Winter Green - Small Floral Still Life Painting

Winter Green

5 x 7 inches

acrylic on archival canvas panel

A little break from my Fun-a-Day paintings.....I painted this piece at an indoors "Paint-In" at Nunan Florist and Greenhouse. Ir was a lot of fun - so much good material to choose from. And nice not to be outdoors here in the Winter. It was interesting also because with 100% humidity inside the gerenhouse, my paint wouldn't dry! Kind of an interesting dilemna for an acrylic painter!!

From the Grey - Small Acylic Painting ACEO Purple Iris

From the Grey

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches 

acrylic on watercolor paper

Click to Buy

I haven't done many of these little ACEO-size pieces for a while. I am considering doing a few for upcoming shows. This was painting on a very grey day when I desperately needed a little spring bloom. And irises always make things better.....

Johnson's Farm - Small ACEO Painting of Raspberries

Johnson's Farm

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

SOLD

Well, since I had the blueberries and strawberries going, I had to add some raspberries. This one sold as soon as I got it into the frame  ;-)
I enjoy doing these little botanical pieces....maybe a few more in the future? What do you think?

By the way, the title is kind of an obscure reference to Prince's "Raspberry Beret". I couldn't resist!

It's All Right - Small Sunflower Painting Original Acrylic Small Format Art

It's All Right

4 x 4 inches

acrylic on gessobord panel

One more little floral for the Newburyport Art Association gift shop. And yes, I was thinking of the Beatles "Here Comes the Sun" the whole time I was working on this:

"Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
It's all right, It's all right"

Classic Colors - Small Floral Painting Original Iris Art by Debbie Shirley

Classic Colors

4 x 4 inches

acrylic on gessobord panel

A little break from the larger commission I am working on for two little florals for the gift shop at the Newburyport Art Association. Of course I am starting out my spring florals with my favorite flower of all - the iris. So beautiful - and  they always remind me of my grandmother's garden....

I was looking at purple Benjamin Moore room paints recently - there is one called "Spring Iris". But what  made me laugh is that one of the purples was named "snugglepuss"! Who comes up with this stuff??

Summer Sweetness - Original ACEO Painting Botanical Art Strawberry Still Life

Summer Sweetness

2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

The companion to the blueberries! I'd love to do some raspberries, too, but I'm not sure I have the time at the moment. I have plans to do a few flowers in this kind of format also - on watercolor paper with the background left plain - maybe a little larger on 4 x 6 paper. Now I just need some flowers to  bloom so that I have something to work with.....

This piece will be available at West Village Provisions in West Boxford, Massachusetts - where I will be painting live on Friday, May 16, 2014 as part of their anniversary celebration.

Day 17 - Two Small Blueberry Paintings

Wild Blueberries 1

2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

Wild Blueberries 2

2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

Not one, but TWO paintings for Day 17. These botanicals are small and relatively quick. I wanted to have a few for the upcoming Boxford Apple Festival. I'm thinking about making a few sets of these in mats (think one blueberry painting, one strawberry, one raspberry, etc.) available for purchase around the holidays. What do you think?

The Apple Festival is this Saturday, September 21st. Hope you can drop by if you are near Boxford, Massachusetts!

Sunny Day - Small Sunflower Painting SOLD

Sunny Day

4 x 3 inches

acrylic on 3/4" canvas
SOLD

Finally back in town! I hope everyone had a great Fourth.
I had a wonderful week with family.

Now it is back to the grind - and so much to catch up on! Just this little one for tonight, I didn't want to let another day pass without posting, but I hope to get all caught up soon.....

Sunny Day will be available at West Village Provisions in West Boxford at the end of this week.

Spring Greeting - Small Floral Painting ACEO SOLD

Spring Greeting

2-1/2 x 3-1/2  inches

acrylic on watercolor paper
SOLD

Some daffodils for spring......now available at West Village Provisions, West Boxford, Massachusetts.

And a very Happy Mother's Day to all!

One Heart - Floral Still Life Painting of Pink Rose

One Heart

12 x 12 inches

acrylic on canvas

Can't believe it has been a week since my last post!
I've been working on the piece above -  a little bit larger than usual for me. And we spent a long weekend away at Cape Cod with the kids. We came home while the horrible events were unfolding in Boston. My thoughts and prayers continue to go out to everyone involved. I've kind of been floundering since then....the kids have the week off on break from school, and I am alternating between not wanting to let them out of my sight and needing some quiet time alone to process things. Anyhow, I think I need to get back to work and keep busy at this point....

This 12 x 12 piece is part of my "wallflower" series - and will be going up to Pop Gallery in Gloucester, Massachusetts very soon. Here is quick shot of the six 6x6" pieces that I have so far to go with it:

Hope to have more to post soon!

Flame Thrower - Small Floral Still Life Painting

Flame Thrower

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on 1-1/2" canvas

Trying to sneak in a few more for my Wall Flower Series so I can deliver them to Pop Gallery next week. This one with the crazy petals gave me the fits! I figure at this point I just need to finish it, so I can move on.....

