I have created a new painting and I'm so excited to share it with you!  It's been far to long since my last painting; but anything longer than a few days feels way to long to me...
“Nearing 143657″ is a 4×4 inch baby painting.  I love painting tiny paintings because they are perfect little pops of artistic expression.  I like to place them on a shelf near a collection of pretty books, or on a mantle by a vase of flowers.  They also look great in groups, or solo in a little area, hanging on the wall.  Well really, they just look great no matter where you put them!  Tiny paintings are also perfect for the art lover without a huge budget.  These babies are priced just right (think, Christmas gift!)

“Nearing 14367″ is so named after the location this painting was inspired by.  My parents live at 14367 CR 37 in a beautiful home out in the country in Northern, Ohio.  Their home has to be one of the most warm, welcoming, comfortable, loving (and yummy!) places on earth.  I took this snapshot while driving down the road on the way “home” one afternoon.  There is so much lush foliage, and warm sunshine in this place…  I incorporated many shades of gold and cheery green, as well as a huge variety of warm blues in the sky.  It hope this painting fills you with that sense of lovely warmth and belonging as well!
There are eight more small paintings coming soon but you can find this one in my fine art shop.
 

Three of the Prettiest Things

Without further ado, here are the three darling little painting you’ve been waiting for! They are a garden party waiting to happen. I used three cheerful, summery shades for the backgrounds to create that happy, yet romantic, mood.

Each of these paintings are 2x3 inches, oil on canvas, with dark black/brown edges (so you don’t need to frame it if you don’t want to!)

Tutu in Green
Oil on Canvas, 2x3 inches
(pictured above) 


I just love the refined blue vase, the candy colors, the deep browns, and the blush-pink flowers that are the star of this painting. I’ve always wanted to have a huge vase full of tulips… and some day, I will! In the mean time, I painted a lovely arrangement that you can enjoy all year long.

Green Roses Sans Thorns


When Dan and I got married, I wanted green flowers, but not those absurd looking dyed monstrosities… natural, lush, and romantic looking flowers. These roses are pale green and b-e-a-u-tiful!  And the polka-dotted vase just seemed so right.

Hydrangea Hurrah

Pair this painting with a few paper flower garlands, cupcakes, bottles of Sparkling Blackberry Izze, and you have the perfect party. I just love the green hydrangea blooms, the dark and dramatic dotted vase, with the nectarine shaded background.






Cute, cute, cute...


These paintings are a mere $20 each! You can buy them off of my Etsy shop, or by sending me an email: Theartist.emily@gmail.com

Painting # 68 A Proper Cup of Tea

Sundays are difficult days for me… I mean, as far as painting is concerned. Dan and I love our church and spend a lot of time there on Sundays, which I love, but it does make it a little hard to find time to paint. Add to that an incredible art show down town, a baby who is teething, and mother’s day! I love this holiday! It’s like having a mini birthday in May. Hence, yet another posting after midnight… My short term goal is to get up early tomorrow, paint my painting in the morning, have a nice leisurely afternoon, teach my kids in the late afternoon, and enjoy a quiet evening without any paint in my fingernails. It’s good to have attainable goals… We’ll see if this one is or not.



Anyways, I painted an oil painting on “Curly Maple” wood (I really want to see a curly maple bonsai. Would that not be the cutest little tree?) of a little succulent teacup arrangement I’ve been admiring for a couple days now. I just love the tiny sculpture look these plants have and all the colors their leaves hold! When you first look at one, it just looks green… but then, all of the sudden, you notice yellow areas, blue shadows, purple tips, and a hundred other shades. Oil paint is perfect for drawing out all these variations and making them look "painterly". I love all the texture this painting has. You just have to feel the leaves with your fingers. It's very therapeutic .


This painting is for sale on my Etsy shop a long with a few other paintings that are still for sale.

If you have a scene, place, or object you would like me to paint, please email it to me! I love doing commission pieces. I believe everyone should have art that is personal to them. “Home is where the art is.” You can quote me. ; )
 
Here are a a few snap-shots of our lovely day in sunny down-town Greenville, during "Artistphere".  What a great mother's day!

Painting #54 They Were All Yellow

There are few things as wonderful as lemons. They’re yellow (one of the greatest colors ever), have a great shape, are indispensable when cooking, smell fabulous, and look great in paintings!  One of the sweetest memories I have of my great grandmother is going out to her back yard and picking lemons, grapefruits, and oranges right off the huge trees that provided the much loved shade. Her whole yard smelled like citrus. So beautiful…

Ok, I have to confess, something. I really don’t want to part with this painting. Sometimes I get attached. BUT… I also want someone to love it and enjoy it every day in their own home! So… I’ll sell it. Just do me a favor: take a photograph of it in your space and send it to me! I’ll miss it! This is a 6x8 oil painting called “They Were All Yellow”.

You can buy this lovely painting on my Etsy shop: EmilyJeffords.esy.com
The give-away is ending soon! Be sure to tell your friends about my blog to enter the contest!

