Woodland River and Bridge 11×14 Watercolor
Rolling Down the River.
A rare landscape watercolor
I created of a river
in a wooded landscape
with a rusty old bridge
inspired by a photo shared with me
of the Clackamus River in Oregon.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
#mckinneyx2designs #etsy
The Odessa Chronicles.
What an honor it is to see my original watercolor art on the cover of a book!
A sweet blogging friend, Carolyn Shelton, challenged me a while back to create a painting of the one of the characters she and and her writing “partner in crime” (and partner in humor and heart and spirit), Colin Chappell created in their ongoing collaborative fictional story that was being shared on Carolyn’s blog. When I painted Odessa the barn owl as a special gift to Carolyn, she loved it. So I decided to paint the other characters that lived on Moonbeam Farm as well.
As the story grew, Carolyn and Colin decided to publish their series into a book, and they asked if they could use my art for the cover and inside the book. I happily agreed, and now Carolyn’s dream has finally come to fruition!
Odessa is a barn owl with an attitude who befriended Jaxon, a magical jackalope. The two of them met Dewy, a cat who desired a life of luxury, and the three of them moved into an empty farm.
Joshua Jeremiah Jonathan Jacob Jackson Pebblestone bought his dream farm. His life was going to be spent immersed in the peace and quiet of rural life… until he discovered three lodgers had already moved in!
The Odessa Chronicles is a 290-page collection of adventure stories about the friendship and antics of Odessa, Jaxon, Dewey, and the Man Servant at Moonbean Farm that is fun for children of all ages.
Thank you Carolyn and Colin for allowing me to be a small part of this adventure!
If you would like to purchase a copy of The Odessa Chronicles, you can purchase it here.
I have also written and illustrated a small book of silly rhymes and tales you may be interested in called Klaus the Mouse and other Silly Animal Tales. It is available on Amazon here.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Navy and Peach.
They complement each other so well.
One soft and subtle…
One strong and bold.
It was fun to use just three primary colors – indigo, red, and yellow ochre to create this loose abstract flower painting.
I swirled and splashed and dabbed and splattered.
And then I scribbled with a micron pen to create some fun shapes.
So good to find time “in between” to let loose with my watercolors!
So fun to “create” make-believe flowers.
So glad to cherish the moments
at TheCreativeLifeInBetween!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Bringing Home the Christmas Tree in My Little Red Wagon – 11×14 Watercolor
Christmas in July.
Today is July 31, 2018, and it is the last day of #WorldWatercolorMonth 2018.
And even though I’m wearing shorts and the air conditioning is on, I’m starting to think about Christmas.
Just a teensy bit.
Christmas is such a fun time to create art.
I chose to use my little girl character created for this painting (inspired by my first granddaughter) to feature in this first Christmas watercolor for 2018.
My oldest daughter-in-law and I are starting to think about what we are going to create for fall and the holidays for our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop and Berry Vine Gifts and the big Mars Fall Craft Show this year.
I’m looking forward to seeing what we come up with and sharing it here.
I’m looking forward to another Christmas, but with TWO granddaughters in our family this year!!
I’m looking forward to finding time for art.
I’m grateful to Charlie O at Doodlewash for hosting #WorldWaterColorMonth again this year and for honoring me wth the privilege of being a World Watercolor Month Artist Ambassador. (Today is your last chance to purchase the souvenier pouch that supports the Dreaming Zebra Foundation in giving art supplies to underprivileged children throughout the world!)
I’m grateful for your visit here today.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Overflowing Abundance Fuchsia in Watercolor 11×14
Overflowing Abundance – Fuchsia in Watercolor.
Water and paint
dancing and twirling
almost as if a ballerina
with delicate legs
and pointed toes
and a tutu in layers
of pink and purple tulle
emerges as a simple fuchsia.
Overflowing abundance.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
#WorldWatercolorMonth
Mommy’s New Love – Watercolor 11×14
Mommy’s New Love.
The only thing
that can even possibly compare
to the indescribable feeling
of Mommy’s New Love….
might just be
Grandma’s new love.
This is another illustrative watercolor
meant to express the joy
that can only come
from watching your children
experience the joy
of having children…
and getting to be a part of it.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
#WorldWatercolorMonth
A Daddy’s Love is as Big as the Moon – Watercolor Illustration – 11×14
A Daddy’s Love is as Big as the Moon.
I was playing around with illustrative art one day as I continue to practice drawing techniques and watercolor.
I love painting loose, but I also admire those that can create bigger-than-life illustrative characters with their art.
Inspired by the birth of a new grandbaby, my heart feels as big as the moon. I know my son feels the same way.
Today is also a special “anniversary” day for my Dad and me. It is our 8-year reunion anniversary. On July 17, 2010, my Dad and I were reunited after many years apart. I now know his love is, and always has been, as big as the moon.
So this watercolor painting is meant to express that bigger-than-life feeling through illustrating the BIGness of that love.
Can you feel it?
I could picture this as a Daddy character in a children’s book, and it melts my heart.
A Daddy’s love…
my son’s – my husband’s – my dad’s……
is as big as the moon!
Just like my love is for them.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
#WorldWatercolorMonth
Abstract Feather 1 – 11×14
Hope is the Thing with Feathers.
Do you think
every feather
is uniquely different?
Just like
snowflakes…
and leaves on trees…
and blades of grass…
and grains of sand…
and people.
Abstract Feather 2 – 11×14
As I was playing around one day
with pouring paint
and creating feathers,
they sure were!
Abstract Feather 3 – 11×14
Instead of pouring on canvas,
I poured these abstract feathers
on 300lb cold press watercolor paper.
They are all so very different,
even though I used the same exact colors and same paper…
yet there is something I uniquely like about each.
There is something so magical about feathers…
What bird is it from?
Or did it perhaps fall
from the wings of an angel?
Hope is the thing
with feathers
that perches in the soul
and sings the tunes
without the words,
and never stops at all.– Emily Dickinson
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Loving Lily – Daylily in Watercolor 11×14
Daylily in Watercolor.
The daylilies are in full boom
this time of year.
Along the edge of the woods.
Along the sides of roads.
Varying shades of oranges
and yellows and pinks and reds.
I have Lily fever!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
#WorldWatercolorMonth
PS Congratulations Lynn at Lynz Real Cooking for being chosen as the random winner in the drawing of the #WorldWatercolorMonth Yellow Canary Souvenir Pouch! Lynn – please email your mailing address to mckinneyjodi@gmail.com so I can send it your way.
“Bucketful of Love” Watercolor 11×14
A Bucketful of Love.
How much love can a bucket hold?
When it’s holding a little girl, who happens to be your granddaughter, it is definitely overflowing!
Last weekend, I was “helping” one of my daughters-in-law and her sisters get ready for the upcoming wedding of one of the sisters.
As we worked in the barn where the reception will be held on a sweltering hot day, I had the “job” of entertaining my granddaughter so the girls could work.
Once we found a couple buckets of water, we were busy for hours, made a huge mess, and had a bucketful of fun!
I am not a great portrait painter, and I didn’t do my little cutie justice, but it was fun to try, and since it’s #WorldWatercolorMonth, I thought I’d share.
Bucketsful of Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 
