New Pear Painting! The Golden Pear

The Golden Pear

8" x 10"

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Available for Purchase

***Sold***

Painting, painting, painting! It is a beautiful Monday, the sun is shinning and it is very warm outside. I should be cleaning up the yard~but, painting is more fun. This is the newest pear painting. I wanted an elegant vintage-type appearance with a muted background. I am very pleased how it turned out. This painting is available for purchase directly from the artist at my gallery at EBSQart.com and in my Etsy.com store.

Up next, pink Flamingos! Check back again soon to see how they are coming along.

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Torrie

The Avocado ~~ New painting today!

The Avocado

6" x 8" Oil on Canvas Panel

Available for purchase

$25.00, plus shipping

I was able between fog and rain to get a good picture of my newest painting The Avocado. The Avocado is available for purchase directly from the artist at my EBSQart.com gallery or my Etsy.com store.

It has been nice to get back to painting after the Christmas holiday. I have a new pear painting almost complete and I will be finishing up two flamingo paintings as requested. I will be painting a smaller version of "Big Bird" and finishing up the portrait for the "Different Strokes from Different Folks" portrait challenge. It is so nice to be busy painting!

Check back tomorrow to see the finished gold pear painting!

Torrie

Art of the Day!

Sunday Pears

6" x 8"

Oil on Canvas Panel

~Sold~

How exciting! My Sunday Pears was selected as "Art of the Day" at EBSQart.com It is such an honor for one of my paintings to be on the front page. Sunday Pears has found a new home in Massachusetts.

We had a wonderful Christmas! My collectors were very good to me and my family, now I have to get busy replacing the paintings in my online stores. I have finished a new avocado painting that will be listed today~~ as soon as the weather clears and I can get a good digital photo. I am almost finished with a new gold pear painting that is very muted and coming along nicely. Check back later today to see if the weather cooperated and the avocado painting can make it to the blog.

I am still working on the pastel portrait for the "Different Strokes from Different Folks " portrait challenge. I am very excited about the opportunity to participate. I do not paint many portraits, so this is a stretch for me. I love the reference photo Karin Jurick sent to me. I can't wait to find out who the artist is and check out her portfolio, she seems very interesting! Miranda told me I was "doing really great with the use of the negative space" Huh? It is times like these when the difference between a college-educated artist (Miranda) and a self-taught, checked-out-every-art-book in the library artist (me) starts to show.

Well, back to the studio!

Thanks for stopping by~

Torrie

Merry Christmas!

From our house to yours~

Merry Christmas!

Miranda, Torrie, Courtney,

Sadie and Stella

Two New Pear Paintings

Two Christmas Pears

5"x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

~SOLD~

The Christmas Pear

8" x 10"

~SOLD~

I love painting pears. Two new pear paintings available for purchase. These are just listed in my eBay and Etsy.com stores. You can also purchase directly from the artist.

Today, I will be making Christmas candy and finishing up last minute Christmas shopping. It is hard to believe Christmas is almost here and then 2009! Where did the year go.

Check back again soon... I am hoping to sneak back into the studio before the day is over and paint!

Torrie

Getting Back to Work!

Back in my Studio

I am so excited! The shelves are back up and fully stocked. This time they will not be going anywhere. The shelves are fully anchored into studs~~if the shelves fall now, they will take the wall down with them. I did move the magazine collection off the shelves because of the weight and replaced it with supplies. The top shelf is large canvas and the second shelf is small canvas, watercolor paint, pastels, and watercolor and pastel papers. I had forgotten what a wonderful collection of pastels I have. I am going to have to start using them.

My first painting in my newly re-designed studio was a pear. I wanted to paint something familiar to get back into the swing of things!

The Christmas Pear

This is the first painting from the new and improved studio. I will be posting the painting for sale some time tomorrow. I could not get a very good picture of the painting today~~it was too cloudy and rainy. Hopefully tomorrow the sun will shine long enough to get a good quality picture of the painting.

I spent the rest of the rainy day finishing up last minute Christmas shopping with Miranda. We had a wonderful time and ended the shopping adventure at Krispy Kreme!

Thanks for stopping by!

Torrie

When bad things happen~~

OOPS!

