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