Monday, January 31, 2011

Aspens in Color

Aspens in Color
12" x 12" Oil on gessoed masonite
This painting is currently hanging at The Dutch Art Gallery in Dallas, Texas. Yesterday I had a telephone call from a viewer in Michigan. It was a pleasant surprise to hear from Kate---she told me that she was looking for colorful landscape art and ran across my blog and website. In our conversation, we were talking about inspiration for art. I sometimes use a photograph----my own photograph---as a starting point for a painting. We have a saying a the studio that we don't want to use someone else's photograph or copy anyone's art or the Art Police will arrest you!!! The more your paint, the more you want your art to be your own from start to finish. Inspiration is everywhere...you just have to take it and transfer it to the canvas using your own personal style and flair. I consider myself a colorist...expressing more with color than anything else....and this palette knife painting is a good example. I did not use a photograph as a starting point...I just sat down in front of the easel and started painting. Thanks for viewing this blog! I have a busy week working on commissions...Kay

Friday, January 28, 2011

Only the Lonely

Only the Lonely
8" x 16" Oil on Cotton Panel
Palette Knife Painting
This palette knife painting is hanging at Dutch Art Gallery in a beautful gold frame. I got the palette knife out and created this empty nest----off center on the canvas. I like the limited colors in this painting...blue, my favorite color and some neutrals...raw sienna and burnt umber along with white and greys. I have been working at the studio on a large commission...so even though I am not posting alot this week, I am working. I have to focus on this deadline, then I can paint more nests and aspen trees. Thanks for viewing this blog, Kay
214-532-0325 or kay@kwyne.com

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Grow Tall

Grow Tall
24" x 24" Oil on Gallery Wrap Canvas
Palette Knife Painting
Not For Sale...Donation for Alley's House Fundraiser
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Rising Gallery, located at 4631 Insurance Road, Dallas, TX, 75205
Tickets are $50 and may be purchased online here,by phone at 214-915-9945.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

On my easel....

On my easel...I got a full day of painting in yesterday. Here is a 24" x 24" oil painting that I am doing for a donation for an auction. I hope to put finishing touches on it and get a better photograph. The paint is very thick and will take a long time to dry. I see a few things that I want to change on it. Thanks for viewing this blog....Have a good day! Kay

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Miles

Miles
15" x 30" Oil on Canvas
My inspiration for this painting is a photograph taken by Ty Tucker...the son of Marsha Tucker. Marsha was the proud owner of Miles, a Mille Fluer d'Uccle, a bantam breed from Belgium. Marsha lives in Tennessee and told me that Miles did have an attitude, but was self-confident, but generous in his own way. Unfortunately, Miles is no longer around because he was breakfast for a fox. Marsha raises chickens and hens, and this one really caught my eye. I loved his color, his shape and his stance. When he dries, I will frame this handsome fellow. Thanks for viewing my art. Have an artful day! Kay at 214-532-0325 or kay@kwyne.com.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Transfusion

Transfusion
48" x 72" Oil on Gallery Wrap Canvas
(Day 7 & 8...see previous post)
This contemporary oil painting might be finished. Viewer John Kazlauskas suggested "Transfusion" for the title, and I think it fits. It is hard to see the texture and the paint built up on the canvas by the photograph. I managed to take it outside and photograph, then hang it pretty high in the studio...needs to get some drying time. I used several brushes, palette knives and scrapers to spread the paint. It has gone through alot of changes...I will let you know if I work on any changes. Thanks for viewing this blog!!
Kay at 214-532-0325 or kay@kwyne.com

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Abstract on my easel....

Day 1: I covered the canvas with a warm grey. Actually, it looks more like a neutral khaki. This is a very large canvas...4 feet by 6 feet on heavy duty canvas and stretcher bars.
Very heavy, very big, taking up lots of studio space. I had to store it in the bathtub at the studio until I was ready to paint.
Day 2: Blocking in some color...as you can see in the first photo, I have a horizon line going.
Day 3: Trying to figure out the color palette...paint chips at the bottom of the easel. Grant told me that Honeysuckle was the "in" color for 2011. So I started out with brown, tan, white, red and honeysuckle as what I thought would be my colors. I also got out he oil sticks.
Day 4: After looking at the canvas, I felt that it was pretty boring. So I started adding some color and left my initial color scheme...no honeysuckle here. When I arrived at the studio the following day, my studio partners asked me if I was painting this for Oprah. I didn't get it, until someone said it looked like her name on the canvas. It was not intentional, but when you stand back from the painting, it does look like the Oprah signature/logo in paint.
Day 6: Not only did I paint out the O (as in Oprah), but added more color. I needed to paint over the stark white/titanium white. Yellow ochre was introduced, and I borrowed some HUGE palette knives from Sharon and Mark. That made it so much easier to spread the paint. Lots of texture. Layers of paint. So after day 6, this is what I have going on. I hope to return to the studio...will keep you posted on the progress of this astract. Thanks for viewing my blog! Kay

