Pomegranate Martini~~

Pomegranate Martini

6" x 8"

Oil on Canvas Panel

Continuing with the pomegranates~~ Pomegranate Martini. I have had so much fun with the pomegranate paintings. This will be the last one for now. I have some commissions to complete. One just happens to be a pomegranate, then I will finish the Red Sugar Bowl to go with the Red Creamer. Pomegranate Martini is available for purchase in all the same places including my Etsy Store and my online gallery.

I have recently joined with Daily Painters Marketplace. It is a blog with several other artists who are painting daily and selling the paintings online. This is a huge step for me, a commitment to paint everyday. I am going to try my best! If I can just keep the "real life" out of the way.

Well, Happy Friday to everyone! I am going to play catch up this weekend and try to get everything done.

Thanks for stopping by!

Torrie

The Rooster III 6" x 6" Oil on Canvas Panel

The Rooster III

6" x 6"

Oil on Canvas Panel

I was supposed to be painting the Jefferson Memorial and I got side tracked. It was a long day at the real job yesterday and I did not feel like working on a painting with so many straight lines! Painting a rooster was much more fun. So, here is The Rooster III, available for purchase in my Etsy.com store and in my EBSQart.com gallery.

The girls are making me cook tonight! Well, after that, maybe I'll paint!

Thanks for stopping by~

Torrie

Different Strokes from Different Folks Portrait Challenge

Torrie Smiley

Painted by Chelsie Brady

I have been having a wonderful time participating in the "Different Strokes from Different Folks" painting challenge blog. At the end of the year, our photos were anonymously matched with another artist and we were asked to paint a portrait from the supplied picture. I was a bit hesitant, not being a portrait artist and not wanting to embarrass myself or disappoint the artist I was painting. I must say, I am so glad I decided to participate. I received the most lovely portrait from a fabulous young artist that I would have never met otherwise. I feel fortunate to have been matched with Chelsie Brady. She is a talented young artist with many years of success to come! Chelsie's work can be seen at her website Chelsie Brady and you can purchase her paintings from her Etsy.com store.

New Different Strokes from Different Folks Challenge

Jefferson Memorial at Night

photo by

Karin Jurick

New Year and new DSFDF painting challenge. This is going to be a challenge. I have not done many "night time" paintings. I will be painting this on a small canvas in either oil or acrylic.

Well, off to the studio to get a bit accomplished before bed!

Torrie

Pomegranates! Another new painting!

Pomegranates

6" x 6"

Oil on Canvas Panel

***Sold***

This is the second pomegranate painting this weekend....I was on a roll. I have had fun with the deep red color. This painting is currently available for purchase at my Etsy.com store and my EBSQart.com gallery.

I will be watching the pretty dresses on the Golden Globes and cleaning house tonight....having company tomorrow. Then, more painting!

I will have to finish my challenge painting of the Jefferson Memorial for the "Different Strokes from Different Folks" painting blog/challenge. Then on to something new. I had so much fun working with end of year portrait challenge, I think I might paint more people!

Well, better rush off, Stella and Sadie are ready for their evening stroll.

Thanks for stopping by!

Torrie

My Pomegranate

My Pomegranate

6" x 8"

Oil on Canvas Panel

~Sold~

I just finished the new pomegranate painting. Courtney Grace is hooked on pomegranate. Pomegranate lotion, shower gel, chapstick, chewing gum......she left pomegranate juice in my refrigerator when she went back to school......Pomegranate martinis for me!

The new painting is available in my Etsy.com store and at my Ebsqart.com gallery

I slept the morning away....(I never sleep late!) so, I am off to a late start! There will be lots of painting done this weekend, getting back into the swing of things since the Holidays. Check back again soon and see what I paint next.

Thanks for dropping by!

Torrie

Strawberry Cupcake~~ A new painting!

Strawberry Cupcake

7" x 9"

Oil on Canvas Panel

~Sold~

Strawberry Cupcake was inspired by my baby girl who baked me a chocolate cake with strawberry frosting before she went back to school at UNC. Smartest thing I ever did...teach the kids to cook! Strawberry Cupcake is currently available for purchase in my Etsy.com store and in my EBSQart.com gallery.

