796 Keyless Entry

792 Art in Bloom

Because I renewed our Milwaukee Art Museum membership at Art in Bloom, I received a complementary bouquet of flowers, which was a pleasant surprise.  As you've probably guessed, I love to paint food and flowers, because to me, they represent the simple essence of home and life.  You may have seen my black and white Mackenzie Childs platter in some of my other paintings, and perhaps you remember that I won it in a charity luncheon raffle. For this painting, I couldn't figure out how to incorporate the platter.......  then, AHA, I remembered that napkins came with that wonderful "Black and White" raffle prize, and HA! one problem was solved.

Do you know that tulips grow after they have been cut?  The tulips in this little arrangement grew 2-3 inches overnight, which really messed with me on the second day of painting.  I loved the way the tulips danced on Day One, but they wouldn't have fit on the canvas had I started on Day Two.

"792 Art in Bloom"
acrylic - 16x20 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/792-art-in-bloom/467482

dianecampion.blogspot.com

789 Pretty As a Picture

When you go to a restaurant and the server presents you with your food and it is so beautifully arranged as a piece of artwork, what do you say?  I say, "It's pretty as a picture!" or "Too pretty to eat!"  This painting and "787 Still Sunny" really look so nice together.  I'm happy I took the risk and painted it."

Speaking of risks, yesterday's painting "788 But Tell Me, Where Will the Children Play"  received so many wonderful and compassionate comments via Facebook and private email.  I am very happy.  My intent is to raise awareness of the plight of the refugees in Lebanon and Palestine.   Art is supposed to start a dialogue, and I am happy that this painting gave me an opportunity to do just that.
And big thanks to those who commented.

"789 Pretty As a Picture"
acrylic - 12x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/789-pretty-as-a-picture/465880

dianecampion.blogspot.com

787 Still Sunny

Sunflowers are universally loved, I think.  There are so many interesting varieties
that everyone should be happy.  Sunflowers remind me of two special friends who love the cheery flower, one of them being from Kansas, where sunflower is the state flower.

Sunflowers also remind me of Van Gogh's iconic paintings.  This past weekend, I visited the Art Institute of Chicago and the "Van Gogh's Bedrooms" exhibit, where a life-sized mock-up of his bedroom in his yellow house was featured.  It was wonderful and I'm happy I had the opportunity to see it. 

"787 Still Sunny"
acrylic - 12x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/787-still-sunny/464141
dianecampion.blogspot.com

783 Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

On these dreary days of winter, I long for sunshine and flowers.  I find myself checking my garden for signs of life. 

"783 Sunshine on a Cloudy Day"
oil - 14x11 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/783-sunshine-on-a-cloudy-day/451000

dianecampion.blogspot.com

Junk Drawer

I started this painting long ago, and put it aside for too long.  I have always wrestled with two opposite desires, one to paint (fairly) realistically and the other to paint loose and bold, almost abstractly.  I think my artistic destiny is somewhere in between, but once in awhile it feels good to work either polar opposite.  What's in YOUR junk drawer?  (commissions welcome)

"Junk Drawer"
acrylic - 18x24 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/junk-drawer/450654

dianecampion.blogspot.com

777 Place of Honor

I apologize for the terrible photo.  I can't get the colors right on this.  The "table" is more of a soft yellow/ochre color.  I found this little iron chair at IKEA several years ago, and it was crying out for something to sit upon it.  I think it elevates the importance of the orange.  Silly, I know, but that's how artists think, I think.

"777 Place of Honor"
acrylic - 10x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/777-place-of-honor/446499

774 Spring in a Bowl

This is a repeat painting.  The original was painted with acrylic and I wanted to try painting it with oil, much harder for me.  It took several days and I'm still not happy with it.  I seem to have more difficulty with flowers, landscape being a little easier.   One aspect of oil painting that was really fun was being able to sign my name with the handle of the brush, scraping it into the paint.  No matter, I am eager for Spring.

"774 Spring in a Bowl"
oil -

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/774-spring-in-a-bowl/445278

dianecampion.blogspot.com

758 Fresh Start

Here is another view of my New Year bouquet from my daughter.  It's still hanging in there, but not for long.  Painting flowers is a nice break from portraits, although I'm doing those too.

Please note, yesterday's post should have been 757 not 957.  Must have been subliminally wishful thinking. 

"758 Fresh Start"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/758-fresh-start/438141

dianecampion.blogspot.com

757 New Beginnings

My daughter brought me this lovely little bouquet on New Year's Day, when we baked Nana's Chocolate Italian Cookies together.  Like any other living, breathing artist, I knew it would be the subject of a painting.  During these cold, winter days, it has been a bright spot, as flowers make me happy.  It was also rewarding and joyful for me to use the new Italian palette knife my son gave me for Christmas.  I was much happier with the painting after a little scraping and smearing.

