Catching up

Rasha, commission, 16x16 oil on canvas

This is one big doggie! Its a Leonberger.   It's head is bigger than my dog.  I am always happy to receive requests for pet portraits & unusual breeds are even more fun..

Wow. I crashed the 30 in 30 after six, then got cracking on this portrait commission. I plan to be painting once we arrive in Florida later this week. The big snow storm really threw a wrench in our travel plans. We are gonna give KY & TN an extra day to clear I-75 & hit the road Monday instead of tomorrow. Here's a video from a band stuck on the road: 

I am grateful that Cincinnati was spared with barely an inch of snow.  Lucky us. Now I'm dreaming of rum drinks and Jimmy Buffet songs.

Gosh, I should call this the "Lots of Links" post!

Stay tuned for more paintings. If you are interested in commissioning a pet portrait, see http://marioncorbinmayer.weebly.com/pet-portrait-commissions.html for details.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

6 of 30 - Birds of a Feather

Birds of a Feather, 6x6" oil on panel
6 of 30

Still running one behind.  I spent today planning a pastel to start tomorrow in class so thought, what the heck, why not do a sunset?  I have been saving the reference image for a while now, I just loved the bird shapes. This time I played around with a palette knife and cold wax medium. It was really fun.

I have also signed up for an online workshop with Dreama Tolle Perry.  It looks like it's gonna be a blast. You can find out more here. There's a private Facebook group & for one of the fun ideas we are posting a "mug" shot. Here's mine:

Stay tuned for more paintings. If you are interested in commissioning a pet portrait, see http://marioncorbinmayer.weebly.com/pet-portrait-commissions.html for details.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

5 of 30 - Cujo, 6x6", Oil on Panel

Cujo, 6x6" oil on panel
5 of 30

My goodness, Pomeranians are fluffy! Cujo is part of the family of Koda, so I co-ordinated the background. Since these are gifts to sisters I kept the size consistant. Yes, I had a struggle to get those eyes right. On a 6x6 the eyes are tiny!

Cujo as a youngster

How I cropped it for the painting

here's the painting in the panel holder

My painting space. I use a glass palette for mixing and a stay-wet palette container to keep my paints fresh in the freezer.

I am blessed to share a 1400 sq ft studio (25x40 ft) with a friend. My painting area is approximately 15x15'.  We have an area to teach classes & a gallery area. We are in an old sewing factory that has been subdivided into 100 or so studios. Its a great spot to be creative!

Stay tuned for more paintings. If you are interested in commissioning a pet portrait, see http://marioncorbinmayer.weebly.com/pet-portrait-commissions.html for details.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

4 of 30 "Koda Jean"

Koda Jean, 6x6" Oil on Panel
4 of 30

I learned a valuable lesson with this painting. 6x6" is just too darn small! I thought I would never get those eyes right! Koda's light buff coloring was a challenge as well.  Face it, painting is a freakin challenge!

Today was an exercise in procrastination. I got to my studio at 9:30 am & didn't start painting until after two.  Wasn't really doing much of anything, just reading and futzing around.  I even went home for lunch! If I wasn't participating in this challenge I may not have painted at all.  I am grateful I finally settled down with my paints and got busy.

I am enjoying my new "Lori Putnam" set of Rosemary Brushes (click to see)  They really are different. More flexible. Of course, using a larger surface would also help...

Stay tuned for more paintings. If you are interested in commissioning a pet portrait, see http://marioncorbinmayer.weebly.com/pet-portrait-commissions.html for details.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

3 of 30 - Back to Oils - Ginny's View

Ginny's View, 8x8 Oil on Panel
3 of 30

Today I was inspired by an image sent to me by my friend, Ginny Roush McKinney.  Ginny lives in a 30 ft. RV along the Ohio River (unless she's on the road.)  Her blog posts can be found at www.facebook.com/marshmallowranch where she shares her journey.  She started out blogging about her jewelry business but content shifted dramatically when her husband (Mr. Virgo) died suddenly.  Now she blog about dealing with the process of living into widowhood and beyond.

Ginny & I went to Parkersburg High School (class of '71) We are looking towards a 45th reunion in 2016.  Both of us are grateful to be alive and reasonably well, as so many of our classmates have left this earth already.

Anyway, when I sent out my call for submission on Facebook, Ginny responded with this image.

Transparent underpainting

Opaque layering

I am using a panel holder create by Leslie Saeta. It works like a charm to keep small panels steady.

