Daffodils, Miniature Roses, Canary And Critters - Still Life Oil Painting

"Contemplating Life - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8"

9" x 12" oil on panel

$850

After many hours, here is the still life oil painting of daffodils and white miniature roses I started awhile back. Actually, I have also been painting on 2 other works at the same time.   The color in this image is close to the painting, but not exact; the foreground is lighter and more colorful and the lady bug on the leaf is a brighter red.   Keep in mind, your monitor may differ in color than mine.  Below is a photo of the painting at an earlier stage of development.

That bird in the painting is a Yellow-Fronted Canary which was introduced to Hawaii around the end of the 1960's and it is a native to Africa.  I snapped his photo at Kapiolani Park in Waikiki some time back.

My Website

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Oil Painting Video - Still Life By Eric Wert

Eric Wert's  attention to detail in his still life and floral paintings is marvelous !   Hope you enjoy the video !  You might want to turn your volume down on your computer as the accompanying music is rather loud. His website is www.werteric.com if you would like more of a visual feast.

I am still painting; the going is slow.  Painters like Eric Wert have inspired me to take a slightly different direction in my still life paintings; not only to add more detail, but to incorporate more "life" in each floral or other work as well ... in landscapes and seascapes too.    Check back soon to view my new work.

My Website

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Red Blast - Oil Painting Of Red And White Tulips

"Red Blast"

8" x 10" oil on canvas

$525

This oil painting of red tulips with white edges might need a little tweaking, but basically it is finished.   I put on some Mozart to listen to while I painted last night..... it helps   ;-)

My Website

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Did You Say Red? Tulips - Oil Painting Work In Progress

Red Tulips

Work In Progress

8" x 10" oil on canvas

This oil painting of red tulips still has quite a ways to go....this is the 3rd stage; I forgot to photograph the 2nd stage.   I need to blend the various shades of red more, but it is too tacky right now.   So later it will be necessary to go over it all again and try to blend better; the liquin I use to speed up drying was on steroids today !

I have also been working on my daffodil painting as well.   Will post more results maybe tomorrow. 

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Name That Tree ! (Photos California Trees)

This fantastic tree is one I hope to paint soon!  I photographed it at a small park in Los Angeles, California, a few years ago .   Does anyone out there know what kind of tree it might be?  I like to know what I am painting...  :-)   I will forget my copyright statement and allow this tree to be used by anyone for their own painting if you would email me  its name.    I will even send you some free postcards with one of my paintings on them as a thank you gift.   It might be an oak ??   Trees inspire me and I think they have a lot of character, but I am not real knowledgeable about a good many of them.

Below is another tree I was going to ask you about,  but I googled "red flowering trees in California" and found out it is a red coral tree, or Erythrina fusca.

Red Coral Tree

They also come with orange/coral shades of flowers.    This is not that great a photo; google "Erythrina fusca" under images for some great pictures of these beautiful flowers.   There is a reason my photography on this post is not the greatest;  after my Nikon camera got stolen (before I went to California)  I used the cheap disposable cameras you can find everywhere during my travels all over the USA.   You would be surprised to see how wonderful some photos turned out from those disposable cameras!    Now I have a good Sony digital camera that is excellent for my work. 

The photo below is of the Silk Floss tree, also taken in Los Angeles.   Somewhere along the way many of the photos of mine of that tree are missing.  

Silk Floss Tree

I painted a couple of watercolors of these blossoms while in Los Angeles, using much better reference photos.   This tree is unique because it has large "thorns" on its trunk and branches which serve to store water for dry times.   Please google images for "silk floss tree" for much better shots of these lovely flowers.  There is also interesting information on the Web about this tree's pods which contain black seeds surrounded by fluffy stuff that reminds one of silk, hence its name.  

Below are a couple of my photos taken at Echo Park in Los Angeles ; I used a disposable camera for them and they turned out better than the shots above.

I hope to finish one or both of my floral still life paintings tomorrow.   Check back with me !

