Norma Wilson Art: June 2011

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Eastern Bluebird

4" by 6" original oil on multi-media board

Comes with white mat that brings the size up to 8" by 10"

$75.

It's almost the weekend again! The times seems to be flying by and here we have a holiday weekend. Hope to get to the beach with a friend and relax a bit. This painting is done on a multi-media board that I have used before. It is pretty cool as it has a resin in it that makes it possible to frame is without glass. Panels and canvas always work without glass but oils on paper require glass over it to protect the painting over time. Anyway, bluebirds are a lovely subject and are a pleasure to paint! Wish I could see more in my yard but can't say that I have ever seen one. Just finished up my newsletter today...really finished just in the nick of time for the month's end. If you have not subscribed, just enter your name at the top right corner and I will send off a copy to you! There are savings involved!!! Thanks so much for your continued support. I am not sure I will post unless I finish something tomorrow when I paint with Scott and Barbara. Hope you have a wonderful 4th!!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Miss Piggy's Lil Piglet

Miss Piggy's Lil Piglet
SOLD

5" by 5" on panel

$125

Guess I haven't gotten painting pigs out of my system. I decided that Miss Piggy needed a wee little piggy. I think he looks a bit like his Mum! Well...didn't get as much accomplished today like my NEWSLETTER! I will get it out tomorrow as it is the end of the month! I am not sure if it was the barometric pressure or allergies but my head has really been hurting the past two days. My newsletter may be brief! I did have a wonderful visit yesterday with my buddies, Adele, and Claudia. We didn't get any painting done but had lunch and lots of fun and inspiration for each other. I must share a picture of the quiche I made. I don't often cook so I have to take pictures and share on the web! You never know when it will happen again!

I was sure that Andrew would help me eat the leftovers but I guess real men DON'T eat quiche so I ended up eating all the rest! He doesn't know what he is missing! Here we are with another holiday weekend approaching. I'd love to hear from you about what kinds of things you do on the 4th or perhaps a 4th of July that stands out for you when you were a child! I will always remember a fishing trip with my Dad, a neighbor, my sister and her boyfriend when I was nine. We went to Cape May, New Jersey out in a little boat and fished all day. I caught a ten pound flounder! I was quite the city girl from Philly who rarely left our little neighborhood so this was quite the adventure! I can still feel how great it was with the warmth of my sun burn that night sleeping on a cot in my parent's room by their GIANT air conditioner that was like a piece of furniture. It was the only room in the house with it back then! Such good memories and falling asleep to the fireworks! That's my memory....night night.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Beachscape

Beachscape

5" by 7" original oil on panel.

As you can see...I had fun using lots of paint and texture. I did this with a combination of brush and palette knife. I had asked a question on my facebook page about what I should paint more of and the answer was beach stuff! I have been fortunate in my life to live all of my adult life close to the ocean in beautiful settings like Pensacola, Florida, San Diego, California, Newport, Rhode Island, Jacksonville, Florida, and now here near Virginia Beach. I have also been on the other side of the ocean in Ireland, France, Italy, Spain and Hawaii. I liked ALL of them! I just like the beach. Perhaps because I am a water sign...a Pisces or just because the seaside is such a peaceful, serene, and awesome place! The sound of the waves cresting, the sea gulls overhead, the smell of the salty air. Yes....so why have I not taken a day to just go sit, walk and spend the day on the beach yet this year???? I must do that one day this week. At least, I can visit it in my painting for just a little while. Hope you can too! Thank you for leaving comments and for visiting my sites!

There are 3 ways you can make a real difference on this blog: 1. Tell a friend. Share the link to this site with just one other person. 2. Post your thoughts in the comment section. 3. Email any questions or suggestions to me at normasart@cox.net. My blog: http://www.normasdailypaintings.blogspot.com. My website: http://www.normawilsonfineart.com

There are 3 ways you can make a real difference on this blog: 1. Tell a friend. Share the link to this site with just one other person. 2. Post your thoughts in the comment section. 3. Email any questions or suggestions to me at normasart@cox.net. My blog: http://normasdailypaintings.blogspot.com. My website: http://www.normawilsonfineart.com

Sunday, June 26, 2011

WHAT are you guys looking at??