"957 New Beginnings"
acrylic - 8x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/957-new-beginnings/437846

dianecampion.blogspot.com

736 Tightrope

I have been working tirelessly on portraits to the point of frustration.   Portraits are very tricky because if you know the person, you will see subtle errors in the painting that no one else would pick up on.  So it behooves a person like me to paint portraits of people that no one else knows.  Hmmm....

I desperately needed a break from portraits, so when Whole Foods had mandarin oranges complete with leaves, I bagged several of them with such fragile care and was eager to set them up to photograph.

Thanks to all who visited the Tall Tree Gallery Gift of Color and especially those who brought donations for our charity, Addulum Outreach, and to those who purchased gifts of artwork and cards. 

"736 Tightrope"
acrylic - 8x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/736-tightrope/432113

720 Opportunity

Some days I have a set plan, other days I have no idea what I will paint, hoping something will present itself to me.  Today was one of those days.   I had homework to do for my portrait class, but wasn't sure I would want to post that.  Then an opportunity presented itself.  Oliver and I were taking our morning walk and we passed some guys doing fall cleanup in our neighborhood.  In the pile of leaves were several gorgeous hydrangeas in a variety of colors.  Since my hydrangeas didn't produce a single flower this year (why is that?), I couldn't resist collecting them and bringing them home.  They are so lovely floating in this lovely aqua bowl.  There is opportunity everywhere.  You just have to look for it.

"720 Opportunity"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/720-opportunity/426209

718 Wishful Thinking

After working in the yard all day doing Fall cleanup, and having recently painted many Autumn paintings, it hit me hard that winter is coming, which I dread.  Maybe the subliminal wish for Spring, rather than Winter, moved me to paint this today.

"718 Wishful Thinking"
acrylic - 12x9 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/718-wishful-thinking/424004

717 Rescued

These flowers were in with garden waste at the curb in my neighborhood.  The marigolds were such a beautiful vibrant color---difficult to achieve, but irresistible.  

"717 Rescued"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/717-rescued/423528

711 Abundance

On Tuesdays, I look forward to receiving a box of fresh produce from Springdale Farm.  It is fun to see what's in the box, and I really enjoy setting up and photographing several still life possibilities.

"711 Abundance"
acrylic - 11x14 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/711-abundance/420901

702 Survivors

As I was conducting the first round of Fall cleanup, I just couldn't discard these sweet little survivors, scraggly as they were.  I think they are charming in my new vase from New Mexico in a random sort of way.  I'm such a sap.

"702 Survivors"
acrylic - 8x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/702-survivors/418097

701 Free Spirit

This is the second painting started after the visit to the Taos Farmer's Market.  I purchased the hand made vase from a cute store called something like Taos At Home or At Home Taos.  I wish I had paid closer attention because I always like to give credit to the artist.  I worked on this painting and yesterday's post simultaneously, but this was finished here at home.

I'm not sure this qualifies as a legitimate "floral arrangement" but the flowers had a mind of their own, so they were "free spirits."

"701 Free Spirit"
acrylic - 12x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/701-free-spirit/417838

700 Simple Joys

Two Saturdays ago, the Art Ladies visited the Taos Farmer's Market with the mission to purchase items for our still lifes, which we later set up at the Hacienda del Sol courtyards to paint.  It was interesting to see what the others purchased and even more fun to see their set ups.  My stash consisted of these flowers, two eggplants and a beautiful bunch of green onions, some of which made it into this still life.  Ha!  I bet you thought they were leaves of some sort.  The black and white dotted table covering is my scarf, and the container for the flowers is a sturdy coffee mug I purchased for my husband.  Even more fun to see was that all of our veggie purchases made it into the next morning's breakfast, prepared by Chef Gerd.    All in all, it was a glorious day.

"700 Simple Joys"
acrylic - 20x20 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/700-simple-joys/417625

693 Golden Nuggets

The golden tomatoes are from Springdale Farm and the red bowl is from the museum in Lebanon.  Basil is from my yard.

"693 Golden Nuggets"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/693-golden-nuggets/413743

691 You Look Lovely Today

The eggplants from Springdale Farm were so beautiful that I wish I had painted a different view of them so that more of the color showed.  One of them is gigantic and the other much smaller, so they looked like Mutt and Jeff, whoever they are.

The complementary palette is my favorite.

"691 You Look Lovely Today"
acrylic - 7x5 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/691-you-look-lovely-today/413340