The shelf in the picture is 7 feet long

All the holes in the wall is where the anchors came out.

When I bought this house in 2003, I was very excited to have a small room off the living room to use as my studio. This enabled me to be close to the children and the activity in the living room, but still be doing my own thing. (You know how your kids want you to be close enough to answer when they say: "Mom", but not hovering .....) I have enjoyed my little room so much, over 350 paintings have been created here and shipped all over the world.

I have been adding supplies, canvas, and art magazines to my shelves in my studio for five years.....who knew it was getting too heavy! I am grateful I was in bed fast asleep and not sitting painting at my table when the shelves came tumbling down. The falling shelves would have definitely left a mark. The steel rail of the shelves impaled the storage bin next to my table which gave me an idea of the force of the shelves falling. No paintings were lost or damaged in the mess. I generally keep the finished paintings tucked away. I did lose all but one of my orchids. They were crushed and the pots shattered under the art magazine collection that was on the bottom shelf when it fell.

Needless to say...I will not be painting until I can find the floor under all the magazines and supplies. There are paint brushes scattered everywhere. I currently have canvas stacked in the hallway and dining room. I know the shelves will not be going back up.....I will have to think of something else~~maybe one of those elaborate closet systems from Lowes.

Hopefully, I will be back up and painting very soon. I will have to avoid the temptation to sit on the floor and look at all the magazines one more time before finding a new place to keep them!

Thanks for stopping in,

Torrie

Avocado on Red and No Sushi on Tuesday!

Avocado on Red

6" x 8" Oil on Canvas Panel

***SOLD***

Miranda had bought two avocados the other day for her dinner. I "borrowed" one for a few minutes to take some reference photos to paint for later. The children are getting used to me taking pictures of their food and fruit for my artistic adventures. I have been having so much fun playing with red paint. I am going to have to paint something else with all the reds. I think I have about seven tubes of different shades of red!

No Sushi on Tuesday

6" x 8" Oil on Canvas Panel

Available for Purchase
$25.00

There is only one place in Shelby to get sushi. (This is a very small town...) There is a sign on the front door the says: "No Sushi on Tuesday". The only lady that knows how to make sushi is off on Tuesday.

Miranda's computer is currently being repaired, so she has been on my computer all day long getting ready for her finals this week. That gave me an excuse to lay on the sofa all day with the dogs watching movies~ I never do that! I will be paying for it tomorrow as I rush around to get everything done before the work week starts on Tuesday!

Up next~~ Finishing up the flamingo paintings. Then, I had better get my Christmas shopping finished.

Thanks for visiting!

Torrie

Home for the Holidays!

The Family

Mom, Miranda, Courtney,

Sadie, and Stella

Every year I try to get a nice picture of the family to add to the Christmas card so family and friends who live across the United States, that we rarely see, can keep up with us. You would think as the children got older this process would become easier......not really. It is one of my most favorite days.....all of us together laughing, remembering.... Not one good picture out of the group! Well, check back over Christmas and we will see if I can photoshop a decent one of all of us!

Courtney is home from school for the Holidays. She looks thin, but I can fix that! Miranda is still in the middle of finals and she is very crabby!

I plan on painting all day today, there are several new paintings that need to be finished, at least that is the plan for now. Check back tomorrow evening and there should be a new sushi painting, an avocado still life (Miranda's dinner the other night), and another new flamingo painting.

Well, off to clean the kitchen, then to the studio!

Torrie

Sunday Pears ~ New Original Oil Painting

Sunday Pears

6" x 8" Oil on Canvas Panel

~SOLD~

There are times when you go into the studio to paint without a clear idea of what you want to do....then you get lucky and things just come together. This is Sunday Pears, yellow pears with a splash of red. I love this painting! If this disappears, then you know I kept it myself.

It is late, and there is still much to do before bed. ~ I will check back in again soon!

Torrie

Henry ~ The Flamingo

Henry, the Flamingo

6" x 6" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

~SOLD~

I have learned my lesson, never ask your daughter what to name a painting. Now I am stuck, if I don't name it Henry, she will be offended. So here it is: Henry, the Flamingo. I was requested by a collector on eBay to paint more Flamingos and Ostriches. This is the first of three planned flamingo paintings. The next is an 8" x 10" of two flamingos together. The third will be approximately 9" x 12" and will be the one I have done before of the flamingo walking in the water with reflections. Henry is currently available for purchase in my EBSQart gallery and my Etsy store.

