Wildlife Artists And National Museum of Wildlife Art (Video)

"Alert"   (reworked)

(Black-Crowned Night Heron)

12" x 12" oil on canvas

$1200

I reworked the lower right hand corner of this painting adding the tall grasses and now I am much happier with it.   I will continue to paint more wildlife as well as other subject matter as I enjoy lots of variety in my work.    There are several wildlife artists whose work I admire and two of them are Ralph Oberg and Tucker Smith .   For a visual treat, please click the links to visit their websites.

Below is a video about the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.   

I have been to Jackson Hole, but unfortunately did not visit this museum at that time.   I must go back someday !

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

Lady In Red (Waterlily)

"Lady In Red"

4" x 6" Oil on canvas on panel

   I used my artistic license with the intense red of the waterlily.    This is a study for a future larger painting.  

My website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Work In Progress (Still Life ) And A Great Blog

Work In Progress- Egg Cup And Copper Kettle

8" x 8" oil on canvas

This is a beautiful carnival glass egg cup that has a rainbow of colors reflecting on it.  It will be a challenge to depict it accurately.  It has been in my possession for about 3 years and this is my first time to paint it and I look forward to completing this painting.   

A great blog I follow by Matthew D. Innis talks about representational art and is wonderful for the experienced artist as well as the very beginner.  A recent post has a demonstration about how Rembrandt might have painted in stages,  and another excellent post is about Daniel Greene's palette and how he pre-mixes value strings before he begins his paintings.  Check it out; interesting material.

My Website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

The Red Barn

"The Red Barn"

6" x 8" oil on canvas on panel

Click to purchase

A small landscape study with more yellow wildflowers.   I believe I will paint a still life soon, but first I need to work on some seascapes.  Once I sit in front of the easel, inspiration comes and I paint with passion what my mind conceives.   (And what my reference photos dictate)     :-)

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Spring Pasture

"Spring Pasture"

6" x 8" oil on canvas on panel

Click to buy

This landscape was inspired by a reference photograph of mine taken in Texas when I lived in that state a few years ago.   The yellow wildflowers were in bloom and I think they add a nice touch to the scene.   

I completed this painting with my new studio assistant looking on with interest.   I think she will make a great studio cat !  Meet Lika everyone.   

Tropical Shores

"Tropical Shores"

5" x 7" oil on canvas on panel

This seascape is totally from my imagination but is very typical of many tropical beaches.   I especially enjoyed painting the colorful cloud; clouds are special to me and to capture them on canvas is sometimes a challenge.   

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Sunflower In Ball Jar

"Sunflower In Ball Jar"

9" x 12" oil on gallery wrap canvas 

$675

This sunflower painting was a joy to work on.   I've had the blue Ball canning jar for a long time, but this was my first time to paint it.   The sunflower I actually found already cut and abandoned when I checked my Post Office Box one day.   I knew right away I would paint it and use the Ball jar as a vase.

Below are photos of this painting's development.

Stage 1 - Work In Progress

Stage 2 - Work In Progress

Thank you for viewing my art !

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

After The Rain (Western Landscape)

"After The Rain"

8" x 16" oil on canvas

$1275

This western oil landscape is based on a reference photograph I took while traveling some time ago.   The reference photo and the work in progress may be viewed by going here   The horse and the barns are rather typical, so I added some rain puddles for more interest.   

Please visit again soon as I have other paintings going right now in various stages of development.  

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com 

Haleiwa Palm Tree

"Haleiwa Palm Tree"

12" x 6" oil on canvas 

$575

This oil landscape is a scene in Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oahu.  It is a charming artsy town with art galleries and a great family beach and park.    Yesterday I posted the beginning stages of this painting and today I worked on it straight through to completion.   

I welcome comments and any questions you may have.  Feel free to contact me at reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com  

Diamond Head Lighthouse Oahu (Re-visited)

"Diamond Head Lighthouse And Beach"

9" x 12" acrylic on canvas

$625

Diamond Head Lighthouse is a short drive or walk from Waikiki Beach if you are near Kapiolani Park.  I have painted this lighthouse previously as a miniature.   The Hawaiian name for Diamond Head is Leahi .  Maybe next time I paint this lighthouse seascape it will be at sunset or sunrise.

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Diamond Head on Dwellable

Sunset At Ko'Olina (Oahu)

"Sunset At Ko'Olina"

5" x 7" oil on canvas on panel

$250

I seem to be drawn to paint  more sunset seascapes lately. This is another study for a future larger painting.   Ko'Olina is a Marriott Resort Hotel on the leeward side of Oahu in Kapolei.   It is a pleasure to visit there and take photographs for future marine paintings.    

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Barber's Point Lighthouse - Oahu

"Barber's Point Lighthouse"

5" x 7" oil on canvas on panel

$250

Barber's Point Lighthouse sits on the southwest tip of the island of Oahu outside of Kalaeloa.  It is about a 40 minute drive from Waikiki.   The lighthouse is 71 feet high and this is my first attempt to paint it.   I was there at sunset and the sky was just beautiful.   My original intention was to paint a much larger canvas and I hope to do that soon; just wanted to try a small study first.   

Thank you for viewing my art.

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Works In Progress and Handy Studio Tool

This photo gives you an idea of how I set up my easel to work.  That is a well used piece of cardboard that rests on the easel and I stick my reference photos on it using UHU tac, a removable adhesive putty.  There may be other brands of the product, but that is the only kind I can find in Honolulu.   On the bottom are two oil seascapes (5"x7") that I will finish soon.  The two tulip and japanese iris photos above are references to the first lay-in of color on the 9"x12" oil shown below.

Work In Progress
9"x12" oil on gallery wrap canvas

Do you artists ever find that sometimes paint tube lids get "stuck" and are difficult to open?  For really tough cases I have lit a match and put the flame around the lid to loosen any dried paint that is causing the lid to not open.   A handy tool to keep in the studio to solve this problem is shown below.

Yep, it's a nutcracker !  It really makes life easier in the studio.   

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Forget Me Not

"Forget Me Not"

12" x 16" oil on canvas

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Work In Progress - Forget Me Not- Stage Two

"Forget Me Not"  

Work In Progress - Stage Two

12" x 16" Oil 

This is progressing just fine and perhaps next time I work on it I will finish this painting.  The teacup has forget-me-not flowers on it and the yellow rose is known as the Peace rose.  When I lived in Texas I owned this rose along with about 50 others which thrived in my yard. I posted the "Stage One"  of this painting on April 9 and here is that photo again below.

Stage One

Just for fun, here is a picture of me and some of my roses around 1997 or so.   

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com