14" by 18" original oil on wrap around canvas with sides painted.

$395.

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These little nuthatches are just such cute birds and so much fun to watch as they run up and down trees. It was great fun to paint three birds in one painting. They each have their own little personality and attitude.

Hope you have had a fun and relaxing weekend!! I did and I am looking foward to a really busy week of painting and writing my newsletter too! Thanks for checking in with me! I am off to watch the finale of CSI! :-)

Friday, June 24, 2011

The Three Graces

The Three Graces
also known as the Cows Of Garret County

16" by 20" original oil on wrap around canvas with sides painted

$495.00

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This painting was inspired by a photograph sent to me by Shawn who is a collector and fellow cow lover and I did a small study of it back then and named it The Cows Of Garret County. I decided that I needed to do a large close up of them. They look so into the moment. According to Wilkepedia "in Greek mythology as The Three Graces, goddesses of such things as charm, beauty, and creativity".

There you have it. They have it all and they look like they know it! I had fun using both brush and palette knife on this. I started it during my morning painting session with my friends, Barbara and Scott and then some more at Harbor's Edge. It was such a fun day of painting. I am falling asleep at the computer now though so I shall say good night and hope you have a fantastic weekend! I am going to work on a commission this weekend and start a new beachy piece! Take care!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Tally Ho!

SOLD

Tally Ho!

$150.

Ever dreamed of flying...like the birds...without a plane? I have had many dreams of flying and one was over England at night! It was like something out of a novel seeing the old time streets of England. Really fun! I looked up the meaning of the phrase Tally Ho and one of them is to say it when about to embark on something exciting! This little English Robin knows that thrill of taking off and seeing the world from that vantage point. Wouldn't it be great to fill each day with a tally ho moment? Have a wonderful day!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Field Of Dreams

9" by 12"

$250.

SOLD

Happy First Day Of Summer! I realized that today as I was out on my bike ride admiring all the gardens

in my neighborhood and feeling grateful to live where I do and to be out enjoying such a beautiful day! The air smelled like summer when I was a child when the school year ended and I felt that great taste of freedom from books and teachers and the lazy days stretched out ahead of me!! It isn't quite like that now but I do get to come home and water my own garden and head to my studio to do what I love to do. I have had a wonderful week of finding homes for my paintings. Over a dozen pieces will be making their way to different parts of the country. Yeah! Thank you all! What does the first day of summer mean to you? Icy Pops? Swimming Pools? Barbecues? Lightening Bugs? Water hoses? Fire Hydrants? ....that is the city girl coming out in me. The smell of suntan lotion? Staying up late and sleeping in?? Going fishing?

Trips to the beach?? Late night walks on the boardwalk? The penny arcade? Ferris Wheels? Cotton candy?

Riding the Waves?

Monday, June 20, 2011

Miss Magpie

6" by 6" original oil on panel

150.

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Hope you all had a good weekend. I did quite a bit of work but also relaxed and watched some good movies. It was good to get back in my studio today after a great bike ride and planting some more flowers in the garden. Right after I got them in the ground we had a nice light rain. This is my first magpie painting. It started out to be a crow but I decided to make it a magpie. I just read a bunch about them. I guess they can be found in the western U.S. and also in England, Ireland, and Scotland. There is some question now if the ones found in the U.S. might not be a different species. Here is a video of a bird who was rescued and released and returns to his rescuers home daily and sings a song! Wonder if it is a song of gratitude. I had put a bird feeder in a crepe Myrtle tree that is under my studio window thinking that it would be fun to look out and watch and the squirrels knocked it over and eventually found the sunflower seeds on my screen porch....came in and was eating them and then when we removed him, he returned and gnawed his we through my screen because he still smelled them. Guess I should have been better about cleaning up the empty shells! Please contact me if you have any questions about my paintings. Have a wonderful day!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

So Coy!

