Showing posts with label impressionism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label impressionism. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Endless Life, angel, knife painting

 


"Endless Life"
© Fawn McNeill 2009

I haven't been painting much, due to an injury to my right hand/wrist.  So I am posting this older favorite little knife painting.  I created it when I was doing a lot of small palette knife paintings. I did this for Christmas back in 2009!  
Click here to see the link to the original post and the symbolism I used for this little gem.

~ Original Acrylic 
~ Knife Painting
~ 6 x 6 inches
~ Not Available

I would love to create something similar for you in a size you would like! (Custom orders are priced by size) Email me for more information: Fawn@FawnsArtStudio.com
Click here to see customer feedback.

Click here to read more about my wrist and my son battling cancer.

Happy New Year!


RELATED POSTS: 













Thursday, July 20, 2023

Spring Rush, mountain waterfall, knife painting



 "Spring Rush"

Good memories: Mountain hikes, melting snow, fast-moving creeks, and streams flowing over their banks. 

This palette knife painting is from a combination of places, but mostly from memories of my grandmother and me at Glacier National Park.  She loved driving through there when we would go visit my great-grandmother in Helena. I loved stopping at the falls and hiking up a bit to take pictures.

It is also a memory of hiking up in the Cabinet Mountains near Libby, Montana where my grandmother lived.  Late spring and early summer there was still lots of snow in the mountains. One summer in the middle of June my brothers and I were hiking and had a snowball fight with our mom!

I started this painting a few years ago.  Like so many I create for an art class, I don't feel they are finished.  Most of my time teaching is spent, well, teaching! I don't pay much attention to what is happening on my easel. With the pandemic and the closing of my gallery, almost everything went into storage.  I pulled this one out last week. I brightened up the highlights, added stronger shadows, and filled in the empty places. 

I have recently destroyed quite a few paintings that were in storage.  My goal this summer was to get them out and do something with them. I had hoped for more positive results. I wanted to make some corrections and/or finish them.  But some just didn't work out.  I am happy this one survived! (You can read more about that here.)

  • Original Knife Painting
  • Acrylic on hardboard
  • Professional Materials
  • 11x14 inches
  • Ready to frame
  • $250.00
Click here to purchase

Sunday, May 28, 2023

New Every Morning, sunrise, beach, waves, sandy shore


"New Every Morning"
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come 
to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
 (Lamentations 3:22-23)


Looking for patterns in the woodgrain for sand and then using that to find the waves is quite satisfying. It is challenging to add layers for the illusion of transparent water and exciting to add the details of seafoam with its interesting patterns and shadows. 

I revisited this painting after hanging it in my bedroom for a couple of months. (I noticed a few things I wanted to change each time I studied it.) This is risky, as I have ruined a painting and had to start over completely.  But now that I have removed a few of the exaggerated shadows, added more seafoam, and brightened some of the splashes, I am happy I did it!

I used to never allow myself to go back over a painting, thinking, "That was how I interpreted things then, and I should not change it. Don't want to risk ruining it either."  But now I find myself enhancing and correcting some of them, thinking, "It is mine, I can change it if I want!"  (The older I get the the more courageous I get! Too funny.)

This painting is framed in a floater frame, sort of.  I inverted a cradled wood support and painted it to bring out the colors of the sand and put the painting in it as if it were a floater frame.  It turned out perfect!

ENJOY!

~ Original acrylic on cradled hardboard
~ Professional Materials
~ 12 x 12 inches (including frame)
~ $355.00 (free shipping in the US)



Email me: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com  to have something similar created.








Related Posts:








 

Sunday, May 07, 2023

New Morning, plein air, lake


"New Morning"
© Fawn McNeill 3/18/2023

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end: 
They are new every morning... Lamentations 3:22-23


Didn't get a chance to post this one. I had a hard time getting a good image of it:  too much glare or too much exaggeration of the canvas grain.  

I went out with a new painting group in Vero Beach. We met at the Savannah's Preserve in Fort Pierce. It was a bit windy, but still a lovely morning. I haven't had a chance to get out since, but I do plan to paint with them again.  

~ Original Plein Air Painting
~ Acrylic on canvas
~ Professional Materials
~ 8 x 10 inches
~ Ready to Frame 
~ $225.00 (free shipping in the US)

Email me for availability: Fawn@fawnsartstudio.com 


On a personal note, my son, Kyle, is fighting cancer and I have been keeping my grandkids when he has treatments or appointments, or trips to the ER. It has been (at times) 3 or more times a week (when he had complications). I enjoy the kids, but it has been rough watching them struggle with watching their dad suffer.  Right now he seems to be doing better. Praying he beats it!

 Between work, teaching classes, taking care of my husband and grandkids, plus trying to find time to paint, it can get overwhelming. But joy does come when I focus on positive things.
 

Related Posts:

Monday, May 01, 2023

Morning Stroll, white ibis


"Morning Stroll"


Made a few corrections and added extra details to this little painting from a few years ago.