I will also be painting more pears in between the flamingo paintings and I am still participating in the weekly challenges. My next challenge will either be painted using watercolor or pastel....she wanted us to branch out to try other mediums...other than what we are most comfortable using.

That is about all the big plans so far for the upcoming week, unless you count cleaning house, doing laundry, and getting everything in order before Courtney gets home with her laundry and clutter~~ and of course there is the real job. So, that means at any given time there will be four computers up and running~~ the local power company just loves me.....

Thanks for checking in!

Torrie

Egg Reflections ~ New Painting today!

Egg Reflections

5" x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

Available for Purchase

$25.00, plus shipping

This is the newest in my series of small oil paintings. Egg Reflections is a simple composition of something you see everyday. I am hoping I caught it in a new light and made it a bit interesting.

It was so much fun being selected as "Art of the Day" yesterday. Thank you everyone for your nice notes and comments of congratulations. It was so much better than a birthday!

I had planned to get up really early this morning and get so much accomplished with my day....that was a really good plan, but instead I spent a lazy morning snuggling with my Stella and doing nothing. I have followed that up with hanging out with Miranda watching old movies--basically doing nothing.....it is cloudy, cold, and gloomy and that has probably helped me along with my lazy day.

I will be starting my flamingo painting today. I had a request yesterday to paint more flamingos. Right now I am working on a small flamingo portrait 6" x 6" acrylic on canvas. Check back tomorrow to see if I finished it or continued with my laziness.

Thanks to much for stopping by!

Torrie

Art of the Day at EBSQart.com!

The White Pumpkins

8" x 10" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

~~Sold~~

I am honored, excited, and thrilled "The White Pumpkins" was selected by EBSQart.com as "Art of the Day". It came at such a wonderful time....I had just finished throwing away the painting I had been working on all night....feeling a little down, then I saw my painting had been chosen. I will be walking on air all day~~ Thank you EBSQart! This painting was my first Weekly Challenge painting and was then one that got me hooked on participating in the challenges.

Well, I guess I better get to bed. I may be on the front page of a fabulous self-representing artist gallery website, but I still have to get up at 6:00 am for the real job. Have a wonderful weekend!

Torrie

Hydrangeas in the Morning ~ Weekly Challenge Painting

Hydrangeas in the Morning

5" x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

Available for Purchase

$25.00, plus Shipping

Different Stroke from Different Folks weekly painting challenge.

This week was called our "Zen" project when we were asked to paint this sunlit still life arrangement of Hydrangeas and a Buddha. I loved painting this one. I am of fan of still life painting and I love hydrangeas. I have several hydrangea bushes of pink and blue versions in my backyard. I am thinking of painting a larger version of the painting for my own!

There are so many things I want to paint! Coming up next~~I am going to paint a small Christmas painting on a canvas panel. I bought lemons for a lemon pie for Thanksgiving. Miranda helped me set up still life compositions using the fresh lemons before I made the pie. I will be working with those reference photos to paint new lemon still life paintings.

I have also been asked to paint nekked ladies....well, maybe....we'll see....

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the newest painting. Check back again soon. There is definitely more to come!

Torrie

Cherries and Shadows ~~Sold~

Cherries and Shadows

5" x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

~~SOLD~~

This is the newest painting. The weather has been quite rainy and I take my photographs outside in natural light, so I had to wait for a clear day. This painting is currently available for purchase in my EBSQart Gallery and in my Etsy.com store. It will soon be listed in my eBay store.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday, I know we did as evidenced by my five pound weight gain. Now, back to the diet with no lemon or pecan pie! It was nice to have the girls home laughing, playing on the computer, and shopping. I will need to get the electrical outlet fixed in the living room. It seems when you overload it with guitar hero, two laptops, the ceiling fan, every light in the living room on, and a space heater all plugged into the same outlet using an adapter and an extension cord, the smell of melting plastic brings all fun to an end.

