Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Salt and Pepper III ~ New Small Painting


Salt and Pepper III
6" x 6"
Acrylic Paint on Gallery Wrapped Canvas
~Sold~

Commissions are done and now back to painting just whatever pops in my head. This is a composition I have done before, but I thought I would try it again. I love salt and pepper shakers.

Salt and Pepper III was painted using professional artist grade acrylic paint on a museum quality gallery wrapped canvas with painted sides to allow for display without a frame. Painting was finished with a light coat of varnish.

This painting has sold.

Coming up next~ Pumpkins, a rooster, and maybe a pink flamingo!

Thank you for stopping by~

Torrie

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Painting~ my "drug of choice"


2011


2006

There are times I want to paint and just can't think of what, so I look through reference photos of past paintings. I came across this composition I first painted in 2006. There is a definite change in style from the early days. Being a self-taught artist, I have learned everything from books and videos. I think the biggest advantage is not knowing what can't be done~ you tend to make a lot of mistakes, but when you finally get it right, it is fabulous!

How this all started~

I picked up a paintbrush with Miranda in 2001 and was hooked. It is my "drug of choice".

I had painted a bit in high school, but the cost of materials and lessons was a bit "extravagant" at the time.

Fast forward 25 years~

Miranda was taking art in high school and had a project, you know~ the one for the majority of their semester grade that they decide to start the weekend that it is due. I sat down with her and we painted together. She turned in her painting and it went to hang in Raleigh; and mine, unfinished, went in the closet. She went off to college the next year majoring in art. She was doing what I had always wanted to do. After watching a show on Oprah about following your passion, I went to the library and checked out all the art books they had. I guess you could say the rest is history. I have been painting and having the time of my life. It is hard to believe, I have been selling my paintings around the world since 2005, over 600 paintings. One of the few nude paintings I have done hangs in a collectors home in Russia; it is so hard to believe. I often think of my grandmother, who paid for my first art lesson, I wish she could see me now.

I often get caught up with commissions during this time of year, but this year will be different. I will be painting for fun, whatever pops in my head. I will be trying new and different materials and compositions. This should be fun~

Thanks for stopping by,

Torrie

Monday, October 17, 2011

Commissioned Paintings!


Danette's Pear
18" x 24"


Danette's Rooster
18" x 24"

I have just finished two commissions that will be moving away this week after the varnish dries.

Now time to paint for fun!

I am currently working on a small still life of Salt and Pepper shakers. There are so many things I want to paint~ poppies, tornadoes, bananas; just to name a few.

Check back again soon~

Torrie

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

New Website~


The Wright Boat
30" x 48"
~Sold~

The new website is up and I love it~ I am still adding paintings, hopefully to be finished with the available paintings soon. Filling the sold gallery with over 500 paintings may take a while.

Stop by and visit TorrieSmiley.com

Seth Wright
did a fabulous job!

I have been working on commissions, currently finishing up a large Rooster painting.

After that, a small salt and pepper painting and maybe a small Tornado~

Thanks for stopping by and check back again soon.

Torrie