Happy Year of the Horse!

Today is the start of the year of the horse, I hope you have a wonderful one!

I'm a little under the weather this week, so I'm not sure yet if I'll finish my newest horse in time for Tuesday.  Here is an older horse painting that I have up on my website here.  It's an 8"x10" acrylic painting on canvas panel and I also have it available as 8"x10" prints and limited edition ACEO prints.

29 Faces starts tomorrow, it's a challenge of sharing 29 faces in the month of February.  It is my intention to participate, hopefully I'll start to feel better soon...

The Garden of the J. Paul Getty Museum of Art...

Yesterday I took the day to go visit the J. Paul Getty Museum of Art.  It is a wonderful museum, but this is one of the museums I visit less frequently as it is farther away.  I went to a lot of shows where photography was not allowed, but I did take some photos of the permanent collection that I will share on other days.  This is a photograph of their garden from a very high view.  It's a wonderful garden that is beautifully designed.  In this photograph, I love how the trees and their shadows interact.  I do, however, need to go back another day and try again as they had a blue hose out.  I saw it before I took the photo, but I liked the view so much, I decided to take the shot anyway to share with you...

Valentine Hearts, a Koi Fish, & a New Fairy! Original Paintings, Art Prints, & ACEOs!

Rose Immersion Original 16"x20" Painting on Canvas on My Website Here

This Week 8"x10" print here &

ACEO 2.5"x3.5" Limited Edition LE 1st of 25 here

This week I am listing "Rose Immersion" at my promotional rate as a print and ACEO.  The original big eye gothic flower fairy maiden painting is available for purchase on my website!   I also have additional giclee art and ACEO prints on ebay here.  

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some art on ebay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions...  I am just getting started at updating and adding payment buttons to my website.  It's a very slow project, but one I hope to focus on.

This week I also have these original romantic heart paintings just in time for Valentine's Day available that range from light to dark on ebay here.  I have also listed print and ACEO variations here.

This Week "Aiko Koi" Original painting here

5"x7" print here

ACEO 2.5"x3.5" Limited Edition LE 1st of 25 here

This week I am listing "Aiko Koi" my original koi fish painting, inspired by your vote!  I love koi fish, but this is my first time painting one.  I gave him a little heart shaped design.

Dutch and Flemish Floral Still Life Paintings at the Norton Simon Museum of Art & Waterlily Flower Fairy Maiden...

These three paintings are some of my favorite paintings.  They are full of such grace and beauty.  I will never come close to touching the mastery in these paintings, but they are a source of inspiration to me.

If you'd like to see a contemporary artist whose work is on par with these pieces, I invite you to see Catherine Al-Rubaie's art page Al-Rubaie Art here and her auctions here.  She does some of the most beautiful art that I have ever seen!  She sells out frequently, so I suggest keeping an eye on her art page for updates.

Jan Davidsz. de Heem, Dutch, Vase of Flowers

Jan Davidsz. de Heem, Dutch, Vase of Flowers, Close Up I

Jan Davidsz. de Heem, Dutch, Vase of Flowers, Close Up II

Follower of Ambrosius Bosschaert I possibly Ambrosius Bosschaert II, Dutch, Large Bouquet in a Wan-Li Vase with a Gilt Mount

Follower of Ambrosius Bosschaert I possibly Ambrosius Bosschaert II, Dutch, Large Bouquet in a Wan-Li Vase with a Gilt Mount, Close Up I

Follower of Ambrosius Bosschaert I possibly Ambrosius Bosschaert II, Dutch, Large Bouquet in a Wan-Li Vase with a Gilt Mount, Close Up II 

Jan Brueghel the Younger, Flemish, Flowers in a Gilt Tazza

Jan Brueghel the Younger, Flemish, Flowers in a Gilt Tazza Close Up I

Jan Brueghel the Younger, Flemish, Flowers in a Gilt Tazza Close Up II

I am linking this post with Inspire Me Monday

http://www.create-with-joy.com/

I've started painting my waterlily flower fairy maiden.  In this work in progress view, I've blocked in the background.  The line art is faint and difficult to see, but I do have an easier to see version of the sketch below...

Sketches of Four Horses: Please Vote for which to paint! Plus Fairy Maiden with Waterlily

Edit:  Another really close vote!  Combined between facebook and my blog, number 3 won by one, so that is the one I will strive to finish by Tuesday next.  It is the year of the horse though and I do love horses, so it's entirely possible that 2 will make an appearance at a future time...