~~Not to mention a screaming women with paint brushes in her hand exclaiming, "can't you smell that"......Miranda's allergies were acting up and Courtney had a cold, they could smell nothing and the dogs evidently haven't learn to bark FIRE yet.

I will be finishing the weekly painting challenge for this week today. Hopefully, the weather will stay good and I will be able to get a picture of it tomorrow and turned in on time! After that, there is so much I want to do~~more lemon paintings are on the way along with more small oil paintings. I did miss the political art show at EBSQart.com, but I am still going to finish the President-elect Obama painting and enter it in the Better Late than Never show this month.

Thanks for stopping by!

Torrie

Thanksgiving!

Stella and Sadie

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

From the Smiley's

Torrie

Miranda

Courtney

Stella and Sadie

Two New Paintings!

The Arrival of Winter

5" x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

***SOLD***

The days are getting shorter, the leaves have fallen from the trees, the sun has given way to cloudy and gloomy. The morning paper is laying in a bed of frost. The birds have gone south to live at the beach. Winter is here. This is a small painting of the color of winter. A mixture of blue, turquoise, and yellow create an abstract winter sky with an empty bird nest remaining in a tree with bare limbs.

Coffee on Red

5" x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

**Sold**

I have been planning to paint cups of coffee for some time. I might even branch out to tea with lemon. I am a fan of red, so I had to use a background of red for my first coffee painting. Please enjoy viewing my cup of Joe.

New paintings are also available for purchase in my Etsy.com store.

I still have not finished my President-elect Obama painting. I am soooo running out of time! I might have to give up and paint something else political.

Well off to dinner, Courtney is home and the girls cooked....we are having sandwiches. Then off to the studio to paint!

Torrie

I have been tagged by Kari Tirrell~~

Frankie

8” x 10”

Soft Pastels on Suede Matboard

by Kari Tirrell

TAGGED!!

I just got tagged by Kari Tirrell.

Here are the rules:

1. Place a link to the person that tagged you.

2. List seven unusual things about yourself.

3. Tag (and link to) seven other artists at the end of your post, and post on their blogs to let them know they have been tagged.

This took a lot of thought, and then I cheated--- I asked my daughter, Miranda, to help me. It seems, in her opinion, there are a lot of unusual things about me. When her sister, Courtney, sees this post I am sure she will have her own list.

Well, here goes:

1. I am a shameless Diet Coke-a-holic. Got to have it! I didn't even drink water until July, when I went on a diet and now I have to drink 64 ounces of water a day....yuck! I still manage to drink too much Diet Coke along with the water. ~~ I have lost 45 pounds so far, 20 more to go. I don't want to be fat and fifty....I have until June 2009!

2. I paint because Oprah told me to--I am not a rabid Oprah fan, I catch episodes when I can, especially when Dr. Oz is on~I have a small crush. No really, one day around 2000, she had a show about having passion and following your dream. I thought, yeah right--I am a single mother with two teenage girls, I don't have time for passion or hobbies. I was beginning to think about painting again, she even said something about doing what you think is impossible-only a dream- and give it a shot. Well, of course I ignored it. A year or two later, there was an artist in town giving a lecture at the Arts Council. It was free so I thought I would just check it out. I attended and she said she had recently started painting again after a long absence, focusing earlier on photography, because Oprah had told her to. I'm sorry, but I thought that was a sign. HA! Well, the rest is history.

3. I sometimes sleep with my eyes open. Doesn't everyone. I think it comes with having two daughters.

4. I organize my colored plastic hangers in the laundry room by color going from light to dark, left to right. No, I don't have OCD...it just looks better. Just in case I have a massive amount of traffic flowing through the laundry room, I want it to look nice.

5. In 1977, I performed in the Macy's Day Parade in New York City. I was a Cisco Junior College Wrangler Bell, Cisco Texas. There is video footage of it somewhere.

6. I am addicted to the Internet and an information junky. I work at home as a medical transcriptionist (real job) and I keep the TV on in the background with various cable news shows on-- I rotate the different channels to get a variety of slants on the same news. I love being able to google whatever and get immediate answers and information. My girls often say, "I wonder"... and that sets me off....I google it.

