Happy New Year

Happy New Year!  Thank you for being a loyal reader of my blog!  We have so much to be thankful for, and 2010 will be the most amazing year for all of us.  Believe that miracles can happen and that they can change our lives.  I wish us all lots of love, abundance and memories that make your heart smile.

Life is a special gift -- enjoy it!

Painting a New Series

As we all travel home after the holidays, it is good to remember the times we shared and the memories that will stay with us forever.

I will be back at the easel today and I am excited to paint again with a renewed energy and spirit.

The memories of my time with my family have inspired me and a new series abounds!  

Merry Christmas

Merry  Christmas Eve!  I am waking up with beautiful snow falling!

As I am sipping on my coffee and looking out over the snow, I am reflecting on the Christmas spirit -- the joys of shopping, family dinners and fireplaces are all around me.

I love Christmas and the gifts under the tree will bring lots of joy to their recipients.  Give the gift of love to everyone you see today -- smile -- this is the best time of year.

Merry Christmas Eve

Merry  Christmas Eve!  I am waking up with beautiful snow falling!

As I am sipping on my coffee and looking out over the snow, I am reflecting on the Christmas spirit -- the joys of shopping, family dinners and fireplaces are all around me.

I love Christmas and the gifts under the tree will bring lots of joy to their recipients.  Give the gift of love to everyone you see today -- smile -- this is the best time of year.

Painting Treasures

Three  Days to Christmas!  I am waking up in Boston with Joy in my heart!  

Being with family is the best part of Christmas!  Traveling at this time of year can be a challenge -- yet when you get to your destination -- it is worth the trip!

I am here with my family in Boston with a lot of beautiful snow that definitely says -- it’s Christmas.

Today we will go shopping and find some special treasures to put under the tree and ones that I will later use in my paintings!

Painting Peace

Four Days to Christmas!  I am waking up with Peace in my heart!  

I recently finished the most beautiful painting of my life, “Peace”!  And, in order to paint this classic painting, I had to find the true feeling of Peace in my heart -- I must admit that sometimes it was a challenge, especially after listening to our worlds’ News!

The Golden Light of the lanterns glistens as the two women gracefully look for seashells on the beach as twilight beckons.  The Beach is my favorite place to find solace and comfort and recognize the incredible beauty of our world.

We have to believe that the serenity and peace that we find in life’s  small moments are meant to be felt every day of our lives.

I wish us all “Peace” in our hearts every day and especially now during this special season of Christmas!

Painting a Christmas of Love

Five  Days to Christmas!  I am waking up to Christmas songs in my head!  It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas -- 

I wish us all safe travels, great food and lots of Christmas presents under the tree!

When you buy American made products you are  helping  our economy and the small retailers that we need here in the United States.

A great place to find a special gift for anyone is the Humane Society -- there are so many loving creatures there just waiting for a home and ready to give lots of love.

Painting - Daddy's Home

Six Days to Christmas!  I am getting so excited -- the child in me has definitely come out to play!

And to all of the men and women serving our country overseas, I wish them a very blessed Christmas, and hope that many of them are getting to come home for the Holidays.  My painting, “Daddy’s Home” is a study for a series honoring our military and wishing they would all come home.  The joy that a child feels knowing that his Daddy or Mommy is home!

Enjoy the snow, the fireplace, the hot cocoa and enjoy your family -- Christmas is all about love!

Painting Snow

Seven Days to Christmas and it’s looks like it will be a white Christmas in New England! Yeah!!!  Did you know that each snowflake is different -- isn’t that amazing -- especially when there are so many snowflakes falling -- like trillions!!!!

Christmas is -- a fireplace glowing, a beautiful Christmas tree, presents under the tree and a turkey in the oven -- and of course, the main ingredient -- family.  I will be going to Boston for Christmas and I am excited to be with my family  during this holiday season!

Painting snow is so much fun!  There are so many colors in that white stuff to paint -- there are blues, and yellows and of course, white.  This little girl and I were up in Maine in almost hip deep snow in some parts -- after her brother went inside to get warm, she and I continued down the path with her best friends.

