Norma Wilson Original Oil Cow Calf Bovine Farm Animals Painting Art

“Those Eyes”

©Norma Wilson, 8” by 10” original oil

Spent most of the last few days with a crashed computer and deciding on either the new iPad Pro that is 12.9 inches and a new MacBook Pro. I have two weeks to see if the iPad will do the trick but I am not sure as of now. Any other artists out there strictly use an iPad?

Norma Wilson Original Oil Cow Bovine Farm Animals Landscape Painting Art

Two Cow Girls!

©Norma Wilson, original oil on board, 5" by 7"

SOLD

This little piece of these two bovine gals meeting at the fence is one of my all time favorites.I love their expression and softness. I want to paint them really large. That is always a little intimidating because you hope you can capture the same feeling. I will let you know how it goes! Have a wonderful day!

Norma Wilson Original Oil Irish Cow Cattle Bovine Farmhouse Decor Portrait Painting Art

Bovine Beauty

© Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas 6" by 6"

SOLD

This young cow lives on a farm in Valentia. My friend, Barbara, lives there part of the year and took her photo. She knows of my love of cows and shared her with me when she returned. She looks so sweet and soft and I long to visit Ireland again one day so I can see these sweet cows in their beautiful setting. 

Norma Wilson Original Oil Cow Cattle Bovine Farm Animals Portrait Painting Art

In The Mooment

 © Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas  5" by 7"

Another busy week has come to an end already.  I have been having so much fun working

on some new small works in oil and yesterday, I broke out my pastels after about a ten year

hiatus! It felt like I never stopped.  I know there is much to catch up on in the pastel world...

new papers and supports and I am sure new pastel manufacturers. Tomorrow, I will share

my efforts and supplies.  Another effort this week was painting acrylic pet portraits on clear Christmas ornaments.  If you'd like more information on how to commission your pet on an

ornament, send me an email at normasfineart@gmail.com. Here is an example.

Norma Wilson Original Oil Cow Cattle Bovine Farm Animals Portrait Painting Art

Irish Cow

 © Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas  6" by 6"

SOLD

Hoping that your Monday is off to a great start! 

Norma Wilson Original Oil Cow Cattle Bovine Farm Animals Portrait Painting Art

"Daisy"

   © Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas 8" by 8"

SOLD

Happy 4th of July! Hope you have had a great holiday weekend. I worked part of the weekend in my studio and getting needed art supplies but I did enjoy some great corn on the cob and fresh peaches as well as time in my yard which is still a novelty since moving out of my condo and back into my home in Chesapeake.  Follow the link above for a chance to bid on this gal. It starts at only 9.90!

Norma Wilson Original Oil Irish Dairy Cow Farm Animals In Oil Painting Art

Far And Away Home

© Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas 6" by 6"

SOLD

Standing by the bonfire with fellow artists in Ireland going on ten years ago now, I became enamored with the curious white cow in the next field. It was almost eleven at night and the sun was just going down lighting her up and she seemed so curious at what these crazy humans were doing? We all decided to go into my friend's studio and I painted my first cow. I have painted more than I can count since then. The infatuation continues! Hope your week is off to a great to a great start. Do you have any fond memories of cows?

All Lit Up!

All Lit Up!

© Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas 20"x 20"

Purchase Information

Over the last six months, I have shared that I am part of a masterclass of artists growing their businesses and art. Part of this process is learning about our values and becoming more aligned with them. I have always loved animals and find such great joy in painting them. I was becoming more and more conflicted that my diet included so much of what I paint! So in April, I quit eating meat. It has been so much easier than I thought and has been a a wonderful transition for me and has had some great health benefits as well. Another influence has been The Gentle Barn with is a sanctuary for abused animals and I see daily posts on my Facebook feed. My favorite stories are about Dudley, the bull, and Madeline and her calves. Now, my next mission is to visit Dudley in Tennessee and to give him a hug. :-) 

Cows, Koi, and Computers!

SOLD

So happy to have my computer back and running. There is only so much you can accomplish on your phone especially when most of you images are on it. This bovine gal found a good home to a collector in Virginia Beach. She saw another of my cows at a friend's house and wanted to have her own. Do you know anyone who wants to start their own herd? :-)  Today's post has to be brief. I am off to teach a class in Virginia Beach in oil and we are painting koi this evening. I am really looking forward to it. They are so colorful and make me think of beautiful gardens with running water and wandering paths of gorgeous flowers and foliage. I will take some pictures and share later. Have a wonderful day!

