Napping Buddha, oil on canvas, 6"x12" (NOT FOR SALE)

Green apple, oil on canvas, 5"x5" (SOLD)

 

Fish escape, oil on canvas, 6"x6" ($100 USD)

... still happily painting along and testing my ability to render things accurately. I think my next exercise will be do paint more painterly and impressionistically. It's a struggle with me ... I'm as tight as they come. Hah! 

I've been using images from "Paint my Photo." It's a source of copyright-free photos, posted by the photographers themselves. The only request is that if you paint from the photos, you post them in a gallery on the site and acknowledge the photographer in the post. Otherwise, you're free to use the photos in any way! 

I've been busy painting!

grapes, 5"x5", oil ($80 USD)

Cabbage and onions, 5"x7", oil ($100 USD)

mangoes, 5"x7", oil ($100 USD)

koi, 6"x6", oil ($80 USD, watermark is not on the original)

Kanoe, 5"x7", oil, (NOT FOR SALE)

Kilauea Iki trail, 5"x7", oil (SOLD)

Mauna Kea from Hakalau, 5"x7", oil ($80 USD)

Limes, 5"x5", oil ($80 USD)

I've been busy painting almost every day and thoroughly enjoying the process of learning a new form of expression. I've just been enjoying learning new things, stretching my limited understanding of oil paints and different media. It has been a little over 2 months since I first picked up my oil brush so these are just works in progress. The smell of stand oil reminds me of my days in college, when I took my first art class. And the sound of a brush laden with oil paints against a canvas is like music to my ears. At the time, I am so glad for the advice my art teacher gave me when she knew art was my passion. She said, "Joan, focus on getting your science degree. You can always do art." I took her advice and have loved my career in natural resources management. It took me decades to find my creativity again but I'm glad I did. It's never too late to rediscover your passion. I love what I do (as a rare plant botanist ... now an administrator) and it's never too late to find your other passions and invest in them too. Seeking balance in life has been tough these days but I definitely believe it's worth it.

Here are several paintings I've done recently, with the oldest at the bottom. I'll try to post more frequently once I get a new computer (my old beast is ready to retire and refusing to post anymore ... she's a good girl and needs her rest). For now, I hope you enjoy the barrage of images.