982 Heyday

I needed a break from some other paintings in the works, so this was a nice reprieve.

It is one of my paint splat paintings in which I paint the image from imagination.  It's lots of fun and a nice escape.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/982-heyday/818526

924 Drop Dead Gorgeous

It was fun to arrange this set up, and certainly to paint it, but NOT to photograph it.  Sometimes that is the hardest part.  I especially enjoyed fanning through the stack of paint chips to find the right one.  I find the names of the paint colors to be so interesting, and often so humorous.  In this case, there really is a paint color in the red family called "Drop Dead Gorgeous," Number 1329 by Benjamin Moore.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/924-drop-dead-gorgeous/742176

822 Inner Conflict

As you may recall, I have been working on a large quilt for a friend/client/collector.  She is a person who appreciates handmade quilts, and in this age when you can buy a cheap quilt at Marshalls/TJ Maxx for your guest room, she is willing to have something beautiful and hand made.  I could not appreciate her any more!  My Left Brain (analytical) has taken over in this process, temporarily displacing Left Brain (creative), despite my efforts to keep both parties engaged.  I keep dreaming of quilts and plans to use the piles and piles of highly organized fabric (according to color).  It doesn't help that my Garden Club is organizing our first garden tour, "Quilts in the Garden," for July of 2017.
SO, quilts are on my mind, which means Left Brain is highly active.

My client requested NOT to see any images of the quilt before completion, so I will not post until it is back from the quilter and then bound.  I finished the piecing the quilt and took it to Patched Works to be quilted on Friday.  I am hoping my Right Brain will take over and allow me to paint freely.

I have always felt an internal conflict in who I want to be as an artist.  Part of me LOVES realism and painting what I see, and the other part of me wants to bust out and go crazy, but I find that much more difficult to do.  So this week, I slapped some oil paint on some canvases without paying attention to anything (Right Brain). Then I went in with my compass and pencil and divided into shapes (with my Left Brain).  Hence the title of the painting, "Inner Conflict."  I have a new rubber tipped tool that I used to remove the paint in the triangles and circles, leaving the neutral grey visible.  I am curious to see what this looks like with white or black in the triangles/circles.    Although this painting is only 6" x 6", I think it could be any size.

735 Fifth Grade

There are some people who will always bring warm thoughts to you.  My kids' fifth grade teacher, Mr. H. will always be that person.  I was his first parent volunteer in 1993 and worked for him until he retired many years later.  For all these years, he has remembered me at Christmas with a beautiful poinsettia plant.  He is the type of teacher who adults credit with their success, having had him as a teacher in the fifth grade.  Although he is retired now, he still substitute teaches.  He is a master teacher, and a dear friend.

"735 Fifth Grade"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/735-fifth-grade/431692

620 Door County!

Today is a special day.  My paintings are hanging on the walls of a gallery I have worked hard and long for.  I was honored with a party given by dear long-time friends, with many surprise guest friends who traveled far to celebrate with me.  I can't even think of adequate words to express how I feel, blessed indeed, and oh, so happy.

515 Pom on a Pedestal

I love painting just about everything that is red, and I love pomegranates.  I'm sure I will paint it again and again at some point.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/515-pom-on-a-pedestal/296704

432 Too Big

 

Still more to learn, so these still lifes will continue.  Hoping you aren't bored.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/432-too-big/249618

419 Nectarines

This painting has sold.

Life is a Bowl of .... Strawberries

A wonderful friend/mentor/teacher advises "Never fall in love with your painting....it is the kiss of death."  I have kept that advice in mind with each and every new painting, hearing her voice speaking the works.  I "really like" this painting, although I am so frustrated with the photographing/scanning process.  The image I see just doesn't do it justice.  The strawberries have so many beautiful reds/oranges and the background is my nemesis color, in the YELLOW family. 

These are the strawberries my neighbor picked for us.  They are long gone and I didn't share them with my husband.  HUH!

375 Desperate Measures

It took a great deal of patience and resourcefulness to retrieve these red feathers from our window well.  Last year, a beautiful male cardinal got stuck in there while snacking on fallen birdseed.  We tried to free him by lifting the enormously heavy iron grate, but he crashed into it while trying to escape, and died very quickly.  It was so sad.

My stash of feathers is void of red feathers, so today I remembered the cardinal, and I was very determined to retrieve whatever I could from this beautiful bird. "Desperate times require desperate measures."

Click here to go to Daily Paintworks site, or to purchase:    http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/375-desperate-measures/235082

353 Charming

I love pansies.  They are the first flowers I buy in the Spring because they can withstand the colder temperatures we experience here in Milwaukee.  I love their sweet little "faces" and the delicate nature of their petals. 

343 Pears on Plaid

300. Fickle

I have come to the conclusion that I am not fond of the color purple.  Maybe it is because I look hideous in it and I have transferred my distaste to the palette.  I don't mind other people's use of purple, it's just that I don't like painting purple flowers.  This painting has gone through a variety of changes because I couldn't make up my mind, hence the title.

253. On the Bright Side

174 Leaning

This variety of pears is called Red Sensation.

139 Farmer's Market Bell Peppers

A trip to Chicago's Division Street Farmer's Market is one of my favorite past times.  There are so many farmers from near and far with colorful and unique things to sell, and it is a great place to take pictures and to people-watch.  I'm a sucker for the flowers.

137 Super Sweet Mini Peppers