May 2007 11 1/8 x 12 7/8″
How is this for striking? The dark against that wonderful yellow and the mysterious light in the sky. Get out! Whoa! Also read more about Lois from Wikipedia…
Read a bit about Lois from the Alexandre Gallery website (NOTE: There is a show for Lois at the Alexandre Gallery that ends tomorrow, so if you’re in the area – stop in before it’s over!:
Lois Dodd was born in Montclair, New Jersey in 1927. From 1945-1948 she attended The Cooper Union in New York. In 1952 she was one of five artists to establish the Tanager Gallery, where she exhibited until 1962. From 1971 to 1992, Dodd taught at Brooklyn College, and has, since 1980, served on the Board of Governors of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. She is an elected member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters and National Academy of Design.
The Waterton plan, designed by those oh so creative people at Karoleena. Have you seen how they build their homes? A great mix of style and function keeping the environment in mind. What can be better than that? Their website shows you in great detail the way these homes are built, and you won’t believe it! Check out their building process…
This is an amazing plan. Perfect for my husband and I. One section is the living space, and the other is the bedrooms/bathroom/utility. Brilliant floor plan. Stunning, modern design… especially if you have a view! I hope to show you more of their plans in the future! Be sure to peruse their website!
I would also like to wish a very H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y to Kurt Goodjohn, cofounder and CMO of Karoleena, and an all around nice guy! Here’s wishing you another year of health, happiness and best wishes!
Impressed. Just look through the many still life/landscape and figure paintings of Nancy’s. Try to pick only one. I think this is a stunning still life. The peonies are gorgeous, the background makes them even more delicate, soft and beautiful.
Whew! I have an affinity for pink peonies. They are my favorite. We can’t grow them here in Charleston, I think our climate is too warm from what I’ve read, but once in a while I’ll see them at Whole Foods and they are just beautiful!
Nancy is a second generation artist, spending her early years in Boston and summers on Cape Cod. After college, she sought to enhance her early love of art by studying at the Scottsdale Artist School, California Coast College, Laguna Art Institute, Fredericksburg Artist School, and Laguna Art Workshops. She has also pursued direct study under Master Chinese artist ShuQiao Zhou and noted landscape painter, Morgan Samuel Price. She has been acknowledged for her direct, rich, expressive style by both her art clients as well as juried representation in exhibitions with the Oil Painters of America, The California Art Club, American Women Artists, the Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters and the Southern California Plein Air Painters Association.
Artist Statement
Nancy paints still life, landscapes and figure. “No artist could live in California and not become enchanted with painting in natural light and from life” says Nancy. Painting in a direct post-impressionist Russian style of realism, where strong expression of form is critical, she has developed a definitive style of painting from life that is evident in all of her works.
What happens when you plan on having something for dinner, but it doesn’t work out for whatever reason?
You throw a chicken breast on the grill (rub the chicken with olive oil first). Cook some brown rice (YAY Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Rice in the freezer section – takes 3 MINUTES in the microwave)! Drain and heat some black beans, cut up tomato and onion (or we used Pico de gallo, so nice and fresh!), a few shreds of Pepper Jack cheese, some steamed spinach, a healthy dose of lime and a tortilla chip or two (or three) for a little crunch, and the grand finale… sliced avocado – which totally makes this heavenly… and BAM! Dinner. Is. Ready! Let me tell you… this is so good, you’ll want it the next day! We had it the day before with shrimp instead of chicken. That was great too!
Donna MacDonald is a fabulous artist from Canada. I had such a great time going through her paintings. How to choose just one? It wasn’t easy! The color in this painting is dynamic. Bold. The movement of his body is comfortable and confidant. Not easy to relay that information with the stroke of a brush!
Born in Windsor, Ontario and now living in Calgary, Alberta, Donna is best known for her bold brushwork and impressionistic style. She has traveled to the U.S. to study with master painters such as Kim English, Jeffrey Watts and Carolyn Anderson over the last several years striving to improve her technical knowledge and to grow as an artist.”Although my subject matter is varied, I am most captivated by a strong sense of light. I enjoy oil paint as my medium because of its slow drying quality which allows me to show movement.
My hope is that the viewer experiences my paintings, as not just a literal depiction of a scene, animal or person but feels the sun and atmosphere of the day.” Her paintings have won numerous awards and she has been featured in the American Art Collector and Canadian Brushstrokes magazines. Donna has exhibited in numerous juried exhibitions and her work can be found in the Calgary Flames Rotary House collection as well as private collections in Canada, United States and South America.
“Painting has become a passion and a wonderful necessity in my life. Since becoming a full time artist, I have unexpectedly discovered that painting provides me relief from almost daily migraines which I’ve had for over thirty years. I truly believe that I am doing what I was always mean to do and feel very blessed!” As a way of “paying it forward” she contributes 10% from the sale of her paintings to charity. This year HOPEthiopia, a Calgary based charity that works tirelessly for the betterment of the Ethiopian people has been chosen. Their projects include drilling water wells, building schools and providing dental and medical treatment.
Donna is currently represented by Different Strokes Gallery, Art Connection Calgary, Alberta, AyrSpace Gallery, Ontario, Leighton Art Centre, Alberta
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