Two Surfers - Painting In Process

You can tell when the ocean water starts to warm up,

all of the beach boys heed the call of the waves.

Free from wetsuits,

And cold winter wind.

The boys of summer,

 are surfing again.

Summer Surfers

Beach Babes Commission Portrait ~ In Progress

~ A Peak inside My Studio ~ 
The progress of a commissioned painting from a photograph to the finished painting on canvas.

 The original photograph

Step One: Composing the picture with a charcoal sketch on canvas

Step Two: Laying out the painting with complimentary colors.

Step Three: Painting in skin tones and color value.

Step Four: Adding shadows and highlights.

And the finished piece:
Beach Babes Painting on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Two Views:
The original photograph and finished painting side by side.

If you would like to see more of my work, click on my custom orders button.  A custom portrait makes a wonderful gift for mothers day.  Please contact me if you have any questions.

Illustration Friday - Focus

Fishing for Love
Acrylic Painting on 5" x 7" Canvas

Painting of a young woman fishing while her thoughts
are focused on the catch that really matters -
that of the dreamy young man she met last week
and whom she hopes will give her a call.

Vintage Vignettes

Fresh

Paint
Custom order
for the holidays. A
couple of old family photo's,
scanned, printed, cut, collaged,
and hand painted onto onto a painted
5" x 7" canvas board. A wonderful gift
idea that is not only a custom piece
of art work but one that will bring
back memories from childhood and
laughter shared amongst siblings.
Thank you for letting me be
a part of your special
holiday gift.
*

Original Picture


Look What I Caught!
Acrylic Painting


Original Picture


Two Beach Babes
Acrylic Painting

I also want to thank Southern Belle's Blog
for the nice feature article she posted on her blog
today. You can read a little about me and my art
by clicking here: Magic Markings Art Feature

New Paintings...From Vintage Family Photo's

After recently spending countless hours going through
my mothers cache of old photograph's, I've been inspired
to paint small vignette's of life in the 1950's and 1960's.
Here are a few 5" x 7" Acrylic Paintings on Canvas
of life in the "simpler times".

Christmas Morning 1963
My brother, in his cowboy hat holding a
toy gun. Me, in my cowgirl hat holding an
iron. :) This just cracks me up!


Coat Tails and Cocktails
My father and his brother sharing a highball.


My grandmother and her two sisters
bonding in the kitchen.

Each of these paintings are available in my shop ~
Magic Markings Art. With more to come just in time
for the holidays.
I hope you enjoyed this little vintage voyage into
my families photo album!

Women who Art - Painting Class

Week Five
And another peak into the amazing work born
by these creative souls who meet once a week to
paint, share stories, and make me laugh.


For two hours they paint...


and paint...


and share stories...


and concentrate...


and rework...

Then
At the end of class ~
Each piece of art is placed on an easel ~
and critiqued.


So everyone can view...


encourage...


praise...


analise...


and support one another.

Art Therapy for Women who Art!

Two more paintings

In between teaching, painting commission pieces,
and creating new pieces for my etsy shop ~
I'm also trying to finish a few paintings in time for the
Stockley Gardens Fall Arts Festival ~
October 17 - 18

The following two paintings are just about finished


Ducks Cottage Coffee and Book Shop
Although I hate to admit it, this painting has been "in the works"
for about a year. For some reason, the colors were driving me crazy ~
but after much layering and color change, I think it's finally just about complete.
You can read the original post, and history of Duck's cottage here:
Ducks Cottage


Starbucks
in New York City
This piece is one in my series of Starbucks Paintings.
I can't remember where in New York City this Starbucks is located,
but it's on a corner ~ by a subway~ if you know the location,
I would love the address.

If you live in ~ or close to Norfolk, Va ~
Please stop by the Arts Festival and help support the
Hope House Foundation and the exhibiting artists!

Three New Hand Painted Portraits

A Day in My Studio...

Three Different Subjects +
Two Different Painting Styles =
Artistic freedom and Creative fun.


The first commission request ~
A hand painted photo collage
of three adorable children.


5" x 7"
Hand Painted Photo on Canvas
This little piece of art is going to their Nana as a Christmas gift.


The second commissioned piece ~
A good friend and her newly adopted rescue dog.


Hand Painted Pop Art Pet Portrait
8" x 10" Acrylic on Canvas
This piece is a gift from one dog loving friend to another.


And the third commissioned request ~
To combine these separate photographs of two sisters into one
hand painted photo collage on canvas.


5" x 7"
The finished art work ~
A hand painted gift for their mother's birthday ~
from her two loving daughters.

Thank you for visiting ~ I hope you enjoyed my little art show :)

Illustration Friday - Wrapped

The Girls
Acrylic on Canvas

Like a soft blanket wrapped around my shoulders on a cold winters night,
my sisters tender embrace brings me warmth and comfort.

What can be more uplifting than memories, laughter and tears shared amongst real sisters or friends who are close enough to be considered sisters.

This image is from a painting I made for one of my sisters on her 40th birthday ~
Prints from this painting are available in my shop
~ MagicMarkingsArt.com

Illustration Friday - Impatience

A Great Red -
Where impatience cannot be tolerated.
Sip slowly
and let the elegance
and simple texture of the grapes
remind you of sunshine and cool breezes.

Simple Pleasure - A glass of Red
Acrylic on canvas
available here: www.magicmarkingsart.com

Cheers to the last few weeks of summer -
Where the days move slowly
and we savor each moment.

