Paintings of Taylor's Falls, MN

My favorite time of year--NOW! 

Day Trip Down To Winona

The Hubs and I decided to take a day trip last Friday to take in some more fall color and just enjoy the day.  We ran across a curious thing.  It was like a little community of floating houses on the Mississippi River at Winona, called Latch Island.  You can tell that there's been a drought.  Many of the little houses had rain barrels, but they appeared to be empty.  We aren't sure if these are just weekend cabins, or if people stay year round~if so I think it could be really cold.  Anyway, I thought it was strange enough to take some images.

Taylor's Falls, Autumn 2012

I've had a chance to spend a little time painting from some of the images I took last week at Taylors Falls.  It's so beautiful this time of year, and I hope to get down to the Lake Pepin area next weekend, if the wind doesn't blow all the leaves off the trees.

Week 4, Open Studio at Digital Art Academy

This is the 4th and final painting for class at Digital Art Academy.  All painted in Photoshop CS6 with the Art History Brush. Original image taken this past week at Taylors Falls, MN, where we have beautiful fall colors right now!

Week 3, Open Studio at Digital Art Academy

Week 3 at Digital Art Academy taught me how to record my brush strokes in Corel Painter, and how to play them back.  Very fun class.

Have a great day!

New Prints

I've added a few more paintings to my Etsy Shop.  I'm also putting together another presentation to have my art prints added to a new shop opening up in St. Anthony Park.  I'm pretty excited about this.  Some will be framed and some will be mounted and stored in a canvas rack.

This was from a photograph I took while down in Louisiana last summer.  There were a lot of these sweet little pathways with trees overhanging. 

This painting is also from this past fall.

My feet are so cold today and I can't seem to get them to warm up.  My sister who lives in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, sent me a video of her walking on the beach.  I'm not happy with her at all!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful (and warm) day.

In The Deep Freeze

In my last post I was boasting about the 50 degree weather.  Now, however, we are now officially in the deep freeze. Hopefully the lakes will get good and frozen because the hubs is on his way up north to go ice fishing this weekend.

I'm just posting the one this time.  I will be traveling to Northfield, MN this weekend to take some of my prints to a shop there to test them out. I'm hoping there will be a desire for them.  Let's keep our fingers crossed.

I hope everyone has an awesome weekend.

It's Spring In Minnesota

Believe it or not, we are having temps in the 40's and 50's...it feels positively balmy.  We actually had a golf tournament in the area today.  Last year at this time we were smothered in the white stuff.

I've prepared a few more to print.

I wish these images were indicative of what it's like outside now.  It's always such a drought for picture taking this time of year--despite the warm temps.

Here's hoping that those who stop by today are having a blessed day.

First Post of the New Year 2012

I'm hoping that those who visit today had a happy and safe New Year's.  The hubs and I are quiet people and not much for the parties.  As a matter of fact, I think we were in bed asleep by 9pm New Year's Eve! However, we are morning people and are usually up and moving about between 5 and 6.  I've always been able to get a lot more done in the morning, and have spent many blissful hours already printing away on my new Epson and packaging with matting and backing boards.  I'll soon be contacting area independent shops in the hopes that they might like to carry my work as well as researching upcoming arts and crafts fairs.  Exciting time ahead.  I hope!

Anyway, here's a painting that I just finished printing and I'm so happy with the way it came out.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

The Day Before the Eve of the New Year

Today is a day of resting the ole' body after 4 days of work where I spent the entire time on my feet.  That's OK though, because I'm taking the time to focus on getting my Etsy Shops together.  Oddly enough, I've already had a sale as a result of seeing my work on Etsy.  So, let's hope I can keep the momentum going.

We anticipate a quiet New Year's weekend... haven't been partying in years, but hope to spend some time with the grand kids maybe have brunch out with the hubs on Sunday. I'm sure there's football in my future as well, whether I like it or not.

Here's a new painting posted recently in the shop.

I hope everyone has a very safe, but lovely New Year's weekend.  Happy New Year's.

Well, I'm hoping everyone survived the Holiday's and had a wonderful time with family and friends. It's been a little bit since I've posted, so I figured I should get on the ball here.  I've decided to open a second Etsy shop as well as create a separate blog where, if someone so desired, they could purchase a print of the work I've posted. You can see my Etsy Shop HERE as well as by clicking on the button above.  This is also where you will find the button for my blogger store.  You can find it HERE.  Thanks to Geri Centonze for her tutorial on how to open a blogger store.  

I've actually started printing on my new printer and I have to say that I'm super pleased.  I still have a lot to learn, but the ease with which this printer works just astounds me.  So, here is a painting that I've just recently posted on my blog and Etsy.

This was an image from our cemetery tour a few months ago.  Can you believe it's the end of December and we have no snow on the ground?  Last year at this time we had 3 feet of snow.  Don't know whether to be happy about this or not, but I have to say, it's a lot nicer getting to work and back every day.
I truly hope every one is having a grand holiday season and I bid you safe travels over the New Year's weekend.

Pushing The Envelope

I've spent the last few weeks attempting to take my art to another level~~pushing the envelope, so to speak.

I've been utilizing the many digital programs available. Sometimes using 4 or five programs and plugins on each image until I find something I really like.

My favorite programs are Corel Painter 11/12, and Photoshop CS5.  And I'm using other programs as well: Topaz Adjust/Clean/Simplify, Tintii, Fractilius, DAP, Postworkshop and FotoSketcher.

Boosting those colors is a most favorite thing to do.

I can't seem to help myself.  Tintii is very helpful in isolating certain colors and saturating them.

Topaz is coming out with an updated version of Adjust in just a few more days.  It's an incredible program.

Be sure to check out the wonderful talent over at Artists in Blogland for Show and Tell Saturday. There you will see some incredible stuff.  Find then Here. 
Anyway, I hope everyone is having an awesome weekend.

DAP

A few more paintings that include the painting program, Dynamic Auto Painter, as well as Topaz, Fractalius, Photoshop and Corel Painter.

I'm forever surprised at how I can take a very ho-hum image and push it to the extreme with the help of all these wonderful programs.

I remember when I took this image and was so wishing that these cars weren't in the way.  But, with the addition of paint they actually look like they belong.

These are the woods behind my house.  Sadly the leaves are all but gone, except for the yellow maples.

I dread the coming cold and snow!

A beautiful day in the neighborhood!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

It's Still Fall Here

We are fortunate here in Minnesota this year.  We still have tress that are changing color and haven't lost their leaves, yet.  So, I asked the hubs to take me out for another picture shooting tour.  One of my favorite places to go is the cemetery where Mark's mom is buried.  Here are some paintings from some of the images I took in and around the cemetery.

I hope everyone is have an awesome day.

More Fun

I'm continuing to experiment with several programs and plug-ins and really trying to push the envelope with my paintings.  I'm finding that a lot of pre and post processing is also necessary.  My newest toy is DAP.  If interested you can find them here.

This image was taken on a little back road just east of a little town called Stillwater.  We are fairly lucky that we still have fall color here.  Usually by this time, all the leaves are on the ground.

This is from a local cemetery.  Mark's mother is buried in the this cemetery.  It's quite a beautiful place.

I love this effect.  It's almost has a paint chip look to it.

As we get close to Halloween, I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!  BOO!