A Work In Progress....

I'm sometimes asked by people where my inspiration comes from, where it starts and how I develop each individual piece as I go along. I recently started a new painting and I thought it would be fun to show it from the beginning stages, not only the first brush strokes but the concept for the work itself.

Many times, it all starts with photographs I've taken....then an idea takes root in my brain and I start mulling different concepts over and over in my mind. Sometimes they turn into paintings and sometimes they get put on the back burner for another time. You may remember the above photos from the summer, I really fell in love with the beautiful pink Petunias I saw and I took many photographs of them.

In fact, those pink Petunia's led me to paint this ceiling tin.....one of my favorite tins that I've ever painted. Seeing those pretty pink Petunia's inspired me to take lots of photos....reviewing the photos got lots of design possibilities brewing in my mind and that eventually led me to the design of my Chickadee and Petunia's on vintage ceiling tin painting.

I purchased this deep, 16 x 20 gallery wrapped canvas weeks ago and actually bought it with something totally different in mind to create on it. As I looked at it more and more I decided to put my original idea on hold and came up with something totally different instead. I've always loved painting faux windows and have done a few different kinds but none on gallery canvas yet. I also really loved the above Chickadee and Petunia's that I painted and wanted to rework and expand that concept into something else. That is when I decided to create a faux window using that design as a spring board for a new idea. This photo above shows the very beginning stages of work, the window panes have been drawn on, the design sketched out and the beginnings of the sky have been started. Also to the left, you can see the remnants of my daily caffeine pick me up. : )

Here you can see more of the sky completed and the ground work for the background greenery has been painted in as well.

Here I've started to create the pink Petunia's. I still might go back later when everything is finished and tweak the sky and background greenery...for now though, I will leave it as is and keep moving forward with the design. I'll be showing more progress on this painting as the days go by, each step, little by little, unit I reach the final product. I hope you've enjoyed the process so far.

In an effort to expand and try new experiences, I'm doing something I've never done before by exhibiting and selling my vintage ceiling tin artwork at the hair salon that I've been going to for so many years now. I went by yesterday to hang up a bunch of my pieces!! The owner is someone I've known for many years and he is very kind to let local artists exhibit and sell their work there.

There is still time to sign up for the egg art giveaway, just leave a comment on the post below to enter. A name will be drawn from my kitchen mixing bowl on the evening of Nov 11th. I will post the winner on the morning of Wed the 12th....good luck everyone.