I am looking forward to doing some more “winter wonderland” paintings and discovering the beauty of “Snow”, and perhaps having an old-fashioned snowball fight, and what about you?

Painting Christmas Wishes

Eight days to Christmas!  Painting the themes of Christmas brings out the child in me -- one of the reasons that I love to paint children!  And,  I am reminded of the joy of the season and the anticipation of gifts and candy and fun that abounds!  And what will Santa bring me???

Snow globes are such a delight to children as they see the  magic in globe and fantasize about the Christmas story.   I have been collecting snow globes for years and it was a delight to paint them.

We can all learn from children to find the joy in this season and make a wish of peace for everyone to share!

I did this painting several years ago and it still brings delight to my eyes.

What are you wishing for this Christmas Season? 

Paintings for Christmas

Giving the gift of love to someone special at Christmas is the best gift of all -- and as an artist, helping a husband or wife surprise their spouse with a painting is soooooooo very special -- I love being a part of the loving surprise !  As I paint the gift, I think of the love that they share and it becomes a part of the work -- it is the painting.

Art brings joy and happiness to our world.  Artists love to create, and even more so, love to sell our creations -- it gives us confidence that our work has meaning, and it certainly helps in the economics as well!

Check out the galleries this holiday season.  Buying American Art  helps the economy and brings joy to the artist and to the recipients!

I am so very grateful to all of my collectors!

The Christmas Spirit

Nine Days to go!  Are you in the Christmas spirit yet?  Since this is the season of “Love”, give a smile to all the people you see when you are out shopping.  And when you see those incredible people standing there ringing that “Bell” for the Salvation Army -- please reach deep inside your pockets and find something to give -- it truly helps.

And, you can make simple gifts to give your loved ones and friends, like the hand-painted apron above,  or offer services, like running errands, a foot rub, find something in your closet to re-gift -- we all have gifts to give, and it is not how big the gift is, it is the feeling of love that we share that is the true gift.

Find the child within you that felt “glee” at Christmas -- and give the gift of a Smile!

Painting Red

Painting “Monday Afternoon”

The color “Red” is such a fun color to see and paint!  I love it!  I think that is why Santa Claus wears “Red”!!!  It is the color of love and a color that makes you feel warm and happy.

Late afternoon is my favorite time of day and relaxing on my lawn in the warm yellow light brings out the beautiful reds!  This is my newest painting in my series, “The Red Dress Series” entitled, “Monday Afternoon”.  

Painting Winner

Congratulations to the winner of the painting, Robert Collins!  He has won the painting, “Magical Moments”, 7 x 5, Oil on Board, that I donated to raise money for Amelia’s House in Clarion County, Pennsylvania.

I want to thank everyone who contributed to Amelia’s House!  You have helped to give the residents there  a very merry and happy Christmas.

Here is a note from Sr. Susan Dale:

“I am writing this through tears of joy.   I have received checks totaling over $1,200.00.   I don't know how to thank you.   It is due to you and all my other classmates  and the other contributors that these 3 kids and their mothers will have a Christmas like they have never had before. ACHS class of '67 rocks!!!!!!   May God bless you a hundred fold for your kindness and generosity.”

I think she says it all -- thank you so very much.  I am thrilled!

Painting to See

Painting what you “See”.  Sometimes we get lost in painting and forget to really “See” what we are painting -- I like to spend time just looking at what I am about to paint before I start -- to “see” what I am painting and then visualize the painting before I start.

Every half hour I take a break, wash my hands, and walk back into the studio with a “fresh eye” and look at the painting.  If it works from the door at the studio, I leave it alone.  Then I can see where I need to go with the painting.

I also put my paintings on the floor in front of me while I am doing other things, and just look at them -- always with a loving eye -- to see the beauty of the painting.  By the time I am ready to finish the painting, I can paint it from memory -- and in this way, I am painting from my heart!

Painting Competitions

A great way to get more exposure for  your artwork more is to enter national juried shows.  There are so many of them throughout the United States!  And many of them have some great prizes!!