7. I don't consider myself an artist and couldn't tell you anything about painting. I am primarily self taught and originally got most of my information from books at the local library until I read all of them and started buying art magazines and more books.

Well, that is about it.....I am saving the good stuff for Courtney when she writes her first book. (She is an English major at UNC Chapel Hill.) I am sure she will write about how funny and fabulous I am.....and I paint pictures too. : )

Thanks Kari for tagging me...I am your biggest fan.

Here are the artists that I plan on tagging, they are all fabulous! It may take them a while, or they may not want to play, and that's okay, too. But, take the time to check their blogs ~ you will not be disappointed, they are all wonderful artists with great talent!

Madelaine Fedorowich

Naquaiya

Staci Rose

Renee' Gandy

Blenda Tyvoll

Tina Bohlman

Betty Refour

Thanks for stopping by, there will be more new paintings soon. My President-elect Obama painting was a disaster.....I will be trying again for the EBSQart show this month. Running out of time!

Torrie

Why do bad things happen to good pups?

Sadie Mae on a perfect sunny day....refusing to come in the house.

This is her "I don't think so" face.

Sadie Mae with her neck booboo....resting comfortably.

No painting today....Sadie Mae was bit by a friend's Labrador last night. They had played well together all week, but for reasons only Cody, the Labrador, knows; he bit Sadie Mae. He seemed upset that she had been hurt and I don't think it was intentional on his part. She has a wound on her neck that needed two staples. She will be taking antibiotics for the rest of the week. She will make a full physical recovery, I just hope she recovers her sweet loving nature of people and animals. During our evening walks in our big dog walking neighborhood, she thought every dog and owner she passed was her best friend and wanted to play. She has been a wonderful blessing to our family since the first day we brought her home from the pound.

Thanks so much Dr. Nic for leaving your evening with friends to meet us at the clinic. Stella said she knows Sadie is your favorite.

Our mini-dachshund, Stella, has been keeping close watch on the patient with frequent snuggling and kisses. She was standing right next to Sadie when Sadie was injured.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and give your family pets a big kiss from Sadie Mae.

Torrie

Fresh Orange, New small oil painting!

Fresh Orange

5" x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

Available for Purchase

$25.00

This is the newest of my small oil paintings on canvas panels. I am trying to paint daily, which finding the time is the biggest challenge, but I am having so much fun and learning so much.

I am always painting pears. I thought I would branch out a bit and paint an orange. I really like how this one turned out. I am thinking of branching out to more food groups!

This painting is available for purchase from my gallery and in my Etsy.com store.

I have errands to run but, hopefully, will have time to paint something new tonight.

Thanks for checking in~

Torrie

Two Little Pears ~ Another new pear painting!

Two Little Pears

5" x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

~Sold~

Another little pear painting. I love painting pears. This is a green and red pear on a vintage blue plate. (These would stand up-- but, they are also artificial fruit.) I started buying realistic looking artificial fruit when the family kept eating my still life composition fruit before I had a chance to paint them. The family joke was "Mom, is the painting fruit or eating fruit." I do like working with the real thing....but sometimes the fake will have to do. This painting is available for purchase in my EBSQart.com gallery and my Etsy.com store.

Thanks for stopping by...

Torrie

The Lazy Pear - New Painting for today!

The Lazy Pear

5"x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

Available for Purchase

$25.00

Okay, from now on, I test drive the pear before I bring it home from the grocery store. I picked out my pear and had planned to stand it up, spotlight it to get a heavy shadow and paint a standing pear with a long heavy shadow.....it refused to stay standing. I finally gave up and just painted it laying down. Now, I will test every fruit for its ability to stand before I bring it home.

Next up, look for another new pear painting tomorrow. I will be finishing it up tonight.

Thanks again for checking in ~~

Torrie

Taking a Break~~

Off to Chapel Hill!

Time to go check on the baby. I will be spending a couple of days with Courtney at college~~shopping, eating, and having fun! I did not get any painting done before I left, I will have to get busy when I get home.

See you all when I get back!

Torrie

The Red Creamer ~~ New Painting!