6" by 6" original oil on panel

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This little gal looks a bit timid but still interested in what is going on around her....

Hope you are having a fun and relaxing weekend! I have been out enjoying the sunshine but also took some time to watch a couple of old movies on Turner Classic movie channel. Nothing like a laid back Saturday watching Humphrey Bogart and Robert Mitchum! There were a couple of female characters but I can't remember their names. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and visiting for awhile!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Cockadoodledoo!

5" by 7" original oil on panel

$150

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Wow...such a fun day yesterday with fourteen name suggestions for yesterday's painting and it sold in the first hour. Life is good! The name chosen was Saddle Up Vaquero and it happens to have come from my son, Sean who participated on facebook and lives and works up in Northern Virginia! Thanks Sean. There were a bunch of fun names that I would like to share. I don't have every one's name as some people just send a suggestion along in an email so I will just list the names. They are, Waiting For Paco, Give me A Home Where The Antelope Roam, A Gentle Friend, Does My Ass Look Big?, Waiting in Joyful Hope, Start of Donkey's Day, Shy Guy, Sweet Stubbornness, Missy, Pocito Burrito, Can I come Home With You?, and Poco Pancho. Thank you all!! Have a fabulous Friday!

Saddle Up Vaquero

Saddle Up Vaquero SOLD

5" by 7" original oil on panel

150.

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Thank you to all who helped name this painting!

I really loved working on this little guy who seems to be part of a world where the pace of life is a bit slower. Perhaps his owner has stopped to get some lunch or a drink at the local watering hole. Hope they remember to bring him something to drink too! I found this reference photo taken by Sylvia Lang and shared on Paint My Photo and Artist References on Facebook. Thank you Sylvia! Have a wonderful Thursday! I plan on being in my studio all day today!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Gentle Giant Study

Gentle Giant

5" by 5" original oil on panel

125.

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When I worked on this piece as a study for a larger piece, I wanted to play with opposite colors and chose violet and yellow. I like how the light washes over this massive gentle giant. I was reading in wikepedia how the elephant is considered as intelligent as a dolphin and the Chinese revere them for their wisdom. I would like to ride an elephant one day....and look into its eyes.

We had our outing today to Stoney's in Virginia Beach with the plan of painting in the sunflower fields but as Claudia said...they were not quite Van Gouh ready. We actually ended up enjoying the beautiful weather, greenery, and great conversation. I'd like to share some of the sights we saw at Stoney's. We saw great ways to display your plants!

Have an old sewing machine in the attic?

A picnic basket?

Future painting inspirations!

Wish I could have gotten a picture of the biggest rooster I have ever seen. He was all black and at high noon was crowing over and over letting everyone know it was time to get up! The man who worked there said he does it all the time and is quite the bossy alpha male of the coup. I will have to go back just to see him and have a good laugh.

I left there inspired to work in the garden some more and came home with lavender, a tomatoe plant and a really healthy green pepper plant. Andrew thinks I have gone off the deep end a bit into gardening but I am loving it. Oh, I had a squirrel on the screened porch today as he found some sunflower seeds that I had on my planting table. We got him out of the porch and moved the bag inside but left some of the mess he had made with shells. Later I found a golf ball size whole in my screen where he had made his way in again! Not sure how the tomatoes and peppers will do but I read that I should put out some cayeene pepper. I will keep you posted! Well, have a wonderful day and check out some gardens!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Just Passing Through!

11" by 14" original oil on wrap around canvas with sides painted

$295.

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This rooster looks like he is on a mission....roosters to see, places to go...

and his feathers are in quite the uproar! Course if you have ever been to

a barnyard...there is quite the flurry of activity going on. I love to watch roosters

in action and I like to decorate my walls and even platters and dishes with them. They just have a way of making me smile! How bout you?

