A palette knife abstracted landscape study which I did while having a nice phone conversation with a friend. I should talk on the phone more often while painting.
This is the sixth quick-sketch palette knife portrait painting I've done pairing women with updo hairstyles and indeterminate little birds. I've tried to set a time limit of 2 hours to complete them, but a few went over that limit. I got halfway through this one then had to abandon it for days, which made it hard to complete the way I wanted to, working wet on wet.
Only had about an hour today to myself, so I snuck over to the studio and pushed some paint around.
Adding another to this series of abstract studies. I see a pattern emerging. These are good little exercises for me during times like this where I have so little time to get stuck into art-making. I find it just too frustrating to start a larger piece and then have to abandon it for days at a time. Much more satisfying to do something I can stick with from start to finish, or almost finish.
Yet another abstract here. I'm painting and posting these little pieces while I tend to my dog's moment-to-moment needs as she enters the final phase of her life, which swallows up my time. These freeform pieces are informative to me, though, as they follow a subconscious pattern. And it's fun to just play with color with no thought given to outcome.
This little freeform ditty was inspired by admiring a neighbor's garden this morning that contained multiple stalks of gorgeous Mexican sunflowers.
A flower painting which looks like the end of summer to me. I'm already mourning the imminent loss.
Another to add to my series of floral abstracts using palette knife and other tools but no brushes.
Yet another in a series of female portraits paired with little birds. Again, I went over my time limit of 2 hours with this one, which clocked in at 2.5 hours. These portraits are mostly done with a palette knife, eliminating the possibility of refined detail work.
I started with the idea of painting a deconstructed American flag, and this is what I ended up with.
Another floral abstract, this one pays homage to one of my favorite flowers, the Mexican evening primrose, that grows like wild in my garden.
This is another portrait in the series done mostly with a palette knife. I broke my own rule with this one of keeping to 2 hours tops to do it. Took me close to 3 hours.
In the meantime, here's another quickie palette knife imaginary landscape ditty.
This abstract piece was a release for me from the constraints of portrait painting. Now I can go do another portait. Ah!