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Daffodils And Red Tulips On The Easel (Works In Progress)

I thought you might like to see my easel setup and the two oil still life paintings I am working on right now.  I went back to the yellow daffodil painting and it is flowing much smoother now than previously.   Those red flowers with the daffodils will become more purple when finished.   The red tulips are practically painting themselves !  Both of these florals are painted in oils.   

As you know, most floor easels like mine shown above have "gaps" with no wood behind where you put your canvas to work on.   When you are painting small works and miniatures, this can be a problem.   I solved it by placing a piece of cardboard between the back of the easel and the artwork; it is also great to put my reference photos on with "Tac" putty, which is the white patches you can see on the cardboard.

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Still Kickin' !! Floral Still Life Reference Photographs

The above photograph of pink roses and white anthurium was taken by me about 2 years ago, and so were the following reference photos below.     I love flowers and thought I might begin a new painting tomorrow.  My last post of a work in progress was of yellow daffodils and somehow I just couldn't get up enough enthusiasm to finish it.   I have spent some time away from the easel and pursuing other interests, but just wanted to let you know I'm still kickin'!  Enjoy my reference photographs below.

This arrangement rather excites me!  That Mexican style egg cup is one of my favorites.   

The reflections in the vase and silver teapot came out nice in this shot above.

By the way, all of these reference photographs I shot on the counter top in my kitchen.   The light is excellent there!  Besides what fun it is to photograph these still lifes, there is enjoyment in arranging the cut flowers as well.   

A little birdie told me to get busy blogging again, so please stay tuned for new paintings !

My Website

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African Violet Day And Still Life Videos By Jeff Legg and Daniel Keys

Salmon Ella African Violet

My photograph above of the "Salmon Ella" African Violet  is very true to the actual and unusual color of this particular plant.   It is one of my favorites in my collection of African Violets.   I intend to paint this flower on canvas one of these days.   Why am I posting photos of my African Violets?   Because they kept me from painting today!   It was long past due to re-pot them, so that occupied a good part of my day today (Monday).   For months I kept telling myself, "I'll paint first today and re-pot the violets later".   You artists know how it is.   Below are a couple of other photos showing some of what I was occupied with today.   Below that are 2 videos of 2 excellent demos of still life painting; one by artist Jeff Legg and the other by Daniel Keys.

Maverick Faded Jeans 

(an oldie and goody)

A couple of my Sinningia plants that also got re-potted today, shown on my plant stand.

(Love that true orange color)

Enjoy the 2 short clips of painting videos below.  Back to the easel for me tomorrow!

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Daffodils And Miniature Roses (Work In Progress)

The above reference photo of mine was taken some time ago, when daffodils were plentiful at the florists here in Hawaii.   It was way over a year ago when I bought them; as you know spring bulbs will not grow in this tropical climate.  Below is a close up I took as more reference for my oil painting of spring flowers.

I have no idea why I used that gold material other than it was new and I liked it, but in the oil work in progress below I opted for using a white foreground.

Work In Progress 

12" x 9" oil on panel

It is almost embarrassing to post this painting above, because it is so very rough and a little messy.   It has a long way to go yet and I want to use more exciting color and contrast in the background.  To tell the truth, I came close to what I wanted while painting today, but then wiped it off and started again.....mistake!  Sometimes it is best to leave well enough alone.   Funny how sometimes the painting paints itself with ease and other times we struggle a bit to get it right.  

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Slim Pickin's (Brazilian Cardinal On The Beach)

"Slim Pickin's"

11" x 14" oil on panel 

$1525

This oil painting of the Brazilian or Red-crested Cardinal is pretty true to my reference photo I took at Bellows Beach on Oahu.   There was sand inside the broken coconut shell, but evidently this fellow found something to nibble on in it as well.   On the tip of  the bird's beak are some sand particles.  The wind was blowing, which made its crest more flat against its head instead of standing up straight as in my reference photo of another cardinal shown below.  

