Another custom pet painting

This one is a small custom pet painting. Just 5x5, and 1.5" deep so it could either go on the wall or stand by itself on a table. The customer got it for her dad, who likes to walk the beach with his dog, so the background is the sand and water of the beach.

Custom pet paintings

I love to do custom work! And admittedly I don't put them on my web site because web design takes me so darned long. But I can share one here. One at time! That's how all great things get done, right?

This one, I think, is sweet; a friend had me paint it for her in-laws for Christmas. They had recently lost their beloved beagle. Here, it is shown as an angel flying peacefully over their house.

Flower Every Day Month - Last Day (Day 31): Passion Flower

Well, January has drawn to a close. I am disappointed in myself for missing several days of painting a flower. But I won't dwell on that. Doing a flower on (almost) every day of this month was my way of meditating on Cathy Walsh, our local florist and beloved member of the community, who was such an inspiring and joyful person before her untimely recent passing.

Flower Every Day Month - Day 29: Hanging Lobster Claw

Day 28 was another missing day.

Here is Day 29. I had been getting bored with some of the options, so I searched for tropical flowers. They're crazy! Here is one:

Flower Every Day Month - Day 27: Crocus

Crocuses (Croci?) are some of my favorites, because they are the first harbingers of Spring.

Flower Every Day Month - Day 26: Wisteria

It's getting harder and harder to keep up. I didn't do a Day 25.

Here is Day 26.

Flower Every Day Month - Day 24: Iris

This is a wacky-looking iris, isn't it?

Flower Every Day Month - Day 23: Hibiscus

FEDM - Day 22: Another zip

This month is not living up to its name. I should have called it "Flower Almost Every Day Month." I am starting to feel really guilty. This is a common theme with my life. I believe it's good to set goals, and that it's important to complete the goals, but I tend to set too many goals because I feel so strongly about so many things and people.

And then I can't keep it up. I surely can't be the only artist / mom / homeschooler / wife type person to whom this happens...

Flower Every Day Month - Day 21: Foxglove

Flower Every Day Month - Day 20: Allium

I love these!!

Flower Every Day Month - Day 19 - Zip!

I fell under the wheels of my own schedule today and did not get to a flower today. I feel so bad about that, but family obligations often derail the best plans....

Flower Every Day Month - Day 18: Lupines

I had never heard of lupines until that Monty Python sketch "I don't want any of your bloody lupines!"

Flower Every Day Month - Day 17: Poppies

Flower Every Day Month - Day 16: Bleeding Hearts

Flower Every Day Month - Day 15: Lilacs

Lilacs are a long-time favorite of mine. I love to stick my face right in them to smell them, and of course they make me feel all allergic when I do that, but I don't care. They are so amazing. I wish I had time to make a more detailed painting of them.

Flower Every Day Month - Day 14: Gazania

Never heard of these flowers before, but I really like them!

Flower Every Day Month - Day 13: Pansies

Why do pansies always look so angry?  :-)

Flower Every Day Month - Day 12: Clematis

Flower Every Day Month - Day 11: Gardenias

I didn't know what I was going to do with white flowers, but I like how this came out.

Flower Every Day Month - Day 10: Ladyslippers

My friend Hadley suggested I do Ladyslippers. What odd-looking flowers! (Sorry, Hadley!)  :-)

Flower Every Day Month - Day 9: Daisy

When the schedule is tight, go for SIMPLE!

Flower Every Day Month - Day 8: Morning Glories

Flower Every Day Month - Day 7: Cosmos

Flower Every Day Month - Day 6: Sunflowers

Flower Every Day Month - Day 5: Tulips

Yup. Not-realistic works way better for me. I don't only mean that I am not as good at realistic painting (because I could learn). But I really LIKE doing whimsical, design-like art rather than trying to get it to look real. More fun.

Flower Every Day Month - Day 4: Lilies of the Valley

I know that my talent level for doing flowers is wobbly, and not only that it doesn't help that I couldn't get to this until late in the day. I am wondering if a different style might suit these little flower paintings better. (Possibly my usual acrylic "coloring book" style?)

I really do love doing the acrylics on paper like this with the pen outlines, but I think I need to stay AWAY from being too realistic. The outliney technique doesn't work with the realism. I need to cut loose a little more...

Flower Every Day Month - Day 3: Black-Eyed Susans

The perfectionist in me wanted a different result, but it was all I could do today, with other responsibilities and deadlines to attend to. I'm just glad I did it. I think these flower paintings are going to be educational for me, and good practice.

Flower Every Day Month - Day 2: Zinnias

Today's flower is the Zinnia. Even if no one had suggested it, I probably would have done this one first anyway. It's a favorite of mine, not only because of the bold color but also the simplistic, cheerful shape.

A New Year, and "Flower Every Day Month"

In 2013 we lost Cathy Walsh, owner of a wonderfully cheery Worcester flower shop called Sprout. The way Cathy used her gifts and her passion to bring joy to others is an inspiration to me, so I decided that this month, in honor of her I'd do a special version of Art Every Day Month called "Flower Every Day Month."

For this first day, though, I thought I'd paint Cathy herself from a cute photo that's going around. As you can tell by this, I am NOT a painter of people. But given my lack of ability in that area, I still think I captured her happy spirit here.