A few paintings to close the year out! Horses out West, A Peacock and Birch Trees

Happy New Year!!  Well I managed to get back to some experimental paintings using the intuitive painting process this December.  Our house is off the market and I'm enjoying every minute in my art studio, but looking forward to downsizing in general.  We will relist in February or March.  Until then, I will paint paint paint!!

Here are a few that I completed this month: (All for sale in my etsy.com store!)

This one was inspired by an 8-day road trip with my 21-year old daughter from Atlanta to Los Angeles.  She lives in LA and had totaled her car (no one was hurt).  Her dad gave her a car, but it was here in Atlanta so we decided to drive it there instead of ship it.  I really wanted the time to bond with her and access her mental state. :)
It was a great time and this came out of that experience:

 

"Mare and Foal Head Out West".  30"x40"

And then although I loved the background sky, it just didn't have enough contrast with the horses.  So I painted over the sky and here is the end result: 

 

This next one was a painting that I did and posted here some time ago, but just felt like painting over!  So I created this colorful peacock: 

 40"x40"

 And this next one is another one that I experimented with fluid acrylics to get the effect at the bottom.  I love this mix of colors and techniques.  Plus I love Birch Trees!

 

30"x40" "Fairy Birch Forest"

Well, that is all for 2014!  The year started off really shitty and then got worse before it got better.  I can now say that things are GREAT!!  Happy New Year to all!

Back to Work! Six new abstract paintings

So we took our house off the market.  We had several offers, but none of them worked out.  We put so much into this house and we aren't ready to let it go for way below appraisal.  So that is that!  Since I packed up my art studio when we were under contract, I have since unpacked it!

I was commissioned to do six paintings for an office nearby.  They gave me ideas of what they liked and then I created these paintings.  Installation is this weekend!!  I was given a stipend and then the agreement is that I can sell them on my website and Etsy.  If I do, I just replace the sold piece with another.  They were a lot of fun and a learning experience for me!  (ok, I know the names are corny!)

24"x40" "Gentle Reminders" $399.99

24"x40"  "Serene Tidings" $359.99

24"x36" "Reflections of Peace" $329.99

24"x40" "Floral Happiness" $399.99

Or it can be hung this way: (not sure which way I like better)

24"x36" "Golden Alchemy" $349.99

24"x36""Clearing Memories"

Getting Ready for 90-day Challenge and A Squirrel Painting

Ok, this one has been on my mind to do for awhile and it just sort of worked out for me while I was using the intuitive painting process as taught by Flora Bowley.  Check her work out!!  Amazing!

Anyway, here is my "Squirrel on a Diet"! 36"x36" on stretched canvas.  $250 for sale:

Speaking of diets, I'm getting ready to do this 90-challenge at the new gym I joined in August.  Since my car accident in December, I've packed on 15 lbs!! UGH.  So this will get me back on track for sure.  Wish me luck, because it looks like I'm going to be gagging on some crazy weird shake twice a day!

New Intuitive Painting - Garden with Steps

So here is a new painting that I did using the "Intuitive Painting" technique, which several people are teaching right now.  It's basically to just have fun on the canvas and don't get stressed about trying to make something happen.  Just let it flow, layer after layer.   You never know what is going to emerge, but at some point you just want to go with one image or another.  I seem to use a lot of trees... 

 

"Stepping up to the Journey" 

This painting is 36"x36".  It originally started as 38"x38", but I painted it on primed canvas sheeting and then I stapled it to stretcher bars.  

New Dog Painting - Sunny the Golden Retriever

Ok, so we got a contract on our house and we were given 3 weeks to find a house, pack and get out!  Well after I packed my art supplies and the bar area, they canceled because of a family emergency!! So back on the market!  And the house that we put a contract on had to be canceled.  So well, back on the market! 

I managed to get this 11x14 painting done of my friend's dog, Sunny.  He's a sweet golden retreiver:

Sunny DiLeonardo, by Carol Iyer

I have several more intuitive paintings to post that I worked on a couple of months ago.  I used canvas that was on a roll (won't be doing that again!) and so I had to stretch them over bars myself.  Not something I enjoy!  I'll post them next time.  Toodle loo!