I gave the grass more shadows and enhanced the water to set the ibis off. I also added more feathers. I just love the blueish hues in the shading. Then I dabbed the water with more sparkle and made it drip from the beak slightly.

This bird was a visitor while I was out painting on location at the Savanna's Recreational Area in Fort Pierce. I got quite a few pictures of him as he walked up and down the edge of the water. 

~ Exclusive Art
~ Original Acrylic on hardboard
~ Professional Materials
~ 6 x 6 inches
~ Ready to Frame 

SOLD


Related Posts:

 

Thursday, April 20, 2023

Standing Tall, blue heron


"Standing Tall"

Took several attempts with this painting.  Mostly I struggled with the proportions. The neck would be too fat, or the legs too short.  Finally created a good stance and stuck with it! 

The background was just plain fun. I added many layers of color and movement.  I like the contrast between the impressionistic background and the realistic heron.  

The great blue heron is a huge bird.  They are almost as tall as me and their wing span looks about 6 to 7 feet or so.  They range from a pale light gray to a bluish gray.  Some of them have sienna red markings and black markings.  They are plentiful around here.  They are experts at catching fish too.  It is amazing to watch them swallow a large fish that looks like it could never fit down that neck!

~ Exclusive Art
~ Original Acrylic on hardboard
~ Professional Materials
~ 9 x 12 inches

Sold


Related Posts:




 

Thursday, April 13, 2023

In the Rock, pine tree, waterfall

 



"In the Rock"

Pulled this out of storage, cleaned it up, made some corrections, added a little waterfall, and put it in a new custom frame with an interesting texture. 

This painting originally started after a visit home to Montana.  I was staying with my brother near Glacier National Park, so I was thrilled to get to go hiking in the mountains again. It had been 5 years or so!  I saw this young pine tree growing right out of the rocks and thought about how life is like that sometimes.  You just have to put down deeper roots, hang in there, and trust in the Lord as your firm foundation.

I added the waterfall for two reasons.  First, I remember crossing a waterfall on a mountain hike when I was 12. It was the first time I froze up while mountain climbing. I should not have looked down!  It was a steep drop-off.  My friend's dad, Paul Miller, rescued me.  He reached back for me.  He helped me walk the thin log that made the bridge for us to cross over.

Second, I thought it would strengthen the composition and give the little tree a drink!

~ Exclusive Art
~ Original Acrylic
~ Professional Materials
~ 8 x 10 inches
~ Custom Frame (see below)
~ $350.00 (free shipping in the US)





Related Posts:












Thursday, March 30, 2023

Set in Stone 2, flowers in a stone planter, mixed media


"Set in Stone, 2"
© Fawn McNeill 2020


Close-up view in warm lighting.


Flowers jumping off the page! Literally!  This is a wonderful combination of color, pattern, and elements.  It is like a song with a beautiful melody.  Even the colors harmonize. Very few compositions come together so well, but this was the second one. The first was a learning experiment, and it was almost as lovely! 

I created this just after closing my gallery from the pandemic, and now it is framed in a wonderful gold frame that sets it off more than I could have hoped for!

Some of the flowers are actually charms that created nice cast shadows. This gives an extra emphasis on the painted shadows. Other flowers have beads in the middle that catch the light as you view the painting from different angles.

If you can't tell I am very partial to this piece!

~ Exclusive Art
~ Original Mixed Media on Hardboard
~ Professional Materials
~ 11 x 14 inches
~ Elaborate Gold Frame (see below)
~ $575.00 (Free Shipping in the US)

Sale pending

Email me for availability at fawn@fawnsartstudio.com



Cool lighting


Warm lighting


Related Posts:

Sunday, March 19, 2023

Calming Shores, beach, foot prints, knife painting


"Calming Shores"
© Fawn McNeill 2020

Look for the footprints fading away into the water, and a dove in the waves! 

This is part of a series of shoreline paintings, except this one is not mixed media.  I was more interested in the effects of the palette knife and trying to get the footprints to be saturated with water than I was in adding fun beads and shells. The dove shape just showed up, so I enhanced it.  Way too cool.

(I created this just before the pandemic. But because of shutting down my gallery, I never got around to posting it)

  • Original Knife Painting
  • Acrylic on hardboard
  • Professional Materials
  • 9 x 12 in
  • Ready to Frame
  • $290.00 (Free Shipping in US)



Related Posts:

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

On My Way, path, palms, cardinal




 "On My Way"

"I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the
 Father except by me."   (Jesus speaking)  John 14:6

Exploring this path at a paint-out last year gave me some amazing photos! When the sun peaked through the clouds it inspired me to catch the memory in this painting. I've worked on this painting several times in the past few months and recently put the finishing touches on it.

The Plein air works I did that day were watercolor studies from a different area of the Ancient Oaks Preserve in Fort Pierce, Florida. 


