Paradise Sunset

As cold weather sets in and winter approaches, I found myself dreaming about some warm sunshine and tropical scenes. This is also my first EVER work in pastel. Now that I've done something simple, I'm excited to try to get creative with what oil pastels can do.

I painted a bright red, orange, and yellow tropical sunset over an ocean view. One can see the edge of a rocky beach, and gentle waves crashing. There is a lot of texture and highlights on the waves. Last, but not least, is the silhouette of a palm tree leaning gracefully toward the water.

This is a 10"x12" oil pastel painting on canvas paper. It is signed by the artist.

I'm so ready for a vacation!

Barren Winter

I'm excited to finally have a good picture of something I did. This one was small enough to scan, so it looks much better than all the others that I took pictures of with my camera. Anyway, back to my painting:

Barren Winter

I used greys, blues, and whites to create an impressionism-inspired winter scene. I think the the black, leaf-less limbs create a sense of the lifelessness of winter, but aren't necessarily ominous. This is a winterized sister painting to "Forever Fall."

This is 2-- 4"x12" acrylic on canvas paintings. The paint is carried around the sides so that it may be hung directly on the wall.

Ready for winter??

Caffeine Addiction

Anyone want to guess what this is? Yes, I'm an uber nerdy scientist who got a kick out of painting her favorite molecule--Caffeine! This was the result of a long day at work which required lots of coffee. At the end of the day, when I should have crashed, I couldn't sleep due to the lingering caffeine. In such caffeine-induced insomnia cases, I frequently like to paint. And I decided to honor the little creature that caused my creativity.

This is a ball and stick model of Caffeine. (Yes, I got the molecular structure correct.) There is a lot of shading and texture on both the atoms and the background. I'm thinking about painting more molecules. I think they would make great gifts for scientists or engineers.

This is a 10"x10" acrylic on canvas painting. It is signed by the artist, and the paint is carried around the edges so that it may be hung directly on the wall.

Does anyone have a favorite molecule or suggestions for future chemistry paintings??

Peacock

I thought I'd go with a descriptive title this time--"Peacock".

As you can see, I started with earth tones for the background. I was going for a rocky or clay look. The peacock is much more vivid in color, and there is brush detail that is hard to see due to the low quality of the picture. Overall, I’m really pleased with how this one turned out. I’ve wanted to paint a peacock for a while–the peacock has significance in my family. Painting this meant a lot to me, and I’m so happy it turned out so well! I’ve never painted a bird before–now that I think about it, I’ve never painted an animal other than fish before. Usually, I’m more of a landscape girl. Regardless, I'm pleased--I hope you like it too!

This painting is a 16"x20" acrylic on canvas panel (to easily accomodate a frame). It is signed by the artist.

Underwater Wonders

Another aquatic inspired piece of artwork! "Underwater Wonders"--who names these things?? Oh, right. It was me. Please don't hold my painting titles against me.

I tried to capture the beauty, majesty, and maybe even a little of the mystery of the ocean with this one. Instead of painting fish like I occasionally do, I decided to paint aquatic plant-life. I was more than pleased with the results. There are a lot of brush strokes and depth with this one. Bright colors and contrast add a lot of visual interest.

This painting is 8"x16" acrylic on canvas. The paint is carried over the edges so that it can be hung directly on the wall.
Til next time!

Living Room Art

So my living room has a brown accent wall. I thought a brown accent wall sounded cool; then I realized I have NOTHING that would look right on a brown wall. So to the easel I went...

I decided I just wanted something visually appealing for the living room. So I decided to go with brown tones (to match my brown wall) and blues. I've noticed that brown/light blue is a hot color combination this season in home decor. I mixed in some gold and metalic colors to give the painting some "pop". I incorporated multiple fleur de lis, square geometric shapes, and some fun free-hand plant-like shapes. I added a 1" dark brown border on the top and bottom of the painting, and the dark brown is also on the outside edges for definition.

This painting is 24"x30" acrylic on canvas. I think it really dresses up that brown wall!

Forever Fall

It's no secret that fall is my favorite season! And as such, I decided to get into the fall spirit with a fall-inspired painting.

I used bright oranges, reds and yellows to paint a brilliant fall sky silhouetting a tree which has lost its leaves. Ordinarily, I think a tree like this would look pretty ominous, but I think the cat sitting next to it and the birds in the sky, create a serene picture.

This painting is a 12"x16" acrylic on canvas, featuring texture and brush strokes on the tree. The paint is carried around the edge of the painting so that it can be hung directly on a wall, and is signed by the artist.

Darkness Rising

I really enjoy painting and having no idea what my finished product will be. This piece, which I decided to name "Darkness Rising," was one of those unforeseen final products. It was just me and my paintbrush, when inspiration struck.

It is a triptych illustrating 3 different stages of sunset at varying locations. I used vivid reds and oranges in the first two stages, and then a more peaceful deep purple for the last stage.

This painting is three 4"x4" acrylic on canvas. The paint is taken around the edges of the piece so that it may be hung directly on the wall.

Happy Koi

"Koufuku" means happiness in Japanese. I'm a very big fan of aquatic life, and frequently find inspiration to paint from it.

This painting features a soft-textured background of aquatic blue colors, with two beautiful koi playing blissfully in the water. Colorful plant-life highlights the bottom right corner, and the japanese symbol for "happiness" is painted on a plaque which adorns the top left corner of the piece.

This painting is 6"x12" acrylic on canvas. The paint is carried around the edge of the canvas so that it may be hung directly on a wall.

A midsummer night's dream

 First and foremost, welcome to my blog. My name is Kat, and I'd like to share my passion for art with the rest of the world.

The first painting I decided to share with you is one of my personal favorites. "A midsummer night's dream" is a romantic night-time landscape featuring a brilliant full moon reflecting on a peaceful river as it gently flows through lush green hills. A cloudy sky evokes thoughts of mystery and intrigue.

This painting is an 18"x24" acrylic on canvas. It incorporates texture, vivid and contrasting colors, and subtle details. The paint is carried over to the sides of the canvas so that it may be hung directly on the wall.