Finished Peacock Painting

This is the first painting I've finished in forever! And I like it a lot.















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Unfinished Peacock Painting...

It feels like forever since I've written anything, but it hasn't even been a week! This is what I've been working on lately. I am really liking it so far... what a change for me. I had to simplify the bottle because doing it exactly like the one I have turned out to be more complicated that I thought! I am hoping to finish it next week...

Peacock Feathers

So I sadly have to admit that I gave up on the Celtic cross. I really just grew to hate it. I thought it was embarrassing and really saw no hope in fixing it. I painted over it with grey. You can still see the outlines... I'm just putting that canvas aside altogether for now. I think my main problem with the Celtic cross was that I had no idea what I was going for. I did not draw it in advance, which is what I usually do. So learning from my mistake, I drew what I want my next painting to look like. I bought this bottle at an antique store a long time ago... and who doesn't love peacock feathers? I am hoping for the best with this one!

Celtic Cross

This is one of the first crosses I painted. I'm not really sure what inspired it. I obviously am a Freida fan and I have recently started loving all things Mexican. I just love the bright colors I'm really intrigued by those skeletons for some reason! I also have always been fascinated by Catholicism. I think it has something to do with growing up watching The Sound of Music all the time.

That painting of the tree that was meant for the turtle has become this Celtic cross. I'm not sure how I feel about it right now. Its a little uneven and I don't love the colors I've picked. I will keep working on it though. I am hoping it will turn out and I won't have to start over again.

Turtle Painting Fiasco

Last weekend, my husband and I went to an art show across the street from our house. Walking through the different tents, I noticed one with carved wooden Maasai men. As soon as I saw them, I knew where the artist must be from... so I went up and asked him "Are you from Kenya?" and he said "Yes!!" We talked for 15 minutes and it turns out that I had visited the town where he is from. Meeting him made my day! I wanted to buy one of his stone animals, so I got this little turtle. It may be a tortoise. I don't really know. I thought it would be a great subject of a painting.

This is what I started to paint. Then I realized, I couldn't really see a turtle in this painting. I just hated it... so I went over it with turpentine and now its gone. Now that I'm looking at it again, I don't think its that bad and maybe I should have kept it! I will probably paint another cross... and I'll just have to paint the turtle another time.

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Elephants

I have been collecting elephants since I was about five years old. A family friend, who is like a grandmother to me, collects them and she is the one who got me started. She is supposedly leaving me her huge collection in her will. I've had most of my elephants since I was a kid, and I don't remember where I got most of them. Hopefully, I will always remember that my husband bought me this cute elephant lamp for Christmas this year.

So because I love elephants, and I am on this new painting kick, I decided to try painting an elephant using the lamp as a model. This is what I came up with. It looks a little childlike, but I think its cute. I wanted him to be on the Maasai Mara, because that's the best place for an elephant to live. If you ever start an elephant collection, it's important that their trunks are upward. Elephants with their trunks down are bad luck!11x14

Africa

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to take a trip to Kenya. This was one of the best trips I have ever been on. If you ever have the chance to go to Africa, you should go! It was so amazing to see things in person that I had only heard about or seen on TV. Kenya is such a beautiful place and has some of the most wonderful and kind people.

This was one of my favorite pictures I took while I was there. I started a painting of it 3 years ago. As you can see it isn't finished yet. I am too afraid to paint the people! I just want it to look right and I've never painted little people like that before. So who knows if it will ever get finished?!

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