I hear that warmer weather is on its way (finally!). I am looking forward to getting out to do some plein air painting. I think I need to find a way to schedule myself so that I make sure that I get out there in the field - last year I just kept finding I was too busy and had too many things to do, and only made it out a handful of times. I need to get a lot of practice - I'd love to see my landscape work improve. I wish I could find someone local to paint outdoors with - I think it would really help with the motivation!

Sign of Spring - ACEO Floral Still Life Painting of Purple Crocuses SOLD

Sign of Spring

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches (ACEO size)

acrylic on watercolor paper
SOLD

Yes, I know I am supposed to be working on something else! But I am getting sooooo eager to see some signs of Spring around here. I can't wait to see the crocuses - and since Mother Nature is not cooperating (my yard is still covered in snow) I thought I'd take matters into my own hands....

Nature's Offering - Small Floral Painting of a Purple Iris

Nature's Offering

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on gessobord panel

This floral painting of a purple iris (my favorite flower!) will be offered at a silent auction at the Union Congregational Church in North Reading, Massachusetts on April 7th. A special group of people (mostly teenagers!) are raising money to sponsor their trip to spend a week working for Habitat for Humanity. More information is available on the church's website.

Pocketful of Sunshine - Small Acrylic Floral Sunflower Painting

Pocketful of Sunshine

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on 1-1/2" gallery wrapped canvas

I always love the sunflowers! Today was gray with rain and snow, but the thought of sunflowers has me hopeful for warmer days ahead.....

A view on my easel:

I need to take a picture of these "Wall Flowers" together - so colorful and cheerful! A few more to go, and then they will go off to Pop Gallery in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

You'll Think of Me - Small Floral Still Life Painting

You'll Think of Me

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on 1-1/2" gallery wrapped canvas

Another flower on the boxy gallery wrapped canvases - really love the way they sit out from the wall. I think I will call these my "Wall Flower" series  ;-) They will be going to Pop Gallery in Gloucester, Massachusetts in a few weeks.

(from a slight angle on my easel)

I love irises - I so look forward to seeing them bloom each spring, definitely my favorites. I have a bunch of these purple Japanese irises in my yard that I transplanted from my Grandmother's garden more than twenty years ago and have moved with me twice. And my Grandmother had originally transplanted them from her mother-in-law's garden many, many years ago - so they have quite the history!

Painting time is scarce this week - the kids are out of school for February break, so these flowers are coming along more slowly than planned. I am also sitting here looking at a pile of show applications and exhibition prospectuses. Eeek! Time for me to go through them and make some commitments - always a scary thing for me to do. Anyways I will update my schedule soon with lots of exciting stuff coming up.....

Looking for You - New Small Floral Painting

Looking for You

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on 1-1/2" canvas

Finishing up another floral tonight on these wonderful 1-1/2" canvases. Love the way they pop from the wall - I hoping with some colorful florals they will be really eye-catching! Here is one on my easel so  you can see how thick they are:

This group of flowers will be going to Pop Gallery in Gloucester, Massachusetts in the next few weeks. Here's to hoping for an early spring......

IN her Shadow - Small Floral Painting

In Her Shadow

3x5 inches

acrylic on canvas

I couldn't leave the daisies alone! I still want to do a large one....but I think that will have to wait awhile.....

This little one is currently available at West Village Provisions in West Boxford, MA.

In the Midst - Small Painting of Flowers SOLD

In the Midst

5 x 3 inches

acrylic on canvas
SOLD

Still enjoying the little canvases.
I'm wondering if I should take some time after I finish some work for some upcoming exhibitions to do a bunch of these little guys for holiday shows. Hmmm.

When I was working on this one, all I kept thinking is that I would love to do this same piece REAAAAALLLLLLY  BIG - so the viewer would feel like they truly were in the middle of the bunch of flowers. I've been getting the itch lately to do some big work - unfortunately that is not going to happen with my current set up in the very corner of my kids' playroom  ;-(    Someday I will have the space to work large.... but for now I guess I will stick with little.....

Little Firecracker - Small Painting of Bright Orange Flower

Little Firecracker

4x3 inches

acrylic on canvas

So this is where I say something about "the explosive new painting", right?!
(Sorry, I couldn't resist!) I kept thinking of fireworks while I was painting this and the name "Firecracker" just stuck in my head, so there you go. It's funny how some paintings just name themselves, while others I struggle over. When I am stuck, I find I get my best ideas in the shower  ;-)

Available at West Village Provisions later this week.

Crowd Control - Small Autumn Painting Still Life of Gourds SOLD

Crowd Control

4x4 inches

acrylic on canvas
SOLD

I'm having fun with these little canvas paintings! They are definitely a welcome break from some of my other work...and they look really cute hung together in groups  ;-)

I seem to do a number of gourd paintings every year. Gourds are so interesting with their different colors and textures and shapes - just keep me wanting to paint "just one more".....

This little piece will be at West Village Provisions later this week.

For anyone following my local events - I've started to update the list on the right side of my blog - still a few more events to add, but lots of places to see my work locally this holiday season!