1297. Winnie the Wonder Dog

 Winnie is a good family friend's dog and has become our unofficial Grand dog, winning our hearts from the very beginning.  She was rescued along with her brother, full of ticks.   She's the smartest dog I've ever met.  She has taken basic "sniff" training, behavior training and knows lots of tricks.  We see her often and she never ceases to delight, making her a great candidate for therapy dog.  She is particularly cute when her one ear flops.  We love her.  This was a gift for her Dog Mom's recent birthday.

1296. Max

 

This sweet pup crossed the Rainbow Bridge in February.  Max was a Cavachon who left a very big void in his loving family but assure me that his portrait brings them solace.  

1295. Family Gathering

 1295. Family Gathering is a redo of a previous painting.  I am much happier with this one.

My husband bought me a large bunch of beautiful tulips and I photographed them from above for a different perspective.

24 x 24 " gallery wrapped canvas

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1295--family-gathering/1220549

1294. Encore Performance ( Pears in a Blue and White Bowl)

 Paintings of pears seem to be classic.  I've painted them many times, but I think they look absolutely smashing in this Jean Wells Smaglic blue and white bowl.  This painting is going to beautiful Door County, Wisconsin to hang on a kitchen wall.  The new owners are very pleased and so am I.

My Year in Review

 

2025 was an interesting year with some good things happening and some not -so-good.  Through it all, my commitment to creating was strong, in fact I painted 364 out of the last 365 days, which I'm really proud of.  

One of the highlights of the year was a very nice commission for 6 paintings of cacti and their flowers. I had no prior knowledge of cacti and certainly not much access to flowering cacti here in Chicago, so I had my work cut out for me in the form of research.  It was very rewarding to see my client so happy with the results and the suggestion that I now qualify to be a cactus garden docent.  (big smile)

I made some of my favorite floral paintings with new color palettes that stretched my usual.  I made advances in my comfort with abstraction, which continues to be a challenge for me since I've painted objects I see for many years.  

I worked on the concept of not having to cover every single little white spot (sigh) of the surface of a painting.  I did so with a series of collages leaving lots of white space, hoping to transcend that composition practice to canvas.

Pet portraits for two close friends who lost their dogs brought comfort to not only the recipients, but to me in my continued sadness after losing my little Oliver a year ago.  

I reacquainted with my old friend, Bernina (sewing machine) and obsessively made cute little pouches from sample upholstery fabrics.  I lovingly started making a memory quilt comprised of my late brother's wacky clothes, which is still in progress. I have plans for 6 pillows for my nieces and nephews.

Although I posted fewer completed paintings this year, I feel I made strides in my learning through discipline and practice,  still hoping to be more comfortable with "busting loose. " I have joined a group of really nice "art ladies" here in Chicago who meet virtually once a month and occasionally in person to share our love for art and artist comraderie.

My wishes for all of you are good health, happiness, a family of friends and/or relatives to share life with, and at least a sprinkling of creativity in your day to day lives.  And please don't tell me you don't have a creative bone in your body, because you just haven't looked hard enough for it. 

Happy New Year with love,

diane

 

1293. Sheffield

 This was a Christmas gift for a friend who recently lost her dog.  Sheffield had been her much loved friend for many years,  I hope this portrait will remind her of pleasant memories.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1293-sheffield/1197152

1292. The Secrets of Silence

 https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1292-the-secrets-of-silence/1194218

The Sunset Trail in Door County is one of the most peaceful places I've experienced.  I love to hear the crunch of the path's carpet and the serenade of the birds.  Occasionally, if you are lucky, you will see a beautiful deer or doe in the stillness.  In springtime, you may be lucky enough to catch the beauty of the tiny wild irises carpeting a blanket of blue.  You will come to the still water of a stream, and possibly an old cemetery if you veer off a bit.  One can best experience this while being silent.  Words are a distraction from the quiet moments in nature.