Intuitive Painting - "Listen to your Wisdom" An Owl!

Ok, so this really is good therapy and a lot of fun.  And I've been incorporating my doodling that I love so much.  So glad that I took Flora Bowley's e-course.  And I even sold one-- to my physical therapist who has been working on my wonky wrist!!

In between cleaning and showing houses, I finished this one:

"Listen to Your Wisdom"  36"x36"

Please let me know if you are interested.  I'm selling these for $250 each.  Thanks for looking!!

New Paintings Completed - Intuitive Art - Dragonfly and Puggles!

Ok, just to update the WORLD, because I know EVERYONE is wondering (ha), my right hand is moving!!  The bone has healed and I'm in physical therapy three times a week until I can bend it close to normal.  I can write and type, but it's still pretty stiff.  So with my right hand in tact, I completed these paintings in-between house showings.  (House still for sale! UGH):

Puggle Party 36"x36"

Dragonfly Colors 36"x36"

"Sprockets" 36"x36"

Eyes on Spring 36"x36"

All going up for sale in my Etsy store or my website - carolscanvas.com!!

Completed Flora Bowley's Bloom True e-course. Great experience, even with only left hand!

OK, so I managed to get through Flora Bowley's intuitive painting course with only my left hand.  I'm so glad I got over my pity party and pushed through.  I really enjoyed the experience and found that if you really let go, amazing things can happen on the canvas with little effort.   It was definitely more about the process than the end result for me.  It was very therapeutic!

Each day (except Sunday) we were given a little bit of information over a 5 week period.  There were lots of videos of Flora painting, which I found to be very interesting to watch.  There were also general instructions about how to get into the painting "space" as well as how to "let go."  The goal was not to finish a painting until the end, but really even then, she instructed that the final painting may not reveal itself.  It was about learning different ways of applying paint to canvas-- colors, patterns, using stamps, varying marks, etc.  Each session with your painting creates a new layer until at last, you have some interesting shapes and combinations.  Then you add imagery, go bold and add whatever comes to mind, then finally simplify the composition by reducing your color pallet and covering things you don't like or highlighting and enhancing things that you do like.  Sounds complicated, but it's really not so.  Anyone can do this.

I found that I would get stuck when I wasn't in a great frame of mind… but when I was grounded, maybe just back from a walk or meditation,  things simply FLOWED.  So for me it was all about the FLOWING.

30"x30" Swan Reflections

18"x24" Untitled

As you cans see with these two, I got very into the paint drips-- using Golden fluids (which are very expensive!!) and spraying water to allow them to drip. 

I highly recommend this e-course to anyone who likes to paint. I wanted to paint loosely, and now I can!! 

Finished another Intuitive painting- "Water World"

I guess my paintings are showing the chaos that is my life right now.  We are getting ready to list our house for sale. It is bittersweet -- a touch sad and a touch exciting.  Not sure where we are going to go yet, but downsizing is a MUST as we send my youngest daughter off to college this summer.  Thinking of Florida… do you think the magical seaside water world is coming out in my latest intuitive painting??

30"x30" "Water World" 

Busy days ahead…. 

New Intuitive Painting with Bear

Ok, so here is the first painting that I finished (I think) during the Brave Intuitive e-course with Flora Bowley. Check out her work-- its's amazing!

This painting is very busy because I wanted to keep so many different areas of this painting.  The multiple layers created lots of cool designs.  I also didn't commit to a color scheme, so just went with a bunch of different colors!  So I'm hoping my style will simplify a bit as I practice more and more.  It's mostly about the process for me-- I can't begin to describe how great it feels to paint like this. I just get so into a "zone".  It's very therapeutic--even with just my wrong hand! LOL

AND.. I didn't even care that I couldn't use my right hand until the final touches.  It just took me a little longer and I had less control over the paintbrush with my left hand.

Speaking of --I've been in this wrapped splint thing for my right broken wrist now for 3 weeks.  I go back on Tuesday and get a short arm cast. The current fiberglass thing on me goes past my elbow so I can't straighten my arm.  I can, however, use my fingers a bit for typing. Can't really hold onto anything yet, like a pen or paintbrush.  Can't shave my left pit, hook my bra or put my hair into a pony tail. Life goes on…

Taken with my camera phone because I still can't hold the real camera  30"x30"

I skipped taking some pics of a few layers, but u get the gist! Ok, off to work on another one!!

