How it all started...About me...

Yellow Pears I  -  2005  

                                                           One Yellow Pear - 2020

I have been drawing as long as I can remember.  I spent more time drawing in class when I probably should have been paying attention.  In high school, I had my first opportunity to paint with a wonderful local artist Nell Bennett.  That is when I fell in love with painting.  I really can’t call myself self-taught because there are so many people through the years who have helped me be a better artist.  

As with many of artists, the slight detour came when I became an adult and fell victim to the phrase; “You need to get a real job, painting is a hobby not a career.” 

Fast forward twenty years, my daughter had an art class project that she, of course, waited until the last weekend to start.  She had to complete a painting for art class.  I told her I used to paint back in the day, and we would paint together.  We bought acrylic paint since she needed it to be dry by Monday.  We both started from the same reference photo.  That weekend was all that it took—

Being a single mom with two teenage girls, painting kept me from going crazy!.  Painting was my drug of choice, it was addicting. I soon realized I would not be able to afford my new “hobby” if I didn’t find a way to pay for the paint—quality art supplies are expensive.  I decided to put a few of my small paintings on eBay.  If they sold I could buy more paint!  I guess you could say the rest is history.  

Since that time, I have sold over 700 small daily paintings in my various online stores.  My children often referred to it as my hobby that got totally out of control.  I was fortunate to be selling art online and have been selling my art on Etsy since the early years.  I was one of the original artists to join Daily Paintworks started by Carol Marine and her husband David.  I have followed wonderful daily painting artists like Carol, David Keiser, and Qiang Huang along with many others which have helped me grow as an artist.  The explosion of painting websites, youtube, instagram, downloadable instruction videos, and online workshops make this a great time to be an artist.  

I am now painting both small daily paintings and larger paintings that I enter into local and online shows.  My paintings are available for sale here on my website, Daily Paintworks, and my Etsy Store.  Prints of my paintings are available through Fine Art America. 

If you would like to know when the new paintings are coming online before they are released, sign up for my new art alerts and newsletter. 

Thank you for stopping by and following my adventure!  I am having the time of my life! 

Torrie

Scattered!

Scattered

24" x 30"

Acrylic Paint and Gold Leaf

Currently Showing at McDowell Arts Center Matthews, NC

This is my only abstract painting~  it was so much fun to paint, it may not be the last!  The idea came about due to a little brain trouble that led to some very interesting medication.  I am no longer on the drug that made everything so colorful, but hopefully will retain some of the wonderful, colorful ideas~

Scattered was painted using professional artist grade acrylic paint and gold leaf on a museum quality gallery wrapped deep profile canvas with painted sides to allow for display without a frame. Painting was finished with a light coat of varnish. 

To see this painting, head to Matthews at the McDowell Arts Center for the Guild of Charlotte Artists show happening now~

Thanks for stopping by!

Torrie

FIve Lemons

Five Lemons

18" x 24"

Acrylic on Deep Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Available for Purchase 

$300

I have painted this composition a couple of times small.  I thought it was time to go big.  I love painting lemons and will be doing another lemon painting soon!

Five Lemons was painted using professional artist grade acrylic paint on a museum quality gallery wrapped deep profile canvas with painted sides to allow for display without a frame. Painting was finished with a light coat of varnish. 

To see this painting and all the current available paintings to purchase, stop by my Etsy.com store.

Thanks for stopping by!

Torrie

Flamingo painting ~ more progress

In Progress 20" x 20" Flamingo

Painting large can be slow going.  I will be slowly adding the layers of feathers.  I hope you have enjoyed following along.  

Visit my Etsy.com store to find paintings currently available for purchase.

Thanks for stopping by~

Torrie

Pear Study 1

Pear Study 1

5" x 7" 

Acrylic Paint on Ampersand Aquabord

~Sold~

Finally!!!   I know it has been way too long~  Getting back to painting is always a struggle when I have been away from it for this long.  I started again with something I love to paint hoping it would just flow once I started......nope, I had to work at this one but I am very happy with the way it turned out.  The tough part is over--now on to the next!

Pear Study 1 was painted using professional artist grade acrylic paint on a museum quality gallery Ampersand Aquabord. Painting can be placed in a small frame and also be placed on a small easel for display.

I will be starting another pear this week and hopefully will transition into landscapes soon.  

Thank you so much for stopping by~

Torrie

I won!

Cherry Drift

5" x 7"

by

Angela Sullivan

I am thrilled beyond words~

Angela Sullivan, a fabulous artist, chooses someone from her list of followers once a month to win one of her paintings. This month I was selected to receive one of her beautiful paintings. I could pick from any of her small paintings on her blog. This was impossible. I chose four! I told her to make the final selection of what she like best from the four I had selected. She will be sending me Cherry Drift. I am so happy! I can't wait. I am going to frame it and put it in my office/studio to enjoy everyday.

Thank you so much Angela, I will enjoy your painting for years to come~

Visit Angela's blog. You will love her work!

www.angelasacrylics.blogspot.com/

The White Pear

The White Pear

6" x 6" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

***SOLD***

I painted all day yesterday.....but it does not count. It was my fence. My sister was so nice to come and help me put in a new gate. This one is the new plastic fencing that I don't have to paint and it does not weight a ton. I painted the fence surrounding the new gate and Bobbie built the gate. The gate is 11 feet wide and the old wooden gate was falling apart and to heavy for an "old lady" like me to open and close. Stella and Sadie are not too sure about the new gate. It is much shorter, much like a picket fence gate. They can clearly view the entire neighborhood and bark at all the neighbors. It must be intimidating to them to feel that they have so much more area to patrol!

I did have time this week to finish my new little pear painting, The White Pear. It is currently available for purchase in all the same places.

I will be painting today. Stop back by again soon to see the finished Rooster painting.

See you again soon.

Torrie

Gold Pear with Grapes, New Pear Painting!

Gold Pear with Grapes

6" x 6" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Gold Pear with Grapes in the newest small pear painting. It is available for purchase directly from my gallery, at eBay.com, or ETSY.com.

I am working on another small pear painting. Hopefully, it will be finished tonight. Check back again tomorrow afternoon to see if it is finished.

There is a Craft Fair in the works for October 11, 2008 in Charlotte (Craft Attack 2008). It is being hosted by a group of my Etsy Artist and Crafter friends. I will update you with more information and the website as it progresses.

Well, back to the studio. There has been so much distraction with home repairs, yard work, and the "real job" it is getting harder and harder to get into the studio to do my most favorite thing!

Check back again soon.

Torrie

Bowl of Strawberries - New painting today!

Bowel of Strawberries

8" x 10" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Mom has made it back safely to Texas and settled in with Flakoti. I am back to the routine. This is the newest finished painting since taking a vacation with Mom. It is also the first painting that I have photographed using my new Cannon Digital Camera.....I love my new camera! This painting is currently listed in my Etsy.com store.

There will be more paintings to come this week. Check back again soon!

Torrie