Three Pears

Three Pears, 10 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2014

Workshop Demo

Last weekend I taught a still life workshop here in Austin. I thought I was pretty clever scheduling a warm, indoor workshop in January... and then the polar blast arrived. The city came to a near halt due to ice on roads and overpasses; and we almost had to cancel. But in spite of the wintery threats, we all made our way to the studio and painted lovely fruits and flowers while the storm blew through. This was my demo piece from our first session. Many thanks to my brave students who risked life and limb for art!

Feathered Friends 2

Feathered Friends 2, 6 x 6, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2014

SOLD

This is the last of my chicken studies. The three make a great little suite of paintings… a brood of their own. Happily, they are staying together as they travel to their new home. I had fun with these funny characters, and I will miss them! 

Feathered Friends 1

Feathered Friends 1, 6 x 6, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2014

SOLD

This little painting was a great study of bird bodies, feathers and chicken gestures. And it was fun. Chickens have so much personality and swag… and maybe a bit of pompous-ness? In this case it almost seemed like they owned the place. (Perhaps they do!) :)

See larger commission piece here. 

See more Small Works here.

Family Farm Study

Family Farm Study, 6 x 6, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2014

SOLD

… And this is the study for my commission piece of the family farm in Iowa. (See larger commission piece here.) Since I knew the chickens had to be part of this scene, I painted them a few times leading up to the final painting. I had several photos of our feathered friends, and this piece helped me determine their actual size and placement in relation to the magnificent barn. 

Family Farm - Christmas Commission

Family Farm, 16 x 16, oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2014

Commission - Sold

The holidays have come and gone and we are already halfway through January! How did that happen? This Christmas, I was commissioned by some dear friends to paint their daughter-in-law's family farm in Iowa (she lives in Texas now). They secretly gathered photos and information from her parents and grandparents for the project; and it was a fun team effort bringing about this Christmas surprise. Are my friends great in-laws, or what?

In the process, I quite fell in love with this wonderful, gothic barn and the brood of chickens who reside there. I did several small studies in preparation, to get "practiced up" on my chicken painting techniques. So… more feathered friends to come. :)