Finding Love

Do you believe in Love?

I do!

It knows no boudnaries ...

it conquers all...

It calls to us

to be the best we can be...

To have faith in ourselves and

and to believe in our greatness!

Love makes us richer, happier, and 

mostly,

Love makes us who are are!

"Summertime"

30 x 30 Oil on Canvas

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!  Here’s to Collectors all over the world!!!

People have been collecting art for centuries -- and we love them!  Thank you Collectors everywhere for loving art and for having it grace the walls and floors of your homes!

Wishing us all a weekend of joy and happiness and bliss!

This painting just sold at my gallery in Maine, The Wright Gallery!

"Twilight"

8 x 10, Oil on Board

SOLD

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Keeping It Simple

I am an over packer -- that I do know about me  it is probably my only “fault”, and I am okay with that!

I was wondering, after watching one of my favorite movies, “Bridges of Madison County”, for the umptienth (is that a word?) time how the heck did they get anything in those square little suitcases and how come the clothes were never wrinkled?  And where did we put our make-up, and our other “much needed” items??????

In art, I sometimes “over pack” my paintings with too many strokes and too much time over thinking and over painting the canvas.  When this happens,  I think of those little suitcases and how “simple” is so much better.  Less is more -- and truly, when you are painting “in the moment”, use those big brushes and give it all you have got -- and have fun!  Keep it simple!

"Red Sailboat"

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Marvelous Mondays!

Happy Marvelous Monday -- a day that starts the special week with surprises waiting for us.

Everybody is good at something!  I read in the book by Raymond Aaron, “Double Your Income Doing What You love” --   that inside of everyone of us is a “Superstar” -- finding that part of us that loves what we do -- and putting your heart and soul into what you love -- that’s when your star stars to shine and shine and shine.

Here’s to shining stars all week.    And happy days and lots of love and laughter!

"Bubbles" 8 x 10

Oil on Board

SOLD

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Finding Yourself

I like to stretch myself as a painter and a person -- I love to learn!  And, learning new techniques as an artist keeps me growing and challenges me to be my best!

Here’s to opening new doors to live and learn and finding ourselves in the process!

Happy Thursday wherever you are -- enjoy the moment and this special day of Summer!

"Afternoon Tea"

24 x 24 Oil on Canvas

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Paintings For Me

A man told me recently that I should either marry a rich man or win the lottery -- OUCH!  Really?

Are those really my only choices in my life right now??  What a boost of confidence!????

It really made me think and look at my life, my choices, and where I am going.  I sold my Soul once in my life and it is not a great feeling!   and, I won’t do that again.

It would be incredible to wake up every day and paint just for the sake of painting -- without those thoughts of “will this sell?”  I have sold a lot of paintings in my career and I have had so many One-Woman Shows that have sold out -- and I have had a great career!

Sooooooo -- why aren’t I painting with total abandon every day?  What is stopping me?

And, if I did sell my soul, would those paintings be the ones that I came here to create, or would they be “plastic” paintings. I have to be true to myself in all that I do -- especially my art!

Here’s to painting those special creations that we came here to create.

"Summer in New York"

40 x 40 Oil on Canvas

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Strutting Your Stuff

Strutting your Stuff!!!  If you have ever watched the movie, “Staying Alive” and watched John Travolta dance his pants off -- well, literally, of course, then you know the feeling of giving it all -- 500%  Not only is John beautiful to watch, he is in incredible shape and you know that you are watching perfection.  There must have been months and  months and  hours and hours of practice to make that last dance work.

John was so HOT in this movie --  and when he danced, it was all of him -- every muscle, every movement was sensual and powerful.  Just watching him dance, makes me want to dance -- as his partner, of course!

He danced his heart out -- he broke the rules -- he was there in the moment with every part of his being!   And that fever, that intensity,  is what a painting cries out for -- All of you.

After his performance he just wanted to walk the streets of New York and Strut his Stuff!

And that’s how you feel when you do that powerful painting that makes you smile and makes you glad that you are a painter.

Soooo -- here’s the challenge.  Strut your Stuff!  Play the song, “Staying Alive” and paint your pants off and see what painting with all of you is like!  And let’s see these incredible paintings!

I look forward to seeing these great paintings and Strutting your Stuff!  Send me photos of your incredible paintings!

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

My painting will be posted on Monday, July 12!

Specialties

Watching Gregory Hines dance is so amazing -- his talent transcended dancing -- and it was a specialty -- tap dancing.  He had to overcome a lot of prejudice to find his way into Hollywood and into our hearts -- and that he did!  His feet moved and created their own music with his taps!

In art, there are so many specialties that we can choose from.  And when we find our way of making art, it becomes our specialty.  Today, promise yourself to try something new in art -- a new color, a new technique or even a new medium.  And, in life, do something new for yourself -- walk backwards, hug a tree -- hug your neighbor -- be outrageous and find that music in your feet that makes you dance.

In the movie, “The Cotton Club”, you see some of the most amazing performances of song and dance -- can you tell that I love movies?  Life is a movie -- are you winning an Oscar?

"Afternoon Delight"

9 x 12

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Painting for You

Wrap yourself in gentle arms -- arms of strength and love -- let those arms be your guidance -- think of it this way -- what if this was your last painting in your life -- what would you want it to be -- Michelangelo had a cot beside some of his unfinished sculptures -- I love the roughness of them -- and he would find some strength each day to get up and work on them -- yet, truly, he was already sculpting them from the cot.  I wonder what was that last chisel into the marble  that he put on his sculpture ...... He died in 1564 and today is still renowned for his paintings and sculptures.

I always put my paintings on the floor in front of my love seat and look at them in different light and I study them -- and then I paint them in my mind -- long before I paint them on the easel -- and that is how I finish a painting -- I feel it -- if I am working from photos, I take them down and just let the painting finish itself.

That last stroke -- that finishing piece -- that one last item that says “it’s done now” -- 

Here’s to those paintings -- the ones that we came here to paint!

'Low Tide"

36 x 30 Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Patience

Patience -- do we really have it -- we are living in the McDonald “got to have it right away” lifestyles -- 

Good things come to those that wait!  We have all heard that before -- in painting, and in life, it takes time to get that special magic in life -- it is not delivered to your doorstep -- you have to earn it -- live it -- believe in it, and then let it find it’s own path to you.

And when you are patient, and let go -- it comes to you -- you see it -- the magic is there -- the studies and the times you kept practicing, and all of those songs later -- and there it is.

A farmer knows patience -- when they plants their seeds, they know that it takes months to grow into the final product -- as artists -- it takes our own type of “harvest” to get to the painting that you came to paint!

Here’s to those paintings -- the ones that we came here to paint!

This painting just sold in my gallery on Cape Cod -- The Hearle Gallery.

"Spring's Magic"

12 x 9, Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonad.com

Happiness

Believe in yourself with a new found love of who you are.

Soar higher than you ever dreamed possible.

Live each moment with all the energy and vitality housed in your soul.

May each day bring you more happiness than your heart can hold! 

"Summer Love"

8 x 10 Oil on Canvas

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

I am putting this painting on my blog again because I just love it and plan on doing more of this new series!  And this little study was painted with happiness in my heart