~ Exclusive Art
~ Original Acrylic on hardboard
~ Professional Materials
~ 11 x 14 inches
~ Custom Wood Frame (see below)

SOLD





Related posts:

Friday, January 27, 2023

Streams of Joy, knife painting


"Streams of Joy"
© Fawn McNeill 2020

From a demonstration painting originally. It is a little harder for students to get the hang of when you take the brushes away! Too much fun!

I added extra details and some butterflies later to finish it out.  

ENJOY!

  • Original Knife Painting
  • Acrylic on canvas
  • 11 x 14 in
  • Ready to frame
  • Not Available
Click here to see more

Email me at fawn@fawnsartstudio.com for information on having something similar created.
Custom orders are priced by size.





 

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Cliffside, ocean, trees


"Cliffside"
© Fawn McNeill 2019

Never posted this one, not sure how I overlooked it! 
Playing with texture, I added gel medium with a knife to create a buildup for tiny branches and bark on the trunks. When that dried it was interesting to add colors that enhanced the effect.
Enjoyed the whole process!

  • Original mixed media
  • 8 x 10 inches
  • Custom frame
  • Professional materials
  • Sold
Click here to see more








 ge.

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Look Up and Pray, beach sunrise with Jesus


"Look Up and Pray"

Happy New Year!

This is my first painting of the year, what an awesome start! It is amazing how it came about: it was a rush order and I happened to have something similar in progress so I agreed to do it. I added Jesus, in place of the sun, and was able to get it to the client in a few days instead of months!

I have done angels in place of the sun, but this is the first time I painted Jesus there. Had to use tiny brushes, and redo it several times.  I also added more clouds and highlights before I signed it. I love the way it turned out!

  • original art
  • Acrylic
  • 11 x 14 inches
  • Not available
Please email me if you would like something similar! fawn@fawnsartstudio.com



 

First Snow, fall scene, path, demonstration painting

 

"First Snow" 
© Fawn McNeill 2022

Life is crazy busy!  I created this for an art class after Christmas, and I'm just now getting a chance to post it! 

This painting is a take-off from an extremely bright fall scene, "Fall Path" (2016), which I toned down a bit.  I wanted my students to see how they could change the format to vertical, use softer colors, and/or add snow.  Very enjoyable lesson!

  • Original Demo
  • Acrylic on stretched canvas
  • 11 x 14 inches
  • Ready to frame
  • $225.00 (Free shipping in the U.S.)
Click here to purchase

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Sea Biscuit Shoreline, beach

 

"Sea Biscuit Shoreline"


Was exploring the odd texture of this organism, which I wanted to take advantage of for the sand and seafoam.  The prep involved bleach to clean it, and 3 coats of clear primer, but that made it easier to paint on.  This is my second sea biscuit.  I love the raised flower shape and added stronger shadows there to make the shallow wave stand out more.

I created this a few months ago and never had the chance to post it.  (Two hurricanes and many health issues for my husband and me have put me way behind this year!)

ENJOY!

~ One of a Kind Original Art
~ Acrylic Painting on a Sea-Biscuit
~ 5 1/2 x 4 1/2  inches
~ Painted and Sealed with Professional Materials
~ Front and Back are Painted and Sealed
~ $65.00
~ Free Shipping in USA

Email me for availability: Fawn@fawnsartstudio.com 

Related Posts:








 

Friday, November 11, 2022

Breakthrough, water lilies, mixed media


"Breakthrough"




The young flower was coming up under a lily pad. Got some interesting photos of this area while I was out working En Plein Aire (on location).  Originally, I just wanted to capture the warm morning sunlight chasing the cool shadows away.  It made the many shades of green into a feast for the eyes!  But I got carried away with the impasto, hidden critters, and beads. I also added glitter paint here and there for a little extra shimmer in the water.

The impasto effects are made with heavy gesso and a palette knife. Some of the lily pads, lotus flowers, and the little stick that the snail is on are built up with it.

 The baby turtle is actually a metal charm that I primed with a primer that is made for use on metal (so the paint doesn't peel off).  He was just too shiny to leave unpainted!  I wanted him to blend in more.

The dragonfly is made from paper clay, which is an air-dry clay with paper fibers added to it for strength. I used a mold to make it. Paper clay is wonderful to work with for mixed media projects. It receives acrylic paint well. I added iridescent paint into hues of blue for his color.

The snail is made from a resin mold that a friend gave to me. Resin molds are harder to work with and are not easily painted over.  I used a special primer (different than the one used on metal) to get the snail to receive the acrylic paint. Again, I wanted to get him to blend in.

Gel medium (matte) and acrylic modeling paste were used for adhesives. (I use professional-grade primers, paints, mediums, and sealers for longevity.)

~ Exclusive Art
~ Original Mixed Media
~ Professional Materials
~ 8 x 10 inches
~ Elaborate Gold Frame (see below)
~ $275.00 (Free Shipping in the US)

Email me for availability: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com




Related Posts: