A Monthly Painting Challenge

I've invited a group of fellow painters to join me in a playful creative Challenge for 2009. We'll be taking turns each month naming an subject for the group to paint. The project was inspired by a similar idea at Jelaine Faunce's blog.

I liked the project so much that I wrote an article about it for the May '09 issue of Art Calendar Magazine. The article explains the idea and gives guidelines for starting your own group.

I'm really excited to see how each member artist responds to the Challenge. Today I sent out notice to my group of what we'll paint for our first one in February.

These talented artists will be joining me in this venture; Mike Beeman, Robin Cheers, Silvina Day, Marie Fox, Dianne Mize, Michael Naples and Vicki Ross.

The Challenge Object (chosen for its creative potential) is announced to the artists but not the public. It will be a surprise, as will our paintings. The idea is for each of us to paint this chosen subject (something we might not normally choose) have fun with it, and give our creativity freedom and exercise.

We're to keep our ideas a secret and work alone until we all reveal the paintings to each other. On the 15th of each month (beginning in February) we'll unveil all the Challenge Paintings at our blogs. I hope you'll stay tuned for the fun!

Keeping up with Daily Painting and everything else!

Here we are three days into 2009 already. I'm having a bit of a struggle wrapping my mind around the year. Two thousand and nine? How did 2008 slip by so quickly?!

I guess it sped by for me pretty fast because I was busy. They say time flies when you're having fun. It also flies when you're working hard. Looking back I see I worked pretty hard, week after week. In 2008 I painted and drew 176 new works (11 more than in 2007, and 50 more than in 2006!).

Art Calendar Magazine published ten articles I wrote for them in 2008. If you don't get Art Calendar, you can read two of my pieces (and a whole lot of other articles) at the magazine's website. Dick Blick is now posting my article which originally appeared in Art Calendar in 2008, "12 Ways Artists Can Go Greener" (with my permission) at their new Green section online.

One of my reports for the magazine was about how artists can use YouTube. Gathering info and communicating with artists who had done this motivated me to produce my own short video demonstrating charcoal drawing. I also made a second video of some of my Daily Paintings. You can see them both at my YouTube channel.

Another of my articles was about using Print-on-Demand book publishing services. Researching that piece made me realize I ought to have a book printed of my work to share with collectors and have available for purchase. I chose a small format book, perfect to showcase my little landscapes. In October I finished "Gems from the Edge of the Earth" and it became available at the publisher's. Here's a story about it at one of our local news sources.

I also took part in two Paint Outs in 2008, did several portraits for collectors, taught a few art workshops, and participated in a number of regional exhibits.

Plus I continued my hobbies of washing laundry and cooking meals.

And I enjoyed very much posting to this blog, reading your comments here, responding, and visiting other bloggers' sites. It's amazing to be connected with people all over the world through this medium. Thank you for staying in touch!

"Glass with Cherry" Daily Painting

Original, unframed oil painting 7"x5",  
Maraschino cherry in cocktail glass in detailed realism.
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

More glass. I like working with it as a subject. It's so subtle when it's thin like in the bowl of the glass here. When it's thicker, it's more translucent than transparent, and picks up the light in unexpected ways.

This little painting brought good exercise to my painting muscles; the contrast of simplicity and detail, the limited colors, the lost edges paired with the sharp reflections, those pesky ellipses, and that red cherry almost smack dab in the middle of the composition.

"Hey, Sugar!" Daily Painting

Original unframed small oil painting, 5"x 3.5", framed. Vintage bottle with sugar, against dark marble background.
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

SOLD

Here's a sweet little painting for you. (Sorry... I couldn't resist!)

This was fun, painting glass again. Portraying this object with straight lines, felt very different than doing yesterday's study. I also used fewer colours in today's piece.

I've had this old bottle for years and always enjoy looking at it. I think it might have originally held little pickled hot peppers in its first life. The top is bakelite, so it's pretty old. We keep sugar in it now, for the occasional need to sweeten a cup of tea.

"Glass Ball and Gold Paper" Daily Painting

Original unframed oil on panel 6"x6"
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

SOLD

Detailed study of iridescent glass Christmas ornament with crumpled gold tissue paper; realism with abstract qualities.

Several of my children tromped out in the snow last week to cut a tree. We have plenty of volunteer fir and spruce in our woods and it's good to thin them out a bit. I was thankful the kids helped get the Christmas tree up in the house, and decorated. I'd been too busy and not very motivated.

Now it's time to put everything away in the boxes for next year's Christmas. The iridescent glass balls are some of my favorite ornaments and I love seeing them every year. Their fragile loveliness is fascinating and makes me smile when I look at them.

