Ready for Spring!

I am so ready for spring. It has been raining everyday here just about. There has also been lots of flooding going on here in Montana. The Governor signed papers several weeks ago to get assistance from FEMA and the National Guard especailly in parts of eastern Montana near Billings. 

I painting this painting called " The Awakening " to remind us all about the earth and the water that have come alive again and in full force! I hope that you enjoy!

Abby 

Nuthatch

Here is a commissioned painting of a nuthatch. I will be making Archival prints of this and some of my other paintings eventually and possibly some note cards as well. I took pictures in stages again for you all to see.

                                                       1. The Sketch.

                                                         2. First washes.

                                                        Some color.

                                                        4. Some detail.

                                                     5. More detail.

                                                                   

                                             Here is the finished painting!

Have a wonderful Spring Day!

Abby

New Painting!

Here is my latest painting and I took photos of just some of the stages of layering and washing for you to see. I have always loved looking at the way artists do there paintings in stages. I think that it is so fascinating, don't you?

Stage 3

Well I think that it is always more fun to look at the stages in color, so I skipped 1and 2, the sketching and the first washes of the sky and the mountains. 

Here are Stages 4, 5, and 6:

And here is the last Stage 7:

And here it is without the masking tape on it. It came out a bit dark though because I took this one when it had gotten a bit late and dark outside. 

Hope it was worth stopping by! Have a wonderful week everyone!

Happy Painting, 

Abby

"The Gift"

My son and I found this on the playground one morning. We took it home after school and I was fascinated by it. I am not sure whether it is a raven or crow feather. By how it looked to me I wonder about the animal that use to carry it. I wonder what trails in its existence on this earth had brought him or her the unique little scratch on the  tip. I got me thinking anyhow and made me quite curious. I have my painting sitting next with its subject on top in one of the images and in the background in another. I always feel that it is nice to have a few different perspectives and angles to my subject matter. I hope you all enjoy looking at it. I hope to have some print made up to sell by the end of summer of all the paintings that I want to do during this summer. I'll keep you all posted on that.

Happy Summer,
Abby

A Polar Bear Named Samuel!

I painted this one last night and when I woke up this morning my son Garrett had already named him Samuel. I think that name suits him just fine don't you? He also said to me, "Mom, did you know that polar bears are on the endangered species list"? I told him, " I know honey, don't you think that is sad"? His response was, "Yes mom I do!" Something tells me that he will be an advocate for all animals when he is older. He is always talking to me about them and our cat Peapod really loves him and she's quite particular about who she likes too. Well without further wait here is Samuel the polar bear!

A Polar Bear Named Averly

I would like you all to meet a friend of mine. He is a Polar Bear named Averly. I found him at about 10:30 PM last night on my watercolor paper. I have never met a kinder soul. As you can see he is smiling because he is happy! He was happy to be born out of my paintbrush. I haven't used my paint brush in over 4 years now. Did you ever do something in your life that made your heart twitter? Well besides fall in love maybe. A life dream or ambition. Painting does it for me. I can't believe that I have waiting this long to do it. My husband once told me. You need to make time for the things that you love to do, and never make excuses to yourself for not doing them for you shall surely miss out on a lot of things in life if you do. Well I hope to be sharing many more of my newest  paintings with you all as I get them done. Till then, meet Averly!

Ta Ta for now,
Abby

Riding the Camel

This photo was taken over 13years ago. I went to visit my sister in Phoenix, AZ for her 21st birthday. I went with my other sister and my mom. We took a trip to a nearby zoo and I think that it was a bit of a dare to have me try it. I think only my younger sister and I tried it though. Not everyone was game for it. I would love to say that I rode an Elephant by the time that I am 50. I guess I have a few years to go yet. They certainly are magnificent creatures.

I went through about 300 or more photos today all consisting of my Grandparents Retirement adventures. I organized them all in categories and will start painting my watercolors again soon. I haven't had an art show since 2007. I think that I am feeling motivated to do it again.

Happy Painting!
Abby