Sunbeams Above

"Sunbeams Above"
5" x 5"
Oil on hardboard
A wayward little cloud drifted in front of the sun that evening, and did me the favor of shielding my eyes as I drove. The resulting sunbeams reminded me of my Sunday School days when Jesus wanted me for a sunbeam. Do you know that song?  

I hit my studio running this morning and painted a few skies. You'll be seeing them over the course of the next few days while I work on something larger.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
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Yellow Rose

"Yellow Rose"
16" x 12"
Pastel on black canvas



















"She's the sweetest little rosebud 
That Texas ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds,
They sparkle like the dew;
You may talk about your Clementine,
And sing of Rosalee,
But the Yellow Rose of Texas 
Is the only girl for me."

I noticed that many of my cohorts are painting roses this time of year. I wonder what that's about?

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
Dailypaintworks.com
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A Prickly Pear View

"A Prickly Pear View"
6" x 8"
Pastel on black canvas
I love the shape and texture of prickly pear cacti. They're so round and bristly and surprisingly moist inside. Some people eat them. And they come in such an interesting array of colors. I don't know in what season they turn to shades of mauve and greyed greens, but those are my favourites. 

I'd like to do this one in a larger format. At least the plant part of it. Okay, I admit it, I keep painting small panels black, because I'm afraid to expand to the larger format. Will I be able to make a large painting with these same marks?  Gulp.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
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"Dusty Field"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard
It was evening over the dusty prairie, late in the autumn. Particles of sand blurred the sky, but made for a resplendent sunset. 

I begin every sky in the upper left hand corner. The colors are usually whatever I've been using on a larger painting, not yet ready to post. This is one of from a yet to be seen piece.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
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Recurring Eucalyptus

"Recurring Eucalyptus"
16" x 12"
Oil on canvas panel




















Here's the eucalyptus tree again, this time without the distraction of the left side closeup trees.  I've drawn it in pencil, in pastel and now oil, with subtle differences in each rendition. 

Seldom do I repaint a subject so soon after I've posted it, but these trees intrigued me. A point of interest is that the foreground is a brushstroke akin to the ones I use with my pastels. It just began happening, so I let it. The middle ground where the focal point is is more detailed.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
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Meandering Into the Sunset

"Meandering Into the Sunset"
8" x 10"
Pastel on black hardboard 
If I had been on a horse that evening, I would have ridden to that point on my painting where the water reaches the tree line. I would have made it there before night consumed every last bit of color, and back again.  Or not. 

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
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Some of Them

"Some of Them" 
I participated in Leslie Saeta's Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days Challenge for the month of January and here are some of the pieces that were included in the month.

Actually, some are from other months, but they ended up in this collage for some reason. I wasn't about to disagree with my computer and the program she provided. . . which, by the way is PicMonkey. Fun and easy to use.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
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