Tabasco #5

This encaustic is my Tabasco #5! Loved the dark tones underneath the blue greens for the background. Lots of fun meltings and textures in this. Made it funky with a bent neck! OUCH!

Encaustic on cradled board, 12 x 6", $150, s/h $12

This encaustic is my Tabasco #5! Loved the dark tones underneath the blue greens for the background. Lots of fun meltings and textures in this. Made it funky with a bent neck! OUCH!

Encaustic on cradled board, 12 x 6", $150, s/h $12

Fishy!

Oh, I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted work! I cannot begin to tell you how busy life has been with 3 young kids and the dog, so I get done what I can. I have done several encaustic paintings lately that I am going to be posting that are small in size.

Encaustic requires the artist to be flexible and make decisions quickly in the process. Seldom do my original ideas come to fruition the exact way I intend with this medium, but I do love it nonetheless once I get over this fact. You kind of have to go with the flow of the paint and torch and watch colors melt and blend in such beautiful ways. I had toned this one in reds and burgundys with the intention of almost completely covering the background in blues. My students loved the burgundy tones as I did as the process went, so I decided to keep some that toning showing thru. This is "Fishy!'

Encaustic on cradled board, 6 x 12", $150 s/h $12

Oh, I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted work! I cannot begin to tell you how busy life has been with 3 young kids and the dog, so I get done what I can. I have done several encaustic paintings lately that I am going to be posting that are small in size.

Encaustic requires the artist to be flexible and make decisions quickly in the process. Seldom do my original ideas come to fruition the exact way I intend with this medium, but I do love it nonetheless once I get over this fact. You kind of have to go with the flow of the paint and torch and watch colors melt and blend in such beautiful ways. I had toned this one in reds and burgundys with the intention of almost completely covering the background in blues. My students loved the burgundy tones as I did as the process went, so I decided to keep some that toning showing thru. This is "Fishy!'

Encaustic on cradled board, 6 x 12", $150 s/h $12

SPOTLIGHT!!!!

My Tuesday COLOR CAFE class ALL did such wonderful work on Tuesday! The stars did indeed align! Just take a look at the few I was able to get pics of!

Dana's Tuscan landscape!


Pam F.'s horse that she's not finished with but that I loved as is!


Pam F.'s daughter in front of the Coor's mountain!


Pam B.'s pumkins painted from life (she brought them in...)!

Keep up the great work, ladies!!!! Just LOVE working with you!

My Tuesday COLOR CAFE class ALL did such wonderful work on Tuesday! The stars did indeed align! Just take a look at the few I was able to get pics of!

Dana's Tuscan landscape!


Pam F.'s horse that she's not finished with but that I loved as is!


Pam F.'s daughter in front of the Coor's mountain!


Pam B.'s pumkins painted from life (she brought them in...)!

Keep up the great work, ladies!!!! Just LOVE working with you!

They LOVED it!

This painting was done for a wonderful couple of their two sons and dog. The couple was the winning bidder last year from the Dodge Nature Center's fall benefit auction. They bid nicely ($3500) for this painting to be done. It was the highest bid item in the auction, so I was super flattered! I did a shoot with the boys and dog. I worked from 3 different photos for the painting - one of just the boys and ball, a different one for the background, and yet another of the dog. This was the finished composition, and I'm so proud (and relieved) to say,
"They LOVED it!"

14 x 22", oil on canvas, SOLD

This painting was done for a wonderful couple of their two sons and dog. The couple was the winning bidder last year from the Dodge Nature Center's fall benefit auction. They bid nicely ($3500) for this painting to be done. It was the highest bid item in the auction, so I was super flattered! I did a shoot with the boys and dog. I worked from 3 different photos for the painting - one of just the boys and ball, a different one for the background, and yet another of the dog. This was the finished composition, and I'm so proud (and relieved) to say,
"They LOVED it!"

