Monday, June 23, 2008

Bob and Katie!

Just finished this commissioned piece of a couple Bob and Katie!  Katie commissioned this portrait to give to Bob for their 25th wedding anniversary.  It was a surprise!  I had so much fun working on it and trying to convey a likeness yet keeping it full of color.  They love it!  I'm thrilled!

SOLD!

Tuesday, June 3, 2008




I'm finally back! It's been a long time since I finished a painting with so much going on at the end of the school year and having a new puppy! Life's great, but I sure miss the painting. This painting came from an image I took in Feb. at the Starbuck's at beautiful Rosemary Beach. Carole and I were sitting in a little vignette area enjoying our lattes, and I loved the comfortable look of this man reading the paper. I'm intrigued by the light of the outside coming in casting more cooler tones of light along with the warmer-toned lighting of the incandescent lighting in Starbuck's. I love working both kinds of lighting to paint this scene. I wanna be there!

6x6, oil on gesso board, $175









Friday, May 9, 2008

Off...

... to Carmel, CA this weekend all thru the end of next week to learn encaustic painting with the wonderful people with Artista Creative.  Check out their whole site to see what a wonderful experience it will be as it encourages women to connect creativity with all body, mind and spirit!  Just up my alley.  I will be posting more work before too long.  End of the school year has been very busy along with finding a potential new family pet.

Peace all!
Claire

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Coffee & News


Another Italian scene that is all so common! Seeing the regulars getting their morning paper and espresso before heading off to work. This is a piece of another image that I will make into 2 separate paintings. I loved the lines and subtle changes in whites in this image. The sunlight on the ground to the left was fun, too. That warm Italian light is sumptuous!
6x12, oil on canvas, $125, $10 s/h SOLD








Wednesday, April 2, 2008

"Fairly" Thirsty!

Oh, how I wish it were this warm here in MN! I shot this image 3 years ago from the Washington County Fair that we took the children to on a hot, summer day. Just thought it would make me feel like I'd experienced a more summer-y day than winter. I loved this little concession stand off the beaten path of most of the activity of the fair. It was right near the barn with all the farm animals - one of our favorite places to visit.
8 x 10, oil on canvas, $125 plus $10 s/h SOLD








Monday, March 31, 2008

Mayos!

Finally, I'm back with much more painting time after our 2-week spring break! We had a spring day of about 6 inches of snow here in MN, so it was a great day to be in the studio finishing this painting. My client wanted me to do sort of an impression (without details - only suggestions) of her husband and son and daughter. Mom is a gorgeous woman whose parents are from Sri Lanka, and the husband is Caucasian. The two children have the beautiful mocha, olive skin their Mom has, and we wanted to portray that. I did a few other abstract paintings about a year ago that can be seen on my site, and my client wanted something much like those.
SOLD

Friday, March 28, 2008

Sorrento Street



I finally finished my client's Italian street scene from the coastal town of Sorrento. I was there in the summer of 1994, and it was so very charming and beautiful. I tried to keep a looseness throughout and put lots of color and energy into it as requested by my client. Hope she likes it!
SOLD

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Progress...



I've made some progress in my painting commission this week. Hard finding the time! Kids are on a two-week spring break, so it will be sketchy. Just wanted to show you the work so far. My client wanted some kind of street scene, cafe scene - something with people and color. It needed to be a vertical for a 40x30" for the space the client wants to put it. I've reworked the right side tables and people 4 times now finally getting them positioned with the right perspective. I will be adding a few more people and action more in the background and will be working the architectural elements more, too. I'm trying to keep it loose, colorful, and with fun textures...

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Working...

...on that big 30x40 street scene! I will post a picture soon when I make a little more progress on it. Hope to get more done tomorrow. Check back in the next day or so!

Monday, March 3, 2008

Sorry, no new posts...

Please check back here again soon. The sickness I had spread to family, so I've been playing nurse and covering other areas of family life and not getting time to paint. I have classes tomorrow and hope to get started on a very large commission I have (30x40). Maybe I'll work on something smaller for class - not sure, yet. Thanks for your patience!

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Snow Tubin' Fun! (finished!)


I finished my client's commissioned painting of these snow tubers! He hasn't seen it yet, but I'm going to notify him tonight that it's ready to pick up. I did a study, smaller painting of the the sledder in the lower right that I was going to incorporate into this painting. I'm pleased with it. I love the happy expressions on the faces which I wanted to keep fairly loose as I wanted the whole painting to be. I've had strong compliments from those who've seen it in my studio - hopefully, from my client, too!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Sick!

Check back here later. I've been under the weather and still am. Hope to get something up again sooooooooooon!!!

