The Magi

The Magi     Oil with Palette Knife   12"x 24"

This is the third in the series of Wise Men.  I wanted to try a Pthalo green background but I feel that something got lost in the way to the Far East.  Maybe the wise men were just tired.

As always, thank you for taking a look.  Here are some other pictures of earlier works that I have framed.  They really take on a very different 'upscale' look!  I never realized how much different paintings look when you frame them.  After a fun trip with a friend to a frame warehouse, I have plenty of frames for some upcoming events.  Score.

Here is a work in progress.  Good beginning.  Maybe I will go back and add some variation in the sky to my Magi.  Going back to rework something is scary business.  Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.  

 

I Wonder...

I Wonder....   Oil with Palette knife    12x12

I wonder... what did the camels think?  Did they notice the star?  Did the Wise Men know how really far they would have to go, or did they have any idea of what they would find when they got there?  The camel's pose, which was serendipity at its best, made me wonder.

This is the second in my 'Camel Series'.  I have found painting a series of things fun and instructional.  It also simplifies what I am going to paint. At times, that can be problematic. Sometimes, I like my first one the best.  Sometimes not. All is joy when I'm painting.

Posing Magnolia

'Posing Magnolia'

8x10 Oil   Palette Knife

One of my consistent calls of the summer is to paint a magnolia blossom.  This happens every time I see one.  I love to bring a bloom or two in the house.  They don't last very long, but the are so elegant and smell ever so heavenly!

They are definitely a challenge to paint!  This was my second experiment with a limited palette I had read about.  Imagine just painting with Ivory Black, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Yellow and Flake White. Essentially they are the three primaries. Ivory Black is blue, orange is my red and yellow is yellow! It is a challenge to pull out the right colors, but it does make for a very harmonious painting.  I hope you enjoy!

You can see and purchase my work at http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/elaine-ford-5747/artwork

Up and Running Again

I find it quite hard to start blogging again after such a long absence.  It's not that I haven't painted; it is where do I begin?  

So, I decided to start with something that I have finished recently and had a lot of fun painting.  The inspiration is from a Christmas card that I have saved for years because I knew that I wanted to paint it someday.  I needed a rectangle canvas, but all I had was this 12 x 24.  That is pretty daunting, but gave me lots of room to do all of this with a palette knife.  It has plenty of scritches and scratches, including in the background, but I was not compelled to 'clean it up' like I usually do. 

 I do wonder where these gentlemen will end up.  Will this piece sell?  Will it be a Christmas present for a dear friend who just added some turquoise to her living room?  Will it be a gift to one of my friends in my Bunco group? I just hope it encourages the viewer to remember to be wise and seek the one who is our one and only Savior.

Pink Dahlias A Work in Progress

This is actually the story of a commission.  A sweet friend wanted to show me her bedspread which had pink dahlias on it to get an inspiration for a commissioned painting for her. I visited her, took some pictures of the bedspread and noted that her walls were a soft, peaceful, muted green.

I wasn't very sure about how to paint dahlias, much less what medium would work best, so I spent a day playing in acrylics, watercolors and oils.

Needless to say, I did not like any of them. But the oils gave me the texture, depth, and movement that I love, so I began.

The finished piece was mediocre, I thought, so I went looking for inspiration.





 I have loved my few attempts at painting glass, so after seeing an arrangement in a rectangular glass vase, I began on a square 20"x20" canvas.

When your palette is pleasing, then you know your painting has a chance to work.  I had a lot of fun mixing gray-greens and gray-blues for this painting.

Pink Dahlias   Oil on Canvas   Palette Knife  20"x20"

I hope you have enjoyed following the process. I love and appreciate your comments.  I was pleased and my client was pleased. Sometimes, it just takes a little time to play.

Elaine Ford Art Calendar 2016

Greetings and Happy New Year.

I know that it is almost the end of January, but time flies when you are having fun and you are busy!

I qualify for both!  One of the projects that I have been wanting to do for a while is complete.  I have created a calendar of my artwork for 2016.  It features some of my favorite pieces from the last year. Many are already sold, but I paint many commissions that are inspired by the paintings I have done. So, let me know what you would like me to paint for you!

The calendars can be ordered through February 3, 2016.  They are $18 each and I would be honored to send one to you. Email or message me if you would like one.

September Challenge Day 27

Favorite Light

Two days painting clouds at a workshop with David Boyd Jr. in Newnan, Georgia has made a huge impact on my desire to paint.  It's like I never saw clouds before!  I am thankful for the time to study, paint, and make new friends.  I can't wait to work on more, especially on larger canvases.