My friend, Barbara, emailed me this picture to paint: "My dog, Pebbles, passed away at 15. I was super lonely so I decided to get another dog.I adopted Fred when he was 7 weeks old from the German Shepherd Rescue Foundation. He was the runt of the litter and is now over 60 lbs.You will find him waiting for me when I come home from work.He follows me everywhere and sleeps next to my side of the bed each night. I love my Freddie!" Barbara
It's not too late to send in pictures! The people who pictures I choose to paint will be getting
my note cards and first chance to buy the painting!
If you would like to send me a picture that I can paint email it to: annie@anniesalness.com .
And please include you address. Thank you!!!!
Listening to while I paint: Audio book: South of Broad, by Pat Conroy. Narrated by Mark Deakins Podcast: The Alton Browncast hosted by Alton Brown Music: Spotify
In January, I am participating in a "30 in 30" day painting challenge. I have asked people to send me pictures of what they would like painted. The people who pictures I choose to paint will be getting:
- my note cards and gift cards
and
- first chance to buy the painting!
If you would like to send me a picture that I can paint, email it to: annie@anniesalness.com .
And please include you address! Thank you!!!!
"Two Birds"
5"x 7"
acrylic on gessoboard
SOLD
Day 3
My friend was kind enough to send me the picture that I painted from. As a thank you, I am sending her some of my note cards!
"That photo was taken from inside a barn on Sauvie Island. The birds were so cute together. When I saw them I had to capture the moment!"
"Sauvie Island, originally Wapato Island, is approximately 10 miles north of Portland, Oregon. It is the largest island in the Columbia River and one of the largest islands in the U.S. Located at the junction of the Columbia River to the east, Willamette River to the south and Multnomah Channel to the west, the island’s northern half is a wildlife refuge and the southern half is predominantly rural farmland with small residential enclaves."
I used some palette knife on the foreground and the background. That should make Leslie Saeta happy! :)
I NEED HELP with names of paintings. If you have any resources, email me! annie@anniesalness.com
Listening to while I paint:
Audio book: South of Broad, by Pat Conroy. Narrated by Mark Deakins
Here is the finished commission (custom artwork) I did for the couple that I mentioned here. They have a beautiful home, but they wanted more color in their living room. Her favorite flower was the Gerbera (gerber?) daisy and I agreed to do a painting of a floral arrangement. I said, since I am doing this just for you, do you want to put some meaning into it? Maybe a letter from a grandmother; photos; a memorable item; a vase? They decided on vases. The tall vase is from his grandmother, (all the way from Ireland) and the lady's head is from her mother. They loved it! Listening to while I paint: Podcast: Alec Baldwin hosts, "Here's The Thing" Peter Sagal hosts, "Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!" Audio Books: Jules Verne author of Around The World In Eighty Days, narrated by the FABULOUS Jim Dale!
Right now I am working on a commission (custom artwork), where the person wanted more color in her living room and her favorite flower was the Gerbera (gerber?) daisy. I said, since I am doing this just for you, do you want to put some meaning into it? Maybe a letter from a grandmother; photos; a memorable item; a vase? They decided on vases. The tall vase is from his grandmother, (all the way from Ireland) and the lady's head is from her mother. Listening to while I paint: - Dan Brown, "Inferno" - Stuff You Missed In History Class, "Building Disneyland's Haunted Mansion", 10/21/13 and 10/23/13 - Pandora
It's been three years since my stroke. I keep getting stronger (slowly) every day.
A few weeks ago, I had a trainer at my club, Joni Neilson (International Federation of BodyBuilders...she's fabulous!), suggest that I might try these lifting hooks. (well, 1 anyway....)
As you can see, the hook fits inside my hand and rests inside my palm and fingers. This is so my fingers and the hook work as a unit. They are, "Designed to enhance grip and reduce finger fatigue". It has made such a difference! I lift about 5 times a week and before when using my right hand, my fingers gave out as the weight increased. Now I can lift more (they can lift 825 lbs) AND I can use both hands! Something I couldn't do before. I felt like crying when after three years I could use both hands, but it probably wouldn't go over too well in the weight room with all those guys... Thank you Joni!!!!
I finished the painting of Dr. Sheldon Nord. He is the new President at Corban University in Salem, OR. I got to meet him before I painted his portrait. As he told us his story and his reason for taking the Presidency at the school, he got very emotional about Daniel from the Old Testament in the Bible:
" I get emotional about Daniel in Babylon because we are living in a post-Christian culture, and probably one of the most relativistic societies ever. We must be about preparing the next generation of Daniels who know, respect and follow God's word. Our children will face unprecedented challenges in being salt and light. The issues of our day demand courage, boldness and resolve like never before.
To Christ be all glory!!"
I got very emotional too!
I read through the book of Daniel, looking for a quote, but I decided that what he said summed it up perfectly! So, I asked him to send me his quote in his own writing:
I ended up tracing his writing onto my painting using Derwent Inktense pencils. You can add water to the dry pencil or wet the surface to create a strong, clear color wash. " Inktense pencils can be used dry for rich, intense color or washed out with a little water to create a vivid translucent effect. Once dry, the color is permanent and can be worked over with other media."
I drew it with a dry pencil and then added a clear water wash. I wish I had these!
They are Sakura Koi Water Brushes. "A fine, flexible brush tip and a barrel handle with a plug to carry water." If you have any other ideas about how I could have put the writing on, I love to hear them! Listening to: Truth For Life- Alistair Begg - Daniel
It is a mahl stick . "A mahl stick is a stick or thin pole about a meter in length (three feet) with a ball-shape pad at one end, used as an aid in painting," (About.com )
Because of my stroke, I can't hold a mahl stick because my right hand doesn't work. (yet!)
The ProTrack is essential for me because it has a metal piece that screws into your easel.....
and it has another metal piece that holds the mahl stick.
I can move the mahl stick back and forth or simply remove it.
There is a screw where I can change the direction of the mahl stick.
Listening to: The Book Thief,by Markus Zusak. Excellent narrator Allan Corduner! "It's just a small story really, about, among other things, a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery.
Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist: books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids - as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.
This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul."
