Showing posts with label winsor newton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winsor newton. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Painting in New England




It’s always a great idea to look at paintings that you have done in the past and rediscover their beauty!  It’s a celebration of you as an artist!

Looking at paintings with a new eye gives you a new opportunity to see how you painted and look at your own techniques -- it is a lesson in itself.  And, as always, look at your art and all art with loving eyes -- it will make you smile!

Make this day the Best Day of Your Life!



Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day -- the Day of Love.
I wish us all a day filled with lots of smiles, hugs, chocolates and flowers.  My neighbor gave me some fresh violets from her garden this morning -- how are they even blooming this time of year -- I haven’t seen these pretty little flowers in a long time -- they are beautiful and what a pleasant surprise!
On this day of Love, take some time and call a friend and tell them how much you appreciate them -- give a hug to a neighbor, kiss your cat, and do something special for someone --  and remember the homeless people who would be happy with just a smile or a warm meal.
Valentine’s Day isn’t just about the candy and flowers -- although they are quite wonderful to receive -- this day is truly about sharing yourself -- sharing Love.
As I paint today, I am going to pour all of my love into my paintings, knowing that I am so blessed to be a painter and even more blessed that people receive joy and happiness from my art!
Thank you.  I wish us all Love today and every day.
"Tenderness"
30 x 30 Oil on Linen



Monday, January 31, 2011

No Regrets

If I had the chance to live my life again, I would change a few things -- yes, I certainly would.  I suppose everyone would say that.  I mean who hasn’t done things that hurt us, or that just didn’t work out at the time -- Well, I know they are all learning lessons and yet, I could have skipped a few!!!  Besides, who wants to be too smart anyway???  Keeping the regrets to a bare minimum is the goal here!
I always plan a lot of paintings that I want to paint -- it’s a lifetime of paintings that I envision.  Then, I change my mind and do whatever comes up.  It do like to plan though, because then I feel sort of organized and I strive to be as “organized” as possible.  Structure is not an adjective that can be used to describe my life, and that is perfectly okay with me.  I am an “Artist” -- one who is destined to create and therefore not entirely responsible for structure.
My aim is to paint powerful paintings this year -- paintings that have feeling, merit, a story and that bring out the feelings of joy and laughter to remind us of the importance of life and our relationships.  I want to capture the precious memories of life that give us inner peace and love.
"Finding Shells"
9 x 12 Oil on Board




Friday, January 7, 2011

Friends

Isn’t it amazing that people just “walk” into our lives -- then they are a part of our life and we wonder “how did I ever live without them?”  They are your friends and they love you for being You.  They love you for who you are and they are there for you when you need them the Most.
I treasure my friends, my sister,s and my family.  I know that they love me even when I have forgotten to love myself.
Each day I remind myself to smile as I walk into a store and especially while driving around doing errands.  Drivers have a tendency to look so Serious -- Now, I just smile, knowing that my life is great -- my life is filled with great friends and family and I am so blessed to be a painter.  I am very grateful.
Are you smiling?Sketching is a way of practicing for painting ideas and a way of honing your skills for painting and sculpting.  I keep a sketchbook beside me all of the time to put down new ideas that come to me throughout the day.
"Friends"
24 x 24 Oil on Board
DianeLeonard.com



Friday, December 17, 2010

Finding Your Joy!

Sometimes our creative energies take a break -- so to speak -- when I mean is - it feels as if they have left!  Gone!  Disappeared!  And that is when the Joy, the Fun and the Passion for painting quits too.
It becomes a chore -- instead of the magic and the Fun -- I mean, isn’t this why we paint, sculpt, sing, dance -- to have fun and be creative and to like what we are doing?  
How can you paint that feeling of joy when it just isn’t there?
And, that’s when the universe steps in to guide us to help us find our Inner Joy again!
Long story shortened -- here ------I lost my joy and couldn’t seem to find it -- I crawled into the Chakra Store (herb shop) here in Phoenix and the woman introduced me to these special organic Flower Elixirs made here in Phoenix by Katie Hess -- I have used flower elixirs before -- yet never like these .... they are amazing!  Flower essences heal us naturally by healing our souls -- and that is the pureness of the flowers.  I walked out of the store with their hand-made tea called Inspired  and the “Joy” flower elixir -- which I opened right away and put the drops on my tongue.
And - guess what happened -- the Joy I was seeking found me again -- and I walked into my studio and painted.
I went back to the store the next day and bought two more of her amazing elixirs, and will tell you more about them in an another blog.  She hand picks all of the flowers that she uses and she instinctively knows which ones are the best. 
You can order on-line and find out more about Katie’s products by going to LotusWei.com.
I am so grateful to have my JOY back again!

I painted this painting a while ago, yet I still smile when I look at it.
"Joy"  30 x 30 Oil on Board

      


Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Christmas Time

There are memories of our childhood that stay with us forever when we think of Christmas and it’s magic.   I think that the fantasies of Christmas should live in our hearts all year long -- the joy, the gifts, the family parties, and the giving -- whether it’s gifts or just time being together -- it’s Christmas -- again.
My childhood Christmases were always filled with wonder and the sparkle of the season -- including the snow.  I love the candles in the window and the Christmas lights and the smells of the Christmas tree that fills the house with joy!
This painting is a reminder of days from our childhood when snow was fun to play in and we didn’t truly feel the cold!
This painting is available in a fine art giclee from the Wright Gallery in Cape Porpoise, Maine.

"Christmas Time"
20 x 16 Oil on Board

      


Friday, December 10, 2010

Fantastic Friday

It’s Fantastic Friday where life smiles at us and wishes us joy!
Today is a great day to paint for yourself -- with no thoughts of sales or pleasing others -- just painting to paint!  
When Beethoven went deaf, he could still hear his music in his soul -- and he wrote those amazing symphonies that we still listen to.... all of these years later!  Imagine that -- the world still listens to his music -- symphonies play his music -- aspiring musicians learn to play his music -- and his symphonies are beautiful and captivating. They resonate in our souls.
And, that is what I wish for us today-- creating art that resonates in our souls.
Have a Fantastic Friday!
"Summer Sails"
24 x 24 Oil on Canvas
This painting Sold yesterday at
The Wright Gallery, Cape Porpoise, Maine

      


Thursday, July 22, 2010

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"



Friday, June 18, 2010

Finding Your Passion

Inspiration rules our world!  Subjects for paintings are all around us -- and each of us are drawn to what sparks that desire to paint inside of us.  Some of us are drawn to paint flowers, others find landscapes that stir our creativity, and buildings and cityscapes  have long been a painter’s delight.    I love to paint all of these and more.   My passion is painting people.   I am drawn to paint people -- I started out as a portrait painter and it was a great way to learn to paint people.
I love to paint everything and yet as I look back at most of my paintings --there are people in them!
What is your passion?
"Red Wine"
8 x 6 Oil on Raymar Board
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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

A Mother's Love

There are moments in life -- special moments -- when a moment in time is worth a painting.  The afternoon light and the feeling of love are all it took here.
This is a study for my newest series of paintings of mothers and children.  I am so excited to be doing this new series and I love the colors!
"Afternoon Love"
9 x 12 Oil on Canvas



Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Twilight

As the sun sets on the beach, a beautiful warm light appears -- it’s twilight!  I found these antique lanterns over a year ago and I was so excited to be using them on the beach.  They provided a beautiful light to look for seashells while walking along the beach as the sun was setting.  
We also had to use them to walk along the beach later that evening to help get our friend’s boat that was stuck in the sand.  I love vintage -- and the lanterns were of such great use at this beach house, that I left one there.
"Twilight"
8 x 10 Oil on BoardDianeLeonard.com