Beach Living and Life is Good

As a teenager, and now as an adult, I've always felt very fortunate to live near the beach. In high school our summer days were spent lying on the beach and cruising along the boardwalk. My first job, besides babysitting, was at a Dairy Queen on 19th St - right off of the boardwalk ~ easily accessible for visits from friends. Later on I worked at a Water Slide - remember those - at the south end of the beach ~ another job for which friendly visits happened frequently. My husband, who I knew ~ and went out with for a short while ~ in High School still loves to surf. In fact, it's very rare that we don't take a vacation without the surfboard. Now our teenagers are experiencing ~ and enjoying ~ this same beach lifestyle.

Recently I've been working on a series of hand painted collages on canvas which reflect the delights of summer and the ease of beach living. Here are a few more - which, if you would like more detail, are listed in my shop ~ www.magicmarkingsart.com


Biking by the Sea
5x7" Hand Painted Collage on Canvas

Summertime on the Boardwalk
5x7" Hand Painted Collage on Canvas


Morning Surf Session
5x7" Hand Painted Canvas
This painting is from a picture of my son and his two friends out enjoying a little morning surf session.

Wishing you a peaceful, creative day.

Some days it nice to have a helping hand....

Today was one of those days!
Thanks Mom and Dad!

About 15 minutes after art camp began today I received a phone call from my son - one of those phone calls that, as a parent, you hate to receive ~ "Mom, I'm OK, but I just had an accident - I was hit from behind while stopped at a red light - the other guy is fine too, but he's older so there's an ambulance coming to take him to the hospital, the police are on their way, and your car is totaled."
~ OK ~
Deep breath and a prayer of thanks that everyone is alright.
Then, of course, the questions. What happened, are you sure you're OK, are you sure the other guy is OK, is his car totaled too, was there anyone else involved, I hear the sirens are you sure you don't need to be checked out...Alright, let me call Grandy and Pops. I'll see if they're available to come get you.
Another deep breath and another prayer of thanks.
First because my son is fine, as is the other gentleman.
Secondly because my parents live close by and I knew I could count their help.
One phone call later and my dad is on the way to wait with my son while the police collect information, to bring him back home, to return a short time later to take him to the doctors office to have his neck and back checked out ~ to return to his home so my mom could get my son from the doctors office and take him to pick up HIS car - which we had just dropped off this morning to have the tires rotated - which is why he was driving MY car - while I was in the middle of teaching an art class with no mode of transportation.
So, for this - and for all the other times you have dropped everything to help us out - I say Thank You and I Love You.

Illustration Friday - Worn

Three Old Row Boats
Acrylic 26" x 33"

Worn out or Worn In ~
Depending on your personal point of view ~
I look at these boats and envision
many stories ~ told, or untold ~
of summer days past.

Commissioned Portrait Painting of Two Beach Babes

Original Photo

Beach Babes Painting
Acrylic on Canvas
30" x 40"

Yesterday Jenna came by to pick up her finished portrait painting, which she and her brother gave to their mom last night. I haven't heard yet from Jenna as to their mother's reaction from this incredibly thoughtful gift, but I can imagine it was emotional. ~ And I just want to say - from the bottom of my heart - Thank you for giving me the opportunity to paint this piece. You both are a treasure!

Illustration Friday - Surfers ADAPT to water and wave conditions.

Illustration Friday - Adapt
Acrylic on Canvas
A surfer learns to adapt to changes in wave conditions and water temperature.
When our children were younger my husband bought a soft surf board, which is wonderful for beginners, so he could teach our son and daughter how to surf. We live on the East Coast where wave conditions are usually ideal for the novice surfer ~ therefore, not too intimidating ~ as you can see from this painting I did of my daughter. This same yellow board has made its way around the neighborhood as our neighbors children have learned how to surf. I can imagine there are numerous households around here that have pictures very similar to my painting.
Anyway, as the end of the school year gets closer, it won't take us long to adapt to the lazy days of summer, and all the glorious memories which this season brings.

Enjoy adapting!

Illustration Friday

The word for this weeks Illustration Friday is...
Cracked.

Welcome Visitors
The door is cracked, come inside
Leave your cares behind.

In our humble beach bungalow, even though the school year is not yet finished and the official date is still weeks away, SUMMER has arrived!
So,
kick off your shoes,
grab a beach towel and boogie board,
a glass of sweet tea,
or a cup of homemade ice-cream
and celebrate
the delicious
care-free
days of
SUMMER.

Cheers to sleeping in, bike rides on the boardwalk, freshly made ice-cream, and sun-kissed skin.

Commissioned Painting - Portrait of Two Beach Babes

Picture of Two Sweet Babes on the Beach

A sister and brother, who are good friends with my son, have commissioned me to paint this picture of the two of them. The two siblings were about six and three when this picture was taken. That beach day is a just a pleasurable memory as the girl just finished her first year of college, and her brother is a sophomore in high school. The painting is to be a surprise mother's day/birthday gift for their mom. As you may imagine, I am pretty nervous about this painting, since I know it will be a true treasure for their mother. As I started sketching the picture onto canvas today, all I could think was "Lord, please guide my hands!" Here is the beginning ~ I drew it out with charcoal, and then used a paint brush and water to add value and shadows with the charcoal dust. I'll spray a fixative over the charcoal, followed by the acrylic paints. They want to keep the colors pretty true to the picture; so many more prayers are to come! :)