Stay tuned for more paintings. If you are interested in commissioning a pet portrait, see http://marioncorbinmayer.weebly.com/pet-portrait-commissions.html for details.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

2 of 30 - branching into pastels

Abby, phase 1
14x11, pastel on Ampersand board

Today I decided to play with my pastels. What I discovered is, I am way better at doing dog portraits in oil.  *sigh*  I will continue to mess with this one. I think the eyes need to be larger and the right eye should be higher.  It's a learning curve, for sure. This little dog is relentlessly enthusiastic and has a magical coat.  When groomed the apricot disappears, yet reappears once the hair gets longer.  How can that be?  I think she's a small doodle of some sort. She sure is cute!

reference image

work in place on my Heilman box easel

I do love working in pastel, usually doing landscapes. I need more fur practice, fur sure!

Stay tuned for more paintings. If you are interested in commissioning a pet portrait, see http://marioncorbinmayer.weebly.com/pet-portrait-commissions.html for details.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

1 of 30, And so it begins again...

Technicolor Puppy, 8x8" oil on panel, SOLD!

Ah the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge. I got a jump start yesterday so I am taking it easy today & taking down the holiday decorations. We finally have some sun after a week of rain & gloom.  So nice to start 2016 with a beautiful day.

I have had this painting drawn out on a panel for over six months.  This seemed the perfect time to dash it out. Polly is a black and white tiny dog with a BIG personality, so jazzing up the color palette seemed logical.  She's really not pthalo blue or purple, but just black is so 2015...

Source image

Transparent underpainting

Starting the opaque layers

Ta Dah!

I will probably adjust the eyes a bit more.  I've been told they are a darker shade of brown.  Her family loves the painting, so that means it must be done!

I also used my time in the studio to defrost the freezer. It had accumulated two years of ice.  It took quite a while to make a dent in the ice berg, but it's transformed now. I mostly use it to store my oil paints between sessions.  It really helps keep the paint soft and usable.  I hate to throw away my paint piles!

I was blessed with commissions for Christmas and really enjoyed creating these paintings:

Buddies

Mackey

Jody

Sail Away!

Max & Petie

Stay tuned for more paintings. If you are interested in commissioning a pet portrait, see http://marioncorbinmayer.weebly.com/pet-portrait-commissions.html for details.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

Peaceful Beauty: - hanging a show with a friend!

Art for show card, featuring Lisa's work on the left & mine on the right

Peaceful Beauty: Paintings by Marion Corbin Mayer & Lisa Molyneux

St. John's UU Church, 320 Resor Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45220

November 1-December 31, 2016

Artists' Reception November 21, 5-7 pm

I have been really busy prepping to hang a show with my friend, Lisa Molyneux (www.LisaMolyneux.org).  We hang on October 29.  It's raining today so we put it off until Thursday.  I am really excited. This will be my third show at St. John's, where I have been a member since 1976 (!) It's a great venue for showing paintings and I am excited to be sharing it with Lisa.  It's nice to be taking 22 new paintings to hang. Anything we decide doesn't fit will head back to my studio for the Holiday art walks.

Essex Studios - the building where my studio is located - will be hosting Holiday Art Walks in both November & December. Since most of my new work will be at St. John's I will just have to keep painting away to generate more.  See www.essexstudios.com for more info.  These art walks are the perfect way to find unique holiday gifts & decor.

I am also working on several pet portrait commissions and getting ready for a workshop with Stanka Kordick Nov 7 & 8. Whew!

Here are some images of work that will be available at St. Johns and my studio:

On the Terrace

Lavender Field

Indiana Barn #1

Moonrise

Olympic View

Sweet Peas

Three for the Road

I will also be offering  a limited number of 2016 calendars. Stay tuned for pre-ordering instructions

It's an exciting time to be alive and painting....

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

Sea View - 7 of 30

Sea View, 10x10" Pastel on acrylic under painting
7 of 30

 I chose to enliven an existing acrylic painting for this day's work.  I had done this earlier on gessoed arches watercolor paper and was not happy with the results. It seemed flat & dead, not the effect I was going for.  Once again, dipping into my pastel collection I set to work.

The broad strokes of toned gesso provided enough texture for the pastels to stick to the paper nicely. I do plan to add a spray or two of Sennelier fixative before framing this.  I am thinking about the beach especially this week because in years past we went to Tybee Island, Georgia, for several days before dropping our daughter off for another year at Savannah College of Art & Design. (SCAD) Alas, she graduated last May.  Actually, YAHOO! No more trips to Target to set up her apartment...

I am really pleased with how adding pastels jazzed this on up!

