Keeping it simple

Sometimes, simplicity is the best way to appreciate and capture what inspires me.
I am constantly inspired by birds. Their grace, freedom, and beauty is only the beginning, but feathers are at the heart of each.
This small piece is a study on the simplicity and beauty of a feather.

Click here for a larger view or to bid on this painting.

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Granny's hateful cat.

  Today is the last day I have to paint before my husband's birthday weekend. I wanted to keep up with the 30 in 30 pace, so I planned on cranking out 3-5 small, simple, (maybe even abstracted) expressive watercolors. I had tons of ideas, and today was even National Wildlife Day.
So many animals are running around in my head waiting to be painted!
However, today also would have been my grandmother's 77th birthday.

 I was sad for a bit at the beginning of the day.
I pondered our mortality, but that soon gave way to a shift in my painting plans. Much like a four year old, I delight in using my artistic talents to create gifts for those I love. I decided to paint my grandmother a birthday present, but there's only one animal that comes to mind when I think of my grandmother; cats.

 Specifically, a Siamese cat named Baby. (There was Bubba, too, but it was Baby that was around most when I was a kid.) Baby was beautiful.


Baby loved my grandmother. Baby did not exactly love everyone else. In fact, that cat was downright hateful. She was prone to scratching and biting, and I'm pretty sure all of the grandchildren feared that cat more than we could ever let Gran know.
 Now that I've had the experience of loving a pet that does not like many others (especially children) and would just as soon bite them as say hello, I understand why Gran loved that cat so much.

 She lived alone.
When she sat outside on her porch shelling green beans, the cat was her companion.
When the grandkids couldn't visit, it was Baby the cat that laid in bed watching The Golden Girls with her.
That cat was her companion, and if somebody didn't like her hateful cat, so the hell what?!
I understand that, now. And now, I love that cat simply for loving my Gran.

 Hear that, Gran? Your cat had an attitude, and your cat was awesome. Just like you.

Love you, Granny. Happy birthday. <3

Crow Moon

For wordless Wednesday, I'm simply posting my latest painting. 

Crow Moon

9x12, watercolor on cold press

Original in private collection- Click here to order a print.

Or visit my Etsy shop.

Size Doesn't Matter

tbd (help me title him on my Facebook page!)

5"x7" Watercolor on Aquabord

Click here to see a larger photo of the painting.

 If you know me or are fairly familiar with my art, you know I love animals, especially dogs.
All dogs are great. Allow me to explain and get Seuss-esque for only a moment;

Fluffy or sleek, loud or meek,
Agile and spry, or just happy to lie,
I love dogs, the great and the small.
I love the dogs, I do love them all.
Yes, breeds A to Z,  their pups I adore,
Except that I love,
Small ones a bit more.

  WAIT! Don't get me wrong, and don't sic your  Staffie on me. I've loved my fair share of medium and large dogs. My first dog was a chow chow and my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th were Aussie mixes. (Super smart and loving dogs!) Neapolitan Mastiffs simply melt my butter. If we ever live in a colder climate and have the acreage, Husboo will certainly be in search of a Russian Caucasian before we unpack. I'm also in love with Irish Wolfhounds. But when you've had the experience of being rescued by a teeny tiny canine and her becoming your companion, it's hard not to project those same feelings onto similar sized pups.

 I may like small dogs, but guess what;

I hate painting small.

For my second September painting (I'm not even going to say it's the 2nd of 30, because that's just insane) I attempted my first teeny tiny watercolor portrait.
For me, watercolor is so nice because it flows and has a mind of it's own. You think you know what will happen, then the paint laughs in your face and you either readjust or go with the flow and see where it takes the painting. This aspect of the medium is also what can be ultra annoying if you have a specific end in mind. Couple that with a 5"x7" portrait on aquabord and quite a bit of strife can ensue. By no means was this a fast, whip it out in under an hour, quickie painting.
I struggled to retain a wet-on-wet technique and still have the detail I wanted for this piece.
(A couple of paper towels were harmed in the making of this painting.)

I have a new found respect for the daily painters that crank out small works all the live long.

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of fight in the dog. And this one  gave me a pretty good round, now to give him a name...

Look at the birds of the air...

  September is upon us and another challenge has been posed. However, this month is pretty busy for me. I have a few prior commitments, so I don't think I can realistically crank out 30 paintings and get anything else done. (One painting usually takes me 2-7 non-consecutive days to complete.)
I've been a bit anxious lately with all I have to get done. Most of those things are self-imposed, but sometimes that's even more pressure. I'm resolving to at least try to post weekly (and daily if I'm lucky) the smaller paintings I do finish, here on my blog.
  Yesterday was a somewhat stressful, worrisome, and overall blah day. 
I took a walk to clear my mind and look to nature for some respite. I set the intention to see something that would bring me clarity and peace.

Birds of the Air

 Watercolor on cold press

Total size 15" x 17.5" including frame.

Click here for limited edition prints.

 As soon as I rounded the corner, I saw an unbelievable sight. Several dozen sparrows were flying around a churchyard field. They were diving, soaring, and circling at a frenetic pace.
In awe, I stopped to watch them for a bit. By the time I realized I really needed to take a photo of the birds, they were flying away. 

 This painting is inspired by that brief and beautiful encounter. It had an unexpectedly profound effect on me. Sparrows are a symbol for many things, among them freedom, creativity, and Love.
It was just the lift I needed.


  Birds of the Air cheered me. Marvin Gaye cheers me, too. I'll leave you with this Marvin version of a sparrow themed song. An oldie, but a goodie. 

Fly high, my friends.

~D. Renée