14 x 22", oil on canvas, SOLD

Down from Santa Margarita

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I got to paint today!!!! Just back from Cortona, Italy with my sister planning our C&C Creativa Painting Journey for 2010! What a great time we had in the most beautiful place.This image is one I took as we were walking down from visiting beautiful Santa Margarita Church where Margarita lies in rest at the altar well preserved. The church is at the top of Cortona and is quite a trek (hike). Monks and nuns walk it daily. The views are simply breath-taking! I started this in my Thursday class to demonstrate for one of my students who chose to paint it. Just finished today...

20 x 10", oil on canvas, $195, $18 s/h

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I got to paint today!!!! Just back from Cortona, Italy with my sister planning our C&C Creativa Painting Journey for 2010! What a great time we had in the most beautiful place.This image is one I took as we were walking down from visiting beautiful Santa Margarita Church where Margarita lies in rest at the altar well preserved. The church is at the top of Cortona and is quite a trek (hike). Monks and nuns walk it daily. The views are simply breath-taking! I started this in my Thursday class to demonstrate for one of my students who chose to paint it. Just finished today...

20 x 10", oil on canvas, $195, $18 s/h

Is ITALY Calling YOU???

Painting Ladies,

Is Italy Calling YOU???

We are so excited about our upcoming trip to Italy this September to stake out our next
C&C painting journey!

Carole and Claire are now taking reservations for the few spots in our Italy painting journey week in the Tuscan town of Cortona September 11 - 18, 2010!
Cortona is a most charming walled town that Claire spent the summer of 1994
studying drawing and painting for her Master's degree.
The town dates back to 500 B.C.!!! Read more in the link above.
The experience was life changing!

The painting journey will include several hours of daily painting and instruction by Carole and Claire, creative spirit time, shopping and sipping cappucino along Via Nationale (Cortona's lovely main street full of boutiques, antique shops, dress shops, perfumerias, restaurants, coffee shops, etc.), and a day trip to Florence to visit the wonderful Uffizzi Museum and to see Michelangelo's David! We will stay in the heart of Cortona just a few steps away from Via Nationale! Cortona is a walking town and boasts a gorgeous park and a 2-mile walk around the town giving you the most breath-taking
views from every direction that you will ever see!

This journey is limited to only12 spots.
It will be first come, first serve by submitting 1/2 of the total fee due by
November 30, 2009
balance due August 11, 2010.
Total fee will be $2900.

We will be planning a detailed itinerary in the coming weeks once we visit next month!

CORTONA, ITALY 2010 (at a glance)
September 11 - 18, 2010
Fee: $2900
Key Date: 1/2 fee due by November 30, 2009
12 student limit
2 instructors (Carole & Claire)
Lovely accommodations
Breakfast each morning
Evening dinner
All painting supplies
Shipping of your work back to the U. S.

All that YOU provide:
Your fun spirit!
Air fare to and from Florence
Tickets for train and other activities
and lunch

Let us know ASAP as we expect spots to go fast! Questions? Call or email Carole or Claire.

We hope you can be a part of this fabulous, life-changing experience in your painting journey!

Love,
Carole & Claire

Carole's phone: 256.232.2521
Claire's phone: 651.983.2743

Painting Ladies,

Is Italy Calling YOU???

We are so excited about our upcoming trip to Italy this September to stake out our next
C&C painting journey!

Carole and Claire are now taking reservations for the few spots in our Italy painting journey week in the Tuscan town of Cortona September 11 - 18, 2010!
Cortona is a most charming walled town that Claire spent the summer of 1994
studying drawing and painting for her Master's degree.
The town dates back to 500 B.C.!!! Read more in the link above.
The experience was life changing!

The painting journey will include several hours of daily painting and instruction by Carole and Claire, creative spirit time, shopping and sipping cappucino along Via Nationale (Cortona's lovely main street full of boutiques, antique shops, dress shops, perfumerias, restaurants, coffee shops, etc.), and a day trip to Florence to visit the wonderful Uffizzi Museum and to see Michelangelo's David! We will stay in the heart of Cortona just a few steps away from Via Nationale! Cortona is a walking town and boasts a gorgeous park and a 2-mile walk around the town giving you the most breath-taking
views from every direction that you will ever see!

This journey is limited to only12 spots.
It will be first come, first serve by submitting 1/2 of the total fee due by
November 30, 2009
balance due August 11, 2010.
Total fee will be $2900.

