Pom Sketch - Eleven of 30 in 30

Pom Sketch, 5 x 7, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2015

#11 in 30 Day Challenge

Click to purchase $100 + $16 s/h

Today's painting is a tonal sketch of my garden pomegranates. My goal was to focus only on shapes and values to capture their simple beauty. For my painter friends, I painted an overall tone on the whole canvas, then used both a reductive and an additive approach to establish the forms (wiping away and painting back in). My paint was a combination of ultramarine blue and burnt sienna mixed to a dark neutral. 

Please join me for these upcoming Workshops:

January 22-24, 2015 | Still Life | Click here to register: Austin, Texas

March 26-29, 2015 | Plein Air | Click here to register: Austin, Texas

April 30-May 2, 2015 | Plein Air | Click here to register: St. Simons Island, GA

Pomegranate Bough - Nine of 30 in 30

Pomegranate Bough, 6 x 12, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2015

#9 in 30 Day Challenge

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These pomegranates were also rescued from my garden before the freeze, and they are a favorite subject of mine to paint. To my friends in the north, please forgive my whining about the weather. I realize that it's downright HOT here compared to what you are experiencing! Stay warm, my friends!

Please join me for these upcoming Workshops:

January 22-24, 2015 | Still Life | Click here to register: Austin, Texas

March 26-29, 2015 | Plein Air | Click here to register: Austin, Texas

April 30-May 2, 2015 | Plein Air | Click here to register: St. Simons Island, GA

Bursting Pomegranate

Bursting Pomegranate, 18 x 18, oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2013

Available now at the Anderson Fine Art Gallery

This is another new piece just delivered to the Anderson Gallery in St. Simons Island, Georgia. You might remember the small study I did awhile back when a friend brought me these pomegranates from her yard. One of them had burst open on its own in the ripening process; and the translucent kernels inside were so compelling I just HAD to do a larger painting. :)

Paintings of St. Simons Island are coming soon. I finally got the first few pieces photographed today so I can begin posting. I will be painting up a storm down here in the days and weeks to come, so please stay tuned. 

Healing Fruit

Healing Fruit, 6 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2013

SOLD

Okay, just one more pomegranate... for now. You can say it. I am obsessed. This is for everyone who wanted me to open one up and paint the insides. I didn't want to cut into my little crop, and mine are all gone now. However, my good friend brought me this lovely specimen from her tree and it had burst open on it's own. So, as you can see... I had to paint one more!!

Abundant Harvest (study) and a commission piece

Abundant Harvest (Study), 8 x 6, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2013

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Back to my pomegranate obsession!!! This small study was a warm-up for a Christmas Promise commission piece (otherwise known as a gift that would be delivered in January.) I was thrilled to revisit the glorious fruit of my recent passions; and even more thrilled when my clients loved their new painting. JOY! 

Below is the larger commissioned piece. Thank you M and K - may your kitchen, hearth, and home be ever blessed!!! :)

Abundant Harvest, 16 x 12, oil on canvas, L. Daniel 

COMMISSION - SOLD

Dangling Fruit

Dangling Fruit, 18 x 24, oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2012

Available at the Davis Gallery

This is the last of the pomegranates... for now anyway! Happy am I, to see the series framed and beautifully installed in the Davis Gallery Holiday Group Show. The opening reception was Saturday night and though I had every intention of taking lots of photos, I only managed to get this one before the festivities began. 

The work is on display through January 19, 2013, so please stop by if you are in the area. Click HERE to see all of my work that is included in the exhibit.

Branches of Pomegranate

Branches of Pomegranate, 24 x 20, oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2012

Available at the Davis Gallery

More pomegranates... did I mention that I love them? These fruits have been treasured by most religions and cultures throughout the ages. They are valued not only for their beauty, sweet juice and medicinal qualities, but also for what they symbolize... abundance, promise, new life, resurrection, eternal life, prosperity and fertility. In this season of gratitude for all good gifts and especially for my health, the promise of abundance and new life is especially meaningful to me. 

This piece will be in the Davis Gallery Holiday Group Show that opens this weekend. Click HERE to visit my website's "Holiday Show" page and see all my work that will be included in this exhibit. And please come by the gallery to see them in real life if you can make it!

Holiday Group Show

Davis Gallery, 837 W. 12th Street, Austin, Texas

Drop-in Reception - Saturday December 8

7:00 - 9:00 pm

Ruby Orbs (enlarged)

Ruby Orbs (enlarged version), 18 x 24, oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2012

Available at the Davis Gallery

I have been on a pomegranate painting binge lately... I simply can not resist their shape and color and essence. This is the enlarged version of a study I posted last week; and is one of three paintings in a series that will be on display at the Davis Gallery Holiday Group Show. The exhibit opens this coming weekend and includes fabulous work by many of our gallery artists. If you are in town, please stop by for the reception on Saturday. I hope to see you there! 

