Afternoon Highlights

Afternoon Highlights, 8 x 6, SOLD

The Austin Museum of Art School, where I teach, is situated on a gorgeous piece of property on Lake Austin. It's called Laguna Gloria because it's on a lagoon by that name. I can always find something there to paint... I loved the slanted light on this field and trees - it seemed to be coming in sideways in the pre-dusk afternoon.

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Shady Path

Shady Path, 8 x 6, SOLD

This weekend was a full one - I taught a plein air workshop here in Austin and had a fabulous time watching my students create wonderful paintings. It is so satisfying! It also always gives me the itch to smear some paint myself, so today I went back to one of our sites to paint this captivating tunnel of trees.

ALSO - many thanks to Katherine Tyrell for featuring my International Artist Magazine award on her March 29th blogpost on Making a Mark. Thank you for your support, Katherine!!

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Lingering Beautyberries

Lingering Beautyberries, 6 x 6, SOLD

Beautyberry bushes are so intriguing. All summer they just look like green shrubs, pretty, but background sort of plants. Then, the surprise. They push out these wonderful wringlets of purple berries on every branch. The color seems almost unnatural with it's other-worldly hue. These berries hung on all winter and look so beautiful with the new spring growth. We won't see them again until fall.

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Towering Palm

Towering Palm, 8 x 6, SOLD

This is my demo piece from my plein air class that started this morning. I must confess, however, that I did it in the studio from a photograph. Boo, Hiss, I know. The weather forecast included big winds and thunderstorms, which still haven't come. Now we have tornado and flash flood warnings to boot. We need the rain, so batten down the hatches...

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Spring Azaleas

Spring Azaleas, 8 x 6

Really, Azaleas are not supposed to like Texas. The soil or sun or heat or something is apparently not "right". However, the Azaleas in our yard defy that fact every spring. Without any special treatment at all, they just bloom like crazy. On a side note, today my husband and I celebrate our 30th anniversary! How great is that?


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Spring Green

Spring Green, 6 x 8, SOLD

Last Thursday our plein air painting group met up at Emma Long Park on Lake Austin. Campsites were full with springbreakers and SXSW attendees, but the lakefront was pretty quiet and peaceful. This row of trees had just leafed out and they completely caught my attention with their fresh brilliant color.

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Incredible Week!!

Sunlit Palm, 16 x 12

Thank you all for your outpouring of support and encouragement! I am truly overwhelmed and humbled! And now, I have more good news to share...

I have just joined Daily Paintworks, an online gallery that features 12 daily painters who post their work regularly on their blogs. It is a huge honor to show my work with the other eleven. They are all truly fabulous painters! Please take a minute to view the site and each of their contributions.

Thanks so much again for your kind and wonderful comments! My heart is full.

International Artist Magazine - 2nd Place Winner!!!

Agapanthus Blossoms, 18 x 18

I am so excited to share this wonderful honor with you all!! This piece won 2nd place in an International Artist Magazine contest and is published in their April/May Issue. The magazine came out this weekend and my painting is on page 6. The article also includes my comments about what inspires me, my design strategy and my overall painting process. This is such a thrill - I am still pinching myself!! :)

PS - If anyone is interested in reading the article but can't get the magazine, let me know and I will email a pdf image of the page. Unfortunately, there is no way to attach it to this blog post.

Good Day, Bad Day

Dying Sun, 30 x 30

I set aside Tuesday and Wednesday of this week to paint large versions of last week's studies. Tuesday was a good day... everything seemed to click and I was pretty pleased with this larger piece. The large ones are so different to execute and have a completely different presence than the small studies, so when it worked out, I thought I was on a roll! But...

Bruised Sky, 30 x 30, WIPEDOWN!

This is all that is left of yesterday's effort. After painting all day, my garbage can is full of scraped paint and oily paper towels, and only a ghost image of the stained paint remains on the canvas. Some days are just like this! Sigh.

Low-hanging fruit

Loquat Cluster, 16 x 16

Last year the birds ate all our loquats before I could paint them. I was waiting for them to fully ripen and I waited too long. So today, when I saw the very first cluster of ripened fruit, I grabbed my paintbox and went straight out to paint. I just love the way the fruit and leaves present themselves.

Draped and poised...

Flower Garlands, 12 x 16

On Thursday of this week, my painting group met up at a local botanical garden and discovered plants blooming everywhere! It was difficult to choose a subject (there was so much color for these starved winter eyes) but I couldn't resist these lacey trees, bedecked with flowers. They seemed draped in their finest and poised for a portrait.

A messy clash

Bruised Sky, 6 x 6, SOLD

When I painted another sunset awhile back, a dear friend of mine commented on how the "dying light is a messy clash... a battle between light and shadow." Isn't it so true? This sky reminds me of that - a battle ended, with lingering bruises.

Feeling empowered!

Dying Sun, 6 x 6, SOLD

This study is one of several I worked on today. I am thinking about my next large piece and trying to work out some color and composition decisions.

My really big achievement of the day was learning how to change out my own website pictures!! Thanks to my web magician friend, West Romberger, at Wildwood Interactive I completed my first update! Please visit my website and check out my recent larger work (the text is "in process" but most pictures are new.)

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Make a wish

Purple Clover, 6x6

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Another colorful sign of spring... slowly but surely we are getting a little color in our yards.

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Spring in my backyard

Georgia Sweet Peas, 12 x 16

This Sweet Pea vine comes from some pea pods I brought back from a visit with my daughter in Atlanta (it's like having a little piece of her here with me!) They bloomed all last summer and now they have come back to life in their sunny protected spot. Unlike the bare trees of yesterday, they are lush with green and even have some tiny purple flowers coming out. Maybe it's because it's so warm here... I got hot standing in the shade today!

