The Imposter

This week the DPW Challenge is to paint "roots and bulbs". My first thought was an onion with a patterned background. Then I thought of stacking a couple of them. As I discussed the idea with my walking buddy, she said maybe I could make a "snowman". That intrigued me so I found a piece of material with a snowman theme to use as a backdrop. While setting up my still life, it became apparent that onions don't stack well. However, I had some cute red potatoes that did. And it just so happened that their imperfections worked perfectly with the snowman theme. Here's my imposter!

The Imposter, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on sanded paper

Roadside Cosmos

"Roadside Cosmos"
Pastel and ink on sanded paper - 6x6 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/dorothy-jenson/roadside-cosmos/189195

One of the things that charmed me about visiting South Korea in the month of October was the profusion o...f wild cosmos that bloomed along the roadsides. We experienced sunshine, warm temperatures, and these cheerful flowers on every exploring adventure through the country. My memories of that trip are happy, pleasant ones!

 

 

Fresh from the Garden

"Fresh From the Garden"
Pastel and ink on sanded paper - 6x6 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/dorothy-jenson/fresh-from-the-garden/189016

While visiting our son and his family in South Korea last year, we were surprised to see so many people gardening in every tiny space available around town. At the outdoor markets, many of those gardeners were selling their produce in very humble ways. I've been wanting to do this image for a long time and the weekly DPW challenge ("Away from Home") was just the push I needed.

Double Trouble

"Double Trouble"
Pastel and ink on Sanded paper - 6x6 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/dorothy-jenson/double-trouble/188914

I must admit to mixed feelings when I see deer coming up out of the forest into my back yard. They are lovely to see, but the garden holds it's breath and trembles. Most of my plantings are "deer resistant", but you never know how hungry the woodland creatures may be...

 

 

Winter Cactus

"Winter Cactus"
pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper - 6x6 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/dorothy-jenson/winter-cactus/187511

I knew this was going to happen. Yesterday I did a painting of the blooming cactus on the dining room window sill, and of course today the cactus on my bedroom dressor whined for a painting of it's own. "Don't I look great against the blue wall?" Well, yes, I see your point. Here it is.

 

 

 

Blossom View

"Blossom View"
pastel on black sanded paper - 6x6 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/dorothy-jenson/blossom-view/187292

The DPW Challenge this week is to paint the view from a window, and I could hardly wait to do it! On my windowsill I currently have a couple cactus in bloom which are sharing the space with a light sensitive "dancing" plastic flower given to me by the grandchildren. This is my dining room window and the blossoms have a very nice view of the forest beyond with evergreens, nearly leafless maples, and some dried ferns up nearer the house. Thanks for the challenge.... this was fun!

Red Scarf

I've seen this young man several times early in the morning waiting for a school bus, sitting on his instrument case, and have thought it would be a fun subject for a little painting. It has been so cold lately, but like some adolescents, he isn't dressed as warmly as he ought to be. Today I had a few minutes to sketch out my idea, and just because I'm a concerned Mom-type person, I gave him a stocking hat and a bright red scarf, which is probably what HIS mom has been trying to get him to do all along!

Red Scarf, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Holiday Sale Time!

No new picture today since I have been so busy with other things lately. But I do want to tell you that I am having a super crazy half price sale on most of my original artwork! Check out the link below for my Daily Paintworks: Everything in that gallery has been marked to half price for the month of December. Know anyone who wants an original pastel painting for Christmas?

Daily Paintwork Gallery!!

If you are wondering about framing, talk to me. I am able to cut a mat and backing to fit your frame for a small fee.

What about some of the older paintings you might have seen on this blog but are not listed in the Daily Paintworks gallery? Email me, and I'll give you a super deal.  :)

Don't forget, I also have cards for sale in my Etsy Shop. $3.00 each online or 6 for $15.00 if you visit me in person.

My Etsy Shop

Happy Holidays!!