Holiday Group Show

Davis Gallery, 837 W. 12th Street, Austin, Texas

Reception Saturday, December 8, 2012

7:00 - 9:00 pm

Abundant Hope - an auction of gratitude for my first full year of remission!

Abundant Hope, 12 x 6, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2012

All proceeds go to breast cancer research and education.

SOLD

December 1, 2011 was the first day of my remission from breast cancer. The doctor declared my lumpectomy surgery a success, and the cancer was out. Hope doesn't get much more abundant than that! Twelve months later, I hold dear the lessons of that scary time and am very grateful to be on the other side of all the unknowns. And, it has been a wonderful year... one of the best yet. 

I thank God for this glorious anniversary; and thank all of you for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers, for sending notes of encouragement, and for offering sweet support in my time of need. It meant everything to me.

Please join me now in this auction to raise money for breast cancer research and education. It's easy and completely safe to bid. At the end of the 7-day auction, I will send the painting to you, and donate the proceeds to Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. It's win-win!

Ruby Orbs

Ruby Orbs (study), 6x8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2012

SOLD

It's pomegranate season! Well, truth is, we are at the end of the season now, but my garden has done it's job producing these delightful fruits for my visual pleasure. I can't bring myself to eat them or even break them open, I just love them too much. I did cut some branches and bring them inside to paint. This is the first of a few studies I did in preparation for some larger pieces.

Fruits of the Garden & Upcoming Exhibit!

Fruits of the Garden, 12 x 12 each, 12 x 36 overall, 

oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2012 - SOLD

This week is a big one for me. I will be teaching a 3-day plein air workshop and then having an art show opening. Both take place in St. Simons Island, GA where I have been for a couple of weeks already, plein air painting (posts to come soon) and visiting with friends and family. Always a great time...

If you live anywhere nearby, please stop by the artist reception this coming Friday night. I would love to see you! Here is the info: 

"Gardens By The Sea"

Paintings by Laurel Daniel

Anderson Fine Art Gallery

3309 Frederica Road

St. Simons Island, GA

Opening reception Friday, May 18, 2012, 6-8 pm

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to All!

Sacred Pomegranate, L. Daniel

The pomegranate has been considered sacred by many religions since ancient times. In addition to its many healing qualities, it represents fertility, birth and eternal life. It's a perfect symbol for the message and hope of Christmas.

O Come, O come Emmanuel!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from my home to yours.

Pomegranate Cluster

Pomegranate Cluster, L. Daniel, 6 x 8, SOLD

Yes, I've had a bit of a pomegranate fascination in the past few weeks. 'Tis the season and all.. and these golden orbs are just so compelling. Once I painted them this way and that, I had to paint them bigger and on squares. I will post the squares and that should be the end of it... at least till next year. :)


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In other news, I am happy to be a featured artist on "Artist.Blog.Critique", a new blog written by Tony Moffitt. Tony takes a look at artists and their blogs, and gives his personal critique on what he sees. Thank you for the kind words, Tony!

Fruit Bearing Branches

Fruit Bearing Branches, L. Daniel, 6 x 8, SOLD

Our pomegranate tree had an abundantly productive season. I just love the shapes and colors, and it was especially interesting to watch flowers turn into fruit. It's quite a transformation. 


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Sacred Pomegranate

Sacred Pomegranate, L. Daniel, 6 x 8, Oil on panel
*All Proceeds will go to "Every Mother Counts" fundraiser
SOLD

The pomegranate has been held as sacred by many religions since ancient times. It represents fertility and marriage, birth and eternal life... and, it's revered for it's healing medicinal qualities. It seemed a fitting image for this cause.


*Every Mother Counts is an aid organization that combats maternal mortality during childbirth by training midwives and opening health clinics in the Republic of Congo.


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Double Pomegranates

Double Pomegranates, L. Daniel, 8 x 6, SOLD

These mini-poms were growing side by side on the branch sharing the same source of life. Seeing them growing like that kind of reminded me of double yoked eggs or pairs of twins (I do love twins of any kind!). These two needed a painting of their own. :)


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Winter Fruits

Winter Fruits, L. Daniel, 6 x 8, SOLD

I found these lingering mini pomegranates on our bushes just before the cold snap. The foliage was gone but the fruits were still hanging on. One them had burst open revealing the juicy, red seeds inside. Instead of eating them I painted them; and now they are drying out in my studio. 


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