November challenge?

Since the season of the great whiteness approaches,  how about a study of white on white?  A boon for subtlety challenged color aficionados.

Sumacs by the road

Sumacs ByThe Road

I loved the reds and orange of these sumacs.  They grow at the edges of woods.  A transition between grass and trees.   They are like an umbrella.

Sprinkler ~~ Kimberly Kelly Santini

"Sprinkler," 12" x 16", portrait of a very wet yellow lab set 

against autumnal colors, $629. Inquires may come to me.

Orange is one of my current favorite colors - it is packed with warmth and energy, and yet it also reminds me of lying outside on a hot summer day and feeling the sun through closed eyelids.

There's no denying orange when it appears in a painting, either. It demands attention.

You can see more of my artwork on Facebook or my studio website or my blog.

Thanks so much for looking!

Kimberly Kelly Santini

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Gourds

"Orange and Green" Well, this is partly orange. Orange was an excuse to try my brush at these acorn squashes spilling from a peach basket again. My most favorite thing about it, that one squash with the long stem...my least favorite thing, the peach basket, whose angles and depth need revamping. Gayle Goddard-Taylor, gaylegt@comcast.net

Wearing Orange

I love the idea of orange, and I'm wearing it today! I don't know for sure when I will get to painting as we have a show next Tuesday, and I leave for CO on Wednesday. It all depends on how I am coming along with the packing. I sure hope the snow is gone by the time I get there. They had an early snow of a few inches this morning.

A script for everything

My whimsical "orange" painting for Oct. 2. After a second back surgery, these have been my constant companions without which I probably wouldn't be sitting at the easel for very long. Loving the theme "orange" and can think of more painting ideas than days in the month. A bunch of carrots, some fall squash, a stack of orange-bound books, and of course a pumpkin. But a friend's orange Savannah cat, which will certainly take longer than a day, will top the list and be a continuing background muse.

Begun

Begun

Watercolor

Beginnings of great things to come.  Out with the old, in with fabulous explorations.

Another interesting color study.

Kiran's Spotlight ~~ Kimberly Kelly Santini

New Beginnings sums things in the studio up nicely right now. After spending the majority of the last dozen years painting animals and pet portraits, I find myself oddly drawn to the human form. And not just a typical 3/4 portrait type of human form, but that of dancers, frozen in paint for just a moment. I'm also far more curious about light as a subject matter and not so much as a means of illumination.

I'm staggering dancer paintings with my other animal pieces, and also working in study about light.

Reinventing myself, and ever so excited to see where that might be going.

Thanks for taking a look!
Kimberly Santini
www.KimberlySantini.com
ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Resource photos

I had a wonderful morning at Leaman's Apple Barn here in Saginaw with my cousin. We picked a bunch of apples and I got some great photos! I thought I would share them on my Zenchic Design FB page for anyone to use for paintings. I haven't done a lot of painting lately, but I am going to have lots of resources to last me through the winter!
https://www.facebook.com/#!/ZenchicDesigns

Linda

New Life

I feel like it should be Spring to be painting about beginnings in nature! Yet my files are full of photos I've taken of life's beginnings.  This beautiful butterfly had recently emerged from it's protective chrysalis at The Butterfly House on Mackinaw Island. So comparable to many of us! There were many in our group who were predominantly oil or watercolor artists, yet wanting to spread our own wings, to continue to change, and try something new. I would say to this butterfly and to all of you.... You are beautiful! Be brave! Be strong! May we all continue the journey of growth and change, and relish all "New Beginnings."

My Gypsy Love

I'm writing this post with one hand, as the other one is twirling a mouse on a wire to keep my model for this painting happy. The model is my rambunctious and playful kitty Gypsy, who thinks she is a dog.

This painting represents new beginnings for me as my love stumbled into my life a few summers ago, during a very rough week. I had to put my beautiful sweetheart, Miss Emily, down to rest after 18 wonderful years. She was a wonderful companion, world traveler, and elegant lady. My heart was broken.

That same week my brother called and told me that his new puppy had found a sickly kitten in the bushes in front of his house. He was trying to nurse her back to health and fatten her skin and bones up.  I went for a visit, skeptical of getting another cat so soon despite the hard sell everyone was giving me that had met this crazy cat. She loved people, and loved my brother's new pup so much that she would follow them on walks. She seemed to be house trained, and was gaining strength. The first night she stayed in my room with me, as soon as the lights went out she was on my neck purring like a freight train. Since then she has worked her charms on anyone that has crossed her path.

This painting is also representative of new beginnings as it is my first larger piece in acrylics. This was the one painting that I wanted to take away from the Kimberly Kelly Santini workshop that I attended this summer through the Traverse City Art Center. It was also a new beginning as I felt rejuvenated about my journey after meeting and sharing with the other amazing artists that are coauthors of this blog.

I started the painting at the workshop, and just recently started it again. Acrylics are new to me, and I love the flexibility and spontaneity that they offer. This was the first mixed media piece that I have been able to do that didn't have to be planned out   ahead of time, like I would have to do with oils. This morning I put the background together with scrap printed paper, and used stencils to create some texture in the background.

This is one of those piece that I could keep working on forever, but I'm following my intuition here, and letting it rest in an interesting place.

- Jelena Todorovich

yelley73@gmail.com

http://jelenatodorovich.com/Jelena_Todorovich/Welcome.html

September's Challenge- New Beginning

Today is a new beginning! September 1st, 2013 is the launch of the Midwest Paint Chicks blog. This blog was inspired by the group energy, cooperation, and good vibes found at the Kimberly Kelly Santini Workshop held in Traverse City, Michigan this summer. New ideas were practiced, new perspectives presented challenges, and new friendships were made. 

The challenge this month is "New Beginnings". If you do what you always do, you'll get what you've always gotten. Let's shake things up! See where this journey takes us, and who hops on board.  I can't wait to see what this talented and fun group of ladies is going to come up with!

A change of scenery

Do you find that your surroundings sometimes affects your desire to create? Right now my home continues to be full of piles waiting to be sold on craig'slist or garage sale. It is so hard to get in the mood with that hanging over me. Although, I do have all my painting supplies now in ONE place which feels good. Today I head up to the cottage on BBL (Big Bear Lake.) There I am inspired to paint! So many ideas have been floating around in my head since we were in TC with Kim! Maybe some of those ideas will actually make it to canvas or paper this weekend!

Linda

Welcome!

I'm creating this blog to serve as a virtual community of artists that can share their art, challenge each other, and offer critique opportunities to help further our own unique artistic journeys. At the beginning of each month a challenge will be posted, and artists are encouraged to post their interpretation of the challenge. I encourage you all to post constructive criticism and encouragement to others in the group! Let's have fun with this!