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

3 for the Road - 6 of 30

3 for the Road, 8x8 pastel on Wallis paper
6 of 30

I am keeping up with painting but lagging on posting the images. This piece came from my discovery of a 9x12" piece of white Wallis sanded paper in my flat file.  I had purchased a case of pears at Costco and wanted to capture the blush before they became overly ripened.  I set them on a piece of glass to capture the reflection as well.  My goal was to explore my new box of Terry Ludwig pastels  & paint loose and juicy color.

Underpainting with opposite colors

My set up - Terry Ludwigs in front, Heilman box on the right.

I will probably develop the dark background a bit more but I am happy with this.  Framing pastels is a bit more complicated than oils but I do love the immediacy of the colors.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

French Fields - 5 of 30

French Fields, Acrylic on paper

Whew! Caught up with this post. It's not enough to paint every day, I also want to photograph the painting and get it posted here and on the 30/30 site. It's fun to see all the other paintings being created. Some folks are creating big paintings each day. I tend to work small, although I do plan a couple of 12x12's before this challenge ends.

The inspiration for this painting was born in the fields of southern France. Last summer I was blessed to be able to spend a week at www.hautbaran.com, painting with Bill Farnsworth.  It was a dream come true to wander around the Quercy region of France & have time to take lots of images as well as paint.  I know I will go back to those shots again & again.  There is something hypnotic about the poppies in the fields of France, followed closely by sunflowers & lavender...

Being able to travel with my husband at this time in our lives is a huge blessing.  Our health is holding steady & we have the luxury of having the time to go. I do not take it for granted.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

Bartlett - 4 of 30

Bartlett, 3x5", acrylic on gesso board
5 of 30

I had a lot of fun with this one since I found a big box of pears at Costco for inspiration.  I took some other reference images for future paintings, then ate one!  If you look around your local art supply store you will probably see these 3x5" samples of Ampersand Gesso Board.  I really like to paint on this surface in oils and found that it worked equally well for acrylics.  I had smooshed left over paint on the surface earlier this week, then added the pear. It was interesting to play around with layering colors using Golden glazing medium. I learned my set up for acrylics from Robert Burridge. I cover the surface of the table with heavy duty plastic sheeting, then squeeze out the paints right onto the plastic.  It's way more chaotic than how I paint with oils, enabling me to loosen up more easily. I highly recommend his workshops, especially when the supplies are included...

Here's a peek at my set up.  I have my tubes of acrylic paint separated into ziplock bags by color family.  It helps manage the happy chaos.  The fluid acrylics are grouped together in a box.

Model with painting...

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

Rush Hour - 3 of 30

Rush Hour, 6x12", oil on panel

Rush Hour photo reference shot by Ginny Roush McKinney

I am keeping up with the daily painting but falling behind on the daily posting. I did upload this image to FaceBook on time though.  It seemed proper to do so since I got my reference image from my friend Ginny of Marshmallow Ranch.  She shot this in South Dakota while she was out there RVing with "Sisters on the Fly".  Ginny says this is a terrific outdoor adventure group for women & it sure sounds like she is having a blast.  She hasn't gone the tiny home route but she has traded her 4 bedroom house for a big RV & truck.  I still wonder how she gets her mail.  Ginny & I went to highschool together in Parkersburg, WV. (PHS, class of 1971)  I love reading her postings on Facebook and look forward to her visit here in Cincinnati next month.

As you can see, this is a loose interpretation of her image.  I cropped the image for a closer view & especially love how the trees turned out, as well as those darn buffalo.  One of these days I'm gonna go out there to see this for myself.I really haven't explored Mountain Time much. I usually head to the beach...

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can

Olympic View - 2 of 30

Olympic View, 7x5", Acrylic
2 of 30

Today's image is based on a shot I took at the Washington Lavender Farm in Sequim, Washington last month.  As you can see, the Olympic Mountains are "peaking" out in the distance.  This farm features breath taking views of both mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca - the route from the Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean that all the cruise ships take, whether from Seattle or Vancouver.

Once again I wanted to capture the essence of the scene & acrylics offer an immediacy of color.  It was very fun.  I like to add birds to my landscapes to allow the eye to see something breathing. This area features ravens, crows, stellar and grey jays among other wonderful wildlife.

We were lucky enough to arrive the Monday before the annual Lavender Festival. There are many, many lavender farms in this area (as well as pot farms - both medicinal & recreational marijuana is legal in Washington.)  We visited two lavender farms but alas, no dispensaries or pot farms. Legalizing marijuana has not resulted in a crime uptick but I am sure the pizza sales are up...

Sequim is in the rain shadow of the Olympic mountains and features weather similar to Provence, FR. Its a popular retirement area as well.  I hope to return and take more photos one day.

I am grateful for the many blessings of my life as it is today. 

Start where you are

Love what you have

Do what you can