Remember when entering to follow the directions very carefully as they can be very specific.  And, make sure that you have good quality photos of your paintings -- good color, good resolution and that they are squared off properly.  Usually there is a size restriction for the photos to be entered.  Most of the shows have various categories:  oils, pastels, watercolor, acrylic and even drawing!  This way you can enter several times in the different categories which also gives you a better chance to be accepted.

Some shows even have a mini category which is fun as you can enter those little “studies” that you love.

Be confident in your work, and know that the judging panel is different every time, and one painting that will be accepted into one show, might not make it into another.

My painting, “Little Flower Girl”, 16 x 20 has been in five major U.S. juried shows and just won Second Place in a show in Louisiana.  The other painting, “Garden Magic”, 9 x 12 has also been in five major shows. 

You can find a lot of the shows on-line and listed in the art magazines.  Good luck, and please remember not to take it personal! 

Helping the Homeless

With winter upon us, it is a great time to remember that there are thousands of people who live on the streets, without heat, without a roof over their head, without money and food -- these people need our help to survive.  Most shelters are full and they struggle just to live!

When you see a homeless person, please find it in your heart to give -- give them money, give them food, give them a warm jacket, and if you have nothing to give, give them a smile and words of encouragement.  Each gift of love that you give them helps.  They want the same things that we want, to be loved, to be happy and to have the comforts of a home.

They are people too -- people who got lost somehow in our beautiful world.

Thank you.

Impressionist Painting Demonstration

Diane Leonard is world renowned  for her use of color and light.  In her demonstration she will focus on how to paint using impressionistic techniques with translucent colors  -- you will learn the secrets that make your colors vibrant!

She will also share  her  unique and  breakthrough painting techniques that make her works sought after and highly  collectible.  The demonstration will be on Saturday, December 12 from Noon till 2:00 p.m. at Arizona Art Supply located at 4025 N. 16th Street, Phoenix, Arizona -- for more information 602-264-9514 or email Diane at Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Diane will show you how to take your palette of colors to a new dimension.  She will share the secrets of mixing colors that help capture light!  You will learn to use brushes in a new ways!

She has been an instructor at the Scottsdale Artists School for  many years and has written blogs about painting techniques.  Diane is presently working on a video for painting with color that will be available soon.

This Demonstration is filled with lots of new techniques and ideas for creating impressionistic paintings and is loads of fun!  You will leave the Demonstration with a new found passion to paint and new techniques to take your painting to a new level!  And you will rediscover the joy of painting!

Painting A Winner

There are those”special paintings” that speak to us -- they are the ones that are painted from your heart!  You can feel it when you paint it -- the paint is flowing, the colors are singing and you are happy!!  

At the end of the painting day, we step back, smile, pour a glass of wine and look at our work for the day, knowing it was a special day.

And that is the case with the painting, “Little Flower Girl”.  My little model has the most enchanting face, and capturing that on my Ampersand Board was fun and reminded me of innocence -- and that is what I captured.

This painting has been shown in four national juried shows this past year and last night WON Second Place at the Louisiana River Road Show in Baton Rouge, Louisiana!  I was thrilled to receive the notice today, and of course delighted to get the recognition for this painting.  

It not only put a smile on my face, and some money in my pocket, it has given me the confidence and elation to paint today!

I wish us all the feeling of joy when painting.

Painting With Color

Creating color in paintings is so much fun and using color to create light is what I love to do.

I found this hat on the internet and ordered it -- the blue on the hat creates the mood for the painting -- the light shines through and crates a glow.

My model sat in my garden with her glass of wine and the wildflowers that are growing there provided a great background and foreground for me to paint -- and, the splashes of the yellow/orange brought out the blues in the painting.

The magenta gloves added the color to the painting!

I love doing the small apuntes (studies) every day -- they give me the freedom to try new techniques and ideas in my work and they are fun to do!

“A Treasured Moment”, 7 x 5 Oil on Boarddianeleonard.com