Here are the two sketches combined of the flower fairy maiden and her waterlily.  Alex and I decided it would be too busy with the koi fish, so I will hope to incorporate some of them into another painting in addition to the little one I am working on...

These are four horses that I've sketched this week.  I would like to paint one of them this week.  If you'd like to vote on which one, just leave a comment as to which you'd prefer and I'll tally the votes on Tuesday at around four, adding up the votes of my blog and facebook page together.  In the event of a tie, or no votes, I'll just draw one out of a hat.  I might do this weekly with different sketches.  I also may use the sketches and paintings based on the sketches posted in other art at different times.  This painting will be a small 5"x7", with some cropping to fit the format, that I will try to complete between Tuesday and the Tuesday next...


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

Koi Fish Painting Work in Progress & Sketch of Waterlily Fairy Maiden...

Here is a work in progress view of my koi fish that was voted for on Sunday.  At this point I have blocked the background in and I am hoping to have the fish completed by Tuesday...  This week my theme for next week's small painting is horses.

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

http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

Here is a sketch of the waterlily fairy maiden I have been sketching.  I think I finally have her to the point where I feel ready to move on to the next stage and put her together with her water lily and koi fish!  She'll probably be significantly cropped, I like to focus on faces, but I wanted to try and get her pose looking right so that I have the option to include more of her if I want to.

I am hoping to have a couple more horses as options for this week's vote on Sunday sketched by tomorrow.

A Couple of Sketches of Horses...

These are two sketches of horses.  I am trying to sketch more often.  As we are entering the Year of the Horse soon, this week my theme is horses.  The top one is white with a golden mane and the bottom one is a golden brown with a white crest.  On Sunday, if you'd like, you may help me choose which horse to paint of the ones I have available that day...

Little Bo Peep is Now Up on My Website & Waterlily Sketch...

Little Bo Peep Original Painting SOLD

Open Edition 5"x7" Giclee Prints & Limited Edition Giclee ACEO Prints Here

Little Bo Peep is one of my favorite paintings from last year.  She is one of the first to be added to my website in a long time!  I love nursery rhymes and I'd like to do some additional paintings inspired by them.  I sold the original big blue eyed blonde haired beauty, but I do have her available as prints and ACEOs!

Every week on Tuesday, I try to list a small original, some giclee art prints, and giclee LE ACEO prints at promotional prices.  Visit here to see what I have available this week!

This sketch is potentially for my waterlily fairy girl painting with koi fish.  I am still working on the sketch of her.  I wanted to post a sneak peek of her today, but I'm having a bit of trouble with her form and hand.  I know I could switch to another girl with another pose, but this one is the one I want, so I'll just have to strive to overcome!

Sunflowers Abound in This Hues of Gold Week, Original Paintings, Art Prints, & ACEOs!

Sunlight Sunbright Original 18"x24" Painting on Canvas HERE on My Website

8"x10" print here

ACEO 2.5"x3.5" Limited Edition LE 1st of 25 here

This week I am listing "Sunlight Sunbright" at my promotional rate as a print and ACEO.  The original is sunflower painting is available for purchase on my website!  I also have additional giclee art and ACEO prints on ebay here with a theme of hues of gold.

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some art on ebay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions...  I am just getting started at updating and adding payment buttons to my website.  It's a very slow project, but one I hope to focus on.

"Petite Fleur de Soleil" Original painting here

5"x7" print here

ACEO 2.5"x3.5" Limited Edition LE 1st of 25 here

This week I am listing "Petite Fleur de Soleil" my original sunflower painting, inspired by your vote!  I tend to think of sunflowers as beacons of hope, it seems fitting to be my first flower painting of the year.  I also have additional giclee art and ACEO prints here with a theme of hues of gold.  There are many sunflowers, some hummingbirds, a goddess, and Little Bo Peep.  I think it's a lovely group, I hope you will take a look!

LACMA Show Fashioning Fashion II & Original Blue Angel Painting For Nibblefest...

I was looking through my reference images files, and I came across two folders with images from the LACMA show Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700–1915.  I love fashion and find it very inspiring.  Here are some of the images to the show, I hope that you will enjoy them.  I will post more from this show on other Mondays, although probably not always consecutively.

If you'd like to see what I have up of this show thus far, please click here.

I am linking this post with Inspire Me Monday
http://www.create-with-joy.com/

I painted this little abstract expressionist angel for Nibblefest, she's on ebay here.  I've named her simply "Blue Angel."  She is my first original ACEO painting.  Due to the small size (2.5"x3.5"), I chose to paint her as simply as possible, I think she has a certain serenity.  Nibblefest auctions start at 99c, no reserve!