Seagulls and Tupelo Honey

  How does a seagull painting and the Van Morrison song Tupelo Honey get on the same page?  I don't know, this guy just takes me back to the song.  I was 17 years old when I first heard it.   The song stirs up lots of emotions, old feelings.  Anyway, the bird is "sweet as Tupelo honey" to me, and to get that feeling from one of my paintings is "alright with me"

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/206666904

 

Betty

Thanks for sharing this little slice of my life

 

Van Morrison

Tupelo Honey

 

 

I like the way you make me feel!

I have to say it,  I just love a white bird with an orange beak against a soft turquoise back ground.  Yes, I can paint different colored birds.  And yes, I can paint other back ground colors and scenes. And yes, I can paint a gray life like beak.  But I LIKE a white bird with an orange beak with
a soft turquoise back ground!    They make me feel good.

 

Available in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/200949992

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this slice of my life

In a pickle

Well, you might say I have been in a pickle concerning my painting blog.  I don't know why I was not the administrator for a period (which is why I haven't been blogging), or really why I am now, but anyway, I am glad to be back!  Speaking of pickles... I have painted some garden pieces lately!  I took some nice photos at a nearby garden, and today I want to share the cucumber painting with you.  I guess I like simple things, because this lone cucumber was just fantastic to me.  When I saw it hanging on the vine I knew it would be a painting. 

 Available in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/197862180

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

A sign from above

My Dad was a fox hunter.  The fox never got caught in a hunt, it was just pursued by the hounds for sport.  The gist of the hunt was to listen to the dogs bark as they chased the fox.  I was raised to believe that foxes were special and loved animals.  And oh so beautiful.  The red fox, not much surpasses that rich color and sleek body.  Getting a glimpse of a fox has always been special to me.  Last Friday, at a time that felt like a real low in my life I was heading out to my truck with a heavy heart.   As I trudged along I looked up to see an amazing red fox traveling slowly through the field across the road.  I stood in awe as he passed out of sight.   And as he disappeared I felt lighter, instantly more positive, having received the message "life is good, just look around and know things happen as they should".
My folks raised me to expect good things, but every now and then I still need some encouragement from them.  And once again, I got a sign from above.  And life is good.

 Betty

Than you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Blue Eyes

The weather took a bit of a turn today, a cold snap I think you might say.  I had to close the windows and turn the heat on in the house.  I must say that made me a bit sad.  Perhaps that is what led me back to the Florida vacation pictures that I took in March.   Those pelicans, I got some really good photos of them.  And better yet, I got to study them closely.  They just sat VERY still and while they seemed somewhat cautious, they pretty much let me move in close and get acquainted with them.  I really enjoyed seeing their eyes up close.  Crystal blue eyes with pink surrounding them.  So pretty.  I painted a close up of this one.  The long beak and silver back was interesting, but I really wanted to show the eye.  I like him.

This painting is for sale in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/188124348

 

Betty

Thank you for joining me in this little slice of my life

Heart full of soul

     I grew up with the kitchen radio on the local AM station broadcasting stock reports, obituaries and the swapshop.  Mom and Dad had control of the radio, so I was driving before I really got into music.  My husband still can't believe I had never heard of the Yardbirds, his favorite British group in 1964.  First of all, I was only 9 years old in 1964.  I was playing with baby dolls and jacks.  I am finally into Yardbirds.  Well, birds...watercolor birds.  The Yardbirds had a hit "Heart full of soul".   I think my bird has a heart full of soul too.  Look at that eye, he's got soul. 

Painting is available in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/187289004/

 

Betty

Thanks for sharing in this little slice of my life

In a row

When I am in Florida I love to watch the birds.   I know there is a huge amount of beautiful blue water, endless sky, awesome boats, swaying palm trees and gaggles of interesting people but I like to watch the birds.  I am so impressed by their calm passing of time, just sitting.  They do a little grooming, take a nap, squawk some, but mostly just sit.  Just sitting in the sun.  I love to see several of them occupying the same railing or deck.  They sit for a while then calmly fly away, moving on to the next spot where they sit.  I painted this watercolor from a photo I took in Florida recently.  It gives me a very peaceful feeling.  I hope you enjoy it too. 

Painting is for sale in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/187114790/

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Country Cousin

Country Cousin is another sweet little seagull painted from my friend Jared's photos.   Soft grays and browns of the seagull against the soft aqua and old gold gives this painting a vintage feel much like Cottage gull that I painted recently.   I think they look like they must be at least cousins!  I hope you enjoy these sweet birds.

Painting is available for sale in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/186967665

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing this little slice of my life

Paint like it's 1982

I bought my first original piece of art in 1982.  A flowering cactus watercolor.  A simple painting with just a bit of the cactus with 3 little yellow blooms.  I LOVED that painting.  It hung on my wall for the next 30 years.  I can tell you that I looked at that painting many times and thought "I wish I could paint like that".  I allowed life to push my desire to paint back for a long time.  I have been painting with watercolors for about two years now and oh what a joy.  Today I decided to paint like it's 1982.  I like it. 

Painting is for sale in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/186459151

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

 

Gotta love a good goose

Sometimes a goose is a bad thing.  This time the goose is a good thing.  Gary Richardson took a fantastic photograph of a white goose.  Thank you, Gary for letting me paint this beauty.  I see geese on the lake often, but I have never seen one like this.   With some research I learned that this is a White Chinese Goose.  The snowy white feathers, blue eye with orange rim and awesome orange bill with a large knob makes this guy OUTSTANDING in my book.  I am pretty sure I will paint this bird again, so be alert, you never know when you might get your next goose!  