Almost Home

Several days ago I painted "The Shortcut", and here is my shortcut again, only facing the other direction. One morning, very early, my friend and I were almost home from our daily walk, when I saw this scene from the "shortcut". The sun was rising, the sky was golden and throwing great beams of light across the road. The autumn trees were blazing. I snapped a quick photo with my pocket camera because I knew it was going to be my next painting.

 

"Almost Home", 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

 

And now I will be taking a break. I'll be spending two weeks in Wisconsin, then coming home to help with family needs here locally. I'll return to the easel when I can!

Tree Climber

I decided to do the DPW Challenge from the week before, too. This one was the "Touchy Feely Challenge", suggesting that our subject be full of interesting textures. I remembered this photo reference I took last winter. While walking around in Clackamette Park a squirrel darted past me and scurried up a tree trunk. I said, "Hey, little one, don't be in such a hurry! Can I take your picture?", and what do you know? He stopped and "posed" for me! There's lots of texture here with the rough tree bark, the furry squirrel, crunchy dead leaves on the ground, and a bit of parking lot pavement in the distance.

 

 

Tree Climber, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Tarantula Tree

This is my entry for the Daily Paintworks "Spooky Tree Challenge". While hiking at Silver Creek Falls last week we came upon this scraggly, dead tree, just dripping with green mosses next to the trail. I thought it looked like an overgrown freaky tarantula in the forest! When I read that the challenge was to paint an old, twisty, spooky tree, I knew this was the one to try!

 

Tarantula Tree, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Memories of Korea

Last fall when we visited South Korea, the cosmos flower was blooming everywhere. I loved seeing the cheerful flowers waving in the breeze from ditches along the roadway. Today's reference photo was from the Paint My Photo website again. I did my own pastel interpretation, of course.

 

Memories of Korea, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Jefferson's Glory

This tree in my hometown just makes me stop in my tracks and admire in awe. How big it is! How colorful it is! The home beneath it is wonderful, too. Just waiting to be a painting. :)

 

 

Jefferson's Glory, 5 x 7 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Distant Autumn

Today's image is from a photo shared on the Paint My Photo website. It features a foreground of young evergreens overlooking the distant hills of colorful deciduous trees.

 

 

Distant Autumn, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis

It's Water Under the Bridge

 

Had a "play date" with other artists this week, and our host for the day shared several photos he had taken in the past. The photo reference for today's painting was taken in Nauvoo, Illinois. It depicts an old stone bridge with water running underneath, and a tiny waterfall on the other end. I really enjoyed translating the scene into my bold pastel art.

 

It's Water Under the Bridge, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Campfire

Don't you just love a campfire? The reference photo for today's painting has been kicking around in my files for a while now and today it got to shine forth from my easel. Enjoy the warmth!

Campfire, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Pillow Pugs 2

Once again with these pugs! They belong to my daughter, so any time I feel the need to paint something "cute", I have her lovely photographs to work from!

 

 

Pillow Pugs 2, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Fine Art Note Cards!

 

I now have in stock a limited number of note cards made from digital images of my art work. The collage below is a sample of 16 out of 33 different paintings that are represented in my Etsy Shop. Now is the time (right before the holiday rush!) to think about a set of cards for people on your gift list. Or getting them for yourself to send for all-occasion notes, or to keep as a small sample of Dorothy Jenson Art. :) Don't wait too long to order or your favorites might be snapped up by others!

 

Click here to visit my Etsy Shop!

Autumn Sunrises

I'm two days behind on posting! Morning scenes have been attracting me lately, and here are two more. The first one represents a scene from a day last week when I was standing on an overpass admiring the colors in the sky as the sun was coming up. The car lights and autumn colors added to the interest, so here is my interpretation.

 

Morning Commute, 8 x 10 paste and ink on Wallis sanded paper

This image was inspired by a photo from the Paint my Photo website. Love that glow in the tree branches!

Turn Towards the Light, 6 x 8 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Here Comes the Sun

Better get your sunglasses out to look at this one! The whole time I was working on this painting the old Beatles song rang through my head. So really, what else could I title it?