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What About Color? And Natural Pigments? (In Still Life Or Other Paintings)

"Painting is a mosaic of colors weaved into a seamless whole."  - Igor Babailov

"Joyous Celebration"  

African Tulip Tree

24" x 20" Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas

My painting above was painted with a lot of joy, mostly because I was excited about the colors involved.  The vivid orange blossoms with the complimentary blue background visually moves you.   However, it is primarily a "warm" painting.   Marion Boddy-Evans has been quoted as saying, "It doesn't matter whether the overall feeling of the color in a painting is warm or cool, it just shouldn't try to be both."   Good advice.   

I began painting in oils when I was 15 years old, without any instruction to speak of except what I had learned in books about supplies needed and a few basics.   I can honestly say that from the very beginning, I painted mostly from instinct, and that particularly applied to the use of color and color mixing.  It came very natural to me, although it took a few years of painting experience to learn more about color and get a sense of what direction I wanted my art to go. I am still learning and experimenting with color today.  A quote I love is by Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin, "Who told you that one paints with colors?  One makes use of colors, but one paints with emotions."

"Iris Garden Dance"

18" x 24" oil on gallery wrap canvas

I chose to feature 2 of my flower paintings here because they are so colorful.   I find much excitement in using a variety of colors in my works.   It keeps my paintings from all looking alike and also helps me to learn more about color mixing and color harmony as I go.    Marc Chagall said, "Color is all.  When color is right, form is right.  Color is everything, color is vibration like music; everything is vibration."  I agree with that to a degree; form and contrast and value are also very important.   

I would like to tell you about a new 2 DVD set by Stephen Quiller, a well-known and respected artist, which is all about color theory and would be a great source for beginning painters.   Check out this link for more information and a short video. 

Also, there has been much interest of late about traditional artists' materials and natural pigments.  Please visit this link for a source of natural pigments, including lead white, mica lead white, ceruse, ercolano red, and many more.   They carry not only oil paints, but casein, tempera, and watercolor.   There are interesting articles on this site as well, such as the color palettes of some of the old masters.

"I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music."  - Joan Miro

My Website

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"Forget Me Not" Oil Still Life Painting And Prints

Forget Me Not

12" x 16" oil on canvas

$1595.00

I am happy to announce that this still life oil painting is now available as prints at Fine Art America.   Please go to this link for information on available sizes and types of prints. 

(Artist's Note:  I no longer am affiliated with Fine Art America by my choice.  I am considering a new source for prints in the future.)

This painting is full of symbolic meaning.  The blue flowers on the cup and saucer are forget-me-not flower blossoms, to remind us to never forget God and Jesus and to put them FIRST in our lives.  The yellow peace rose symbolizes the peace that comes from the Lord, when your soul is in harmony with His will and you are truly born again.  The peace rose is in a vase filled with "living water" that only  comes from the Lord  (John 4:10).  The eyeglasses are a reminder to read and study God's Holy Word the Bible; and the red rose symbolizes Jesus' shed blood at Calvary.  

John 4:10 tells us: "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and Who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water."

My Website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

High Key or Low Key? Plus Shipping Boxes For Paintings

"Tropical Delight"

12" x 16" oil on gallery wrap canvas

$1500

Although the above still life oil painting of the pitaya or dragon fruit has some darks within it, to me it is basically a high key painting and I had a grand time with the exciting colors.   I am currently working on more than one painting, and one of them is a still life of yellow daffodils which I want to be mostly high key with a lot of light colors; however, it is not exciting enough to me and rather ho-hum looking, so I may have to add a dark table top for more contrast.   But I also hope to liven up the colors a bit.   Stay tuned.   The above painting is from a previous post, but I thought I would share it again for new viewers to this blog.

