Beach Dreams

Beach Dreams

8" by 8" original oil on canvas and framed
See painting in frame below..

"One learns first of all in beach living the art of shedding; how little one can get along with, not how much."

- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Some of my best memories growing up was our yearly trip to Wildwood, New Jersey and we would usually rent a little efficiency apartment and take enough food for the week.  I never remember eating out when we where there!  We spent the days at the ocean and at night my Dad and I would go to the boardwalk and go on the rides and eat cotton candy and just have fun together.  My Mom was probably exhausted from cooking!  Anyway, this quote struck a cord because it was such a simple experience.  A couple of small suitcases and all the fun came from the ocean, the sea air, and time spent together.  My Dad and I liked the pretty tame rides and the Pirate Ship!  Since that time we always lived near the beach as a military family.  Where I live now is a thirty minute drive and now that my nest is empty most of the year, I am going to move within walking distance of the ocean and be able to walk on the beach and enjoy some of that sea air.  That is why I have not been posting as often and this piece is one of my favorites that has been posted before.  I have been purging, putting my house on the rental market, and whipping my house into shape!  So bear with me for a bit while I get my bearings and have an idea of my time frame.  Then I will be able to focus again on painting.  I also want to remind everyone that my special discount for collectors and subscribers of 20% ends this Sunday!  Don't miss out on this!  Have a great day!

Oh, this painting was inspired by a trip to Virginia Beach when my dream of living by the ocean began to really take hold earlier this year.  This spot was up on the North End of the oceanfront.

Please Don't Eat The Poppies!

He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.
St Fancis of Assisi

 Please Don't Eat The Poppies!

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

Comes with double mat that is 8" by 10"

$95.

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I'm still here! Hope you are too and have not thought I fell off the blogosphere!  I think that is a word.  Since my epiphany that I could no longer wait to move to the beach and start the rest of my life....I have been in a bit of a self inflicted tailspin.  It has been both scary and thrilling to begin the ball rolling and start searching for a new place.  I have also been putting things on craigslist and donating to the Salvation Army and still throwing stuff out!  I am so glad that I started this purging process last year.  It is a long one after 26 years of raising children.  My oldest son, Patrick had his 26th birthday yesterday! Yikes...how did that happen!  I hope your weekend is a great one filled with summer fun and some rest!  We just had a really awesome thunderstorm so I hope things will be a wee bit cooler!  Take care and thanks so much for stopping by!  I will keep you posted on any beachy developments!

I am sure there will be lots of new inspiration for new paintings!

Daisy Moo

Daisy Moo

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

$325.

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This special Moo Cow is a British Cow who was inspired by Angie who said she would like to see me paint a British Cow.  They are distinguished by a black tip on their front chest area and also by a dark muzzle.  I wonder how she feels about the Royal Couple?  I used one of the names that was give to me last week when I asked for help naming my cow.  Thank you Rita!  I am dead on my feet tonight as I have been spray painting wicker, cleaning out my attic, closets, etc. with the hopes of a new beginning down the road at the beach!  I see more seascapes, sea birds, and all kinds of beachy stuff in my future!  Hope you had a great Tuesday.  I may be blogging every other day for awhile! :=)

Seeing a Ghost!

Seeing A Ghost

5" by 7" original oil on panel

$150.

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   These little Ghost Crabs are not always visible.  Hence, the name, I guess.  I told my friend, Barbara, that I wanted to paint a little crab that I'd seen at the beach and she recounted a story of a trip to the beach with her daughter where she threw out a Dorito and out came the little crab to pick up the chip and ran off!  They decided to try this again and learned each time they were quick to retrieve them.  She said she had a picture of one of the crabs and was very sweet to bring it to one of our painting sessions for me to paint.  It was fun to do and a a first for this type of crab.  

   Once again, I had a great response of names for yesterday's unnamed post.  The name that was chosen using Random.org is Precious Pearl!  Thank you to Sharon Hanson for the wonderful suggestion!  Some of the other names were Resi, Alma, Susi, Berta, and  Elsa sent in from Angelika, Moo...talking to me? from Sean, Snowflake from Barb, Daisy Moo from Rita, Sweetpea from Luanne, Ellie from an unnamed source :-), and last but not lease, Lily, from Barbara.  All lovely names and I hope I can "borrow" one of these names for future paintings.  I just worked on a British cow today after hearing from a reader that she would like to see me painting one and that will show up in the next week!  So to all of you....thanks for putting on all your thinking caps and sharing the fun!