 

"Here Comes the Sun", 8 x 10 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Pillow Pugs

These two have so many options for their frequent naps, but they are often found snuggled together on the very same sofa pillow!

Pillow Pugs, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on PastelMat paper

Inner Gold

My backyard maples are still in shadow when the sunlight hits some of the trees a little farther back in the meadow. As Autumn progresses the leaves shine with a golden glow!

Inner Gold, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

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The Shortcut

I could go the longer way around, or I could step up over this little hill and get there quicker. I almost always take the shortcut. This well-used path is just up the street from me!

The Shortcut, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper
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One Fine Day

I'm still playing happily with lots of color and ink lines. As my daughter put it, the art is very much "in your face!" But it makes me smile, so I will continue as long as it does. :)

 

Just a little about the process for those who are curious. I use a source photograph, usually one I have taken myself, but sometimes, like this one, it's from the "Paint my Photo" website. Photographers upload their photos for the sole purpose of allowing visual artists to create something new from their images.

After studying the photo, I use an india ink felt pen and draw the very basic shapes directly onto my sanded paper. Then I start adding color, trying to be careful not to obliterate the original lines. After the color is applied, I bring out the pen again and touch up any areas that might have gotten smudged too much. It isn't about perfection, but I want at least a hint of the lines left showing for the contrast.

 

 

One Fine Day, 6 x 6 pastel on Wallis sanded paper with india ink

Moment of Glory

I love the bright autumn colors of this one! My reference photo was from the "paint my photo" website, but I have greatly simplified the original image to fit my own vision.

 

Moment of Glory, 8 x 10 pastel on Wallis sanded paper with ink lines

Pumpkin Time!

With the harvest season upon us, I knew I had to do some pumpkins! I love how the orange contrasts so beautifully with blues and purples in this painting.

 

Pumpkin Time, 6 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Pastels and Ink

 

I love the colors of autumn so much that it's saturating my paintings! I'm exploring bright colors with india ink this week. Fun!

 

 

Primary Colors of Autumn, 5 x 7 pastel and ink on Wallis

 

 

Morning Gold, 9 x 6 pastel and ink on Wallis sanded paper

Into the Woods

A Splash of Autumn color today...

 

Into the Woods, 6 x 6 pastel on Wallis sanded paper

Sunset Bay

At the coast last week we camped at Sunset Bay, so naturally, we made it a point to walk over to the beach every evening to see the sun go down. It was worth it, and I think the place is well-named. :)

 

Sunset Bay, 5 x 7 pastel on mat board prepared with gesso (gives it a "rough" texture)

Sand vs. Forest

Who will win in this contest? Will the Forest reclaim it's space, or will the sand move in and take over? This is a view from Honeyman State Park on the Oregon coast.

Sand vs. Forest, 5 x 7 pastel on Wallis sanded paper

Clouds over the Dune

Honeyman State Park is situated right next to the sand dunes! One morning, between rain showers, Ken and I walked out into the dunes for a look around. Here is one of our viewpoints!

 

 

Clouds over the Dune, 5 x 7 pastel on Wallis sanded paper

Cleawox Lake

 

Last week we packed our little trailer and headed to the coast for a week of exploring some campgrounds we were not familiar with. Yes, we had rain, but it always seemed to wait until AFTER our hikes to get serious, so we never did get very wet! One day we hiked around Cleawox Lake and the sand dunes at Honeyman State Park. Today I decided to try doing an acrylic painting of one of the photos I took.

 

 Cleawox Lake, 6 x 8 acrylic on panel

Color Box

And sometimes I feel like a kid with a big box of colors to play with.

 

"Out of the Canyon", 5.5 x 7.5 pastel on sanded paper

"Sparks Lake Rock Garden", 5.5 x 7.5 pastel on sanded paper

Sunrise Glow

If I look out my bedroom window at just the right moment when the sun is just coming up in the morning, there is a gorgeous orange glow on the trees behind my back yard. I've tried to capture it in today's pastel.