The Red Creamer

6" x 6" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

~SOLD~

A new little painting! I had to work in the yard today to trim everything back for the winter and get rid of a few million leaves. I worked in the yard for four hours then thirty minutes later, the wind blew and there were another few million leaves on the ground. I gave up and painted the The Red Creamer. I have had this little red cream and sugar set for so many years, I can't even remember where I found it. I was cleaning out the china closet the other day (trying to make room for new treasures) and saw the little creamer and decided I had to paint it! Maybe next time I will include the matching sugar bowl. The painting is available for purchase in my gallery or my Etsy.com store

I have to work for the hospital this weekend. Twelve hour shifts means no time for painting~~ Well, I might squeeze something in--you will be the first to know!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy The Red Creamer!

Torrie

Happy Fall!

Holly's Flowers, Shelby, North Carolina

This is a wonderful time of the year! The trees are turning such beautiful colors. This is on the list of things to paint! Holly's Flowers is decorated for fall complete with turning trees in front! I love the flower cart and will probably be doing a series of paintings. This will be the first~~ Fall at Holly's Flowers. I will post it as soon as it is done!

I will be roaming the streets of Shelby again tomorrow to get more pictures of the fall colors before the autumn breeze blows them all away!

Thanks for stopping by!

Torrie

Flow Blue and Three Lemons

Flow Blue and Three Lemons

12" x 12" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

~Sold~

Flow Blue and Three Lemons is finished and currently in my Etsy.com Store. For those of you who have not seen Etsy, it is time to check it out. A website with only handmade or vintage items for sale. Great to do your Christmas shopping. I have had my Etsy store for a little over a year now and I love the wonderful things you can find there.

This is going to be a busy week! Cleaning out closets, getting the yard ready for winter, and finishing up some paintings before heading to Chapel Hill to see the baby!

Well, off to get busy!

Torrie

Flow Blue and Three Lemons ~~ In progress!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Flow Blue with Three Lemons in Progress

Reference Photo

I will be busy passing out candy to strange children in costume this evening and will not be painting~~so, I have posted the progress of my new lemon still life painting. I can't wait to finish it....but, there is a sidewalk sale in Charlotte at Cheap Joe's Art Supply in the morning... AND.... I have not finished painting the fence yet and tomorrow should be warm enough to finish. Well, so much to do so little time!

Enjoy the sneak peak at the painting and check back again soon to see it finished!

Torrie

Giverny Lily Pond ~~ New Painting in the Series

Giverny Lily Pond

5" x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

***SOLD***

I have finished another small oil painting in the Giverny Series of the pond and gardens of Claude Monet's home in Giverny, France.

Next up~~ I am currently working on the Flow Blue and Three Lemons painting.

It has been a long day and the dogs need the evening stroll.

Thanks so much for keep up with my painting adventures!

Torrie

The Lily Pond at Giverny Oil painting on Canvas Panel

The Lily Pond at Giverny

5" x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

***SOLD***

I am doing a series of small oil paintings on canvas panels. These paintings can either be framed or placed on a small easel to place on a tabletop, bookshelf, or mantle. This painting is available for purchase directly from my gallery using the link above or at my Etsy.com store.

The Lily Pond at Giverny is the first in a series of Monet inspired paintings. Next, almost finished is another impressionistic lily pond painting. After that, I will paint a poppy landscape painting using the style of Monet.

Currently planned paintings are lemon paintings featuring Flow Blue china and more pear paintings.

Thanks for stopping by!

Torrie

Design Style Guide!

The new website is up and running! Check out Design Style Guide! It is a brand new website catering to Interior Designers and Shoppers looking for unique one-of-a-kind handmade items to decorate and furnish homes. This is a one stop shop comprised of hundreds of Etsy.com designers and store owners. You purchase nothing from this site.....it provides you with information and links to the individual shops you are interested in visiting.

The different categories of shopping at the website are: Furniture, Holiday Gifts and Decor, Home Accessories, Pillows and Quilts, Pottery and Glass (my favorite), and Wall Art. They also have an under $20.00 section that makes looking for something special and unique for gift giving at a reasonable price. My paintings are included under Wall Art- original paintings.

Check this out when you are net surfing....who know what treasures you will find! New items will be added daily as the store owners add items to the site.

New Painting!

