Are these all individual paintings?....No - learning all the time....

 I really had fun working with these colors...lime green, violets, purples, peaches, oranges, and reds. I painted the image of the flowers in the vase beginning in the center of the canvas. I didn't like it...but didn't know why. As I was taking photos - I realized that an image can look good even if  half or more is not completely displayed on the canvas.

 I also learned that I could paint a series of this flower and vase using these photo images as ideas for other paintings and that is what I am going to do.  I so enjoyed working with these colors - I could keep painting with them for awhile. I also have really enjoyed blending the paint colors.  

Can you see how I even blended a little of the lime green around the edges. Note the texture. I painted some modeling compound on the canvas before I put any colors on. I like to build texture...I am loving this learning process.

More Flowers...

 I had already started another flower painting and needed to finish this up. After that last project of pastel colors, peach, turquoise, and violet, and I had to delve into some bold orange, read and pink bold colors.

 A few more close up photos. I have got to have texture in my paintings. This was the first time I used modeling paste and black gesso on the canvas before I put in paint colors on it.   

 After the paste and gesso dried, I dribbled paint on the surface adding another layer of texture. After all that had dried, then I began using paint.

Painting more flowers

 Here is another flower painting I have been working on. I am getting restless for a different subject matter, although flowers will always be something fun to paint.   

I am just going to keep practicing every chance I get. It is relaxing and fun to learn about a different medium other than glass.

Two Private Commissions Completed....

 This Red Cross is heading to California. It is 21 inches tall and 15 inches wide. The customer really liked one of the red crosses I had made for The Walden Gallery, in Taos, New Mexico. (It has sold already).....but he also had some special requests. Being a religious and spiritual man, one of his hobbies is collecting crosses. He wanted me to consider incorporating them into the design. I said 'sure". He also had some antique nails that he wanted to add if possible.  

 Red glass is the most expensive color to buy. I purchased two kinds of red glass with two different subtle textures. I built up the center with broken plates that had colors of brown tan, black and gold. I decided to hang each small cross in the design so they would dangle freely on the design. Can you see the trinity cross in the center in the photo above?

 In these images, you can see the tiny silver cross dangling from a red glass gem at the top of the cross and another small silver cross dangling from the bottom of the cross.  I added antique nails up the center of the cross and out on the sides. They were rusted with age and I loved working with them.

The broken pieces of glass came from Shawnee, Ok. Hannibal, Mo. and from a big red broken glass lamp purchased in Redding, California.

 This is the second Red Cross I made for a customer here in Oklahoma. She liked the same cross that sold at The Walden Gallery. She liked lots of red, so I took it easy on adding much tan, (only in center and for accent at the bottom). Then I used red textured spectrum glass throughout, but added a touch of a darker red down the center of the cross and out to the sides.

 When it hangs in the natural light, all you see is red.

Here is the Red Cross hanging from a wall inside my home. It looks totally different and is very dramatic. It is 19 inches tall and 15 inches wide. Both crosses were made with two ways to display. There is a wire attachment in the back to hang on a wall and another hook at the top, so you can hang it in a window.

 

This is a close up photo of the center of the first red cross. I wanted you to see how the cross hangs in the center of the design.

 I enjoy private commissions and look forward to the collaborations between artist and customer.