Days 12 & 13

Oh my but I took a wonderful drawing class yesterday and was unable to paint or post my day 12 yesterday so I caught up by painting two today! 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Diebenkorn

Lemieux

You can read more about their progress on my blog/website - jeanettebaird.com

Thanks for hanging with me while I move on through this challenge!

Day 11

Day 11 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!  Original by Rudolf Tewes 1906

Check the progress out HERE.

Day 10 - Sorolla

Fisherwoman from Valencia (original by Joaquin Sorolla)

To find out more about this painting please go to my painting website/blog ......

http://jeanettebaird.com/


"I could not paint at all if I had to paint slowly. Every effect is so transient, it must be rapidly painted.” - Joaquin Sorolla

What Did You Learn Today?

Song - What Did You Learn in School Today by Pete Seeger

I learned that I must keep my edges softer and my darks darker!

Check it out here - http://jeanettebaird.com/

30 Paintings in 30 Days

This month I am participating in an artistic challenge of painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days along with about 1,200 other painters. Today I just finished my 5th painting in 6 days (I missed day 2 but promise to make it up!)

Day 6

It is a fun challenge and I truly am learning a lot about time management, my art set up and ways to improve my painting skills.  A biggie for me is that I seem to have trouble getting the shadow side of the face dark enough.  You can read about her nose & lips being off centered here.

Day 5

Yesterdays was the hardest painting that I have done in awhile.  I called it "Channeling Vincent". He kept his colors so clean and pure.  Vibrant color.

Day 4 

Day 3

Day 1

I have been trying to keep the paintings within an hour time frame.  It's been both fun and a challenge! But Vincent took me two!!!

If you would like to view more of my artwork please go to my painting blog/website.... 

jeanettebaird.com

Goodbye Light, Hello Thrive

 Song - Light you Up by Shawn Mullins


For the last few years, instead of doing a New Year's resolution, I participate in Ali Edwards - One Little Word.

 
The idea is that you ponder, meditate, journal, scrapbook on just one word for the entire year.  I have been doing this for the last 5 years and it is so much more helpful to me than to make a resolution, which often feels like pressure.

Here are my words for the last few years......

2010 - spirit

2011 - intention

2012 - balance

2013  - simplify

2014 - light

 
For the last few days of 2014, I have been spending time thinking about what has transpired with my word "light" so that I can let it go and focus on my 2015 word. 

 2015 - thrive

It's a beautiful word in so many ways.

I'm feeling inspired!


"The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been kindness, beauty and truth." - Albert Einstein

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Song - Dogs Barking Jingle Bells Song


.....when all through the house, not a creature was stirring except Mika opening her stocking stuffer 2 days early!

She had to sneak into our bedroom, go through several bags of goodies, decided not to take the toothpaste that was earmarked to go into the boys stockings and found her own little treasure.

I didn't have the heart to take it away from her as she won't know if her stocking is short one gift on Christmas morn!

Happy Holiday's to you and yours!!!

"It came without ribbons. 

It came without tags.  

It came without packages, boxes or bags.  

And he puzzled and puzzled 'til his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

--Dr. Seuss from How the Grinch Stole Christmas  

A Winter's Day

Song - I am a Rock by Simon & Garfunkel


Painting and prepping for Christmas has kept me indoors for the last few weeks.  But today I needed to drain some water from the swimming pool due to the amount of rain we have had lately in California!  On my way out to the pool I passed a few beauties....

Even though it is Winter, there is still activity in the garden this time of year.

My Sweet Pea's have begun to climb......

And fragrant Alyssum is growing everywhere!

Camellia's are budding and flowering.  I had just picked three beautiful flowers from this bush which is one of the few remaining plants from the previous owners.  Thank you Nancy!

There is one last leaf left on our Callery Pear trees.

The Rosemary is blooming.......

Mother Ferns are still growing baby ferns......

Lemons are ready for picking.......

The roses are making one final attempt....

My large urns of Salvia are beautiful this time of year......

The Primroses return year after year.....

My Daphne bush is ready to scent the entire garden!

Sweet little Forget Me Not's are blooming everywhere! Little darlin' - I won't forget you!

A few lingering Hydrangea blossoms....

A hopeful Geranium bud......

Time for some tea and garden lemons.....


I know you will find some beauty in your winter day today!

"Every gardener knows under the cloak of winter lies a miracle...a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to light, a bud straining to unfurl.  And the anticipation nurtures our dreams."
 -- Barbara Winkler

Here Comes Pete & Re-Pete!

Just Squirrels

Tell me, do squirrels have a life purpose?

I mean other than to empty my bird feeders and their pure entertainment value?  Oh yeah and to drive the dog crazy as well!

I filled all of my bird feeders earlier this week in anticipation of the big California storm that hit on Thursday.  But the squirrels were in all of them by the time I walked into the house.

 

"Hey Pete how the heck do I get around this dome?"

"I can just hang out here all day long and get my 3 square meals!"

"Good thing the tree grows branches perfect for my toes to hang onto!!!"

"Hey, Pete.......maybe she won't spot me back here?

Dude it's like I'm in full camo gear - Hehe!!!"

"OK - Re-Pete, I've got this one covered and it's got me covered!"

"It's a good thing she put the "umbrella" over my feeder!"

"And a good thing there is a little handle on here for me!"

"Hey Re-Pete, I'm stuck to my food bowl"

"Pete, it's time to get away - quick, let's take the vine freeway"

"Hurry, she's coming outside with the dog!"

"OK Pete, I'm right behind you bud"

"Hey Re-Pete, I think I have room for one more go around!!!"

Ahhh....now for a little bird time...........


"If we had a keen vision of all that is ordinary in human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow or the squirrel's heart beat, and we should die of that roar which is the other side of silence" -- George Eliot

What's That Wet Stuff Falling From the Sky?

Song - Rhythm of the Rain by the Cascades

Yes!  We finally have some rain in Northern California!!!  My flowers are loving it and the change in weather makes me want to stay home, light the fire, curl up and read or paint!

Over the last two months I have helped to hang two art shows.  One at the local Town Hall Theater and one at Chimney Rock Winery in Napa. One of my paintings at the winery is of my nieces daughter, Lily.

I have always had a passion for Bouguereau's painting of Yvonne (see below).

I just love the soft colors and the innocence of it all.  Those little dimpled arms and sweet face. Her hands on the chair.

So our Lily reminded me of this little girl.  I asked her mom to pose her similarly and take a few photo's for me.

Not quite there but she is trying very hard.......

Look at those eyes.....quite the doll!

So after several more, Lily's pose was just what I was looking for.

Now, I could never paint like Bouguereau and I wouldn't want to......I just don't have that kind of patience or talent.  So I thought I would put a fresh twist on the beautifully composed painting that he did back in 1896.

I have a French painting stool that looks similar to his prop in Yvonne's painting. And I re-dressed Lily similarly to Yvonne.

 

I eventually lost the back of the stool and changed the angle of it somewhat.  But I still needed something on the stool that would keep a little girl entertained.  Right?

I had just returned from the nursery with a flat of white Primroses.  I sat one in a pot and painted it in from life that evening.  Perfect addition along with a "old world" print in the background.

Pulling together all of these "props" to see what would work was fun and I loved painting little Lily!

"Lily (with a nod to Bouguereau)"

"Each day I go to my studio full of joy; in the evening when obliged to stop because of darkness I can scarcely wait for the morning to come... if I cannot give myself to my dear painting I am miserable." - Adolfe-William Bouguereau