942 Time and Time Again

Happy New Year!  It's been quite awhile since I posted a painting, but rest assured I have been painting and even trying some new things.  This painting seemed to be on the easel forever, but I am happy with the result, especially the composition of many props, some of them personal and meaningful. 

My holidays were busy with family visits and the usual baking, cooking and decorating.  I am grateful for and happy with this rather simple recipe for life and happiness.  As I look back on 2019, I would be less than honest if I said it was a perfect year, artistically.  I am still struggling with painting in our fairly new home in a much smaller studio space.  It seems that a move can throw one's artistic mojo off, yes it's a real "thing," I've been told.  I have taken a few classes at the highly esteemed Palette and Chisel, and am considering joining the Plein Air Chicago Painters in the spring.  It would be a good way for me to meet other artists and to get to know the city better.  Although I've been on several plein air painting trips with my Milwaukee Art Lady friends, none have been in an urban setting.  This will be a new challenge and adventure for me.

Very sadly for me and many other artists, patrons and neighborhood folks was the Fall closing of The Leigh Gallery in Lakeview.  The owner of the gallery, Jean Leigh retired to pursue her writing, eventually in beautiful Door County. She and her sidekick Joe were so wonderful to work with and worked so darn hard for me and the other artists she represented.  I dearly love both of them.   They had such a gift for making a person feel like she was the only person in the world that mattered.  When I would walk in the door I was always greeted with enthusiasm, affection, encouragement and lots of laughs.  Boy, do I miss them.

I am happy to report I was asked to return to exhibit my work for my sixth season at The Edgewood Orchard Galleries in Fish Creek Door County, Wisconsin.  The Gallery just celebrated their 50th anniversary.  I am thrilled to be a part of this gorgeous gallery in very prestigious artistic company, though still a freshman with just five years under my belt.

I am optimistic for the future, and hope you are too.  Our world is very complicated right now, but there is so much to be thankful for if we are open to it.  I wish all of you a healthy and healthy 2020, filled with many blessings, and hopefully the gift of art.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/942-time-and-time-again/778966

858 Ice Cream Social

I bet you are wondering how the title relates to this painting.  The painting is of a small section of a very long (I would guess 8') mid-century Italian ice cream parlor bench--the kind where 10 people can comfortably sit back to back in the little niches.  This beautiful piece was retrieved from Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and is quite impressive with it's yellow circular tabletops strategically placed.   I really enjoyed zooming in and finding just the right section to paint, and I loved how the reflections of the lights and other objects in the room bounced off the slats.  I think the painting has an op art feel to it, yes?

You've probably guessed that I love old and unusual artifacts, and painting them has been quite interesting and challenging for me.  The piles of old doorknobs, antique monastery keys, French wine jugs, Czech Republic juggling pins, Italian mid-century wood carvings,  a weathered door, statues and this bench have all interested me in some way, compelling me to paint.  Mostly it's the texture that sings to me---rust and chipped paint, and the concept of preserving the old, knowing where the item came from, in a wabi-sabi sort of way.  Here is Wikipedia's short description of Wabi-sabi.

"Wabi-sabi is a concept in traditional Japanese aesthetics constituting a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete."

"858 Ice Cream Social"
acrylic -

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/858-ice-cream-social/581304

846 R.I.P. Mahal

I painted this beloved young orangutan long ago, but for some reason never posted it.  His mysterious and sudden death in 2012 made front page news again today, so it is opportune for me to remember him.   Mahal was Milwaukee County Zoo's prize orangutan brought there from Colorado.  I remember it was a shock to all, and today it was published that Mahal died of a virus from a tapeworm which should not have been found in an orangutan, rather a weasel.  The tapeworm has been found in Finland and Japan, but not Milwaukee, Wisconsin so how it got here is a mystery. Scientists are studying this mysterious scenario to find out if this virus can also affect humans.
Followup articles will be in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in the next few days.

"R.I.P. Mahal"
acrylic - 8x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/rip-mahal/568642

847 ...With a Cherry on Top

I am getting ready and excited for another season at the beautiful Edgewood Orchard Galleries, and of course,  Door County is known for CHERRIES!

"847 ...With a Cherry on Top"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/847-with-a-cherry-on-top/567424

765 Cottage Charm

I remember hollyhocks from my childhood growing up in Detroit.  Tall stocks of hollyhocks lined the alley behind our house, and I remember being afraid of all the bees that swarmed the beautiful flowers.  Now I think of them mostly as an old fashioned cottage flower, as many Door County gardens feature them in their gardens.  I wish I had a sunny spot for them in my yard, but I can always visit my neighbor's hollyhock garden just down the street.

"765 Cottage Charm"
oil - 24x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/765-cottage-charm/440713
dianecampion.blogspot.com

703 The Giant Crack in the Earth

This is the last of my paintings from New Mexico.  We parked along the roadside with this view of the Rio Grande Gorge, but didn't have more than a couple of hours there, so I sketched, knowing I wanted to paint an abstraction of this magnificent scene.  I had a few colors of paint that were still "alive" on my palette, and slapped them on the board.  Since I've been home, I've obsessed about the green portion to the point of ridiculousness.  Abstraction does not come naturally to me, but I think I like it.  Only time and more practice will tell.