Update: Don't know what I had, but I felt very tired and weak starting out the day Tuesday, went on with my morning class, slept for 2 hours after, got up, felt weak, tired and groggy (worse), canceled my evening class, felt more and more feverish. One of my students who is an Episcopal priest showed up anyway for class having not received my phone message about canceling the class. She offered to lay hands on me and pray for my healing, so we did. She combined her prayers with Eastern medicine (checking my chakras and finding where my virus was.) Amazing! She said that the virus will have to take its course, but that God would heal me through the his healing light that we invited into my body. My fever spiked big time around 9:00 pm last night (had the chills for an hour and then got very warm), went to bed, and I woke up feeling about 85% and better and better all day today. I've never had a virus to go right thru me that fast! This is the first time I've been sick in the last few years. Thanks for that healing blessing, Joanie! Our Lord works wonders!

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Viewing David


The David is probably my favorite of all figurative sculpture. It was almost a religious experience when I got to see him in 1994 when I spent the summer in Italy for art school. I had my painting class today paint him, too, as I'm trying to teach them more about modeling the figure and getting proportion and scale. They're doing a great job. Finished this one tonight. I'm pleased!

6x12", oil on canvas, $295, $12 s/h SOLD













Friday, February 15, 2008

Hanging the Show



I was attracted immediately to this image because of the red and geometric quality. I love gallery images, and the capture of the man hanging the large, heavy painting was something I wanted to portray - his body positioning. I enjoyed working on this so much partly because I'm back to my oils! My acrylic paints are drying way too fast in my studio these days making it frustrating to have to mix colors over and over. Slows my process...

10x20," oil on canvas, $395, $12 s/s SOLD















Thursday, February 14, 2008

Yes, Julia!


This painting is another in my "shopping" series. Julia found this awesome dress out on the mannequin and had to try it on at the Saint Tropez shop in Seaside, FL. It looked FABULOUS on her! I changed her shoes - she had on (clogs) - and put more elegant shoes on her in the painting. I entitled it "Yes, Julia!" because she had just stepped out of the dressing room looking great in the dress, and that's what we all said!

9x12" acrylic on masonite, $175, $10 s/h SOLD








Saturday, February 9, 2008

Sidewalk Sale


I shot a picture of Carole in Seaside, FL at this great boutique called Saint Tropez. I was just inside the door, and I loved the bright light coming from behind her a t 45 degree angle producing such lovely shadow toward the door. This is a first in a 2 or 3 shopping-themed paintings I will do. I haven't painted my sister in a long time! Fun!

20x10" $195, $12 s/h SOLD

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

A little more to go...


I'm doing this painting for my neighbor Chris. I shot this photo when we were at there house last spring as Lucy Brown (on left) was being honored. She's in her early 80s and has lived in our neighborhood all her life. She was moving out of her beautiful home to a condo/retirement home. We miss her fun, fiery spirit, but she loves not having to worry with home maintenance and snow shoveling! Anyway, I'm almost finished with the painting and don't want to do much more. I want Chris to be more prominent and not "finish" Lucy as much, so I plan to keep a sketchiness to her figure. I'll post the end piece when finished.
NFS

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Off...

... to Rosemary Beach, FL for my workshop and show with Carole! Back late on Monday. Will have some more work up sooooooooooon!

Be well, all!
Claire

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Shelf O'Shoes


This is my last painting to take for the Women's Getaway Weekend in Rosemary Beach, FL! I must mail all paintings today. Anyway, women love shoes! I love painting these sort of whimsical paintings. I chose some from a picture and pumped up the colors a bit more. Wanted to keep a looseness and fun feeling.
8x24" acrylic on canvas, $325, $15 s/h SOLD








Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Study



I showed one of my painting students the way to start her painting by painting this image of her son jumping off a dock. I struggled with getting all of the boy's left foot on the canvas without cutting off his toes. I finally got it! We liked this stage of the painting alot. This is a point in a painting where you have to decide how much farther you want to develop it - putting more details or not. When you want to keep a looseness, then you'd stop around this point. We'll see how it turns out.
NFS

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Winter Sliding - just a start


Back to winter after all the beach paintings... This is just a start of about an hour today - all I've gotten to paint all weekend. :((( This is a commissioned piece of some snow sledders and tubers. I had done one before and sold it at about the same time 2 other clients inquired about it. So, they are both commissioning snow sledding - themed paintings. This one is a 24x30" oil on canvas. More work on it tomorrow!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Beach Converstations


Another in my beach series. Image shot at the same time last summer while sitting underneath my umbrella. I wonder the conversations of the walkers by. Painting these beach paintings has taken me there, thankfully, as it's actually about 5 degrees outside my Minnesota studio right now! :((((

8x8, oil on masonite, $225, $10 s/h SOLD








Wednesday, January 16, 2008

One Last Time



This image I shot at Orange Beach, AL last summer. It shows a young family ending their day on the beach. Mom is washing out sand toys while son and daughter play on the beach's edge one last time for the day. Dad is waiting patiently... I love the long shadows and contrasting light and shadows in the late evening on the beach.
8x8, acrylic on masonite panel, $225, $10 s/h








