Stairways to the Moon

"Stairways to the Moon"
16" x 12"
Oil on hardboard
I painted away from home today and didn't manage to import my reference photo properly into my iPad, so I had to paint something that evolved from nothing. A friend gave me a RayMar panel so I toned it in umber, then drew a few lines and squeezed out two blues, two yellows and two reds. I softened the edges with my mop brush and this is what came of the donated canvas panel after 90 minutes.  

During the critique, someone mentioned that it looked like stairways to heaven … from any direction. I thought heaven was a stretch, but the moon was a possibility.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
Carolkeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

Black Man

"Black Man"
12" x 12"
Oil on wrapped canvas
A friend sent me a photo of a black man he photographed, and I wanted to… to… paint him. The painting is a lot nicer than the photo of it.  I want to paint more people. I need models!  

I painted this in a couple of hours, mostly dealing with the hand. The color of the flesh came easily. the jeans were a lot of fun. And the color is dead on when you see it in person. I'd love to give my man a name, but he arrived without one. What name would you give him?

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
Carolkeene.com
Dailypainters.com
Dailypaintworks.com

My Friend

"My Friend"
8" x 8"
Oil on hardboard
My daughter sent a photo to me today with "My Friend" in the subject line. I thought it was going to be a photo of someone she works with. Not even close. It was something growing in her yard. Something purple and very much in keeping with her taste in flowers. I'm honoring her with a painting of her "friend." A portrait, of sorts. For you, my dear Natalie. 

Love,
Mom

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

Anita's Hat

"Anita's Hat"
12" x 16"
Pastel on canvas panel
I painted with friends today. We each brought something to add to the still life. The bird was mine. I hadn't painted with pastels in a couple of months, so this was a freeing and exciting day for me. I didn't even think about whether or not it would be difficult. I just jumped in with both feet — like I live my life. 

I'm going to a pastel workshop in a week to learn to make my own pastels. I'll be with my new friends in the Chicago Pastel Painters group. We met for the first time and they put me on a committee already.  "…both feet," as I said above.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

Niagara Falls

"Niagara Falls"
10" x 8"
Oil on hardboard
A friend took a trip to Niagara Falls over the weekend and sent photos to me.  It was fun to paint the cascading water in the colors that appeared on his photos. I remember seeing the falls as a teen, back when the falls had nearly dried up. The water source seemed to be mightily replenished this year.  

I enjoyed painting something completely different from anything I've ever done.  What fun!

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypainters.com
Dailypaintworks.com

Moonlit

"Moonlit"
24" x 24"
Oil on wrapped canvas
Two years ago, to the day, I photographed this peony on my way to work. She was in the yard where all the white roses would eventually bloom along the white picket fence. She appears to be moonlit, therefore, the title. And if you know me at all, I adore the moon. 

This year the peonies are still in the "marble" stage. Mine won't be blooming for a while yet. I'm glad I had a photo to satisfy my longings for today's effort.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
Carolkeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

Blue Bonnet

"Blue Bonnet"
7" x 5"
Oil on hardboard
I did this quick study of a Blue Bonnet while I was waiting for a large toned canvas to dry. The structure of this kind of flower is not what I normally paint, but since I got to see it in person, I thought I'd document it for posterity.   

The canvas I toned is for a peony painting. I'm starting  a 24"x24" inch pink one.  It should be fun to paint — a month before we'll even see one in bloom.  I'm thankful I've taken lots of good photos.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
Carolkeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com


Texas Blue Bonnets

"Texas Blue Bonnets"
5" x 5"
Oil on hardboard
This afternoon, despite the cold weather, and being in want of a diversion, I made my first trip of the year to the Botanic Gardens. I took 246 photos and some of them were of … yup, Texas Blue Bonnets.  I never expected to see them with my own eyes, nor to smell them or touch them, but there they were on this, the 17th of May.  Who knew they could grow in Illinois?  Or would even … want to. They smelled faintly like my childhood memory of cattle silage. Oh, the memories those blue flowers dredged up when I inhaled.  I'll look for them every year now that I know they'll come to my zip code.   

 I usually take about three hundred photos during a two hour excursion, so today was a light day. But there wasn't that much TO photograph for a girl who likes to paint whorled flowers. Although, the ranunculus were fabulous. They just have way too many petals.  There are, however, about 100,000 springtime flowers in bloom right now — worth the membership.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
Carolkeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com


Sunshine and Shadow

"Sunshine and Shadow"
12" x 12"
Oil on wrapped canvas
Something cast a shadow across the petals of the yellow rose the morning I went to the Botanic Gardens to shoot subject matter. I didn't realize it until I got home and imported the images from my camera. I would have found the culprit and moved it, had I noticed while I was there. As it stands, the shadow gives this pretty little bloom somewhat of a tattoo. 

Carol 

All Accounted For

"All Accounted For"
5" x 7"
Oil on hardboard
When I checked, I could see every one of the colors of the rainbow in that night's sky. Roy G. Biv was present and accounted for over the hills with a river between them. 

 This was a fun series to do, these past seven paintings. I did them in one day in order to be able to post while I did a little traveling.  I'm back now, and working on something entirely different.  You'll see…

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

Come Home

"Come Home"
5" x 7"
Oil on hardboard
There are places without houses that feel like home. Where comfort comes easily, thoughts never roil or distort. This place is one of them, and tonight I found comfort in painting this place that beckons … come home. 

Here's my favorite Colorado pond again. It brings me such comfort and joy.

Love,
Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com