We will be planning a detailed itinerary in the coming weeks once we visit next month!

CORTONA, ITALY 2010 (at a glance)
September 11 - 18, 2010
Fee: $2900
Key Date: 1/2 fee due by November 30, 2009
12 student limit
2 instructors (Carole & Claire)
Lovely accommodations
Breakfast each morning
Evening dinner
All painting supplies
Shipping of your work back to the U. S.

All that YOU provide:
Your fun spirit!
Air fare to and from Florence
Tickets for train and other activities
and lunch

Let us know ASAP as we expect spots to go fast! Questions? Call or email Carole or Claire.

We hope you can be a part of this fabulous, life-changing experience in your painting journey!

Love,
Carole & Claire

Carole's phone: 256.232.2521
Claire's phone: 651.983.2743

Garden At Dodge

What a great time and a most gorgeous day we had with plein air painting today at the Dodge Nature Center! We could not have asked for more perfect weather - sunny with those big, puffy clouds and about 75 non-humid degrees! This painting is from across a pasture toward the garden with beautiful trees behind it. The view offered so many greens with spruce trees in the background offering a touch of blue green to the more earthy greens of the trees in front of them. I LOVE a sky with these puffy clouds (cumulonimbus? clouds). I wanted keep this as loose as possible by using only one 1/2" brush for this 6x12 painting. I love the feeling of it!

6 x 12", oil on board, $99, $12 s/h SOLD

What a great time and a most gorgeous day we had with plein air painting today at the Dodge Nature Center! We could not have asked for more perfect weather - sunny with those big, puffy clouds and about 75 non-humid degrees! This painting is from across a pasture toward the garden with beautiful trees behind it. The view offered so many greens with spruce trees in the background offering a touch of blue green to the more earthy greens of the trees in front of them. I LOVE a sky with these puffy clouds (cumulonimbus? clouds). I wanted keep this as loose as possible by using only one 1/2" brush for this 6x12 painting. I love the feeling of it!

6 x 12", oil on board, $99, $12 s/h SOLD

Above All

I finished this giraffe recently after my first Kids Art Camp a couple of weeks ago! I started this as a demo for the kids. They had the choice of painting a tiger or a giraffe. This painting is full of color and scumbling effects. This would look great in a kid's room! It has a strong vertical format, too, that makes it a lot of fun!

20 x 10, acrylic on canvas, $15 s/h
$225

I finished this giraffe recently after my first Kids Art Camp a couple of weeks ago! I started this as a demo for the kids. They had the choice of painting a tiger or a giraffe. This painting is full of color and scumbling effects. This would look great in a kid's room! It has a strong vertical format, too, that makes it a lot of fun!

20 x 10, acrylic on canvas, $15 s/h
$225

Sky at Hamline & St. Clair

I was so taken by the dramatic sky at this intersection as I was stopped at the light! I'm here several times most days and thought I'd shoot this quickly with my phone. I wanted to concentrate on the sky and have the other details secondary. Let me know your thoughts! Purchase info below.

20" x 10" oil on canvas, $275, $15 s/h

I was so taken by the dramatic sky at this intersection as I was stopped at the light! I'm here several times most days and thought I'd shoot this quickly with my phone. I wanted to concentrate on the sky and have the other details secondary. Let me know your thoughts! Purchase info below.

20" x 10" oil on canvas, $275, $15 s/h

Dixieland Band!

During our C&C Painting Weekend in Athens, AL there was a great Dixieland band playing down at Village Pizza that we went to hear and dance to. They were just off the streets of New Orleans and had come to town to also play at a wedding the following day. Village Pizza was packed! They were loads of fun!. I shot the photo for this painting with my iphone and got some hazy pictures, but I loved they way the pictures come out for a painting. I painted this on Saturday morning. I'm keeping this one... If you'd like me to paint one similar, I will. Just contact me at 651.983.2743 or email at claire@clairekayser.com!