I got some more plants in the ground today and some moved. I planted impatiens, salvia, and portulaka! I really am getting hooked. My son, Andrew, has been helping me dig the bigger wholes as our dirt is very dry and full of clay and old roots. Can't wait to go out tomorrow and see if they have grown over night! We are going to tackle moving some hostas tomorrow. I think even Andrew is getting into it a bit.

Tomorrow I paint with Claudia and Adele outside in a sunflower field. That is the plan if the weather doesn't change. I really don't like painting outside....I know it is SO good for you and all that stuff but it is the taking all the stuff and always forgetting something important part that bothers me. I am thinking of a backup plan of taking a sketchbook and watercolors and just having fun playing a bit.

I wanted to post another study I did today on canvas paper. I am playing with different compositions and colors.

Angel In The Field

5" by 7" original oil on canvas paper

$75

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I would love to hear from you! Leave me a comment and tell me what you would like me to paint this summer! I am always looking for new inspirations and would love any gardening wisdom too. My knockout roses are not blooming much....could it be not enough water?

Daisy

12" by 12" original oil on wrap around canvas with sides painted

$325.

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This is the cow that I filmed a video of me painting and then through a series of mishaps and "technical difficulties"...I ended up with no copy of it and still don't know how to get one up on a site to edit it properly. My computer which is a PC has a media player that is apparently messed up. My next computer will definitely be a MAC! All my artist friends who own one swear by them and say that anything like this is a breeze with them. SO....my next plan is to borrow my son's friend's video camera and see if he can help me edit it. It was fun to make one and I really would love to do more. So here is Daisy and she would love to find a happy home with someone who loves cows and daisies! I am all about the flowers these days. My painting, Sisters Bovine, which was of two white cows found a home in New Hampshire yesterday. Thank you to my new collector!

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Rooster Kook!

4" by 5"

Oil on paper with matting that is 8" by 10"

Contact me for purchase information!

I am still having fun playing on paper and trying some out some new ideas and directions. I hope you had some fun too today! I'd love to hear what kinds of things you were doing on such a summery day!

I had a delightful day today catching up around the house and running errands. I worked in my newly growing garden, watering, fertilizing, and pruning away. I also stopped at Lowe's and got a deal on some impatiens to plant tomorrow. Now I need to get a good garden sign....any suggestions of where to find are welcome! Tomorrow I am going to move a garden bench around front and surround it with some flowers.

My Little Garden With The Crooked Pole

Go JMU and Virginia Tech!

This is my second season with my knockout roses and they are not blooming after much after the initial burst in the spring. I read that it could be not enough water or sun. I watered a bunch today and just as I am typing this it started to rain! Yeah! It said it could be not enough sun and other than getting my trees pruned...I can't do much about that. I fertilized too. They are so beautiful when they are in full bloom.

Thursday, June 09, 2011

How Now Brown Cow?

How Now Brown Cow

5" by 5" original oil on panel.

$125.

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Funny how phrases like this come to mind and you have no idea what they mean! I looked it up and it is pretty much nonsensical but helped to teach proper elocution. Learn something every day... Another hot day here in Chesapeake and I made sure to water my newly planted garden. My hydrangeas are growing lots of new leaves and the shasta daisies are all opening up! I keep looking for ideas for new plants on my bike ride. I spent hours again today working on another painting demonstration and hope to get some help tomorrow from one of my artist friends who know more about editing videos. There is more involved than just doing the demonstration like how to speed it up and add music, etc. Well...till tomorrow...keep smiling!

There are 3 ways you can make a real difference on thisl blog: 1. Tell a friend. Share the link to this site with just one other person. 2. Post your thoughts in the comment section. 3. Email any questions or suggestions to me at normasart@cox.net. My blog: http://normasdailypaintings.blogspot.com. My website: http://www.normawilsonfineart.com

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Carolina Shrimper

12" by 16" original oil on wrap around canvas with sides painted.

$350.