 

Sunrise Glow, 5 x 8 pastel on Wallis

Dahlia Dance

Something different today! I bought a set of acrylics and decided to play around with it so I would have an alternate art media. First time I've painted with a brush since the days of painting rocks! My first subject is the dahlia field, again. Here is my very first acrylic painting:

 

Dahlia Dance, 6 x 8 acrylic on panel

September Surf

A trip to the coast will almost always mean a new beach painting! The waves at Neskowin were crazy large when we were there, with that lovely green glow in the curl. It was the hottest day of the year in Portland, yet we were chilled enough here to put on jackets!

 

September Surf, 8 x 10 pastel on Wallis

Tree Nymph of BC

This painting nearly caused my brain to come unwired! I shot the reference photo in a butterfly house in Vancouver, BC, and knew that it would become a painting subject, but I didn't know how hard that blossom would be....keeping track of all the little parts of it. The butterfly was easy in comparison. :)
Painted on velour for softness. I have resorted to using a fixative because the pastel can be easily dislodged from the paper without a little extra help to get it to stay. Eeek!

Tree Nymph of BC, 8 x 10 pastel on velour paper

Bloom Where You're Planted

We've all heard this before, right? On a morning walk I spotted this tiny pansy growing and blooming in a crack between a cement wall and the sidewalk, which perfectly illustrates the old saying. I chose a rough textured board to paint this on to simulate the cement.

Bloom Where You're Planted, 5 x 7 pastel on mat board with gesso

Dahlia Parade

The fun thing about being an artist is that no matter how much it is raining outside, we can re-create that sunny day feeling any time we want. So here we go, back to the sunny Dahlia fields!

 

Dahlia Parade, 5 x 7 pastel on cardstock

Blues in the Meadow

Here's another velour "softie". We hiked into the wilderness one day this summer and passed right by this beautiful meadow with blue flowers blooming profusely. I would tell you what they are, but I forgot! This painting is kind of like walking into my memories....a little fuzzy around the edges!

 

"Blues in the Meadow", 5 x 7 pastel on velour paper

Where the Dahlias Grow

My mom and I strolled all around the gardens at the Swan Island Dahlia Festival in Canby. You may see more than one painting from the photos I took that day. What a beautiful place! I am using velour paper again, which is why it has such a soft, dreamy, look about it, which I am liking right now.

Where the Dahlias Grow, 5 x 7 pastel on grey velour paper

Raindrop Rose

I went walking in the rain this morning and a beautiful rose caught my attention! The paper I chose for this painting is a soft velour, which helps to convey the velvety feeling of petals. I don't usually do realism, so this was hard work!

"Raindrop Rose", 5 x 7 pastel on grey velour paper

Presume Welcome, Continued

I have gotten behind on posting to this blog! I keep my Facebook page current, but sometimes I forget to upload here, too. Continuing with the "Presume Welcome" series, here are the latest ones. The first two were painted on mat board, coated ahead of time with gesso. It gives a very textured surface which was quite difficult to use and get any kind of detail. I think that kind of surface will work well with landscapes, but I switched back to smoother paper for the last two.

 

 

"Presume Welcome no. 2", 5 x 7 pastel on gessoed mat board 

"Presume Welcome no. 3", 5 x 7 pastel on gessoed matboard

 

 

"A Carnation Welcome", 5 x 7 pastel on blue Canson paper

"American Colors", 5 x 7 pastel on orange cardstock

Presume Welcome

 A dear friend once taught me that whenever we are approaching a new situation and feel nervous about it, that it is helpful to "assume welcome". They are wise words which I have taken to heart. If you've ever been to her house, I'm sure you have felt welcomed, too.

 

"Presume Welcome", 7 x 8.5 pastel on cardstock

Morning Light on South Sister

I sat on a small beach on Sparks Lake in central Oregon to capture this view with my pastels. This is our most favorite canoeing lake in the State and we come back year after year to camp. We load all our gear into the canoes, paddle about two miles to find a place to set up our tents, and then happily "rough it" (in the most comfortable way possible) for a week. Great times!!

 

Morning Light on South Sister, 8 x 10 pastel on red cardstock