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

 

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

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

 

 

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

Strength in the face of a storm

 According to legend, the ibis is the last sign of wildlife to take shelter before a hurricane hits and the first to reappear once the storm has passed.  A bird that has the guts to hang in there when the going gets rough.  My friend Dave, the photographer, is strong like that too.  He is watching the storm of his life roll in, and is taking advantage of every minute before it hits.  He is working and playing and singing and smiling and loving and going and doing.   Here's hoping the coming hurricane never makes land! 

 

This painting is available in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/180690371

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

 

I got work to do!

I grew up in a chicken world.  Every spring my folks got 100-200 baby chicks, they became "fryers".  We always had the hens too.  Big white hens usually, that's where the eggs came from.  There was always a rooster around too, but the hens were the ones that produced.  I'm just saying...

This painting is available in my Etsy Shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/178269123

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Day 29 of 30 in 30 days "Picture Day"

Wow, day 29 of my 30 paintings in 30 days challenge!  This has been a good experience for me.  I sure appreciate the support and encouragement that I received along the way!  Thank you.  Today, "Picture Day", more of a bird portrait I would say.  This guy looks rather handsome posing for this shot.  My soft turquoise background and soft grays with an occasional spot of color keeps him calm and peaceful. 

This painting is available in my Etsy shop

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/177358781/original-bird-painting-bird-art-portrait

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Day 28 of 30 paintings in 30 days "Day Dreamer"

Well, it is day 28 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge that I am participating in through January.  I painted a new little friend today, "Day Dreamer".  This seagull was painted from a photo that I took at the sailboat marina near my home in Southern Illinois.  I think he looks like he is dreaming of where he might fly away to next.  Definitely mulling around some options in his mind.  I can relate.

 

This painting is for sale in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/177318059/original-bird-painting-bird-art-seagull

 

Betty

Thank you for sharing this little slice of my life

Day 23 of 30 in 30 days "Trumpeter"

This is day 23 of the Thirty paintings in 30 days through January challenge that I am participating in.  Yesterday my painting was "guests on the lake"  a number of huge swans like the ones I saw on the lake where I live.  Today, a single Trumpeter Swan.  These swans were just huge and regal, and honestly a sight to behold.   I hope you enjoy the paintings of the swans.

This painting is available in my Etsy Shop

 

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/176775004/original-bird-painting-bird-art-swan

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Day 22 of 30 in 30 "Guests on the Lake"

Day 22 of thirty paintings in 30 days through January.  Today "Guests on the Lake".  I got to see the Trumpeter Swans on Lake Benton.  I had heard that they were here, our guests.  I counted 13 of the huge birds gliding about with no concern for me.  It was a very moving experience.  I know they won't stay for long, they are just guests.

This painting is available in my Etsy Shop
 

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/176605399/original-bird-painting-bird-art-swans
 

Betty

Thank you for sharing in this little slice of my life

Day 18 of 30 in 30 "Dewey"

This is day 18 of 30 paintings in 30 days through January.  Today "Dewey".  I took this photo in Destin last March, outside of Dewey Destin Seafood.  Now this is the way to live, sunning on the bay!  If you know my work, you know I have painted quite a few seagulls.  I just don't get tired of them, they are a symbol of vacation to me.  I even enjoy the ones in town in the big parking lots!  So, I hope you enjoy Dewey and I have some more vacation paintings coming up so come back!

 

This painting is available in my Etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/176126904/original-bird-painting-bird-art-seagull

The real Dewey

 

 Betty

Thank you for sharing in the little slice of my life