Looking Back AND Looking Forward

Another Red Please!

© Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas 14" by 18"

Available Through Gallery

Another Red Please is part of my series inspired by a trip to The Barns vineyard in northern Virginia.  It is available through Stravitz Fine Art Gallery in Virginia Beach. For more information or purchase, contact 757 305-9411.

For the past year, I have been working with my awesome coach, Lisa Call.  During that time, I have been exploring my values and expanding my vision of my life and art business. It has been an amazing journey of looking back AND looking forward. 

In January this coming year, it will be ten years since I wrote and shared my first blog post and began my journey of online art sales.  My first post began very unceremoniously with a few lines and absolutely no introduction to who I was or what my blog was all about.  I just knew everyone needed a blog.  I still cringe when I write the word. What a weird name! No wonder I didn't know what to do with it. I have to admit that I am still searching for a direction and will be focusing more on that in my year long masterclass which began in March.  It combines coaching with a group of artists with varying mediums, all working to grow their businesses. We began the year with our top three goals which is new for me to narrow down to three goals and then to learn to break that down into monthly goals, weekly, and daily. Then, we can choose to share them with the group which adds great accountability. 

Ten years ago, I wrote that first post in my room over the garage on a computer that I barely knew how to use, spending hours searching, poking around any site I could find on online art sales, not knowing the how as much as being determined that somehow I could figure it out. During that time I sold over 1,000 paintings and have learned so much. 

Now, looking ahead, I know that there is still so much more to learn and I am excited to do just that. I would love to continue to share that journey with you and catch up on all the paintings I have been working on. Check back with me on Thursday when I will share some of the changes I have already made with my class!  Thanks so much for stopping by. 

Apples In Tin Thirty Paintings In Thirty Days Day Eight by Norma Wilson

Apples In Tin

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

Available Through Gallery

I painted this piece awhile back with my class and just wasn't pleased with it.  So I put it on my easel

the other day and got to work on it.  I just needed to push the values more and used some glazing to

add more depth to the background and apples.  It went from one that frustrated me every time I looked at it to one that makes me smile now.  Today was not a good painting day. Glad I had this piece ready to go.  I seemed to hit a wall with everything I started.  I felt tired all day and was doubting all day whether this 30 paintings in 30 days was such a good idea! Hoping tomorrow will bring a better attitude. :-) 

Norma Wilson Original Oil Fruit Still Life Pomegranate Food Art Painting

Three Pomegranates
 © Norma Wilson, original oil on canvas 8" by 16" 

359.

Available Through Gallery

Stravitz 30th Street Gallery, Virginia Beach

757.961.7509 

This month, my oil group worked on pomegranates.  It was a great lesson in lost and found edges and all the nuances that make a pomegranate different than a tomato and and apple. Pomegranates are very lumpy and have a very hard exterior with lots of markings.  It was fun to paint and eat too!  I did this ahead of teaching my class and did another one in stages along with my class.  I think painting one that is cut may be in future.  Hope you have a wonderful day.  Thanks for stopping by!

Thirty Paintings In Thirty Days- Day Eight

Two Pears

6" by 6" original oil on panel


SOLD

Hope you are staying warm!  The wind is howling outside and I am so happy and grateful to be in a warm place.  Hard to believe it was in the 70's on Sunday!  I am thinking if this keeps up, I may need to paint a cup of hot chocolate next.  

Norma Wilson Original Oil Cabbage, Leek, And Turnips still life

Cabbage Leek And Turnips

14" by 18" original oil on canvas

495.

Buy It Now

This piece was a demonstration for my oil class.  It was a lot of fun but for some reason we all ended up with paint all over ourselves!  It can get intense when you are working on a larger size painting and trying to complete it all in one session.  Very exciting too!  Hope your holiday season has been fun and as stress free as possible!  Thanks so much for taking time out to visit! 

Thirty Paintings In Thirty Days! #29

Yellow Pepper

4" by 4" original oil on canvas


SOLD

Only one more day left on my challenge!  I appreciate you stopping by!  Hope you have a great day.

Thirty Paintings In Thirty Days! #23

Red Velvet

6" by 6" original oil on canvas

150.

Buy It Now

As an artist, I not only see delicious food, but sometimes I see a painting and grab my camera!  I really had fun with this one but I have to admit that every time I look at it now...it makes me hungry! Do you have someone special who loves cupcakes?  It is the gift that keeps on giving!  

Thirty Paintings In Thirty Days #12

Red Hot Chili Pepper

4" by 4" original oil on canvas

95.

Buy It Now

My friend gave me a pepper out of her garden today so I could paint it.  Don't think I am brave enough to eat it.  Hope your weekend it fab!

Pewter, Onions, and Walnuts

9" by 12" original acrylic on 3/4 in canvas with sides painted.

I love the light on this still life.  It is so much fun to paint subjects with strong contrasts like this piece.  Painting pewter was a new experience too.  I am pretty happy with it.  Hope you like it too.

Thanks for checking in with me!

Norma Wilson Original Acrylic Still Life Glass Onion Painting Art

Garlic, Onions, And Glass

11" by 14" original acrylic on canvas

295.

Buy It Now

This piece had some of my favorite things to paint....anything red, great contrast of light and dark, and the wonderful reflections on glass!  Before I learned to paint glass, I thought there must be a special paint for it or something unique to learn that you would only do when painting glass but was amazed to learn that it is just the same as painting anything else.  Just paying attention to the lights and darks, lost and found edges, shapes and really seeing what is there instead of painting what you think is there.  It is a challenge that I really enjoy and even though I say that I want to paint less detail...I really do find joy in the details!    Hope you have joy in the details of your day and I so appreciate your stopping by!

New Beginnings!

It has been quite some time since my last post and I have made some changes in my life.
One change was a move to the city of Norfolk into the neighborhood known as Ghent.
I have been teaching down here for the last five years weekly and also spend time with
friends here so I decided to return to my roots as a city girl and make the move.  So far, I
love the change and last night took a walk in the snow and got some fun shots.

I love being able to walk everywhere and the feeling of community.  You can even take your  dog into the pharmacy and video store.  I truly loved my time at the beach and look forward equally to this new chapter in my journey.  I am living in an apartment built in 1917 and love the tall ceilings and hard wood floors.

I am still painting and wanted to share one from a class that I taught at Michael's.  It is acrylic and is looking for a new owner.  Send me an email if you are interested.  Have a wonderful day and stay warm!

9" by 12" on panel board

Norma Wilson Original Oil Still Life Coffee And Eggs Food Painting Art

Coffee And Eggs

5" by 7" original oil on canvas with 3/4 inch sides painted

150.

Buy It Now

What a beautiful day it was today with the temperatures up in the 60's and the sun streaming into my studio.  I had my new favorite station on my computer, WHRO 1920 Big Band tunes.  I began working on a new commission of a 26 by 32 cow that is going to be the star attraction in a client's kitchen.  I also did this still life that spoke to me of the beginnings of a new day in a country kitchen.  It would make a great Christmas gift!  

I have been having fun with my holiday preparations this year taking my time and wrapping as I go.  I did not have the floor space this year to do a full size tree so I decided to find a white tabletop tree to do a seaside cottage Christmas and I really love it!  I hope your holiday season is going well.  Thanks so much for dropping by and visiting my blog!

The Three Bartletts

The Three Bartletts

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

325.

Buy It Now

Been watching a video about juicing...how appropriate.  Apparently pears make green juice the sweetest!  Pears have always been of fascination over the ages in art as well.  They just lend themselves

to a beautiful composition and lovely subject matter.  Hope you are having a great weekend, getting out and about in this wonderful weather we have been experiencing.  Thanks for checking in with me!

#146 Table For Two

#146 Table For Two

9" by 12" original oil on gallery wrap canvas with two inch sides

295.

Buy It Now

As I sit to write this evening the fireworks are going off and a lovely breeze is coming through my window.  The beach has been buzzing with activity all day and I have been listening to all the fun while I paint.  Even though this is a "working weekend",  I am so lucky to be able to take breaks and go up to the beach and see what is happening.  I counted fifteen bikes parked at the entrance to the beach today.  My son Sean and his girlfriend, Ashley, went to a winery in the mountains this past weekend and took a photo that was the inspiration for this painting.  Such a pretty view they had to sit and sip some delicious wine!  Hope you will be able to do something fun this weekend.  I want to go for a bike ride tomorrow.  Thanks for checking in with me!

#143 Cupcake Fantasy

#143 Cupcake Fantasy

8" by 8" original oil on panel

225.

Buy It Now

I think this has to be my favorite subject which will have to be developed a bit further....so many icings, so many toppings..only so many days of the week...it's a rough job but somebody has to do it.  Happy Thursday!

#138 Buongiorno! SOLD

#138 Buongiorno!

SOLD

6" byl 6" original oil on panel

Available As A Print In My Print Gallery!

It is late on Friday night and I am just finishing up so I won't say much except thank you to Susan Hecht for allowing me to use a photo as inspiration for this painting.  It was from her recent trip to Italy and is authentic cappuchino!  Hope you have a fantastic Saturday.  Guess what I will be doing?  You got it..painting!  I hope to get in a walk on the beach or a bike ride too.  Buongiorno!

#129 Cupcake Delight! SOLD

#129 Cupcake Delight! SOLD

8" by 8" original oil on panel

225.

On my last day in Cary, Susan taught her class at her studio and I worked on this cupcake using Dreama's technique of underpainting with transparents paints.  It was from a reference photo used in the class.  I had so much fun doing it...I am already planning a trip to the local cupcake place for my next subject...yummy!  After the class, I packed up my paints and headed back to the beach. It was fun to pick up Bailee from Petsmart Hotel.  She was freshly groomed and had a good report saying she ate well, slept well, and showed no signs of separation anxiety!  So what is up with the scratching of the paint off the door when I leave her to go to the grocery store?  I think she put on her best behavior for them!  Tonight, my son, Andrew came home from college for the summer so I am over the moon to have him here and to share the fun of being at the beach with him.  He is playing sand soccer tomorrow with some friends.  I will be going to yoga and getting busy in my studio!  Thanks for checking in with me.

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

#125 An Apple A Day!

#125 An Apple A Day

6" by 6" original oil on canvas with sides painted

150.

Buy It Now

What garlic is to salad, insanity is to art.  ~Augustus Saint-Gaudens

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

Pansies And Pears

Pansies And Pears

$375

12" by 16"

Buy It Now

    This piece is one I did awhile back.  The past couple of days, I have been working on house projects.  My friends, Claudia and Adele, came over yesterday and helped take the wallpaper down in my kitchen.  They were amazing and it was done in a few hours.  My plan is to paint it a pretty warm gray that is one of the Pottery Barn colors and I am going to replace the knobs and see about hanging a pendant light above the sink.  Just a few relatively inexpensive changes should really give it a new updated look.  I wish I had taken pictures now of the before and all of us pulling down the paper in the process.  I had a fun discovery on one wall.  My boys and one of their friends had signed the wall before we put the paper up.  My youngest was seven and oldest was fourteen!  They are now 18 and 25!  I will have to take a picture of the wall before the primer goes on!  The kitchen looks so much bigger without the busy print on the walls!  

    Today I have to get back into the studio and paint!  Sometimes it is good to take a break and get some balance in other parts of my life.  Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Thought I would share my discovery! 

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

Almost Monkey Free!

Cappuccino Anyone?

6" by 6" original oil on wrap around canvas with sides painted.

Challenge # 6 Whip Something Up

Well I am happy to say that the monkey is only hanging on by a thread and it will only take a couple of faxes before I go to bed tonight to send this particular monkey on his way.  Whew!  It feels so good to be taking care of business...no matter how uncomfortable or painful it is at the time

My painting has been coming along steadily but the challenges have been tougher than my more known subject matter.  I was working on this piece this afternoon using a brush and a red background going for that Italian Cappuccino look and it just wasn't working!!!  Finally when I let go of sticking to my original plan, I picked up my palette knife and loosened up a bit.  I am being challenged!  And that was the idea.  I liked the idea of whipped up froth on this coffee and it brings back wonderful memories of a trip to Italy almost thirty years ago now.  I was completely enchanted with Italy and remember how wonderful it was to come to breakfast in the morning for a cappuccino and Italian bread! I still enjoy cappuccino now and again but somehow it tastes the best in Italy!

My next challenge will be a surprise...I am supposed to work on a still life with my friends tomorrow and that is one of the challenges ahead in the book.  So I may skip around a bit in the book.  I am looking forward to the one where I paint a still life out of my head...I have never done that before.  So many paintings to do and commissions to work on.  Have an awesome Friday!!!  

Tomorrow I paint with friends again and then teach at Harbor's Edge.  This Sunday at noon I will be at Claudia Finn's Studio in Pembroke Mall doing a demonstration along  with fiber artist, Chris Griffin Pascuzzi.  I hope you will come out and see us!  I am also getting a studio class together in my studio on Monday evenings.  Please contact me at normasart@cox.net if you are interested in learning how to paint in either acrylic or oil.  All levels are welcome.

Contact me for purchase information for this or any of my paintings at normasart@cox.net.

I

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