Texas, From My Point of View

I cannot tell you how good it feels to paint again!!  It's been far to long.  I've missed you dear brushes!!  You should have seen me... on all of my cross country adventures (with my sweet baby and sister in the car) I would frantically grab for my camera (which of course, was never where I left it), trying to still drive in a straight line at 80 mph, and snap a picture of some amazing sun set, or lush field, or dry landscape.  I am sooo excited about doing a series of landscape painting inspired by the beautiful variety of America I've seen over the past couple months. 

This particular painting is hitting pretty close to what is now "home".  I snapped this photo soon after entering Texas.  I love how huge and grand the sky looks, and how much depth there is in the golden fields.

This is an oil painting on canvas.  It measures 11x16 and has a dramatic red border (I'm liking the suprise element that adds to my decor).  I haven't decided if I'm going to sell this painting quite yet...  my new apartment feels a little naked...

Many more paintings to come!! 

I must clarify, (for the sake of my artistic integrity!!)  I was not painting this landscape!!!  I was just admiring the similarities...  This is the view from my bedroom window.  You should see it at night...  wow.  Maybe I'll paint that someday! 

Celery Slopes

So, where on earth have I been for the past month!? It has been a crazy, exciting, eventful month full of family (we're talking 21-28 people at one table...), friends, trips, quiet days with my tot, and wonderfully warm weather. I really wasn't intending to leave for such a long time, and I'm sorry!

I'm back now (with just a slight lingering summer laziness left in me) and ready for all the excitement the fall brings. I have a love/hate relationship with fall... I love the crispness, the colorfulness, the freshness in the air, but it means goodbye to warm weather for many months, and I'm just not ok with that. I love little bits of winter, but not months and months. No thank you.
So, needless to say, I'm enjoying these last few weeks of warm, warm weather. In celebration of warm summer days, I painted this oil painting I am endearingly calling "Celery Slopes". It is 5x11 inches, painted on a beautiful piece of wood from my grandfathers wood shop. I love the quilted feel, the general sloping motion, and the warm, cozy, colors.

This painting can be found on my Etsy shop, along with several others, for $50 for only one week! Next Friday, it will go up to $80. I am doing a steal-deal today to keep life active and exciting. ;)
Have a WONDERFUL weekend! I know I will!

Catch-up time, paintings #85 and 86

After an amazing long weekend… I’m back.  It’s so refreshing to take a little time off.  I love painting.  I love the flood of creativity I force upon myself each day (whether I feel like it or not….), but, let me be honest, I needed a break.  So, thank you so much for understanding!  While I was out, I met several great artists in Charleston and Savannah, went to countless incredible design shops, enjoyed several incredible meals (I think if I weren’t an artist, I would be a foodie), soaked up a little bit too much sun, and had such a wonderful time with my husband, Dan, and daughter Annalisa.  This is our first real vacation since her birth 9 months ago, so, yeah, we enjoyed ourselves!

Before I left, I worked on three paintings; here are two of them!  

The first (#85) is a lovely, moody, seasonal landscape of our very own NC mountains.  I love the warm tones, the soft shades, and the huge amount of contrast.  I have to be honest; I fought with this painting.  I think I actually painted it three times before it felt right.  It is painted on a block of lovely wood from my grandfather’s wood shop.  

...and...

The second (#86) is a romantic portrait of a peony.  This was painted just in time because it rained and all of the beautiful peony blooms fell right off the plant…  it was very sad. But.  All is well because I have a painting of the last, and loveliest, peony bloom!  This is an oil painting on wood.  Both of these paintings are for sale in my etsy shop starting tomorrow!  I have many lovely photos of Savannah, GA, as well as a couple more paintings coming tomorrow!  So be sure to check back!

Painting #84 Dreamy Green Fields

This is a lush, dreamy landscape of grass.... and skies... and clouds.  So simple, yet so complex.  I mean, emotionally, look at all those colors (colors do have emotions), and spiritually (how could you honestly say there is no God when you look at the world in front of you.  If you cam, you have an enormous amount of faith!) and scientifically (I can't even begin o touch he surface with my finite mind), and physically (picnic, or soccer, or plien air painting? anyone?)

I just love these colors... so fresh and summery.

Painted on a 7x10 inch block of wood, this painting is totally ready for display on your shelf, mantle, or wall.  You can buy it on my Etsy Page along with a few other lovely little gems.

Well, with that, I'm off to bed to dream in lime-green and teal (do you dream in color? i can't figure out if I really do or not).

Paintings #26 and #27 Earthy Oil Paintings on Wood - and little bits of real life.

Meadow, oil on wood

I must preface this post with an apology. I’m sorry for not posting a painting yesterday. Yesterday was just “off”. I actually started painting three paintings…. Finishing zero... My best excuses is that I taught art ALL DAY, and was away from my child far more than I would prefer. So, today, I made up for it by painting two paintings that are especially unique because they are painted on such beautiful and “earthy” wood. I love that the wood is covered in the tree's bark! My grandfather is a wonderful woodworker, and he salvaged them for me.  When I was contemplating what to paint on these beautiful wood blocks, an oil landscape felt perfect.

Growing up, we used to go to Colorado to go skiing, and I always loved looking at the mountain range. They are so majestic and strong looking and made me feel so small. There’s something awesome about feeling small, and knowing that there’s a God that created that mountain, and to Him, that’s really small… and yet… He knows me.     l i t t l e        m e…

My family arrived from Ohio this evening. They’re stopping by on their way to Florida. It’s so good to see them and I know they love seeing Annalisa!

Painting #27 is coming tomorrow! If you would like to buy either of the paintings I’ve listed today (or a couple left over from the past) go to my shop! EmilyJeffords.etsy.com

As always, I love your comments, suggestions, ideas…

Continental divide, oil on wood