A Tale of Two Coffee Shops... Both Alike in Dignity...

Or at least alike in proliferation tendencies...  On Wednesdays, when I get a chance, I like to share a photo that I've taken.  This photograph was taken in Montrose, CA.  Initially there was one coffee shop on that street, The Coffee Bean.  Now there is a Starbucks directly across the street.  I like sweet coffee drinks as much as the next person, probably more, and I like both Starbucks and The Coffee Bean; I'm just a bit baffled as to why there needs to be two coffee shops in such proximity, especially when there's another Starbucks not even a mile away by the movie theater...

Although I'm somewhat Wordy, I am participating in Wordless Wednesday.  To see more Wordless Wednesday links, please visit:
http://blog.aquariann.com/
http://www.create-with-joy.com/

An Original Sweet Pea Flower Painting and an Eclectic Assortment of Prints...

This week, I am featuring this original painting here and the print of it here.  It is titled "To Touch the Sky" and depicts a deep purple and deep burgundy (or burgandy if you prefer) sweet pea blossoms reaching upwards.

Additional fine art prints listed are here.  They are "Deep in Thought" a pensive blue angel, "Standing Tall" a purple bearded iris both as a 6"x6" square and as a 5"x7", "Alegria" a pink rose and rose bud, "Standing Tall" and "Linked" two prints each featuring the same horses, and "More Than One Way to Fly" a lovely fairy with her fox squirrel friend.  They're all based on my original paintings and will end next Tuesday.

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some images on eBay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions!

On Friday I intend to go to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, they have a Vincent van Gogh self portrait on loan until March 4th of 2013.  If I dally too long, I may miss it...   Van Gogh used such rich and expressive strokes, I am looking forward to seeing this piece.  If it's allowed, I'll snap a picture to share here, but if not, they do have a number of his pieces that are not on loan that I do know it is allowed to photograph.  I'll do my best to remember to bring my camera!  They're also giving a talk on his art, so if my timing is right, I should be able to potentially learn more about him and his art too...

Jealousy, a Study of a Drawing by an Unknown to Me Master Artist....

This is a study of a master drawing I did at the Getty.  I remember that the title was "Jealousy," but while I wrote down the name of the artist, I did so in another sketchbook, which I have mislaid...  I tried google's reverse image search, but didn't come up with the name, so for now it is a master study sketch by an unknown to me artist...  I found the hands really compelling in the original.

To view more Sunday Sketches, please visit:
http://www.bluechairdiaryillustrations.com/

An Iota of Work on My Peace Lilies and a Finished Original Cat Painting...

I did a little bit of painting on my peace lily.  Here's a work in progress picture.

Most of my painting time this week went to finishing my Siamese kitten painting for Nibblefest.  If you'd like to see it, it's on ebay here, although I also have a picture of the kitty a post down and a work in progress sketch below that.

I am dealing with the slowest healing foot ever, but it really does seem to be healing.  Slowly, slowly, slowly, but I'll take any positive progress as good tidings.  I'm definitely trying to stick with smaller pieces for the time being though.

Anyway, I'm joining in this week with Paint Party Friday.  To see more participants, please visit:
http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

Siamese Balinese Kitten Cat Original Art Painting...

I've been working almost nonstop to get this little Siamese kitten painting with huge blue eyes done on time for Nibblefest!  The painting is here on ebay and is titled "Make Time to Cuddle."  The theme this month is domestic animals and there's already a bunch of amazing art, each piece starting at 99c with no reserve, up.  To see it search "NFAC" on ebay...

An Original Fairy Painting, a Kitty Cat Print, & More...

My featured print auction for the week is on eBay here.  It is titled "Waiting for You" and is of a tan and brown cat.

Additional art prints that I have listed are "Zen Water Lily" a yellow and pink nymphaea, "Turning" a grey horse, "Sunlight Sunbright" a yellow sunflower, "To Fly or Not to Fly" a fairy kitten, and "Dreamer" a napping fairy puppy dog.  They're all based on my original paintings and may be found here starting today and ending next Tuesday.

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some images on eBay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions!

I'm also listing this original fairy painting here and the print of her is here.  The title is "Sienna" and she is a green eyed fae with wings of blue.  Edit: This original is sold, but it is still available as a print.

I'm not yet done with my Nibblefest entry, I'm still paint painting away; but, this month, the theme is domestic animals.  I have listed this week a few domestic animals as well as some fairy pets as well!

A Siamese Kitten Sketch Hopefully for Nibblefest...

I'm working on this little kitten for Nibblefest, a themed ebay challenge, here is the sketch.  I always mean to start earlier, but somehow or other, I end up right towards the deadline...  While I am still hoping to make it to the start for a seven day auction on the 20th, if I can't, I'm pretty sure I can make it for a five day auction on the 22nd.  Nibblefest runs until the 27th and the theme this month is domestic animals.  I'm really looking forward to seeing all of the art!

To view more Sunday Sketches, please visit:
http://www.bluechairdiaryillustrations.com/

A Start to My Peace Lilies Painting...

Here is a very early stages work in progress photo of a painting I've just started of some peace lilies.  The canvas is actually a 12"x12" square, but the angle of my photograph is off...

Also, I'm joining in this week with Paint Party Friday.  To see more participants, please visit:
http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

Happy Valentine's Day...

I hope you have a wonderful day...

Wordless Wednesday: A Purple Passion Flower...

On Wednesdays, when I get a chance, I like to share a photo that I've taken.  This photograph was taken outside of my friend's home, I believe this flower is a purple passion wildflower.  I haven't decided if it would be fun or make me nuts to try and paint all of those tendrils!

Although I'm somewhat Wordy, I am participating in Wordless Wednesday.  To see more Wordless Wednesday links, please visit:
http://blog.aquariann.com/
http://www.create-with-joy.com/

An Original Purple & Blue Fairy Painting and an Eclectic Assortment of Prints...

This week, I am featuring this original painting here and the print of it here.  It is titled Sylph of Violet and depicts a blue and purple fairy.  At one point, her name was Aeryn, and the fairy's name may still be Aeryn, but I decided to give the painting a new title...

Additional fine art prints listed are here.  They are "CA Coast" a Zuma Beach seascape, "Connected" both as a 6"x6" square and as a 5"x7", "Crossing" a sailboat at sea, and "Azure Haired Beauty" a lovely blue fae.  They're all based on my original paintings and will end next Tuesday.

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some images on eBay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions!

I've started sketching for my Nibblefest kitty painting, the theme this month is domestic animals, I don't want to be down to the wire on this one!

A Studied Study of a Hand...

It has been a while since I posted a drawing or sketch.  I did this one at the Getty museum after one of the drawings they had up in a special exhibit.  The original was titled "Study of a Man's Right Hand" and it was by Bronzini (Agnolo di Cosimo Tori).  I found it wedged in a book I recently unpacked.  I'm contemplating adding it to my master studies section on my website, but I haven't moved much more towards that then contemplation...

To view more Sunday Sketches, please visit:
http://www.bluechairdiaryillustrations.com/

Eternal Bird of Paradise Original Painting & Print...

This week I've finished this original painting, it's on my website here and the print is also available on ebay here for the promo rate this week.  The painting is titled "Eternal Bird of Paradise" and it is an 18"x24" acrylic bird of paradise flower on gallery wrapped canvas, the print is 8"x10".

I started that painting quite some time ago, and it took me a while to finally get it finished, but finished it is!

Also, I'm joining in this week with Paint Party Friday.  To see more participants, please visit:

http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

Wordless Wednesday: Turtles in a Pond at the Self Realization Center in Malibu CA

On Wednesdays, when I get a chance, I like to share a photo, or in this case a number of photographs, that I've taken.  These were taken at the Self Realization Center in Malibu CA.

What's better than one turtle in a pond?

Two turtles in a pond!  What's better than two turtles in a pond?

Three turtles in a pond!

Okay, so I like turtles and thought these were cute and they really did come up closer sequentially...

Although I'm somewhat Wordy, I am participating in Wordless Wednesday.  To see more Wordless Wednesday links, please visit:
http://blog.aquariann.com/
http://www.create-with-joy.com/

An Original Purple Calla Lily Painting and an Eclectic Assortment of Prints...

This week, I am featuring this original painting here and the print of it here.  It is titled Intensity and depicts a deep purple calla lily.

Additional fine art prints listed are here.  They are "Gossamer Moon" a blue and purple fairy, "Alegria" two soft pink roses, "Ocean Born" the goddess Aphrodite Venus, "Vivid" two stargazer lilies with one lily in full bloom, and "Leda and the Swan" a gothic angel loosely inpired by Leonardo da Vinci.  They're all based on my original paintings and will end next Tuesday.

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some images on eBay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions!

I went to go see the Caravaggio exhibit at LACMA again today.  My foot hates me, but the exhibit is almost over, I just had to go.  I know I visit museums a great deal, they're some of my favorite places.  I want to soak it all in when I'm there, there's just so much beauty!