Surreal Cow painting for Nibblefest on eBay / New Polish pottery still life painting on Etsy!

My Nibblefest Art Contest entry this month on eBay.  Starting bid at 99cents!  No reserve.. ends Friday evening!

Cowbert Moo-ney

8x8x1 3/8"

acrylic on canvas

sides painted black 

varnished and ready to hang (or stand on shelf)

Bid HERE

Cowbert's muse:

Robert Southey poet.. painting by John James Masquerier ( 1800- public domain image)

Original acrylic painting for Nibblefest art contest theme of "Black and White"- February 2015

My entry is  "Cowbert Moo-ney  " based on poet laureate, Robert Southey's portrait , painted by  John James Masquerier ( 1800- public domain image).   Robert Southey was known for his poetry and documenting his dreams in letters, often based on death.   What a coincidence!!  Cowbert is also known to document dreams of death in a book of poetry  and written tales of cattle that have left the ranch. Cowbert likes to munch on grass while recording these dreams..  T-bone, Sirloin and Meatloaf Moo-ney to name a few are in Cowberts book titled, "The Mad Cow Dairy"- by Cowbert Moo-ney

I painted this portrait of Cowbert just like his favorite poet Robert Southey.  He was honored to be have his portrait painted.

NEW Polish Pottery Still Life painting and number 87 in the series (13 to go to #100!!!!!!  Yay!!!)

Colored Daisies: Polish Pottery LXXXVII

6x12x1 3/8"

acrylic on canvas

varnished and ready to hang on a wall or display on a shelf!  Deep canvas makes it easy to just stand on a shelf! :)

Original still life painting available on Etsy 

Print of original painting on Etsy

June Nibblefest + Black Forest fire charity auction.. Polish pottery 65!

What a week!  Last week as the fire broke out in Black Forest (where I live).. I thought for sure it was far away and that it would be contained quickly because of all the homes here and the access that the firefighters have. WRONG!  Due to extreme low humidity and winds. the fire got SCARY.. really scary.. I told my boys to do a practice evacuation and to pack.  For some reason I believed it was really just a practice. I did laundry, showered.. but in a few hours as the smoke was everywhere and the sky got scary I realized we needed to leave.  We packed up.. my husband and I, my 2 boys, 2 dogs and 3 cats and left.. It happened so fast I was able to leave a bunch of food and water for my chickens and just left.   As we left the forest to go to a friends house you could see the red from all the trees burning. Very surreal!  If it was so frightening for me how scary was it for the people's homes that burned?  I can't imagine the chaos and fright as people evacuated, 2 people lost their lives in this and 509 homes burned + homes partially lost.  The fire was a mile of so away from my house but didn't jump the street to my neighborhood.  Thank you firefighters!   What mixed emotions to feel grateful to have a house while knowing friends that lost everything?  This is not the Colorado I remember in all the years living here.  I hope it goes back to a more 'normal' summer.   In 2009 when we built our chicken coop we were rained out every afternoon.  I WANT that again!  All these fires burning and the haze tonight is just stressful.  Ugh!  Happy to say that my chickens were fine..and my home while close to this never got in real danger. Did i say we were just lucky?  very lucky.. I don't think I've let it sink it yet what has happened to the area that I live in and love. I love Black Forest.

Anyway..  So after our evacuating we came back sooooooooo very grateful and thankful to have a home and really weird feelings to be so happy about it as others are grieving.   Never felt anything like this before.  I left one painting on the easel I was almost finished with.. I did pack up some of my favorite paintings.  Oh so hard to pick and choose.   Now that we are back. I had a day to get my Nibblefest piece together, theme "Kings and Queens" Yesterday  I did a small 5x5" painting of a Chinese Crested dog with a crown.  Available for eBay nibblefest now here: 

Coronation: King Buttercup

5x5x1.5"

Acrylic on canvas

2013

Patterns: Polish Pottery LXV

11x14x3/4" canvas

optional free FRAME

50% proceeds to go Red Cross Pikes Peak Chapter that aids in the Black Forest Fire

Also. please throw me a virtual Facebook 'Like' on my "Sink Bubbles: Polish Pottery LXIV" painting on the June BoldBrush competition page.. I LOVE this painting so entered it into that competition also!. just won Member's Choice and Clouds award..  Like from the BoldBrush site here: 

16x20x1.5" Award winning painting

Original still available for sale on eBay here:   (10% going to Black Forest Animal Sanctuary) 

Nibblefest, April 20, 2013 "Trees"

Just finished my Nibblefest entry.. Theme is "Trees".  For my entry I painted a Polish pottery based water glass with ice water outside with the forest trees reflecting into the water.  I love painting water, glass and reflections so this was a fun one and also a landscape!  

Painted on a 4x6x3/4" canvas.. Acrylic with sides painted black.  Ready to display!

Ebay Listing here:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/140959760655?ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Nibbefest Ends today! plus Polish Pottery work in progress

I LOVED the 29 Faces challenge I did in February and plan on participating for the next 29 Faces challenge.   One of the things I really enjoyed about the challenge is trying new things.  Typically I paint still lifes, pet portraits and such.  29 Faces was fun because I got to experiment and try made up faces and even a fun creature I named Larry.. He was so much fun, in fact, I plan to paint more with Larry and he sold immediately when listed on Etsy.  I got a lot of positive feedback on him which made me want to experiment and try some new things with my paintings.  I'll still continue with my still lives but this is fun to mix it up too.  Pet portraits will always be fun.  I also would like to tackle a realistic face. maybe paint Darrell from Walking Dead?  Was thinking about that as I watched last Sunday's episode. Love Walking Dead!

I didn't paint much in 2012 or really even 2011..  I guess just a slump.  I think all artists go through that.   2011 was the last time I painted a Polish Pottery Still life.. Sad!  I really love my Polish pottery still life series and will definitely be continuing that after I've received inquiries when I'll be painting new ones.  Now!! The series is back underway! Yay!! :)

So I have Polish Pottery 62 underway.. I'm super excited about it..think it will turn out well..  Here's the Work in progress photo..   It's 16x20 which feels huge after all the 4x4's I painted in February for 29 Faces... Stay tuned.. Hoping to have this finished later in the week.. LOTS of detail and much to do! :D

My Nibblefest entry ends today!!  I blogged about it on March 20th.. Check it out..  Bunny Foo Foo likes to bop mice on the head and the good fairy warns him 3 times or she'll turn him into a goon.. (Check my last blog post if you want to read the nursery rhyme) Years later.. as he sits on the park bench with his bloody mallet he's still bopping those mice.   The good fairy isn't happy and she's casting her spell.   Look out Bunny Foo Foo.. see the mouse on back with his own mallet out for revenge?  LOL..  I really had a great time painting Bunny Foo Foo.. and it ENDS tonight! grab it while you can.. it's a bit dark humor and cute too! :)

AUCTION here!! :D http://www.ebay.com/itm/140938196554?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Or search EBay for "NFAC Sims" and you can find my monthly Nibblefest entries.  Contact me if you'd like to be included on my mailing list.  :D