Warm Winter Day

Bare Trees, 12 x 12

I am not going to lie, bare trees completely intimidate me. I love seeing the "bones" of the landscape sticking out with all its soft purples and greys, but I can not figure out how to represent them with paint. Today, I couldn't avoid them... a leafed out tree was not to be found at our paintout location. I think I need to keep practicing... it makes me really appreciate those snow country painters!

Tree Sketch, 6 x 8

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I thought a warm-up might help before starting. Did I mention there were no leaves, anywhere?

I do love trees...

Leaning Pine, 6 x 6, SOLD

I love trees of all sizes and varieties - I always want to paint them; I always find them compelling. I did this small study with an eye for editing down the form to simple, expressive shapes. This is always the goal for me whether working large or small.

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Overcast and raining, but still painting...

Zilker Field, 6 x 8

This morning our Plein Air group met in spite of the forecast for showers (we are a committed bunch.) Sure enough, after setting up and getting started it began to rain, the wind kicked up and "that cold front" came on in. So here is a glimpse of our dark, cold morning. (And don't you know that the last two days were clear and sunny?)

Afternoon Shadows

Long Shadows, 30 x 30

You know this time of day - when the sun drops on the horizon, colors deepen and shadows stretch out forever. There is nothing quite like that afternoon glow to take your breath away.

For Lady Bird

Field of Maize, 20 x 20

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I posted a small study of this image last week. Several of you encourgaged me to stick with the centered composition, so I took your advice for the resulting larger one (although I did move the horizon line up a little). I guess it doesn't hurt to break the rules occasionally! This painting is headed to an annual Art Auction here in Austin which benefits the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Lady Bird created such beauty while she was here, it's a joy to contribute in a small way to her ongoing legacy.

Happy Valentines Day!

Brass Heart, 6 x 6

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"May your heart always be joyful,
may your song always be sung,
and may you stay forever young."

- BOB DYLAN

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At the end of Congress Avenue

Sunlit Granite, 12 x 12

When I first moved to Austin, my kids and I took the tour of this towering landmark. The tour guide made a point of telling us all that it's taller than our U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. AND that it was built completely by Texans. He was very proud of that! Who knew there was a competition on this? But you know what they say, "everything is bigger in Texas." I painted this yesterday with my plein air group... we all met downtown to do cityscapes.

Unearthed Beauty

Uprooted Bulb, 6 x 6

The odd-shaped bulb and it's shadow - simply irresistible! I am going to save these guys and try planting them outside in the fall. Then I will watch my garden for signs of life...

The gift that keeps on giving!

Spent Bulbs, 6 x 6

A bowl of Paperwhite Narcissus arrived on my doorstep at Christmastime from my dear friend Jennifer. They bloomed and filled the room with gorgeous flowers... and then died back. When I pulled them up, I was thrilled anew. I think I love the bulbs themselves just as much as the flowers! They have such great shapes and hold a sweet promise of blooms to come! I used them in my still life class today and had to come home and paint them myself.

Breaking the rules...

Field of Maize Study, 6 x 6

I am always, always drawn to bits of light that peek through large tree forms. I love the shapes and mystery. Here I also experimented with placing the tree grouping and horizon line right in the middle of the canvas (which is generally not advised.) Sometimes it's fun to go ahead and break the rules intentionally. Just to see... :)

Click here to purchase at Small Works site ($100 + $12 s/h)

New Online Gallery and Store

Long Shadows, 6 x 6, SOLD

Many of you have inquired about purchasing my work online, especially these smaller pieces. So... today I am launching my new online gallery and store called "Laurel Daniel Small Works" where I am selling small original oil paintings at affordable (even gift-giving) prices. How will it work? Whenever I post a small piece on this blog, it will have a link to the gallery site where you can view that piece (and others) and make a purchase. You can also go straight to the site at http://www.laureldanielsmallworks.blogspot.com/

Thank you for your continued encouragement and support!

Still Life Treasures

Threads of Prayer, 10 x 10

My friend, Becky, is a knitter and has a huge yarn collection. In her many bins, she has special yarns that she uses for "prayer shawls". These are given (with many prayers knitted in) to people in nursing homes and hospice. Families report back about the many comforts these shawls provide... for the recipients themselves and for faithful caretakers who stay by their sides. Becky let me raid her bins and special threads for some still life objects this week - that's just the kind of girl she is. And this one is for her (with prayers painted in).

Cool Air, Crisp Light

Winter Light at the Creek, 12 x 16

On Thursday, I painted outside with a new painting friend from Idaho, Bob Bissett. Since Austin was in one of its every-other-day temperature swings, I had on my fingerless gloves and was all bundled up. He thought it was comfortable... hot even. But that cold air seems to clarify the light somehow - it was glorious to be out.

From small to large

Standing Guard, 30 x 30

This is the large version of yesterday's study. This line of trees juts out into the lake and appears to be standing guard at the foot of the mountains. I loved how beams of light were able to sneak through here and there...

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Monarch Lake, near Granby, CO

Planning Ahead

Standing Guard (Study), 6x6, SOLD

Painting smaller studies in the studio can be helpful for planning a painting... I can work up different compositions, tweak color and simplify shapes before committing to a huge canvas. I finished the large one last night and will post it tomorrow (need to photograph). The little paintings have a certain charm of their own, and the trick is to try and stay this loose in the larger scale.