Precious Pearl

Precious Pearl!

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

$250.

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It is one of those times again when my mind is a complete blank!  I am sure my sons would tell you that it happens all too often!  I like the softness of the bovine gal and her expression but the name is not happening!

I really enjoy your input!  I am so tired tonight.  I felt really restless today and headed to the oceanfront and just walked on the boardwalk a bit.  It was good to get out and take in some salt air but it was SO HOT.  It is supposed to be cooler tomorrow but no rain so far.  Hope you are staying cool.  I have been like a kid again eating lots of cool pops!  Nitey Night.

Here Kitty Kitty!

Here Kitty Kitty

   8" by 8" original oil on panel

$225

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   I really loved working on this "The Whole Cat And Caboodle Challenge" that was offered by Dreama Tolle Perry on the Daily Paintworks Challenge.  I started it by doing a wash of red paint and let it dry and then lightly sketched in the kitty with a paint brush.  Then I put it on my easel and got busy with other things.  It has been weeks now and she called to me today.  I really enjoyed this challenge which has just enough of my favorite color red in it and the focus on the eyes that I love to paint and capture so much!  Hope you Tuesday was a good one.  I fertilized my garden outside and that was enough of being outdoors for me!  Hope the weather breaks soon so I can get out and clean up my planting beds a bit and pick up all the limbs that have come down in recent storms.  Have a wonderful Wednesday!  I so appreciate that you have taken the time to visit my blog!   

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

Such A Face!!! Sold!

Such A Face!!

SOLD

12" by 12" original oil on wrap around canvas

  

    Did you know that Leonardo da Vinci spent 12 years working on the

Mona Lisa's lips?  Or that Paul Gaugin worked as a laborer on the panama canal's construction? Over 25,000 workers lost their lives working on the

canal.  This weekend I stopped to get a sandwich and the local paper had

a trivia section which was fun to read so I decided to look up some art 

trivia!  Wonder if Leonardo was struggling with to smile or not to smile..

maybe she had bad teeth.  

    This painting is one I did awhile back and I don't often repost but I 

learned from my gallery in Richmond that they have had a couple of sales

of my paintings and since I took the weekend off spending time with my

boys, my grand puppies, chillin, and shopping and all kinds of fun stuff...

thought I would just say hi and show you this bovine gal that has found

a new home up in Richmond!  I hope you were able to stay cool and have

some fun this weekend.  I bought a new pedometer and made my goal of

10,000 steps a day.  I learned that I could do a bunch of loops around my

house and up and down the stairs to fit a few thousand steps in at the 

end of the day!  My dog Bailee looked a bit perplexed as I was on "my

walk!"  Have a wonderful Monday and keep smiling! :-)

  

 I got to hang out with my grand dog...Jet Man!

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

Just Chillin!

Just Chillin'

8" by 8" original oil on panel

$225.

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    My thoughts are all about the beach tonight after finishing up this piece in my studio today and my sons have gone together to camp out at the beach in North Carolina.  How fun!  I am sitting in my studio with my dog Bailee and my grand puppy, Jet, who is a black lab.  I love visits from my grand puppies!  Hope your Friday was a good one.  I didn't teach today so I was home all day.  Kind of have a bit of cabin fever.  I am thinking a trip out for some ice cream might do the trick.  Well hope your weekend is a relaxing and fun one!

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

Hydrangeas In My Window!

Hydrangeas In My Window

16" by 20" original oil on gallery wrap canvas

$595.

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Earlier in the week I shared a photograph of hydrangeas cut from my own new little garden and I said I felt a painting coming.  Well, on Friday when I paint with my friends at Scott London's gallery in Norfolk I began painting them!  After taking a couple of days off to spend with family and friends, I returned to my studio and had a wonderful time finishing it up.  They are my very favorite flower and a are a joy to paint!!  

I am so excited that I finally go down to the beach over the weekend.  A friend of mine had a birthday and we went to Mahi Mah's restaurant on the beach and had a delicious dinner followed by drinks outside listening to a concert.  Perfect evening!  I also had a great evening yesterday with my oldest son and his girlfriend who came for dinner.  I hope you had a great weekend too!  It surely was a hot one around here but earlier this evening we had a big thunder storm.  I am not sure if it helped to cool things off yet.  I am looking forward to a busy week ahead painting and also taking time to get out and scout out new inspirations of things to paint.  Thanks for checking out my latest work!!

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