Special Pregnancy Portrait

"Shelter" Oil
©2005 Diana Moses Botkin

Today's painting is one of my favorites. Reproductions are available at my LifeImages online giclée gallery here.

The models for this piece are friends who commissioned this intimate portrait. I felt privileged to be asked to paint this unique image of pregnanacy for them. It expresses the joy of family and the anticipation of the new life they were given to care for, as a gift from a loving Heavenly Father.

Please contact me if you'd like details about commissioning a painting.

Now on YouTube; How to Draw with Charcoal

Well, I finally made an art video for YouTube. It's a short sampler of what I teach students at one of my basic drawing workshops.

I used vine or willow charcoal (an easy to use, forgiving medium) and white chalk on grey paper. Introducing this technique to students is always fun for me; those who've never tried it are amazed how easy it is.

I wanted to learn how to create some instructional videos, so tried out the basics on this one. I already see corrections that need to be made!

You can watch "Drawing with Charcoal & White Chalk" at MY PAGE on YouTube.

©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

"Candy, Shot Glass" Valentine Candy Still Life

Original small oil painting 6"x 4"
Dutch style detailed glass with candy in gold wrapper against burgundy velvet.
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

SOLD

The shiny, reflective vintage glass on red velvet, and the gold wrapped Valentine candy made an interesting painting challenge. I found this old glass in my cupboard and looked around in the pantry to see what kind of liquor we had on hand. Then I thought it might be more interesting to see the glass empty.

When I put it under the lights, I noticed the little candies from yesterday's set-up nearby and decided to paint them together. I'm still trying to figure out if the glass is half empty or half full

"Candies on Purple Jacquard" Still Life Daily Painting

Original small oil painting 3.5"x5"
Detailed, Dutch style work of gold-wrapped candies on purple silk fabric. ©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

Black Frame $90.

These cellophane and gold wrapped candies on silk fabric were interesting and challenging to paint.

Gianduiotti hazelnut chocolates are a treat... and probably good for you too. After all, a serving has 3 grams of protein.. well and also a lot more grams of saturated fat from the cocoa butter. But hey, we don't eat this stuff everyday, right?

Sold Daily Paintings

"Five Kisses" Oil 2.5"x 6"©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD
"Chocolate on Velvet" Oil 3"x 2.5"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD
"Dark Chocolate Kiss" Oil 3"x 2"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD
"Taffeta Seam Binding" Oil 5"x 5"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD
"Snow Glow" Oil 5"x 5"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD
"Snow Shadows" Oil 5"x 5"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Pink Rose Study" Oil 3"x 3"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Annie and Spike Napping" Oil 7"x 5"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Evening Drama" Skyscape Daily Painting

Original small oil painting 4"x6"
Grey and glowing white clouds in a turquoise sky, above darker mountain landscape.

in Museum style gold frame $125.
Contact to purchase.

I had a lot of fun with this one. It is the sort of thing I love to paint and play around with a bit. Like mixing up cornbread, it's okay to go a little heavy on some ingredients and lighter on others. It still turns out

©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

"Backdoor Watchers" Daily Painting

Original oil painting 10"x8"
Figurative study of young woman and boy at doorway.©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
 
Contact to buy.

Recently I added color washes to this painting, which was previously only shades of greys and black. This piece was a value study to enter in a competition. Gambin Artist's Oil Colors holds their Torrit Grey Competition every year.

The idea is to paint a piece using only the Torrit Grey, plus black and white. You can see my entry on Gamblin's Torrit Grey gallery page on their website, along with other entries. Frankly, I don't know how Gamblin decided on the winners; so many fine paintings were entered.

Sold Daily Paintings

"Paints and Brushes" Oil 10" x 8"
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Bright View" Oil 5" x 7"
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Morning Silhouettes" Oil 5"x 3.5"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Cloud Glow" Oil 5"x 7"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Distant Radiance" Oil Mini
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Evening Outlines" Oil Mini
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Chocolates" Oil 3"x 3"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Toast to Two" Oil 5"x7"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Marble on Velvet" Oil Mini
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Little Lord Jesus" Christian Christmas Art

mmWishing all of you who visit this blog a wonderfully meaningful Christmas!
mmThis art is a drawing I did in 1976, as a fairly new Christian. At the time, I couldn't find anything with a thoughtful message for Christmas cards. Most of what I found was on the theme of Happy Christmas Tree. The Lord having changed my life, I wanted to share a more significant point.
mmSo, the Lord gave me this idea, which I had printed up as cards. I sent about 150 to family and friends. Later, I produced a line of Christian prints which I named Renaissance. Among them is this piece. You can see them at my website Inspirational page.

"Little Lord Jesus" Inspirational/Christmas
Reproduced from the original pencil drawing©1976 Diana Moses

Giclee Reproductions Now Available

"Backdoor Friend" Portrait/Figurative
©1993 Diana Moses Botkin
Oil, 10"x8"

This small painting was sold a long time ago. It's one that was rewarding to paint, and an image for which I get many comments.

I've been working off and on for weeks to get my online print gallery opened. Giclee repros of this image, and others, are now available at LifeImages. Please visit my gallery to order.

Sold Daily Paintings

"Bright Fall Colors" Oil 5"x7"
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"October Radiance" Miniature Oil
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"October Glow" Miniature Oil
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Cobalt Salt Shaker "Oil 3"x3"
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"The Traveler "Oil 4"x6"
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"By the Window "Oil 8"x8"
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Sunflower Glow"Oil 5"x5"
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Sandcreek Reflections "Oil 4"x6"
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"The Accident" Bird Study Oil 7"x5"
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

"Fall Mirror" Oil 5"x3.5"
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin
SOLD

Regarding completing a Painting a Day....

Today I checked the one Google discussion group in which I bother to participate. The format is for Daily Painters. A fellow artist relayed that a NY art critic and historian had asked him, "Why is making a painting a day better than painting daily?" This question got me to thinking about the whole Painting a Day movement, in which I've been participating for awhile now. Here's my take.

Personally, I don't think that completing a painting a day is necessarily better than painting every day. Both give me the practice and challenge to improve skills. I do think having that goal of making a painting a day is a good challenge, however. Perhaps it's like practice in other arts. The professional ballet dancer executes class (the barre and center floor work) almost every day, and usually rehearsal too. Additionally, performances are several times a week.

Class is not a performance... but rather a discipline of preparation. Years of it are vital to gain the skills needed to be part of the corps de ballet and more years or exceptional talent are required to be a solo artist. Talent is vital but can never get the dancer anywhere without that daily hard work.

So... I think for many of us the goal of a painting a day is good discipline. Perhaps most of my little daily paintings are not as "important" as my larger works that I've planned more carefully and worked on sometimes for weeks or months. But there is beauty there even in the little dailies, just as there is beauty in ballet class work.