Saturday, January 12, 2008

Out to the Pool


I just finished this painting of my beautiful, sweet niece Catherine. I shot this picture of her last summer as she was walking out to their pool. I wanted to keep a looseness but it be recognizable as Catherine. This is another in a series of beach, poolside, warmer weather paintings I want to do for my upcoming show and workshop at Rosemary Beach.
12x9, $295, oil on cradled masonite, $12 s/h SOLD





Thursday, January 10, 2008

Beach Walk


I did this painting late this evening, and it all clicked! This is the kind of painting session I love! I'm trying to get a few small pieces done for Carole's and my art show and workshop at Rosemary Beach, FL Feb. 1-3 and thought I would do some beach-themed stuff. I shot a few pics last summer when we were at Orange Beach on our family vacation. I have another one started and hope to post in the next day or so. I bought some flat brushes today to produce a different brush effect than what filberts produce. I also bought more masonite in slightly bigger sizes, too. I like the effect! Much harder to photograph, however, as the brush strokes create glare. Tell me what you think!

8x8, oil on masonite, $250, $10 s/h









Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Sunday Afternoon


I shot of photo from our back stairs window that looks out onto our neighbors lovely back deck and yard area. I was so struck the beautiful light in the mid afternoon in September on my neighbor as he read underneath his umbrella. My neighbor was relaxing - reading his book with a glass of wine. Lovely! This was one of the first smaller paintings I challenged myself to do. It has a softer feel compared to the more vibrant colors I typically use, but I wanted the colors to portray the mood. I did it one day during my painting class and later.

$100, $10 s/h










Monday, January 7, 2008

Belkins


HAPPY NEW YEAR!
First post of the new year for me! One of my painting students commissioned this painting of her husband and only daughter who just went off to college (Hamilton). This photo was taken at a lacrosse match that they attended this fall. The mom hasn't seen this yet! Your comments!!! SOLD

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Tumble!


I'm about to do a couple of commissioned snow and sledding themed paintings for some clients, and this little painting is a study. I will probably incorporate this tumbling sledder in one of them.
8x10, $125 SOLD












Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Sunbeam



It's been a while since my last post! I finished this little pink chair painting today in class. It's another of my chairs that I loved. The photo was a bit void of color, but I think I fixed that in this painting.

20x10, acrylic on canvas, $225, $15 s/h SOLD








Wednesday, October 31, 2007

"Sacrifice!"


This painting is of my son and friends from our annual trip up to Orr, MN to the Shangri-La Resort. It's a great place to vacation with the kids or just you and your spouse. It's a chance for simple living for a week, the most gorgeous sunsets every night (all the cabins face west over Pelican Lake), great people, etc. My family loves it! Anyway, in the painting, the boys were playing a game they called "Sacrifice" on the Rave trampoline in the water. As you can imagine, it's about being the last to go in the water. Can you guess which son is mine???

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

SUMMER COLLECTION


I love shoes! What woman doesn't??? I saw an ad for shoes and loved so many and just had to pick some of my favorite ones for a colorful painting. This is what came out! It's a 6x14" acrylic on canvas, $195, $10 s/h








Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Lavender French


I got to paint more tonight, and I did this little chair painting on a 5x7 canvas! I'm proud of myself as I've thought it more difficult to paint so small, but I just got out my smaller brushes and painted away. This is just another of many chairs I've done and will continue to do. Tell me what you think. All comments and critiques welcome!

acrylic on canvas, 5x7, $100, $10 s/h SOLD









Help a Sista!



I did this painting today in my class. I love painting pears especially the Bosc variety with all their beautiful golden tones. I had these on my kitchen counter the other day and they reminded me of 3 women - one who has "fallen" and the other 2 talking about "Helping a Sista!"
Acrylic on canvas, 10x20", $225, s/h $15 SOLD 









Saturday, October 13, 2007

Cafe Du Monde


Originally being from Louisiana and having visited this spot in New Orleans so many times as a child, I love the energy and busyness of this popular spot that serves the best beignets and coffee! I love New Orleans - there's no place that has the soul, energy and spirit it has!

This painting is an oil on canvas sized 16x20. Price is $450 plus $15 s/h. Minnesota sales tax applied to Minnesota buyers.
SOLD

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

NEW BLOG JUST FOR PAINTINGS!

I have created this new blog just to showcase and give more information about my paintings. I will be painting more and more in the coming days and will be posting them as soon as their done! Also, if you're interested in more information or purchasing a piece, you may buy straight thru my blog with credit cards and Paypal. EASY!!! All transactions are safe and secure. Check out my blog every few days to see something new!