Opinionated and Frog in the Buds

Here's a colorful fellow! This tiny little frog is climbing through some flower buds and I love all the shapes involved. Halfway through the painting I was really unsatisfied, so I began mixing up some brighter colors, and then it fially felt right. :)

 

Frog in the Buds, © Dorothy Jenson 2014

6 x 6 acrylic on wrapped canvas

I had no other choice but to title this one "Opinionated". Many times while painting animals they seem to converse with me, silently. I was suggesting many different titles and each time was shot down. What else could I do but call her "opinionated"? Can't win an argument with this one!

 

Opinionated, © Dorothy Jenson 2014

6 x 6" acrylic on wrapped canvas

Vineyard Challenge, Look Up, and Starship Enterprise

Spent a lovely couple of days away at our property in Central Oregon, and now it's back to the easel again! Every once in a while I like doing something different. The Daily Paintworks Challenge this week is to paint a vineyard, and a photo is given for reference if we choose to use it. For this landscape I chose to use the tiny backpacking watercolor kit my husband gave me for Christmas. I started with some scribbly ink lines, then washed in color afterwards. Lots of fun!

Vineyard Challenge © Dorothy Jenson 2014

5 x 7 ink and watercolor on paper

Next up is a proud eagle! "Look Up" could mean many things to different people. To me it's a reminder to look for what's good and praiseworthy in our world, and to seek out solutions to problems before they overwhelm us. I love the look of assurance in the eye of this eagle.

 

Look Up © Dorothy Jenson 2014

6 x 6 "acrylic on 3/4" wrapped canvas

 

 

The paint is still drying on the Starship Enterprise! Well, not the one you probably think of that flies through space, but I'm talking about a beautiful iris that is named after the original spaceship. This iris blooms happily in the garden of a dear friend. My dots almost looks like stars floating around the flower!

 

 

Starship Enterprise © Dorothy Jenson 2014

6 x 6" acrylic on 3/4" wrapped canvas

 

 

If you are interested in purchasing any of these original works you can see availability and prices by looking through my Daily Paintworks Gallery. The link is on the right side of this page!



Rooster and Robin



 

Oh, it's been so gloriously warm the last couple days. Not everyone agrees with me, but I do so love warm days. It does keep me out of the studio, though, and this coming summer season will probably do more of the same as we spend more time outdoors! However, I do have two new paintings.

 

 

 

This rooster just glows with color. I love it! The crazy thing is, it was painted almost entirely while I talked with my daughter and her little girls on the phone. They live in Wisconsin, so it's always nice to chat with them. I turned on "speaker phone", placed it on my desk next to me, and happily painted while we chatted. I told Sarah I should name this rooster painting after her, and I did!

 

 

"Sarah's Rooster"  © Dorothy Jenson 2014

acrylic on 3/4" wrapped canvas

If you follow my work, you probably recognize the next little bird. It's the same pattern as a previous painting called, "Fancy Robin". I liked it so much (and it sold right away!), that I decided to do another one. Naturally, it isn't painted quite the same way as the first one, so it's unique in it's own way. Such a happy little bird, I could almost hear her humming: "Don't worry...be happy!"

"Don't Worry, Be Happy" © Dorothy Jenson 2014

acrylic on 3/4" wrapped canvas
SOLD

Roses!

The Daily Paintworks Challenge this week is to paint a rose, which is something I haven't done with acrylics before. I had so much fun with the first one, that another one seemed like the right thing to do. I decided to express my value layers clearly, rather than blending. I love how they turned out!

 

Amita's Rose © Dorothy Jenson 2014

6 x 6 acrylic on wrapped canvas, sides painted to match the front; varnished.

Betty Boop Roses, © Dorothy Jenson 2014

6 x 6 " acrylic on wrapped canvas, sides painted yellow; varnished

Ted and Camas Trail

At an auction to raise funds for youth activities, I offered to paint a pet portrait, and the highest bidder was one of our Sister Missionaries! A family member back home has a cherished Pomeranian and she wanted a fun portrait to send as a surprise. She sent me pictures, and here is Ted! I had a great time painting Ted's portrait. That long, shaggy fur simply begged for extra color. :)

"Ted"

6 x 6 inch acrylic on wrapped canvas © Dorothy Jenson 2014

Last week Ken and I went for our annual stroll through the Camassia Nature area in West Linn. It's the time of year when the blue Camas flowers are at their height of bloom! I have translated some of the scenery in pastel in the past, but this time I used acrylic gouache, which is a different kind of water based acrylic. This painting is simplified and stylized to show the blue flowers along the trail. The late afternoon sun had the meadow in shadow, but the back row of trees caught the sunlight and glowed a yellowish color.

"Camas Trail"

6 x 6 inch acrylic gouache on wrapped canvas, sides painted blue

© Dorothy Jenson 2014

Apple Dots

Some days I just want to do something different. I've been thinking about painting an apple for days, but wondered how to set up the still life. Then it occurred to me to paint the apple...and that's all. The apples in my fruit basket were such great colors of greens and reds and everything in between, but as soon as I noticed that they were covered with dots all by themselves, I knew they were a great subject for the day. So here's my apple, dotted because it wanted to be. (And I added a few more).

Apple Dots

acrylic on 3/4" wrapped canvas, sides painted to match the front

© Dorothy Jenson 2014

That Looks Interesting...

Today's photo reference for my painting comes from a delightful woman named Kym Backland. She has watched a family of raccoons grow up in her backyard and took several fun photos along the way. I asked if she would allow me to use a few for reference for my little paintings and she was happy to allow me to do that. Hooray!

This little guy (or girl?) might be stuck up in the tree branches, or maybe it's just a lookout place for the local happenings. I choose to think the latter. :)

 

"That Looks Interesting..."

6 x 6 " acrylic on wrapped canvas, © Dorothy Jenson 2014

Spring Robin

The other fun robins I have done have been English Robins. Could you tell? Our American Robins have a complete red breast, but the English cousins only have half of their breast red. Today's robin is definitely an American, and here he is perched on a newly blossomed tree branch.

Spring Robin

6 x 6 acrylic on wrapped canvas, ©Dorothy Jenson 2014

Meow Mix

Today's little kitty was fun to paint. I used lots of different colors in the fur, and while I was painting I wondered what I would call it. The titles of my work often come to mind while I am working, and this one was no exception. Due to the multitude of colors, the phrase "Meow Mix" kept coming to mind. I wanted to dismiss it because it's a cat food brand name, but the name persisted, so finally I gave in.

"Meow Mix", 6 x 6 acrylic on wrapped canvas