Flowers for Bessy

Good Morning!

Last night was a bit of a late night but it was well worth it! I finished my Holstein painting, Bessy! I will probably give the painting an alternate title when it goes on my website. It is 40" tall and 30" wide. I have painted around the sides as always. I think Bessy looks quite sweet playing in the flowers! Enjoy!

Until next time...

Beautiful sighting

Good Afternoon!

I thought I'd blog just quickly about the run I just had. I am back in running mode as it has turned fall/ winter and I have more time to head out and train. Today, I decided to go to one of my favorite places to run - one where I'm always finding inspiration to paint. Today, I decided to bring the camera. Although my legs were about to disown me due to all the stops and starts, I got some great shots of late fall. And.. I got to spend a little time with this young buck. He was very patient with me and let me take his picture. I moved on soon after as to not disturb his lunch anymore! I also got to run a short ways with a squirrel and his nut - he wasn't up to sharing his snack though! Now it's back to work!

Until next time...

Farm Sky, take 2

Good morning!

Yesterday seemed to be a very good day for getting important things completed. I hope today turns out the same way. Today I need to write my monthly Taylor Times. Welcome to you if you are coming from there! I am also working on Bessy today before the paints I've mixed become too sticky! I have finished the trees behind her - now I just have the grass and flowers around her. I have finished the sky for the Minnesota farm we've started following. I actually like this sky better so I think the change of thought was a good thing! Tomorrow it should be dry enough for building under paintings. Can't wait - I haven't painted a building in a while... it'll be a nice new challenge!

Until next time...

Series Finished

Good Morning!

Last night, while we were awaiting the announcement of our new president elect, I painted on the last of my 8x10 series. Here is a peak at how they look. I am particularly excited about the lake piece in the top corner. I look forward to working on a larger lake painting in the near future. I am sure we will follow it when it happens. Right now, I have to concentrate on the Minnesota farm and finish Bessy.

Until next time...

Time for Trees

Hello!

Happy Election Day - I hope you've had a chance to go vote! Meanwhile, I am painting trees! Here are three of my 8x10 series finished. I was in an evergreen mode so I finished all of those. I have three more to finish in that series and it looks as though the purple is dry enough to work on some foliage on Bessy in the near future. Today is a busy day with other things interrupting but I'm attempting to sneak in a little painting anyway!

By the way, one of my most loyal readers went into foot surgery today - Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!

Until next time...

Mooo!

Good Morning!

I have a wonderful progress shot of Bessy. I finished her body last night and was able to place the trees and shrubs around her. I think she is just beautiful!! Today, my plans include finishing a couple of my 8x10 series and working on the Minnesota Farm sky. It seems we would like more sky and grass in our farm scene so we are flipping the piece to be 20" high and 16" wide to achieve that goal. I will use my first sky for another scene of my liking!!

Until next time...

Sweet Face

A quick note to say hello and show off the beautiful face of Miss Bessy. I am working on her body now. More tomorrow!

Until next time...

Weekend

Hello!

What a nice weekend I've had so far. Friday evening I left you with a pallet for Bessy just before our little Halloween party. It wasn't anything fancy but we baked and decorated halloween sugar cookies and carved jack-o-lanterns. The picture about is our Jacks in the dark. Mine is the one on the right. That was a lot of fun. Yesterday, I cleaned up from that party and then got ready to have a tiny sewing party with my mother. She and I love to quilt and lately we've been able to get together and do a bit of sewing. I have often wondered what my landscapes would look like quilted so I started a sky. The other picture is my sky so far in fabric. The next time we get together, I will add some clouds. I think the layering system may work for fabric too! Now, I've cleaned up from that and I'm back to painting. I should have a nice image of the painting progress on Bessy by this evening.

Until next time...

Happy Halloween

Hello and Boo!

Before I relax in an evening of Pumpkin carving and cookie baking, I thought I might actually get a little bit of work done in the studio! So, ever wondered what colors make up a Holstein? When I'm painting a Holstein I mix the colors seen above. And you thought they were just black and white!! I'm not sure if I'll use all those colors but I think most of them have potential to work their way into my Bessy to help her come to life. I will, of course, keep you updated!!

Until next time...

Farm Sky

Hello!

As the purple shadows dry for the 8x10 series, I have been scheming for the other paintings we are following. Above is the under painting and final sky for my farm commission. It will be named Minnesota Farm because that is where the farm is located. I kept the sky fairly quiet with a little less contrast than usual for me. I know the house and the barns are the main characters and they should have the most drama. I want the sky to play a nice role in the painting but I need it to stay in the background this time. It is really growing on me though...

I have some sky colors left over and if you follow my blogs you know what that means! I can't waste it - so get ready for a new series of skies. I actually have an under painting started that we saw a LONG time ago. It is the one that never dried. Well, sit it in the corner long enough and it will finally dry! I think I'll get it back out and try a final sky on it with my left over colors. Then we'll go from there. You never quite know what will happen next in the Taylor studio!

Until next time...

Paint!

Hello!

I am excited to say, I've been painting!! Here are the shadows for my 8x10 collection. I shuffled through some new pictures I had printed and got some fresh scenes. I am experimenting with a pond in one of them and a couple different tree lines in others. I have painted two with round bails. They are quite popular around here - I personally like to paint them - they have great texture. Next up, a sky for the farm scene. Also, Bessy has been begging for some more paint!!

Until next time...

Landscape Portrait

Good morning!

How nice to be blogging again! Today, I believe, is a great day in the studio with limited interruptions. Actually, I have to stop saying that - because something always comes up that makes me a lier!! Anyway, if that is the case, shadows finally go on my skies and Bessy finally comes to life!

The last few days I have been working on a couple commissions that have come my way. I finished another large basket for a wedding gift. I also started a landscape portrait commission. Landscape portraits are paintings of specific land or buildings that are very special to the person buying the painting. Above you see I am in the drawing stage for this portrait. This is presently a very old farm that has experienced some changes over the years. My patron would like it as she remembers it growing up. She took some pictures of the land presently and researched some pictures of how it used to be and here is the composition she needs to approve before I start painting. It is three drawings put together on the computer. I will probably start on her sky since I know that won't change and then add the buildings later. I think we'll follow this piece too. I think it will be different and special. Okay, now I'm off for a run and I should be back later today with some paint to show you!!

Until next time...

Final Skies

Hello! It is funny how a week that looked totally open and full of painting opportunities ended up so very full of other things!! I did get a chance to finished the skies I started earlier in the week though. You see them above. I actually found another started sky that needed details so I added it to the group. Next up, shadows! Today I get to visit my mom and sew some so that will be really nice. I haven't sewed in quite a while! Tomorrow is scheduled as a studio day though so I hope to even work on Bessy some! That would be fabulous!

Until next time...

New Skies

Hello!

I am in the middle of a big data entry project and as I continue to type, I need little brain breaks. So, instead of constantly getting interrupted on "Bessy" (my husband come home and named my Holstein Bessy!), I started some small skies that I welcome interruptions on! These are all 8x10's which is a popular size for both me and my patrons. I am imagining trees and round bails on a few of these and there are a couple mystery paintings. We'll just wait and see how I'm inspired for them! These are the ugly under paintings for the skies. Final skies coming right up!

Until next time...

Another peak

Hi!

This is the last look for the evening. I may work a little more on her but I have to get rested and ready for the half marathon my sister and I will be walking tomorrow morning. It starts early so I'd better not stay up all night painting!!

Until next time...