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Is it just me or does it seem like 100 degree temperatures in early June are a bit much? It does get me our early to ride my bike when there is still a breeze. I loved painting this boat today and I imagined there was a soft breeze blowing and the beauty of the marshes were magnificent like when I first saw this boat! I also loved the seafood I enjoyed thanks to the hard work of these boats and the fisherman who work them each day.
I really enjoyed working on a larger painting which I did in two sessions. If you would like to see the original block in above...just scroll down! Hope you have a wonderful day and thank you so much for checking in on me. I am still working on putting my first painting demonstration on here and youtube but have been having technical difficulties. :-( Also, I am a bit late on my newsletter but had sent out an email saying that I am doing a 20% off discount for my subscribers and collectors. You just have to send me an email if you fall into these catagories! I will still be doing my drawing for a free painting for the month of May. Please keep checking back!

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Chestnut Beauty

4" by 6"

original oil on paper

comes with double mat that makes the total size 8" by 10"

SOLD

Contact me for purchase information.

Busy day today back from a three day trip up to Pennsylvania to see my two Aunts. One is 91 and the other is 94! I met my sister and we also spent time with several of our cousins that we don't get to see nearly enough! It was a great visit and we laughed so hard and reminisced about years gone by...

Today I was dragging a bit. Not sure why driving in the car for hours can be so exhausting but it is! My friends, Adele, and Claudia came over to paint with me and that is always great fun. We also walked around my little garden and shared ideas for future plantings. I am really enjoying these paintings on paper. I am also loving painting horses! Hope you have a great day!

Friday, June 03, 2011

Gentle Giant

GENTLE GIANT

24" by 24" on wrap around canvas

CUSTOM JEWELRY SHOW THIS WEEKEND

at London Square Gallery 4410 Colley Ave.Norfolk, Virginia

I am VERY excited to have this painting and several other pieces on display along with several other artists this weekend as part of a custom jewelry exhibit!! Scott London has one of most beautiful gallery spaces in our area and always has fantastic shows! The times are 10 a.m. tomorrow morning and 4 p.m. Sunday evening! Come on out and enjoy downtown Norfolk...only minutes from Felini's Italian restaurant and the Naro movie theater.

Sunflowers In My Window!

4.5" by 5.5" on illustration board

$95.

Comes with a white double mat that makes it

8" by 10"

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It is almost midnight and I am still in my studio trying to wrap things up. I did my first video demonstration today and the difficulty was not in doing it but uploading it and trying to figure out how to configure it and get it uploaded into a format that I can put on my blog and youtube. I don't have any narrative but would like to add music. My head hurts from thinking about it all so I think I shall get a good nights sleep and think about it tomorrow! It was terribly fun to do and I feel a great sense of accomplishment in doing it. It is something I have wanted to do for about a year now! Hope your day was filled with fun and that you had a sense of accomplishment too!

I wanted to share my studio transformation that I wrote about a few posts ago. Thanks so the efforts of my good friend Lena who is an organizing genius!

BEFORE...

AFTER....

AHHH...serenity!

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Please Don't Eat The Daisies! SOLD

Please Don't Eat The Daisies SOLD

4" by 6" original oil on archival illustration board

Comes with 8" by 10" white mat

95.

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Painting shown with mat that is included.

Frame shown can be purchased separately.

Contact me for more information!

Yipee....I had fun today! I decided to paint on illustration board or mat board that had been gessoed to make the surface suitable for oil paints. I wanted to offer a smaller size to my collectors at a lower price point also. This size comes with a precut white mat that will make it ready to you to place in a standard frame under glass. I will get a picture ready when it dries a bit with it behind a mat. I think it will make a lovely painting and great for a Father's Day gift! I will have some more of them in different subjects in the next couple of days. I also have a couple of 5" by 5" on panel to share soon! Told you I had a break through! I wanted to share a couple of other things that I think have helped me loosen up a bit...especially the edges. One is that I started using a mixture of stand oil/ linseed oil with gamsol turps and the other is I am not using a round brush for almost the whole piece! I used to use mainly filberts. Well, enough of all that artsy talk! Tomorrow I plan to get back to my boat painting. Have a wonderful Thursday! Stay cool!