Alert (Black-Crowned Night Heron or 'Auku'u)

"Alert"

12" x 12" oil on canvas

$1200

This oil painting of a Black-crowned Night Heron, or 'Auku'u in Hawaiian, was finished late last night.  I had a grand time with it, working from one of my photographs I had taken at Hamakua Marsh in Kailua on Oahu.  It was a perfect shot of a quick turn of the heron's head as he caught sight of something nearby.   I was so focused on the heron that I have no idea what he saw.  

Thought you might like to see a close-up of the heron in the image above.  Below is the rough layout of the painting at the very beginning stage.

I had previously posted the above photo on this blog a few days ago.   I had originally intended to paint waterlilies in the water, but decided against it as the painting progressed.

If you would like to purchase this or any other painting on this blog, please contact me at reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

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Fall At Slide Rock (reworked)

"Fall At Slide Rock"

 6" x 8" oil on Belgian Linen on panel

$450

Click to purchase

Today I reworked the water on this oil painting of Slide Rock area in Sedona, Arizona, and it is much improved now.  The link above "click to purchase" will enable you to use PayPal to add this artwork to your collection.   

 I will be giving away a painting in the next few months to one person I pick at random (from a drawing from a  "hat" without looking) who has signed up to receive my email newsletters at my main website .  The free painting will be 8" x 10" or smaller.   I have not decided yet which artwork to give away , but will post an image soon with more details.   Please let me here from you in the comments section below or by email at reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com if you would prefer the free painting to be a landscape, seascape, or floral .   It would help tremendously to know what you would like.  

Fall At Slide Rock Sedona

"Fall At Slide Rock Sedona"

6" x 8" oil on linen on panel

$450

I completed this oil painting this morning of Slide Rock area in Sedona, Arizona .  It is a very special place and I love it there in the Fall, especially.    I may have to photograph this again, but I wanted to share it with you now.  If you would like to purchase this painting, please contact me at reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

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South Padre Island Splendor - Seascape (News)

South Padre Island Splendor

20" x 16" oil on canvas

$3,200

The news about this oil seascape of South Padre Island, Texas, is that I am offering the original for sale now.   For a long time I had wanted to keep it for my personal collection, but today I decided to offer it for sale.   It has been attracting a lot of attention on Fine Art America where it is offered as a print in various formats.  Check it out here . I had erroneously deleted the comments there at FAA about the image, but this seascape  has had more views at that site than any of my other paintings or photographs found there.  Contact me by email, reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com  if you would like to purchase this original painting.   

I am still busy painting away and will post new work soon, maybe tomorrow.   Thank you for stopping by today!

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Slide Rock Sedona And Works In Progress

Slide Rock Sedona 

6" x 8" oil on linen

Work In Progress

Today I worked on this oil painting of a scene at Slide Rock Park in Sedona, Arizona.  It still has a ways to go to bring to completion.    I positively love everything about Sedona.  Well, except maybe that it has built up too much , but there is still plenty of beautiful red rock scenery to gawk at.  

Below is another rough beginning on canvas today:

It is a 12" x 12" oil of a Black-Crowned Night Heron .  I just felt like doing a wildlife painting as a change of pace from the landscapes I have been doing lately.     Thought some of you new visitors might like to see how I put a piece of cardboard on the easel behind each painting; it helps keep paint from flying against the wall behind.   Also I use some tac putty and stick my reference photographs on the cardboard to have as a handy reference as I paint.  In the upper right hand corner you can see part of the reference photo for the above painting of Slide Rock.   

Check back soon to view the completed paintings.  

My Website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Peaceful Path - New Mexico landscape

"Peaceful Path"  - Proverbs 3:17

8" x 16" oil on panel

$1275

This is the second painting in my "path" series, depicting symbolically the various paths in life or the choices people make as to what path to follow.   It is an oil landscape of Bandelier National Park or, more correctly, near Bandelier National Monument where there are ancient and unusual remains of ancestral pueblo people.  Actually, part of this footpath is on the main loop in the park and takes you to some of the ruins, which are over eight centuries old.    This area is high mesa country and is about 12 miles from Los Alamos, New Mexico.  There is another footpath which I did not take, but will do so if I ever return to the area, which has two fabulous waterfalls.  Time was the limiting factor in my visit there and there was no way to walk both footpaths on that day.  

The meaning and symbolism in this painting is open to individual interpretation; what I feel about it is similar to what the proverb says about Wisdom.

My Website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Scare Yourself - Aim High, Think Big (Goals)

"Set a goal to achieve something that is so big, so exhilarating that it excites you and scares you at the same time. "   - Bob Proctor

Slide Rock, Sedona Arizona

Photo by Carol Reynolds

This reference photo I took a while back at Slide Rock in Sedona, Arizona, is what I am currently working on right now as a 6" x 8" oil study for a larger painting in the future.   I took a break for lunch and while eating I got on the internet and read an excellent post by Carolyn Henderson on the subject of New Years Resolutions.... go here to read it.    

What has been on my mind lately is definite goal setting where my art is concerned, as well as my spiritual growth as a Christian.  Since this is an art blog, I will concentrate right now on artistic goals.    First of all, I want to strive to be the best artist I can be, which has always been my goal since I was a teenager.   That will require many hours of painting and more painting.   "If you know what to do to reach your goal, it's not a big enough goal", so says Bob Proctor.   So I do have more definite goals than just painting and more painting.   My main objective in 2013 is to aim high, think big, and paint big.    When I first started this blog, I intended it to be mainly for my miniature paintings.   I was thinking small, believing the downturn in the economy would only allow for primarily sales of miniatures.   Sigh !   Lo and behold, many artists are doing quite well with sales of their larger works; that is a new goal of mine, to paint more larger pieces, which I would rather do anyway.    I am becoming more clear and focused where my goals are concerned and, as Brian Tracy says:  "Goals that are not written down and developed into plans are like bullets without powder in their cartridge.  People with unwritten goals go through life shooting blanks."

That brings to mind another quote: Artie Shaw once said, "Shoot for the moon - if you miss you'll end up in the stars."  I am keeping my specific goals secret for now, but I am aiming higher than ever before.   Also, John C. Maxwell said, "Don't ever be impressed with goal setting; be impressed with goal getting."  Watch this blog to see what goals I reach in 2013.

By the way, the quotes in this post I borrowed from Robert Genn's "The Painters' Keys" --check here to read more of them under the heading "Art Quotes".   

Bandelier National Park, New Mexico

photo by Carol Reynolds

I am also working on a  8" x 16" oil painting based on this photo of mine.   Check back soon to view the completed painting.   

In conclusion, I would like to close with this quote by Dr. Benjamin Mays:  "It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal.  The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach."

Have a wonderful new year everyone and thank you for your support and interest in my work!  

My Website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com