This painting is for sale in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/186237321

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Goodbye Benton, hello Holland

I am so thrilled to be sending one of my paintings to Holland!  Every sale is a treat to me, it just tickles me to pieces when people want to buy my art.  But this painting is going all the way to the Netherlands!  My friend Di Winson provided the outstanding photograph of the orange pepper, thank you again, Di.  I sent three paintings to Baton Rouge,  Louisiana this morning and three to Edmond Oklahoma earlier this week.  I love getting to share my paintings!  

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Cottage Seagull

Well, what a sweet little seagull came to my house!  This is from another one of my friend Jared's photos.  Thank you Jared.  Something about this little guy gives him a "cottage" feel to me.  My soft aqua background with some old gold behind the grays and browns of the bird is so peaceful.  I think he nearly has an antique look, vintage at least.  I have painted quite a few seagulls, and each one is different.  I like this one.
 

This painting is available in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/185800113

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Perfect subject - Diver

 I got some new watercolor paint this week.  I had not gotten any in a while.  I bought tons when I first started using watercolors and realized I actually just use about 4 tubes 90% of the time.  But sometime you just need a treat.  I ordered a red-orange and a blue-green in a brand that I really like.  Red-orange and blue-green were my favorites in the crayola box in grade school, those colors are still favorites of mine today.  It was a gift when I looked at some photographs from my friend Jared who is currently living in Florida.  The perfect subject for my new red-orange was in the photographs!  I even snuck some blue-green in the white of the bird.  Thanks Jared Whitehead!

This painting is available in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/185727771

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Double take

Another Florida pelican, I love those big birds.  One evening there were several pelicans swimming near a dock I was on, the water was very still.  I did not realize what fantastic reflections I got til I studied the photographs.  I was blown away when I saw the reflection of the pelican's eyes.  This is great fun for me!

This painting is available in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/184513123

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Just another day in Paradise

Lounging in the sun on a dock surrounded by water, palm trees and sand, that is pretty much paradise in my book.   Well, this guy does it everyday I expect.  I photographed him recently and could hardly wait to paint him.  He makes me happy!

This painting is available in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/184060606
 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life



On Ice

Ok, yes, my first painting from my Florida trip is dead fish.  But not just dead fish, beautiful dead fish!  A trip to the fresh seafood market for supper one evening was a trememdous treat for me!   It rated right up there at the top of the list.  The fish were beautiful.  The red snappers all in a row on ice were my favorite.  Shiny scales and those indigo blue eyes, well it might not be normal, but I loved them.  Rest assured I have lots of birds waiting to be painted, but the fish on ice were first.  I am thinking I will paint red snappers again.

This painting is available in my Etsy Shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/183958911

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

 

 

Have Pelican will paint

I have spent the last week in lovely Florida.  Sun, sand, palm trees and BIRDS!!!  I saw lots and lots of wonderful birds.  Pelicans, Egrets, Herons, Seagulls, Sandpipers, they were great.  I loved getting to study them in action.  And so many are accustomed to the people and are comfortable with letting you get real close.  I got some good pictures and am super charged about painting these guys.  Here's a Pelican you can bet will be on paper soon!

 

Betty

Thanks for sharing in this little slice of my life

Me and Booker T

Booker T and the MGs did "Green Onions"  in 1962.  Me, I did them in 2014!   My husband took the photo about 15 years ago, I decided it was time to use it for a watercolor.  Can you say A WHOLE LOT OF GREEN?   I actually did this watercolor with a different approach which helped since about 95 percent of the painting was green.  I usually paint all of one color pretty much at the same time.  I decided to paint one small section (one onion) at a time.  I was able to get the variation in the green this way, I did not start with a large amount of green ready to paint, but rather mixed the green for each onion individually.  That took a while longer, but it was a good experience.  Here's my green onions, Booker T's follows!

Painting is for sale in my Etsy Shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/181221436 

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

DON'T MISS BOOKER T

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDDKZ7PERDk

Little Woodpecker

 I usually paint larger birds, but I couldn't pass up this little guy.  My friend Dave took the photograph of this Downy Woodpecker.  The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in North America.  Sweet little guy!

This painting is available in my Etsy Shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/180958694

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Farewell to Dorothy

It's eerie how things happen sometimes.  This was one of those times. 
I met Dorothy over 30 years ago.  Wonderful lady, my friend's mother.  Dorothy was fun, interesting and my friend.  She gave me a beautiful, delicate teacup.  That teacup was displayed in my home for the next 30+ years.  A few months ago I received the call that the teacup had been broken while I wasn't home.  "It's ok" I told the apologetic caller.  I had enjoyed the teacup for many years, I knew I had been fortunate.  When I got home I stacked the pieces, I just couldn't throw them away.  I hadn't seen Dorothy in several years, I knew she hadn't been well.  But she was still my friend, and the teacup still dear to me.  Well, here is the eerie part.  A bit of time passed and I ran into an older lady friend and she said "you know we lost Dorothy".   No, I didn't know.  Her passing very closely coincided with the breaking of the teacup.  Now, I am not one to look for meaning in every event, but this was funny to me.  A little eerie.  I felt like it had been my goodbye from Dorothy.  Recently when I was cleaning house I once again dusted the broken teacup, and thought I should throw it away.  I decided to paint the pieces.  This is my farewell to Dorothy.  Maybe now I will let the broken pieces go, maybe.

 

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life