This year I told myself I'd use one of them in a still life before they got packed away. So, here 'tis... This piece is a little different from most of my other work, but I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you for your comments and encouragement day after day. Looking back at all the work I've posted here makes me realize I'm still whacking away at my goal of a painting a day. It's been good to strive for this even though some days I didn't finish a piece. But many days I did, and usually managed several a week. Let's see what happens next year! Blest wishes for 2009 to you all!

"Reflections on a Pear" Daily Painting

Original oil, 5"x5" unframed.
Some red and green for you!
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

Pears in the store now are quite good. We've brought them home to enjoy, and today I realized there was only one left. I wanted to paint one before they all got eaten!

So I took a break from the commissions I'm finishing to paint this green pear on the scarlet background. The bright colors were very fun to work with and a nice departure from the charcoal portrait I'm finishing up for a client.

DailyPainters.com book now available; I'm included!

Here is another gift idea for you fans of the Daily Painting phenomenon; the brand spankin' new book from DailyPainters.com. 
For those who haven't yet discovered the site, DailyPainters is an online gallery that shows and sells new paintings every day by 146 artists who are daily painters. I've been a member since December, 2006.

The volume showcases all artist members of DailyPainters and features our best work. You can peruse the book, or buy a copy at the publisher's website.

It's a beautiful book!

Special on Christmas Art to celebrate Christmas

"In Humility" 
reproduced from the original pastel.
Nativity scene reproduction pkgd 20x24" 
Acid-free paper, fade-resistant inks 
$50 plus SH.
©1992 Diana Moses Botkin

My teenager is counting down to Christmas. "Only 8 days left, Mom," he told me today. Indeed I know. I'm counting the days also, and what I have left to do. But I'm enjoying the season too.

So if you're like me and still need to do a little shopping, here's a special offer of my Christmas themed reproductions to celebrate the holidays. Buy 2, get shipping free. Contact me for an invoice or more details.

Some of my Daily Paintings at Sandpoint Shows

Tomorrow is the Opening for Lilliput, A Miniature Show, at the POAC Gallery in Sandpoint at the Sandpoint Powerhouse. If you're in the area, I hope you'll stop by between 5:30 and 7 pm. I plan to be in attendance and hope to see you!

Some of my very detailed miniatures are in the show. Two of the three appear in this photo, which was reproduced with my permission for the Lilliput Show announcement postcard, recently mailed.

I also plan to get to the Holiday Show Opening a few blocks away at Timber Stand Gallery. Timber Stand is across the street from the Pend d'Oreille Winery downtown on Cedar. Three of my small originals are in the show and there should be lots of other fun art there too!

Today someone asked me if I'm excited about the Openings tomorrow night. I've been quite distracted today with an article deadline for Art Calendar and other commitments, and didn't give him a very good answer. But now that I think about it, I am excited. I don't get out much, so it is always really good to attend art events, especially those where I see fellow artists and my loyal collectors. So yes, I am excited! And I should have that deadline out of the way by then, so I'll be in a celebratory mood.

©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

Life Drawings

"Standing Male, Charcoal"
Original unframed charcoal drawing on white bond paper, 17"x11".

These sketches are my favorites from this week's session with the model. The same fellow posed for us. It looks like he's lost a few pounds. My Texan grandma would say "dropped off". She said to me once during a visit years ago, "Have you dropped off?" I asked her, "Dropped off of what? I'd never heard the expression before in reference to losing a few pounds.
As an artist I like to see bone structure and muscle definition, so lean muscular models are more interesting to me. But not all artists feel this way, especially about female models.

"Man Touching Ankles, Charcoal"
Original unframed charcoal drawing on tan Canson paper, 12"x16".

©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

"Clifty Christmas" Daily Painting on Christmas Ball

Oil on glass sphere, approx. 3".
Winter landscape of snowy trees, with Clifty Mountain.

This unusual painting is not my average piece. Every year our art group hand paints Christmas balls for a special gala auction that benefits our local hospital is in its 13th year.
Contact me if you want something similar. 

©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

"Onion Shadows" Impressionistic Daily Painting

Original still life oil painting, 4"x6"
Red onion on reflective surface, in reds, maroons, deep purple and warm greys. $99.

I had fun painting this. In fact, this is the most fun I've had in several days! I've had my nose to the grindstone doing paperwork.

This afternoon I saw the humble red onion in my kitchen with interesting patterns on the reflective granite. So I brought my paints and brushes downstairs and forgot about chores for awhile as I enjoyed the challenge of painting this quick study from life.

©2008 Diana Moses Botkin