Red Tulips

6" x 6" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Available for Purchase

***SOLD***

You can see this and other paintings at the new Design Style Guide website. This painting is available for purchase in all the usual places

Thanks for stopping by....more paintings and fun to come!

Torrie

New Pear Painting! ~~ Pear V

Pear V

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

***SOLD***

This is the newest pear painting. I was in the mood to paint something colorful and loose. Pear V is available for purchase in all the usual places, Etsy.com, ArtbyUs.com, and in my gallery at EBSQart.com.

I will be painting another pumpkin painting very similar to the White Pumpkin painting challenge. When I did the orange underpainting for the white pumpkins, I really liked how it looked orange and will probably do a pumpkin painting using orange pumpkins this week.

Well, I had better get back to work....it is turning cold and I have to get the winter clothes unpacked and pack up the summer.

Stop in again soon!

Torrie

The Orchid and the Dragon - SOLD

The Orchid and the Dragon

8" x 10" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

~Sold~

I have just finished "The Orchid and the Dragon"

I bought an Orchid at Lowes one year. When the blooms died, I sat the little pot near the window in my studio. It had just two leaves draped slightly over the pot. I watered it when it was dry and my little clay pot with two leaves kept me company. Slowly, there came two more leaves.....and then this little stalk started winding its way out of the little clay pot. I really don't know how long it took to bloom, but I was so proud when four blossoms came. The flowers lasted for quite some time sitting on the mantle in the living room. I took several reference photos, I was so proud of my little orchid. The blooms have long since died and the little orchid had to be transplanted into a larger clay pot. It is once again getting watered regularly at the window in my studio, waiting patiently for another bloom.

The teacup is from a Dragonware tea service that belonged to my grandmother.

This painting is also available for purchase directly from my gallery using the link above or in my Etsy.com store.

Well, I had better get busy.

Thanks for stopping by!

Torrie

Three Red Pears

Three Red Pears

8" x 10" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

***SOLD***

I finished the red pear painting. This is three bright red pears in a gold - brass bowl with a muted soft green background. The painting is available for purchase in my Etsy Store and in my EBSQart.com gallery

Stop in again soon to see what I finally decided to paint!

Torrie

The Rooster II, New painting available!

The Rooster II

12" x 12" Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

~SOLD~

This is the newest Rooster painting available for purchase at my EBSQart.com gallery or in my Etsy.com Store. I have really enjoyed getting back to painting roosters. It was a pleasant break from the weekly painting challenge.

Miranda and I are currently recovering from all the "Fair Food"--caramel apples, funnel cakes, vinegar fries (I did not eat those.....or the fried pickles). The roasted corn looked really good....but I had the Bar-B-Q, onion blossom, and peach cobbler-with ice cream, whip cream, and pecans. Good thing the county fair is just once a year.

Miranda brought home another fish that she won throwing balls in a fish bowel. I am sending it to live with Courtney in Chapel Hill with her fish Gil and Gabby. Sebastian, the goldfish the girls won at the fair six years ago does not want company, so Midas is currently living in a travel tank. I did not know that fed well and given a clean tank to live in, a goldfish can live thirteen to fifteen years! Sebastian, the county fair fish from six years ago is currently in a 20 gallon $250.00 tank set up living like a king!

I will be attempting paintings from the reference photos that we took at the Fair. Maybe small watercolors at first. I will let you know.

Next up!

I am going to finish the pear painting and then I better clean house and do laundry. It will be time to get back to the real world for a while.

Check in with you later.....

Torrie

The Rooster ~~ New Painting!

The Rooster

8" x 10" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

~SOLD~

Just off the easel! I have finished the first rooster painting. It is available for purchase at my EBSQart.com gallery and at the Etsy.com Store I have another rooster started on the easel. It is 12" x 12" and will be different colors. It should be finished some time next week.

I have also started the small pear painting. It is red pears in a bowl with a gray-green background, 8" x 10".

The Lily pond painting is next. It is 16" x 20".

I will be away at Chapel Hill Monday and Tuesday to see Courtney. She has an echocardiogram scheduled and I am going to hold her hand......I really think it is the other way around. She will be holding mine! She is handling all of this much better than I am.

I will check back in when I get back! Hopefully, I will be able to find gas for the trip!

Torrie