Thursday, March 31, 2011

"Cordially Yours" 5x7"

"Cordially Yours" 5x7" Oil on canvas panel

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Persistence and determination are omnipotent! This rose was a real challenge to paint, especially since it's white. I must have repainted it ten times before I finally felt like I captured what I was seeing...a very humbling experience! I certainly have developed a new found sense of understanding for "if you don't succeed at first, try try again." This rose is lying down because she has been pushed to her limits and is exhausted. May she now rest in peace.  

 
Thank you for viewing my painting.
- nancy




Wednesday, March 30, 2011

"Lifeguard" 6x6"

"Lifeguard" 6x6" Oil on canvas panel

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From an aerial perspective, this strawberry looks like a sunburned lifeguard with zinc oxide smeared on her nose. She sits positioned on her guard stand at the pool's edge carefully watching as a bobbing apple surfaces for air. A spoon lies in wait in the background should the need for a quick rescue arise.  

 
Thank you for viewing my painting.
- nancy




Tuesday, March 29, 2011

"Pepperberry Farm" 6x6"

"Pepperberry Farm" 6x6" oil on canvas panel
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Peppers, strawberries and milk gather together as colorful wares of bounty at this roadside fruit and vegetable stand. You may recognize the shy young pepperette from one of last week's paintings. Enthusiastic strawberry is trying his best to strike up a conversation with Miss Pepper but she's having nothing to do with his bold overtures. 
 
Thank you for viewing my painting.
- nancy




Friday, March 25, 2011

"Pick of Peter's Peck" 6x6"

"Pick of Peter's Peck" 6x6" Oil on canvas panel
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I haven't been able to post for the past few days. My graphic design business has kept me very busy. However yesterday, after paying the piper for this particularly pathetic pair of peppers, I picked a palette to produce this piece. 

This fiery couple had a petty spat and went to bed mad...so I captured them with their backs to each other still pouting. If they don't make up soon, they will be finding themselves pared up in my next salad. 
 
Thank you for viewing my painting.



Monday, March 21, 2011

"Against All Odds"

"Against All Odds" 6x6" oil on canvas panel

People always ask how I come up with the names for my paintings. Actually, I never know what I am going to title a painting. It's only after they are finished, photographed and ready to save an image file, that I even begin to think what an appropriate title might be. "Against All Odds" popped into my head as the nectarine in the painting seemed to represent the strength, will, determination and perseverance of the Japanese people standing up in the face of overpowering darkness. Against all odds their nation will heal. God bless the people of Japan. The sale of this painting is being donated to the Japanese Red Cross. Click here to place a bid.  


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Friday, March 18, 2011

"Days of Wine and Limes"

"Days of Wine and Limes" 6x6" oil on museum quality canvas panel
 
She's a fake! Faux Days of Wine and Roses would have been a better fit for this title. I needed a real rose but my rose bushes are sans buds...still rebounding from multiple amputations...so I made due with the sole surviving camellia. Then to be honest, the red liquid in the carafe is not really wine but rather cranberry juice. I always hate to see a good glass of wine go to waste, especially under hot studio lights. So, if I would have used real wine, I'd have felt guilty and probably started taking little sips here and there, which would have led to bigger sips here and there...after which there's no telling who'd have end up on first?  

Thank you for viewing my painting.
- nancy

Thursday, March 17, 2011

SOLD -"Love At First Bite"

"Love At First Bite" 6x6" oil on museum quality canvas panel

I am really happy with the way this one turned out, especially with the saturation of the colors. That strong reflection in the base of the spoon was for real!
A dear friend gave me the bright, shiny little valentine heart, so I have been trying to figure out how to include it in one of my not-so-still lifes. Nothing like putting your heart out there...a simple dose of love can certainly work wonders to heal the bites of life. Perhaps in the wake of all that Japan is suffering right now, we can all reach out a little further to those around us with compassion, forgiveness, understanding, patience and love. A little love goes a long way.
Next week, I will be again be participating in the "Painting Challenge" at Daily Paint Works http://www.dailypaintworks.com. All proceeds from the sales will be donated to Japan. 


Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

"Kiwi Herman"

"Kiwi Herman" 6x6" oil on museum quality canvas panel
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Okay, I am having way too much fun naming these not-so-still lifes. However, unlike all the silly fun and antics of Pee-wee Herman, this Ki-wi's Big Adventure has not left him feeling very happy nor animated after being quartered, drawn and dissected under hot studio lights. 

I wonder if anyone has ever made kiwi wine? I suppose green slimy wine doesn't sound to appealing...especially with all those little black seeds floating around getting stuck in your teeth. Food for thought.
 
Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

"Pitcher This"

"Pitcher This" 6x6" oil on canvas panel
Trick or Treat? I really should have named this one "Joseph and his colorful dream jug." And no, I was not under the influence of some hallucinogen, nor wearing technicolored glasses. This was another online painting challenge that I participated in on dailypaintworks.com. The object was to paint a white object on a colorful patterned background using a limited palette. I selected red, blue and yellow paint, plus white. Under the spotlight, the scarf I chose for the background threw power-packed punches of color and reflections onto my little lady; so I took some artistic license and transformed her from a plain white pitcher with a harlequin disguise. Today she's having a great time masquerading around in her new gown at the painter's showcase ball. 

Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy

Monday, March 14, 2011

"Hole in One" 6x6" Still-life, Nancy Parsons O/C

"Hole in One" 6x6" oil on museum quality canvas panel
How 'bout that All-Star, Pro Gran E. Smith! Although he didn't really nail a true hole in one, this HEB master got within inches of the plate in one swing, before chipping in for the sink. Now doesn't that count for something? The juicy lemon slinking up along side Mr. Smith is an overly-ripe groupie doing a bit of hero worshiping...and hoping to get seen on the evening news. 

PS. The tiny carafe in this painting is on loan from a local restaurant...mums the word. She was kidnapped by her fairy godfather from her dreary life as a maiden vessel. Please rest assure, she is being returned unscathed and breathless to have been awarded this highly coveted cup assignment.   

Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy

Friday, March 11, 2011

SOLD - "Hang'n Out"

"Hang'n Out" 8x6" Oil on canvas board

Here's another couple of "spooky pale blue pants with nobody inside 'em." The pair I posted online last week sold within a couple hours to the disappointment of some followers of my blog. So today, I'm hanging out some more laundry to air in the sun. These two remind me of an old married couple who have been living along side each other...year after year...tethered together, forever bearing the winds and elements of time.

Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy

Thursday, March 10, 2011

SOLD "Beets Me" 6x6"

"Beets Me" 6x6" oil on museum quality panel
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Why did I choose this subject matter? Beets the heck out of me? It looked like a heart with long arteries attached at one end; with twisting roots that gnarled around like giant whiskers of a chin at the other. 
The only trouble this model gave me was that his skin turned dry and dull under the hot lights in this not-so-still life. I solved the problem by rubbing it with olive oil which helped recover some of the shine and blood red color. 
I was going to use him again in another painting but my friend Patty told me about a to-die-for roasted beet salad recipe, so unfortunately this one's a goner. Let me know if you want the recipe though...it beets all the salad recipes I own!

Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy


 


Wednesday, March 9, 2011

"Rub-A-Dub-Mug"

"Rub-A-Dub-Mug" 6x6" oil on museum quality canvas panel


Rub-a-dub-mug
oranges stacked in a tub 
while slices of another
sit snug on the rug...
embraced in a hug.

Pretty pathetic...poet husband will be appalled but 
what the hey... I am enjoying this day. 
Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy


Tuesday, March 8, 2011

"Tulip Trap" 6x6"

"Tricky Tulips" 6x6" oil on museum quality canvas panel

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These tumultuous tulips were awful models and totally uncooperative pranksters who tried every trick in the book yesterday. Their favorite trick was to make little moves every time I'd look away for a moment or two. No matter how quickly I'd turn back, I never could quite catch them in the act. Before I began my painting they were standing upright and pretending to be so stately and stoic but by the time I finished they had inched their way into totally different poses. The little rascal on the right managed a near 180 degree turn slouching his way down the side of the vase. Now, these same sly not-to-be-trusted tulips are standing tall again...and looking oh SO innocent!
Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy




Monday, March 7, 2011

"Budding Performance" 6x6"

"Budding Performance" 6x6" oil on canvas panel
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Can you believe my camellias are still blooming in abundance in spite of February's below freezing temperatures. I gazed in wide-eyed wonder as yet another bud crowned to unfold from the grip of a relentless cocoon. In this not-so-still life, I caught a real beauty back stage donning her petticoat like tutu, consisting of layer upon layer of pink frilly ruffles, all ready to flourish in the premier performance of Swan Lake...well at least that's how I saw it. 


Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy

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Thursday, March 3, 2011

"Nobody Home"

"Nobody Home" 6x8" oil on canvas

Enough of my not-so-still lives...time for a breath of fresh air, sunshine and landscape. I am working from a photo I shot at my sister's fish camp in Montana a number of years ago. I have actually painted these same "spooky pale blue pants with nobody inside 'em" several times but never seem to tire of paining them. What a perfect visual metaphor for our bodies once we blow the coop and head for home...leaving behind just empty shells with nobody inside 'em. I love the bright sunny colors...can you feel the warm summer breeze?  


Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy

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Wednesday, March 2, 2011

"Glass Houses"

"Glass Houses" 6x6" oil on canvas panel

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This was my submission to this week's Daily Works Painting Challenge-"One Color per Stroke." The rules were to use a ½” wide brush, mix one color, put down just one stroke on the canvas before mixing a new color and putting down one more stroke. Repeat until completed. The painting is suppose to end up sort of looking like a mosaic. I love the loose abstract quality this method produced but what a struggle. I had chosen these three shady characters to model for me. They did a great job holding the pose...almost never even budged...Well, that was until the fight broke out. Perfume started it off by squirting orange right in the face which totally infuriated her. She turned bright red and burst into tears causing her makeup to run down her face onto the floor in a terrible mess. Blue, losing his cool, jumped to her defense, clanking the big bully upside the head. Returning to his pose and feeling quite proud of himself, he literally glowed with masculine pride. They are all now in time out!      

Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy

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Tuesday, March 1, 2011

"Eggplant Without Parmesan"

"Eggplant Without Parmesan" 6x6" oil on canvas panel


Resembling a huge beached whale that split from the pod, this lazy eggplant rests alongside the shore blocking icy-cold combers of foamy surf from crashing into a salty shaker and a couple of local beach rollers. Shivering in the March breeze...clad only in their skins...these bright summery spirits take on the glow of an unseasonably sunny day in the Gulf. These colors just make me feel happy.

Thank you for viewing my painting.  - nancy

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