Larger Than Life

"Larger Than Life"
18" x 24"
Oil on wrapped canvas


Although the bloom on this sun-lit rose faded unexpectedly, it remains imprinted on my heart—always will. It was a rose I chose from a garden full of them, a special one that delighted and amazed me. A beloved rose. 



I painted this large piece in an afternoon—alla prima—in one sitting.  I felt compelled to capture the essence of it before anything changed, as it was painted from life. 

Carol



Toned

"Toned"
20" x 20"
Oil on wrapped canvas



"Toned "is hardly a romantic, floral title, but it's all I thought about while I was painting her. I toned my canvas with burnt umber and set out to paint a white rose. But the umber kept bleeding through, even though I coated and wiped it off yesterday!  This white rose has an overall color that I can't describe, or I would have titled it differently. 
 
I'll post her this way, but I may tweak her with glazes of other colors if I absolutely can't tolerate her when she's completely dry.  

And you thought I knew what I was doing.  Ha!  
Carol  

Last Rose

"Morning Rose"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard
The humidity was dense, everything was wilting in the heat during Indian Summer that year. She was one of the last ones on the bush, a survivor, and obviously the last rose of summer. 

This was another fifteen minute painting done for the pure joy of putting paint on a square of hardboard. Sometimes I like to fly through a piece, other times I like to paint meticulously.

Thanks for looking.
Carol

Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com
My DPW Gallery
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Awakening

"Awakening"
20" x 16"
Oil on wrapped canvas






















Her parts squeaked one against another as yesterday's dense bud split into a profusion of delicate petals.  Fragrance befitting royalty filled the air the morning of her... Awakening.

This is my large version of "Chasity" that I posted on Wednesday.  I cocked her head differently and left the blue sky reflections on my palette. This is the more accurate rendering of the photo I took at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. And I painted it entirely with sponges! I had been yearning to use them again.

Thank you for taking the time to look in on me today.
Carol

Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com
My DPW Gallery
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Chastity

"Chastity"
6"x 6"
Oil on hardboard
Chastity is new in the bed.  Fresh as the morning.  Innocence exudes from every scented petal.  Come.  Inhale her.  Delight in her youth.


One virgin rose
white 'stead of red
Extends to him
her maiden's head. 
--Anonymous--

This quick sketch of Chastity whetted my appetite for this bloom. I want to paint her large with more pink.  I'd like to make her at least two feet by two feet.

Thank you for peeking in to see her.
Carol

Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com
My DPW Gallery
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

White Magic

"White Magic"
12" x 12"
Oil on wrapped canvas
She was like many of the others in the bed, white and full blown, but this magical beauty was the only one with her head cocked to the right. You can tell, can't you? Well, I could, and it made the difference in how the morning light washed over her petals that August morning.  


This is the companion to "A Single Rose" that I posted on Friday. "White Magic" was as much fun to paint as the pink rose, yet the process was challenging enough to delight me.

Thank you for visiting my blog today.
Carol

Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com
My DPW Gallery
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Fence Rose

"Fence Rose"
12" x 12"
Oil on wrapped canvas
The Fence Rose stretched and pursed her pouty lips as she bathed in morning's shower of light.   


This is a late-in-the-season cousin of Picket Fence Rose—smaller, but just as robust in her gestures.  The cool blue in  her shadows complements the blush of her rosy lips.

This painting can be found on my gallery page of Dailypaintworks where it is also for purchase.  Have you clicked and gone there?  Go ahead.  It's neat to see one hundred of my paintings at a time.  I rearrange them every so often, too.  Go ahead, it doesn't cost a thing, or sign you up for anything, either.

Carol

Joe's Coat Rose

"Joe's Coat Rose"
24" x 36"
Oil on wrapped canvas
Back when "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" was performing in Chicago, some Keene cousins were production carpenters and electricians. They referred to it as "Joe's Coat."  Since this white rose is everything BUT, I gave it, what seemed, an appropriate title.  

"Joe's Coat" was executed with a half dozen sponges loaded in a variety of cool reds. Then warmed in the end with some cadmium yellows and oranges.  

This painting is listed with, and for sale through a Daily Paintworks auction.  Check out my gallery on that site. 

Thank you for visiting.
Carol 

Morning Rose

Morning Rose
30" x 40"
Oil on wrapped canvas
During a rare morning walk through the Chicago Botanic Gardens I discovered sunlight having its way with this rose. She blushed at being discovered, but posed, nonetheless. 

Here's where my style of sponge painting began! This white flower had so many colors in it, I had to figure out a way to paint the petals, yet maintain a believable white. Being self-taught, I was not limited by someone else's ideas, so I sliced off the end of my husband's car wash sponge and swirled a breath of color onto dry titanium white. I repeated the process with yellows and reds and blues until she looked like this!  She sold immediately.