What should I paint?

Moonlight Becomes You!

Available In My Print Shop

How do you decide what to paint? I'd love to get feedback on this as we artists are always trying to fill the well of creativity and keep our subject matter fresh and new. Some of my ways are to take photographs when I am out and about...even if I don't end up painting any of those subjects, I find that it takes my focus off the anxiety of what to paint and gets me noticing my environment and all the beauty that surrounds me.  Another is to look at art magazines and find the art that wows me. What is it about the images that draw me. The brush work? The color palette? Edges? Would a new color combination get my creative juices flowing. How about visiting a favorite contemporary artists web sites? That often sparks and idea from my own stack of references or reinforces an idea of my own that I was on the fence about. Painting with a friend is a tremendous help.  Sometimes when I am stuck, a friend will give me an assignment. Like paint a sea gull series. I did that one week and ended up sell two of them on Facebook immediately. I may have stayed in stuck mode without her prompting and without a healthy balance in my pay pal account! The cow above is an example of a prompting from an artist whose workshop I had taken. She said that I should be able to paint a cow from my imagination at this point so I did. And I loved it. She's a little more whimsical than my other cows done more as a portrait of that particular cow. She still has the feeling that all cows give me of sweetness and innocence. So get busy and fill the well and please share in the comments how you find inspiration!

Advantages Of Toning Your Canvas

Contact Artist About This Piece

I have been REALLY busy preparing for two big events coming up this weekend. Today I completed painting, varishing, wiring, naming, pricing, and cataloging twenty two pieces of art for my show in Onancock, Virginia at The Red Queen Gallery. I haven't posted any of these pieces. The opening will be on Saturday from 3-6. The show will be up until August 25th. I hope you will be able to stop by if you are in the area. 

The second event is Paint Night at the Richard Stravitz Gallery on 30th Street and Atlantic Ave. in Virginia Beach. We will be having a great time with drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and creativity oozing from our brushes. Our subject matter is...surprise, surprise! A Cow!  Today I was toning our canvases red so we will be

off to an exciting start and ready for my students to begin their paintings. I often tone my canvases before beginning a painting. Sometimes I choose red and other times, I might just do a very abstract looking undercoat with all kinds of crazy color. It helps get me in the painting mode and some times makes for a more interesting painting with little bits of unexpected color showing through. 

So, I am a big fan of toning and I also think it takes away that feeling for beginners of all that white canvas yet to cover. Come join the fun and if you can't join us, grab a brush and some paint and decorate a canvas!

Bovine Sisters And Meditation

Bovine Sisters Return

© Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas 20" by 20"

These gals are pretty laid back. They have a good life grazing in the field in Ireland all day and don't let their thoughts drive them crazy or worry about to do lists or getting enough done.  Ever wish you could be more like that and spend more time in the moment just enjoying what IS.  Usually the IS is pretty o.k....even wonderful if you

can take time to notice. The worry and the angst usually comes from spending time in the past OR the imagined future that exists in our thought filled brains. When I joined the masterclass in March, I noticed that many of the members were long time meditators. I had tried to meditate over the years but had a complicated idea of what I was supposed to be accomplishing. But, I learned that it is pretty simple. Unplug from all the electronics, find a comfortable chair or spot on the floor, set a timer for 10, 15, or 20 minutes and just close your eyes and focus on your breath. Some days, my mind is all over the place. When I notice it, I try to bring it back to just focusing on my breath. I may do this over and over until the alarm on my phone goes off. Some days it feels downright peaceful, others...more like my thoughts are a runaway train. But now, I notice when I skip a day, I feel less calm when the day gets off course....which it usually does. I have read that regular meditation can improve everything from your blood pressure to your memory. I just like the feeling of being in the moment, hearing the birds outside, and knowing that in those moments, all is well.

Black Angus

Black Angus

© Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas 10" by 10"

This sweet bovine is headed up the Eastern Shore of Virginia this week to be a part of the Red Queen Gallery in Onancock. It is a lovely town on the water and would be a great destination this summer!

If you are planning a trip, please stop in and say hello!