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Aspens...Untitled

Aspens...Untitled
I just finished these aspens today. They are on a 12" x 48" Heavy Duty Gallery Wrap Canvas...very tall and narrow. The oils are thick and buttery...it will take weeks for this to dry. I was inspired by a photograph taken by Sara Settles in Colorado...of course I added my own flair to the trees and landscape. I haven't had time to really think about the title for this painting...if you have any ideas, please let me know! Thanks for viewing this blog. Kay at 214-532-0325 or kay@kwyne.com


Coop the Chicken - SOLD!

Coop the Chicken
Sold this past weekend...to a couple who had been "eyeing" this painting in the window at Dutch Art Gallery. They purchased it for their seventh wedding anniversary. I love it when my paintings move and go to new homes! Thanks for looking at my art and this blog. I hope that you have a very artful day. I am hitting the studio and finishing up a large abstract and aspen painting.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Aspens - Diptych

Contemporary Aspens Diptych
SOLD
48" x 60" (Two 48" x 30" canvases)
Oil Palette Knife Painting
I loved painting this diptych...it was on Heavy Duty Canvas. This was a commission for a collector in Plano, Texas. I put a zig-zag dark path in the background so that the eye moves around the canvas. The color palette needed to be fall colors...no pinks, blues, purples. (I really had to watch myself on the colors....I can get carried away on it sometimes!!!) I needed the canvas to make a statement. I wanted the painting to be bold, beautiful and pleasing to the eye, with aspens being large, imposing and interesting. This palette knife painting has lots of texture. Loads of paint on this canvas. This diptych now hangs on a very large wall with high ceilings above a beautiful leather sofa. Looks great...I will be taking a pic of this in it's new home. It is amazing how art looks in the studio, then when it is placed in a lovely home it just glows... I am thrilled that this painting has a new home!!!
Thanks for viewing this blog...
kay@kwyne.com or 214-532-0325

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Lost and Found

Lost and Found

This is a unique piece of art...one of a kind, you might say. The above photograph shows the finshed painting after I gave this old dresser mirror frame an over-haul. About two years ago I was was walking in our neighborhood, and in front of the Holtzman's house was this old shabby "thing" on the sidewalk....It was neat, but in very bad shape. Water damage, weathered and in bad shape...see below the pictures of this sad, sad frame. I knew it had potential --- for what, I wasn't sure. About a year ago we were moving some things around in the studio and I found this frame that I had stashed away, so I cleaned it up, had a piece of masonite put in it, and gessoed it. Then it sat around for three or four more months until I was in the mood to paint on it. It is pretty tall, and of course has some curves and shapes to it. I painted the aspens out onto the outside of the frame at the bottom. Once I knew what I wanted to paint, it was easy....It took me a while to figure it all out.

Somebody's trash was my treasure!

Thanks for viewing my blog. Have a great day. I hope to get to the studio and paint today. Kay at 214-532-0325 or kay@kwyne.com.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Horizon Series: Abstract #23

Horizon Series: Abstract #23
20" x 20" Oil on Gallery Wrap Canvas
This painting has deep rich colors, layers and layers of texture. It is on a gallery wrap canvas, so no frame is needed. Ready to hang. I made it to the studio yesterday, via DART. I thought I would try something different and ride the rail downtown. It was fun, and I was able to take in the scenery of Dallas...something that is hard to do when you are driving around town. I worked on some new paintings, and varnished about a dozen....this was one of them. Thanks for looking at my blog...have a great day! Kay 214-532-0325 or kay@kwyne.com

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Horse Race - Untitled - Unfinished?

Horse Race - Untitled, probably not finished, but almost finsihed...does that make sense?
I have been working on this painting for two weeks. I thought I was finished, so I signed it and took a photograph today at the studio. Now that I am looking at it on the computer, I see several things that need attention. So I will go back tomorrow and make a few brush strokes on this very wet canvas. It is oil on 16" x 20" canvas. It will need a frame, probably a gold or dark wood moulding would look best. Will post more on this painting later. It is cold and chilly in Dallas today...got a fire going and watching football now that I am home. I hope that you are having a great holiday with family and friends. Contact me if you are interested in purchasing any of my paintings. Thanks, Kay 214-532-0325 or kay@kwyne.com