977 First Blooms

I have a large rooftop garden, and this year I planted more flowers than in previous years.  It's the only place I can grow flowers that require full sun.  I can't wait till they all bloom.  In the meantime, I plucked these two to stimulate more blooms.    I love this little vase, which is about the size of a large shot glass.  It was made by Renee Schwaller, potter and proprietress of Off The Wall Pottery.  I just love her work, and sgraffito pottery in particular.  This is one of three that I couldn't resist.  This one has an owl on the back side, and you know how much I love owls.  

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/977-first-blooms/811677

770 A Bird's Eye View

The beautiful photo reference for this painting was taken in Tanzania by my world traveler friends, who have been to so many exciting places, often biking their way through the countrysides.  I live vicariously through them as I am somewhat impaired when it comes to travel, although I have been to Lebanon three times, which most people find daunting.  It is hard for me to imagine being so close to a zebra and other wild animals.  They have graciously shared their photos with me and have given me permission to paint them.  Thank you Ann and Steve.

I've been feeling a little restless with the start of the new year.  I have been tirelessly working on portraits with determination to master them, but I really needed a little break because I've also pretty much run out of interesting photo references after scouring thousands of photos in my iPhoto folders.  The conversations go like this:  "Would you please send me photos of people in interesting poses with high contrast and no teeth showing? "  .......somewhat limiting.

In the months ahead, I have scheduled two weekend workshops from two of my favorite artists, both of whom teach and paint in oil.  Although I love the many benefits of acrylics, I would like to experiment with oil paints.  I have dabbled in the past, painting seascapes, but nothing like this subject matter.  For this painting, I used water soluble oil paints, which behave like oil paints (I think) but there are no smelly chemicals involved, and best of all, they clean up with soap and water.   I really enjoyed the experience and plan to continue pursuing this medium.

"770 A Bird's Eye View"
oil - 16x20 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/770-a-birds-eye-view/443121

dianecampion.blogspot.com

602 Will or Cramer?

For a full 24 hours, we could not find the family of Great Horned Owls in the neighborhood, and sadly assumed they left the area, but we joyfully discovered they had moved only a block south from the willow tree.  The babies are more mobile now, but still, at least one parent is usually nearby.  They are not visible to us during the daytime, but at dusk they are busy.  Since they are now a block closer to our house, I am hoping they will get "carry out" from our yard.  I have chased squirrels and chipmunks from our bird feeders, thanks to Oliver's guard.

A giant thank you to Steve Gardiner for taking such beautiful pictures of the owls, including the reference photo for this painting,  for sharing them with friends and neighbors, and for granting permission for me to paint them. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/602-will-or-cramer/371974

600 Learning to Fly

I am excited and proud that this is my 600th daily painting in two years with Daily Paintworks.  I never imagined how rewarding this experience woud be, but I have enjoyed every minute of it, meeting new DPW artists along the way, and certainly learning a lot I didn't know about painting.
Oh happy day!

As you may know from previous reports, my neighbors and I are all hooting with joy over the Great Horned Owl family in a nearby willow tree.  I can't seem to get enough of this experience, so there was no question as to what my 600th subject would be.  We have been watching this family grow since January, now with two babies.  I took the photo of this owlet on the day when we first saw the chicks moving about the branches, spreading their wings for balance, and maybe even flying a little.  To see these beautiful creatures with their Mama is such an awesome experience---she never takes her eyes off of them, each day giving them more independence, all with a motherly nurturing we share.  She calls them to come for breakfast and dinner and it reminds the human mother observers of the days when we called our little ones down to eat, only we weren't serving rabbits.  Tonight's crowd of owl-groupies neared 20 people, and all agree it will be very sad to see them move on, although we know that's the way it works.  "hoo ooo, ca CHOO"

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/600-learning-to-fly/371230

578 Solitude

The back roads of Plymouth, Massachusetts brought so many beautiful scenes for me to photograph.  This particular one was a beautiful stream, still partly frozen, with beautiful greys and other shades of winter in the surrounding land.   There were two beautiful swans with such bright contrast to the grey.

When I initially painted this, my inclination was to pump up the color and make the water a little brighter than normal, which I did.  After looking at it for awhile, I went back and greyed the water to it's more realistic color.  I'm happier with this version, which is more realistic.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/578-solitude/364737

393 Deluxe Accommodations

Mother/father birds are very resourceful when building their nests.  I love to see the found objects they use.  We once knew a woman who left her thread and yarn snippets out for the birds.

Barbara Tester took the photo reference for this painting.  It is not known how the blue fiber became a part of this nest, but the eggs had a cushy little room, hence the title. 

To be directed to Daily Paintworks and all 393 of my daily paintings, or to purchase, click here: 
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/393-deluxe-accommodations/239453

388 Peek-a-Boo

 I have always enjoyed painting textures---wood, rust, etc. so this was a very enjoyable painting experience.  I seem to have more difficulty than most getting the color yellow to show up as painted.  I have tried many different ways to correct it, but I'm baffled.  The yellow on the bird is actually a little more lemon colored. 

Thanks to Nicole B for generously sharing the beautiful photo reference for this painting.  I just love it.

To purchase or be directed to Daily Paintworks, click here: 
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/388-peek-a-boo/238317

384 Proud

Some days are better than others.  Today I painted four small paintings and I am unhappy with all of them.  I'd like to blame it on the all-day, allergy-related sneezing and nose-blowing, but I know that a bad painting day is still a good day.  Today I learned that painting with acrylics on watercolor paper is not enjoyable to me, even though to many artists, it is.   I also learned that even though my two and only two poppy flowers are precious to me, they do not make a good painting. 
Tomorrow will be a better day.

244. Common? Hmpf.

The Common Yellowthroat, (male in this painting) is a wood warbler.  It lives in moist thickets and grassy marshes.  Photographed by Brian Hansen.

243. Chewy-Chewy-Chewy, Chew Chew Chew

Well, I'm having trouble imagining this warbler's call, but that's what the book says.
He is an American Redstart.

242. On the Lookout

Male Rosebreasted Grosbeak, insect eating songbird, reference photo taken by Brian Hansen, with permission

241. Acapella

This tiny bird is a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, a songbird, and was photographed by Brian Hansen.

239. I See You

Reference photo by Brian Hansen, with permission.

239 Cardinal

Reference phot  by Brian Hansen, permission granted

238 Blackburnian Warbler

reference photo taken by Brian Hansen, with permission

237 Black and White Warbler

Reference photo by Brian Hansen, with permission.

Pretty Boy

This handsome bird lives in the city of Chicago.  It is fun to watch him show off his repertoire of acrobatics.