My To Be List.
Instead of a “To Do” List,
I want to focus on a “To Be” List.
I want To Be:
- Kind
- Loving
- Tolerant
- Healthy
- Happy
- Significant
What would be on your “To Be” List?
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
artist
Hauling Pumpkins
Hauling Pumpkins.
I’ve been wanting to paint this for a while.
A year or so ago, I painted a red truck with a Christmas tree, which has been kinda popular around the holidays (and is still available in our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop and at Berry Vine Gifts).
People have asked if I could do other holiday/seasonal versions of it. Since the red truck trend still seems popular, I made a Pumpkin Haulin’ version for Fall.
It was fun to add colors to create the feel of swirling leaves and the colors of Autumn.
We are gearing up for the fun seasons ahead, where my DIL Colleen and I will be participating in a few local shows in addition to our usual Etsy and Berry Vine Gift sales and events.
If you are in the area, look for us at the Lake Latonka Fall Festival on Saturday, September 7th and then the Big Mars Craft Show on Saturday, November 16th.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Cherish the Moments
Sunset over Lake Ontario, Rochester, NY – August, 2019
Cherish the Moments.
As the sun sets
and closes another day,
collect moments
to cherish as memories
on this page…
in this chapter.
For this time…
in this season.
For every day may not be good,
but there is something good in every day.
Find it.
Hold on to it.
Cherish the moments.
Treasure the memories.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Red Cardinal Watercolor
Red Cardinal Watercolor.
I was away this past week on a wonderful “GFC” (Girlfriend Camp) trip, followed by a couple days of grandie girls and family fun.
This past Sunday afternoon, after over a week away from any ARTing, I found a bit of time in my art studio to paint.
I always fear when I’m away from it for a while, I will “forget” how to do it.
I decided to do a bird, then chose a cardinal. I had some Simon & Garfunkel playing. I felt completely relaxed, and just painted. No drawing. No warm-up. And I got lucky and loved the result.
Just in case it turned out, and because I’ve been asked about sharing my process and “teaching,” I took a few quick iPhone photos of the steps I took along the way to share with you.
I found a cardinal photo on my ipad and then started with the eye placed where I thought was about right on a 10×16 sheet of Arches Cold Press. I used Daniel Smith Indigo and Quinacridone Gold, leaving some white for the highlights in the eye.
When painting loose, you need to have a focal point, and when a bird or animal, a good focal point is the eye and/or beak/nose. So from the eye, I used a wet brush to outline the beak, then added some Daniel Smith permanent deep red and water to blend the colors.
I deepened some of the colors and added the crown shape of the cardinals head and the shape of its neck. This is pretty much all the “detail” I wanted in this painting.
From here, I added some more of the red and some cadmium yellow.
Then I just got super loose adding some violet and blue and green gold, lots of water for movement, and more indigo splashes. I held the painting up vertically to let the drips run.
And this is what resulted. I’m happy with how it turned out, and so glad to know I didn’t “forget” how to do it after being away for a while.
This painting – as an original, prints, and greeting cards – is available in our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy Shop and at Berry Vine Gifts in BradfordWoods, PA.
Have a wonderful day, and don’t be afraid to fearlessly and joyfully go for whatever it is you love to do!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
A Purple Parakeet in Watercolor
Purple Parakeet Original Watercolor by Jodi McKinney 11×14
A Purple Parakeet in Watercolor.
On my purple kick this past weekend, I created a random splash of color and topped it with cling wrap to create an abstract design.
I often like to do this when I don’t have anything special in mind to paint, but just want to create! Then I look at it – sometimes for days or longer – until I see something appear.
My oldest DIL and I were at a local event this past Saturday at Quality Gardens and Bloom Cafe in Valencia, PA with our McKinneyX2Designs art and signs, and a man asked me if I ever painted a parakeet.
I hadn’t ever thought to, but when I looked at my “blob” of paint the next day, a parakeet appeared! Mind over matter??!!
So I painted this. I don’t even know the man’s name (who sweetly purchased a copy each of Klaus the Mouse, and Lucas the Lucky Lion for his grown artist daughter), but this painting is lovingly dedicated to him wherever he is, in honor of the sweet parakeet he and his wife recently loved and lost. May they somehow feel the love. And if he ever sees this, I will surely gift him with a print!
Happy #WorldWatercolorMonth!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Original, prints, and cards available at McKinneyX2Designs and Berry Vine Gifts!
A Patch of Purple Delphiniums
A Patch of Purple Delphiniums Original Watercolor 11×14 by Jodi McKinney
A Patch of Purple Delphiniums.
Splashing some green and purple this past weekend –
very loosely for an initial wash,
then adding additional loose detail
to somewhat resemble a patch of purple delphiniums!
This watercolor was inspired by Mary at HeartandSoul974‘s flowery blog post last week. We are not even sure if they are delphiniums in her photo, but that is what I am calling my watercolor, because….
well….
because I can!
Happy #WorldWatercolorMonth!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Original, prints, and cards available at McKinneyX2Designs and Berry Vine Gifts!
Babysitting our Grandpuppy
Trevor McKinney Original Watercolor – 8×10 by Jodi McKinneyBabysitting our Grandpuppy.
As most of you know that have been hanging around here for any length of time, I am the fortunate grandma of two beautiful granddaughters to my oldest son and daughter-in-law. You may not know, however, that I have an adorable grandpuppy to my youngest son and daughter-in-law, and we had the pleasure of having him over for a weekend vacation when his Dad and Mom went away on a little trip recently.
Charlie was such a good uncle to his young nephew, Trevor.
He got a bit annoyed at times with Trevor’s puppy energy and enthusiasm, but he properly warned and then gently taught him when “enough was enough!”
It was so fun having sweet Trevor around. He never left my side, and I was told he may have missed us as much as we missed him when he went home. He often comes to visit, however, so we are sure lucky!
I just had to paint a little portrait of his sweet puppy face and eyes for his Dad and Mom. I cropped and used a bit of artistic license from the photo above I took from his recent stay.
Love you Trevy!
Happy #WorldWatercolorMonth!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
A Pair of Pears in Watercolor
A Pair of Pears Original Watercolor 11×14 by Jodi McKinney
A Pair of Pears in Watercolor.
A Sunday morning in the art studio recently…
and a pair of pears
apPEARed!
Happy #WorldWatercolorMonth!
May beautiful things apPEAR to you!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Orange you Glad-iolus?
Orange Gladiolus Original Watercolor 11×14 by Jodi McKinney
Orange you Glad-iolus?
My Dad recently texted me an image of an orange gladiolus stem in a vase a neighbor had placed on their porch.
He thought it might make a good painting subject.
So I painted it.
And this is my loose “impressionistic” version.
I hope it makes him and Mom II smile.
Hey Dad, “Orange you Glad-iolus I did?” 🙂
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Happy #WorldWatercolorMonth
Limes Smile
Limes Smile in Watercolor – 11×14Limes Smile.
Did you know if you rearrange the letters in “limes,” you get “smile?”
Hope this watercolor painting of limes brings you smiles!
Happy #WorldWatercolorMonth!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 