During our C&C Painting Weekend in Athens, AL there was a great Dixieland band playing down at Village Pizza that we went to hear and dance to. They were just off the streets of New Orleans and had come to town to also play at a wedding the following day. Village Pizza was packed! They were loads of fun!. I shot the photo for this painting with my iphone and got some hazy pictures, but I loved they way the pictures come out for a painting. I painted this on Saturday morning. I'm keeping this one... If you'd like me to paint one similar, I will. Just contact me at 651.983.2743 or email at claire@clairekayser.com!

Little Moo!

At our last C&C painting journey weekend, we painted cows as one of the subjects. This one was mine, and it's on a small board 6x6". We all LOVED painting cows, and it was so fun to see how different everyone painted the same one. This little moo would be great as is with no framing in a little spot in your house like a book shelf and some intimate spot!

6x6", acrylic on cradled board, $150, $12 s/h SOLD

At our last C&C painting journey weekend, we painted cows as one of the subjects. This one was mine, and it's on a small board 6x6". We all LOVED painting cows, and it was so fun to see how different everyone painted the same one. This little moo would be great as is with no framing in a little spot in your house like a book shelf and some intimate spot!

6x6", acrylic on cradled board, $150, $12 s/h SOLD

He Did It for Me

I've been so reflective the last few days of all the events that led up to Jesus's crucifixion and felt compelled to find a different image of Jesus on the cross to paint. I loved the more intimate crop of this image that, to me, conveys so much emotion. It was hard painting the blood dripping from his body especially, but the whole painting is so humbling and is a constant reminder that He did it for us! We are saved by this mighty event. Also, when we feel like complaining about things in our daily lives, this is a constant reminder that what we're experiencing is NOTHING compared to the torture that Jesus endured for us because he loves us so much.

HAPPY EASTER, ALL!

20x20, oil on wood panel, $1000, $25 s/h

I've been so reflective the last few days of all the events that led up to Jesus's crucifixion and felt compelled to find a different image of Jesus on the cross to paint. I loved the more intimate crop of this image that, to me, conveys so much emotion. It was hard painting the blood dripping from his body especially, but the whole painting is so humbling and is a constant reminder that He did it for us! We are saved by this mighty event. Also, when we feel like complaining about things in our daily lives, this is a constant reminder that what we're experiencing is NOTHING compared to the torture that Jesus endured for us because he loves us so much.

HAPPY EASTER, ALL!

20x20, oil on wood panel, $1000, $25 s/h

Gentle Jesus

I watched a great documentary this morning called "Who Was Jesus?" Very interesting to hear what he was like as he walked this earth. Also, scientists and forensic specialists have been able to come up with a skeletal structure that would have to resemble that of Jesus's taking into account the bone structure of the people at that time. Specifically, he supposedly had a fairly narrow jaw with an upside down triangular shape to his face. The man who was Jesus in the documentary was supposedly a very close match to what Jesus looked like. He was a very handsome man. I painted him today! I shot a still of the tv paused on him while he was explaining the beattitudes to the gathered crowd. I loved the gentleness conveyed in his expression and wanted to portray that. Even though it's Good Friday, and we remember Jesus in a more dramatic way today, I decided to paint today this one!

Happy Good Friday and Easter!

8x10, oil on board, $225, $12 s/h
(please allow 2 weeks so paint can dry.)

I watched a great documentary this morning called "Who Was Jesus?" Very interesting to hear what he was like as he walked this earth. Also, scientists and forensic specialists have been able to come up with a skeletal structure that would have to resemble that of Jesus's taking into account the bone structure of the people at that time. Specifically, he supposedly had a fairly narrow jaw with an upside down triangular shape to his face. The man who was Jesus in the documentary was supposedly a very close match to what Jesus looked like. He was a very handsome man. I painted him today! I shot a still of the tv paused on him while he was explaining the beattitudes to the gathered crowd. I loved the gentleness conveyed in his expression and wanted to portray that. Even though it's Good Friday, and we remember Jesus in a more dramatic way today, I decided to paint today this one!

Happy Good Friday and Easter!

8x10, oil on board, $225, $12 s/h
(please allow 2 weeks so paint can dry.)