Change of Plans?

Sweet Bovine Gal

© Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas 12" by 12"

400.

Back when I was still working in pastel, I had thought of focusing on being a portrait artist. I love faces

and capturing a likeness, the unique spirit found in the eyes. Then, I began painting cows and other farm animals. I tried painting them in the landscape as part of a larger scene, but they drew me in. It was their faces that I loved.

So in a sense, I am still a portrait artist. I see each cow as unique and special and this gal really struck me as sweet. I hope you see that too!

Quite A Stretch!

All Lit Up!

© Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas 12"by 12"

Available Through Gallery

Ever marvel at how a baby can lift their leg and put their toes in their mouth?  Bend completely in half with gumby like moves? Well, I find it hard to believe I was ever that baby.  Ever since I can remember, I have been unable to touch my toes, barely reaching past my knees.  As a child I took ballet lesson for about two months and could barely lift my leg up on the parallel bar, let alone reach my ballet slippers.  Unfortunately over the years, I have started and stopped yoga more times than I can count. When I began my master class with Lisa, I decided that becoming flexible was no longer going to elude me.  I have had a chart from Yogabody that shows how to break down stretches five days a week using your weight to deepen them and extending the time each week.  So I began March 1st.  Now I can touch my fingers to the floor! And I can sit in a lotus position and touch my head to my knee. So, what is the difference? I have had this chart for a couple of years. Accountability for me has been key. And knowing this is a year long project of reaching for my goals and breaking it down to what that looks like each day.  In my next post on Tuesday, I will share how stretching is impacting my art! 

Emma Thirty Paintings In Thirty Days Day Twenty by Norma Wilson

Emma

© Norma Wilson, original oil on panel 6" by 6"

150.

Purchase Information

Another member of my perpetual herd.  She looks very sincere.  Have an awesome Friday!

Looking Up! Thirty Paintings In Thirty Days! Day Seven by Norma Wilson

Looking Up!

© Norma Wilson, original oil on board 6" by 12" 

250.

Purchase Information

I had fun with this pose and canvas format.  Don't you just want to kiss that nose?  Perhaps it is all the paintings I have done of cows, but some days I just want to hug a cow! I found myself not wanting to go into the studio after teaching and meeting my son and his girlfriend for dinner but the challenge awaited and I was able to finish off this sweet cow girl and it was the perfect ending to the day. Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Thanks for checking in with me. :-)

Red Haze Original Oil Thirty Paintings In Thirty Days Day Three by Norma Wilson

Red Haze

  © Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas 6" by 6"

150.

Purchase Information

Today I was taking stock of my inventory and found this cow and felt she needed a makeover.

She got a new red background and some special focus on all her face and now I am much happier. Sometimes that happens when you spend time with a painting and I am much more pleased with her now! Hope you had a great start to your week.  The cold weather has finally arrived to Virginia. Some even saw flurries around the Hampton Roads area. Thank you for stopping by!

A Different Perspective

A Different Perspective

© Norma Wilson, oil on canvas 6" by 6"

150.

Purchase Information

Off to a great start with about five hours in my studio today.  I decided that posting one day a week is not enough so I am mending my ways.  This morning I began my day working in a sketch book using some old watercolors that have been stored away in a drawer.  Feeling the need to just play and do some creative journaling just for me.  It really did just what I hoped and got me in the creative mode and before I knew it, I was cranking up the tunes and working at my easel.  I think I am on to something!  I really like this "edgy" composition.  Thank you for stopping by!

Seeing Triple!

Seeing Triple!

© Norma Wilson, oil on canvas 20 by 20

Available Through Gallery

One of this week's exercise in my Working In A Series class with Lisa Call was to Create spatial depth and one of the possibilities was by overlapping elements in the design.  I originally had the idea of over lapping cows in more of a "ghost like way" but instead it morphed into three cows and I was really excited about the turn that my series took in both color and form!  Can't wait to see where it goes from here.  I highly recommend this class if you are intrigued by working in a series.

Yesterday, I attended the new documentary called "Matisse, Exhibition On Screen" and it was wonderful.  I was familiar with a couple of his works but really had no idea of the depth and breath of his work spanning more close to sixty years.  I learned so much and found the movie to be both inspirational and very entertaining.

Just for giggles, check out the tap dancing cow below. :-)