I have been so busy fussing over photo software. I had marvelous software that I new how to use and get good quality images of my paintings for the Internet. Well, nothing lasts forever.....especially software! I am not a big fan of change ~~mainly because of the learning curve that comes with new software, but I am slowly getting the hang of Paint Shop Pro. I think it will be fabulous once I figure out all the bells and whistles. Maybe now I can get back to painting instead of working on the computer.

Now back to painting! Cheap Joes had a canvas sale and I placed on order--it should be here any day.

Thanks for stopping by!

Torrie

New Paintings!

Lemons with Silver

6" x 8"

Oil on Canvas Panel

~Sold~

The Red Pear

5" x 7"

Oil on Canvas Panel

Field of Poppies IV

6" x 8"

Oil on Canvas Panel

***Sold***

There are three new paintings available for purchase. These are available in my EBSQart.com gallery, the Etsy.com store, and my eBay store. I have been busy~~trying not to dwell on the fact that Courtney is going back to school. We have had such a wonderful time during the holidays. But, I guess it is time to get back into the routine.

My revamped studio has been wonderful....I am getting so much done! It is probably because I now know where everything is!

Time to order more canvas! Hopefully it will get here before I run out of ideas! I am thinking of doing more portraits, Chelsie's portrait put me in the mood. More still life paintings of food and kitchen items are on the way.....I have my eye on a cupcake that is in the kitchen~~it will look good on canvas......or maybe I will just eat it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Torrie

New "Little Big Bird" by request~

Little Big Bird

6" x 6"

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

~Sold~

This is a new little painting requested by a collector. It was fun to re-paint the original emu. I am continuing to work on commissioned paintings along with new paintings to be added to the online stores.

I have not painted a landscape in a while. I will be starting a new poppy landscape this week. I also have a lemon still life painting almost completed. There will be more pear paintings in the mix!

Check back tomorrow to see what I get accomplished, the girls are headed out to the movies so I will have some time in a nice quiet house for a couple of hours!

Torrie

Portrait of Chelsie Brady~

Chelsie Brady

10" x 14"

Pastel on Black Strathmore Paper

Reference photo of Chelsie Brady

First of all, my portraits are few and far between and usually done of my children. When the "Different Strokes from Different Folks" painting challenge announced that we would be doing portraits of each other, it took a long time for me to sign up. I knew I would struggle with the portrait. Karin sent me this wonderful dramatic photo and I felt I had gotten so lucky ~ I could do this. I did not know who the young artist was until she posted her painting of me. Chelsie Brady is very gifted and so lucky to have started painting so young. She will have many years of painting to enjoy! Thank you Chelsie for doing such beautiful work on my portrait! This was fun and I am so glad I participated.

Of note, I did not realize how hard it was to get a good quality photo of a pastel portrait on black paper. I tried several different lighting situations to get a good quality photo without much success. I can't wait for Chelsie to see it in person (it is not so fuzzy).

Up next! I am finishing a requested small Big Bird painting and then I will be painting everything that pops into my head!

Thanks so much for stopping by~ visit the Different Strokes from Different Strokes blog to see the 130 artists who participated.

Torrie

New Painting ~~ New Year!

Happy New Year!

Pink Flamingo III

12" x 16"

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

~SOLD~

I am so excited about the new year ~ this will be the best year ever! Thank you to everyone who helped make my 2008 fabulous!

I have just finished Pink Flamingo III and it is available for purchase directly from me at my EBSQart.com gallery, the Etsy.com store, and eBay.

I will be finishing my portrait for the weekly challenge blog "Different Strokes From Different Folks." Then, there are requests that need to be filled. I am painting a smaller version of my logo painting "Big Bird" and I have another pink flamingo painting started. I will be painting a companion piece to go with the Red Creamer~~The Red Sugar Bowl. I have so many paintings swimming around in my head, I will be painting for a while!

Thanks for stopping by~best wishes to you for 2009, make it your best year ever!

Torrie

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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