And because today is so warm and sunny, and because I have a slight crush on the color yellow today, I put together this collection of yellow items I love. Let me know what you think!

The yellow clock I’ve been eyeing for about two months now… created by Uncommon,  A beautifully simple photograph by Lynda Naranjo,  Two sweet paintings by one of my favorite local artists, Annie Koelle,  A gorgeous note card (what fun to send or receive one of these!) by Amanda (another local artist), at the Wooden Letter,  A Lovely mocking bird painting (painted on a block of wood!), and, the ultimate party décor (or if you’re like me, every day home décor): a string of handmade, vintage garland, created by Kristina Marie

Painting #53 Yellow Limes

I'm a firm believer that kitchens need a little love too.  In fact, when I design my own kitchen, I'm going to have a wall to feature a huge painting.  I spend so much time in the kitchen that it has to be beautiful!  In the mean time, I’ve created paintings that are completely perfect for “normal kitchens” (those without a huge display wall and spot lights… although, it would look great there as well)… I love yellow and green paintings because they are a great accent color; bright, cheerful, and they coordinate with most color schemes really well and add that little special pop. I must tell you that this painting is one of two that I painted to go together (although they don’t have to be a set). The second one, which features lemons, will be posted tomorrow! They are both 6x8 inch oil paintings on canvas. I especially love the brush strokes in this painting. It looks so luscious. As you can see, I’ve painted the edges so you do not have to frame this “Yellow Limes” painting, But… if you feel so inclined, a black frame would look great and make the colors stand out beautifully! I leave that to you expert eye.

I have listed them on my etsy page! Hurry, I have a feeling these two paintings are going to go fast. They’re darling.

Be sure to enter to win a free oil painting in eight days!

And with that… I’m off to dinner with my wonderful husband and darling daughter!

Painting #37 Garden Observation III

Well… this has literally been my first chance to sit down with the computer, camera, painting, and tape (to hold my eyes open) all day. Today has been full of dress shopping, movie watching, eating, talking, baby holding, singing, and visiting with family I won’t see again for a long time (those always feel like precious moments). I have loved this massive family visit (we've had 21 relitives and a puppy come into town this week!!!) It has been full, exciting, happy, and crazy… but, I can’t wait to get back into a schedule over the next couple days.


Between all the meals, visits, trips, and chats, I managed (!) to paint a painting today (don’t ask me when/how!) We have a tree that drapes over our driveway. One day it was just a tree with bare naked branches, and the next is was covered with these sweet little flower poofs. Adorable… They look so puffy and pink. This oil painting is 5x7 and is for sale on my Etsy shop for $37!


Don’t forget to email your friends and family today about my blog in order to enter the greatest give-away on the internet!

And with that… goodnight!

Time for a little I Spy in the Sky -- Painting #32

Painting number 32 has finally been competed, photographed, posted, and now, viewed by you! I’m tired. We’ve had a very busy day! My brother and sister-in-law arrived from Hawaii this afternoon. It’s been so good to see them again! Their son is three months older than Annalisa, but he’s able to crawl and is starting to walk! So, he’s leaps and bound ahead of her physically right now. But they’re so cute together anyways. I’m including some photos of Annalisa and me that I took this morning. We have so much fun together! She’s so cute and fluffy. I love it when she gets that look of awe in her eyes when she looks at things. I don’t know what I did without her…

This painting is a commission photograph from an old friend from Houston. I hope you love it Lydia! It’s a 6x6 inch oil painting of a beautiful sky full of deep clouds and dramatic highlights. I wish I could have seen it in real life! I love the way the sky changes every hour of every day. There are unlimited creatures, and houses, and people, and flowers morphing in those big fluffy shapes. God is an awesome artist. Isn’t it amazing how the sky can stop us in our tracks, even on the busiest of days, and make us stand in awe? I think it’s one of the most inspiring things I’ve ever seen…
Don’t forget about the most amazing give-away ever! And… check out my shop for paintings that are still for sale!
 

Painting #25 Paradise

Well, the comforting thing about painting this painting was that I couldn't really paint an ugly painting... but the hard thing was that the photograph was so beautiful!!! How can I make something so beautiful into a beautiful painting? Won't the photograph be more beautiful....? Well, here's my attempt at capturing Maui Hawaii! I must admit that I wouldn't mind going there right now. Wouldn't mind at all. It was actually hard for me to paint this painting because the colors are so vibrant in real life! Usually, I take a scene or an object and enhance certain parts or colors, but with this scene, the whole photograph was screaming "I'm beautiful, paint me!"

Thanks for sharing your beautiful back yard with us Mark and Cherie! Because I painted this based on one of their photographs, I’m going to give them the opportunity to buy this painting before listing it on Etsy. I’ll let you know when/if I list it!

I would like to wet your palette with the news that I'm going to be starting a give-away contest very, very soon! I'm still working out all the kinks, so check back soon for more details. The painting I'll be giving away is Dan's (my husband's) favorite one so far... and he is a man of exquisite taste. ; )