Broke the other wrist!!! Buddha painting and Intuitive Wine painting

So during the ice storm we had two weeks ago, I slipped on the ice and broke my RIGHT WRIST! So mad at myself and finding it hard to do lots of things. (including typing)

But before that happened, I drove to my friend's place in Fl and spent 4 days with her in Tampa. Loved the warm weather!  We played tennis, caught up on life, drank wine and painted!  We signed up for one of those wine & painting classes and had so much fun!  Here is my "Tranquil Buddha":

His right ear is cut off in this photo, but you can get the idea.  Wine and paint-- they did an excellent job teaching us how to paint the Buddha!

So my friend got the painting bug and we bought a few colors and painted some more the next day. Here is my intuitive wine painting! HA

And here I am smiling thru the pain…

New Golden Retriever Painting and Getting Ready for #BloomTrue Class

Ok, so I finished this painting today so I have a blank slate (well not really, but no one waiting on me!) I'm starting the e-course on intuitive painting tomorrow!

This is my friend Sue's dog, Rosie, painted on 18"x24" stretched canvas (picture taken with cell phone):

And today I got my painting space ready for Flora Bowley's e-course: 

And now I'm a happy camper!!

Looking for Peace! Intuitive painting

Ok, so I really have to be grounded in order for this process to flow.  If I take a walk or exercise and clear my head, it really makes a difference!  Here is my latest clusterf*ck of a painting.  Pretty sure these will don the walls of storage room until eternity!! LOL

It is 36"x36".  Seven more days until my Flora Bowley class starts!! Woohooo.  Will be interesting to see the transformation and I am guided through the process properly.  

Ta ta for now. 

Peace out,

Carol

Going with the flow-- another intuitive painting

Ok, this is SO MUCH FUN to do!  I am onto something here for myself.  It may be a clusterf*ck on canvas, but it was very enjoyable.  I'm so excited to learn this new process and can't wait for my course starting in February!

Not sure what to call this and not sure how to hang it either…

It's big-- 30"x40"

Ok, now I have to finish painting a golden retriever!!

New Intuitive Painting

Ok, so I signed up for Flora Bowley's e-course starting on Feb. 10th. I can't wait!! In the meantime, I have her book and am learning this process from that. Here is the latest painting : 36"x36":

I'm sure a psychiatrist would like to get ahold of me after seeing this one!! LOL  I will be painting another one today.  I LOVE this process!!!  It's not about the end result, but about the painting itself.  It's so much fun and very interesting to see how each piece turns out.  

Broken Wrist and Two New Dog Paintings - Dachshunds and Basset Hound Dog

Well, my wrist broke when I was in the car accident so I was discombobulated for a couple of weeks… But I had to get two paintings done for friends and family!  Thank goodness it was my left wrist and not my right one.  Been casted up for awhile not.

The first painting I did recently was for one of my best friends and my next door neighbor. She has two dachshunds and I know them well. Incidentally, this friend, Terri, was in the car with me when that truck hit us!  Her leg fractured near her knee! She's been basically bed ridden the last 5 weeks and now she has cellulitis on her leg!  Such a bummer…

Anyway, I painted her dogs on 18"x24" canvas:

 Frankie and Johnny!  I took this with my cell phone --forgot to get a "real" photo before I gave it to her, but she lives next door, so I'll do that later. Anyway, didn't get it done in time for Christmas, but she understood!

The next one I painted was for my husband's cousin and family… they recently lost their basset hound. We are fortunate that they live about 8 miles from us and we love them dearly.  So I will be gifting them this painting on Friday over a glass or two of wine:

They are expecting this, as they asked me to paint this particular photo of their late dog, Frisco.  It shows off his goofy side.  He really was a special, sweet soul and I could feel his energy while painting him.  He will be missed, but hopefully this painting will help them feel a bit closer to him until they are reunited once again in the afterlife! LOL 

So got a few others in the works… such as this one in progress: 

hehehehehehe It's a silly one of my puggle boy, Maxi! 

And here I am with my cast: Cheers!!

Happy New Year!!