Now about shipping boxes for paintings (which is the primary reason for this post tonight).......  To ship framed paintings to galleries or art competitions my personal opinion is go with Air Float Systems Strongbox

Their strong corrugated boxes have been tested by FedEx and UPS for resistance to damage and are approved by major airlines.  They are re-usable and inside have 3 foam layers to protect your framed painting.   There is an excellent video at their link above with a short demonstration.   

Another good source is EZArtshippers found at aswexpress.com.  I ran across that information tonight on Carol Marine's blog .   They are great for shipping or storing paintings on panels.  I will check them out.

My Website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Work In Progress - Red-Crested Cardinal and Video

Red-Crested Cardinal 

Work In Progress - Stage 4

oil on 11" x 14" panel

There have been obligations to take care of, so I finally got back to working today on this oil painting of the Red-crested or Brazilian Cardinal.  Reality check: there is more to life than painting everyday     :-)     There is much refining work to be done on his feathers, as well as other areas of the painting.   In an earlier post I explained how I photographed this fellow at Bellows Beach on Oahu, as he was busy nibbling on something inside this fallen coconut.  

Below is a video (not mine) of these cardinals on the island of Kauai.   Beautiful and relaxing to watch !

My Website

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Woody At Greenlake

"Woody At Greenlake"

8" x 10" oil on panel

$595

I completed this oil painting tonight (Tuesday) from a photo I took at Greenlake Park in Seattle, Washington.  There were other ducks in the photo, but I opted to paint just one wood duck, using my reference photographs I took somewhere else.  It was difficult to get the colors just right when photographing the painting, but this is very close to the original artwork.   

I began this painting at the same time as I began working on my red-crested cardinal ....(see here ) .... and being a smaller work it was just easier to finish first.   Tomorrow I tackle the cardinal painting.   Stay tuned for the finished result.   

My Website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Lilies At Descanso (Landscape With Pond)

"Lilies At Descanso"

8" x 10" Acrylic on panel

Private Collection

This acrylic painting of flowers at a pond at the Descanso Gardens in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California, will be in its new home soon with a private collector.   I used bold color and extreme contrast in this painting on purpose; it was an experiment painted quite some time ago and I might do a larger version one day using oil paints, with some distinct changes.   

My Website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Brazilian Cardinal (Work In Progress- Oil Painting)

Brazilian or Red-Crested Cardinal

Photo by Carol Reynolds

Isn't this a charming fellow !   I just wanted to share another photo of the striking Brazilian Cardinal. They were introduced to Hawaii around 1930.  They are abundant on Oahu and I believe I like them better than the mainland's common red cardinal, which is also found in Hawaii and was introduced here in 1929.   Below is my oil painting of the red-crested cardinal in stage 3 of development .... still have a long way to go.

Stage 3  Work In Progress 

Brazilian Cardinal 

oil on panel 

I need to make more adjustments to his body shape and feathers and add a lot more detail everywhere.  Having a blast with this painting!

My Website

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Red-Crested Cardinal (Work In Progress)

Reference Photo of Red-Crested Cardinal

by Carol Reynolds

I took this reference photograph of the Brazilian or Red-Crested Cardinal some time ago at Bellows Beach on Oahu, Hawaii.   He was finding something to nibble on in this fallen, broken open coconut.  I am thinking about the title "Slim Pickings" for the finished painting     :-)      Below are stages of the work in progress.

First Stage WIP   

I almost always begin with a rough color "sketch" in oil on canvas or panel.   

Stage 2 WIP

Red-Crested Cardinal 

11" x 14" oil on gessobord panel

The painting is still in a very rough beginning, and it needs to dry before I go on to the next stage with more detail.   Please return soon to view the completed painting.

My Website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Guillory's Pond (Louisiana Landscape)

"Guillory's Pond"

9" x 12" oil on panel

Sold

This oil landscape with a tranquil pond brings back fond memories.  The floating log is a gathering place for turtles, and the yellow Louisiana iris in the foreground add to the pleasantness of the scene.   This painting was a recent commission.

My Website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

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

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

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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

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