All on the Line

My painting this morning! .... this cold, cold March morning as I long for warm weather and the feeling of the sun and breezes giving cool relief... Back to reality, tho, I decided to paint this image of clothes on a line drying on that warm, breezy day. I love these kind of images reminding me of a slower pace to life, simplicity and just being. Hard to have those times in our day, but we need to work at carving that time out... Hope the feeling is conveyed in this peice!

9x12, oil on gessoboard, starting bid $150. Auction ends 8:00 pm March 21.

Email me at claire@clairekayser.com with your questions or bid!

My painting this morning! .... this cold, cold March morning as I long for warm weather and the feeling of the sun and breezes giving cool relief... Back to reality, tho, I decided to paint this image of clothes on a line drying on that warm, breezy day. I love these kind of images reminding me of a slower pace to life, simplicity and just being. Hard to have those times in our day, but we need to work at carving that time out... Hope the feeling is conveyed in this peice!

9x12, oil on gessoboard, starting bid $150. Auction ends 8:00 pm March 21.

Email me at claire@clairekayser.com with your questions or bid!

Red Beach Hat 2

This is the second in my series of "Red Beach Hat" from images from St. Martin. This one is a bit tighter than the first. It was a little difficult to get interesting shadows and tones in the figure as it was flatter towards the sunlight. However, I took that as a challenge to "contrast" the figure myself thus rendering a tighter-looking depiction.

8" x 10", oil on cradled gessoboard, starting bid: $125, Auction ends: March 13
Email me at: claire@clairekayser.com for questions and bid!

This is the second in my series of "Red Beach Hat" from images from St. Martin. This one is a bit tighter than the first. It was a little difficult to get interesting shadows and tones in the figure as it was flatter towards the sunlight. However, I took that as a challenge to "contrast" the figure myself thus rendering a tighter-looking depiction.

8" x 10", oil on cradled gessoboard, starting bid: $125, Auction ends: March 13
Email me at: claire@clairekayser.com for questions and bid!

Red Beach Hat

I wanted to keep this loose and NOT about the identity of the subject (me). I wanted to play a bit with negative space here offsetting the figure to the left side and having the ocean and beach loosely depicted. I started this painting last Thursday when we were having our snow storm. I kept warm in my studio painting a warm scene! Fun!

I wanted to keep this loose and NOT about the identity of the subject (me). I wanted to play a bit with negative space here offsetting the figure to the left side and having the ocean and beach loosely depicted. I started this painting last Thursday when we were having our snow storm. I kept warm in my studio painting a warm scene! Fun!

She, in Fields of Gold

I was inspired to do a figure today and found an image of a figure I liked. I made her in a field of gold with this great blue sky - this is a new color for me - radiant turquoise, and I love it! Another artist I admire greatly, Karin Jurick, from Atlanta talks about using the radiant colors, so I bought a few, and, MAN, are they not ever wonderful. I kept things pretty loose and chunky.

8 x 10, oil on board, $195, s/h $12 SOLD

I was inspired to do a figure today and found an image of a figure I liked. I made her in a field of gold with this great blue sky - this is a new color for me - radiant turquoise, and I love it! Another artist I admire greatly, Karin Jurick, from Atlanta talks about using the radiant colors, so I bought a few, and, MAN, are they not ever wonderful. I kept things pretty loose and chunky.

8 x 10, oil on board, $195, s/h $12 SOLD

Miss Hottie!

I had had this painting started and set aside for over a year and finally finished today! I have done several Tabasco bottles in both oil and encaustic, and people love them as much as the sauce itself! I LOVE Tabasco and put on almost everything. Also, it's made in Louisiana around where I was born which is a reason I love to paint them. This one has a tremendous amount of oil paint applied with both palette knife and brush. Fun!

12 x 24", oil on canvas, $595

I had had this painting started and set aside for over a year and finally finished today! I have done several Tabasco bottles in both oil and encaustic, and people love them as much as the sauce itself! I LOVE Tabasco and put on almost everything. Also, it's made in Louisiana around where I was born which is a reason I love to paint them. This one has a tremendous amount of oil paint applied with both palette knife and brush. Fun!

12 x 24", oil on canvas, $595