03 The Giant Crack in the Earth"
acrylic - 12x24 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/703-the-giant-crack-in-the-earth/418584

698 The Rio Grande River at Arroyo Hondo

The day we painted the Rio Grande was the most difficult of days, as it was hot and windy, and as any plein air painter knows, the scene changes quickly and often.  I positioned myself down close to the river and found the gentle sounds of the flowing water so relaxing.  There were a lot of ants and bugs and pollen (ah-CHOO!) and suddenly the wind took several of our easels, paintings, umbrellas crashing to the dirt, or in some cases, down the rocky hill.  The painting then had "texture" and the umbrella was demolished.  Despite all of the above, I enjoyed this day so much and this is my favorite of the eight paintings from New Mexico.

As I have repeatedly said, plein air painting is not for sissies.  And that's the truth.  
"698 The Rio Grande River at Arroyo Hondo"
acrylic - 20x16 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/698-the-rio-grande-river-at-arroyo-hondo/417124

696 View from The Couse-Sharp Historic Site

This is the second painting completed en plein air during my recent visit to Taos, New Mexico.  We were very fortunate to visit and tour The Couse-Sharp Historic Site during the 100th anniversary of the Taos Society of Artists.  Joseph Sharp and Eanger Irving Couse were two of the original founding members of this society, and were devoted to painting the Native American Indians.  Messrs. Couse and Sharp, along with the four other original members of this society, found Taos t o besuch an inspiring place to paint, as did I, with its mountains, forests, clear blue sky and beautiful sunsets.

The Art Ladies were grateful to be able to paint in such a beautiful and comfortable spot. The views of the mountains, trees and chemisas were breathtaking, and in my foreground, there were changing groundcover.  I was drawn to the strong vertical of the trees.  We had a little downpour but were able to lunch on the porch of the house until it cleared up.  All in all, it was a great day and I left with  many, many reference photos for future paintings.

"696 View from The Couse-Sharp Historic Site"
acrylic - 11x14 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/696-view-from-the-couse-sharp-historic-site/416697

693 Golden Nuggets

The golden tomatoes are from Springdale Farm and the red bowl is from the museum in Lebanon.  Basil is from my yard.

"693 Golden Nuggets"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/693-golden-nuggets/413743

692 Softer Side of the Chama River

I am preparing for a plein air painting trip to New Mexico with my Art Lady friends, 
and am trying to learn to abstract the landscape.  We had a workshop on this subject which was very beneficial---we painted with our fingers, or palette knife--no brushes.  The photo reference for this painting was taken on one of our prior trips to New Mexico.  I have a lot to learn.

"692 Softer Side of the Chama River"
acrylic - 9x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/692-softer-side-of-the-chama-river/413570

691 You Look Lovely Today

The eggplants from Springdale Farm were so beautiful that I wish I had painted a different view of them so that more of the color showed.  One of them is gigantic and the other much smaller, so they looked like Mutt and Jeff, whoever they are.

The complementary palette is my favorite.

"691 You Look Lovely Today"
acrylic - 7x5 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/691-you-look-lovely-today/413340

687 Three's a Crowd

"687 Three's a Crowd"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/687-threes-a-crowd/411796

684 The Party's Over

Company has returned home, and the sunflowers aren't sunny any more.  The petals are dropping everywhere.  They are such a happy flower until that happens.   Painted from still life in my studio.
The Van Briggle vase was purchased many years ago, is my all-time favorite, and painted many times
for daily paintings.

"684 The Party's Over"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/684-the-partys-over/411172

682 Drama Queen

I really love this new vase with these Rudbeckia my husband bought for our patio.

"682 Drama Queen"
acrylic - 12x9 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/682-drama-queen/410433

673 Overjoyed

"673 Overjoyed"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/673-overjoyed/405994

669 Falling In Love

I remember when the meaning of a yellow rose was "jealousy," but it seems as though the new meaning is of friendship and caring.  Specifically, a yellow rose with red-tipped petals means "friendship falling in love."  Who knows if all that is true.  My husband picked these out and they were beautiful.

This was painted for the Daily Paintworks Rose challenge.

"669 Falling In Love"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/669-falling-in-love/404936

663 Perfect Harmony

When we visited beautiful Lebanon, we toured a winery called Ixsir in the mountains of Batroun.  It is located on a most breathtaking site, the building itself formerly a home for two families.  It has stone walls and a fascinating spiral staircase leading you down to the wine production area.  The entryway houses this lovely old pottery.  I read online that CNN labels this winery one of the greenest buildings in the world.  The wine was very good too, with no added sulphites, but unfortunately we could only bring one bottle home. 

"663 Perfect Harmony"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/663-perfect-harmony/403546

660. Gift of Love

My husband is one of a kind.  He buys flowers for me each and every week, taking great care to select flowers for the bouquet.  He encloses a little note with something pertinent for the day/week.  I particularly loved this combination of coral roses and lavender roses, and liked how it looked in the red dining room.    Yep, he's a keeper!

"660.  Gift of Love"
acrylic - 8x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/660--gift-of-love/399342

659 Old Fashioned

More of Vicki's beautiful hollyhocks.  They are all beautiful!

"659 Old Fashioned"
acrylic - 8x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/659-old-fashioned/399197

656 Rebellious

"656 Rebellious"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/656-rebellious/398501