impressionist

Take Flight

/ Jodi / 52 Comments

Take Flight.

Take flight
above
the turquoise sea,

amidst
the pink and golden
sky.

Stretch
your wings
and soar so high,

let
freedom
guide your heart.

Embrace
the feelings
that you get

when you are
creating
art.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Just some words and feelings that came to mind when looking at this 5-minute practice painting I did one day experimenting with techniques.

What did I do?  I dropped in some granulating colors – lunar black and quinacridone gold to a wash of alizarin crimson.  I then splashed in some creamy white gouache to create a soft, but dramatic sunset sky.  I scraped in some flying sea gulls with a couple simple scrapes of a palette knife.  I blended cobalt teal with a dab of prussian blue and splashed in some more creamy white gouache.  I then splashed some drops of water from a mister bottle and dropped in just a couple flakes of sea salt.    I then walked away and waited for the magic to happen…. (the hardest part of all).

 

A Yellow Rose for a Sweet New Baby Girl

/ Jodi / 48 Comments
Yellow Rose Impressionistic Watercolor 11x14 Saunders 140lb Cold Press

Yellow Rose Impressionistic Watercolor 11×14 Saunders 140lb Cold Press

A Yellow Rose for a Sweet New Baby Girl.

A sweet new baby girl was born this week into our extended family.  She was named after two of her great grandmothers.  One of the great grandmothers loved yellow roses.  They were her favorite flower.

So in honor of our new little sweetheart, I painted a yellow rose.

My inspiration for this impressionistic rose is from the amazing style of Jean Haines.

Colors used:  Daniel Smith Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Aliziran Crimson, Burnt Sienna, and Perylene Green.

If her Mommy likes it, I will frame it for our new little angel’s room.

Amidst all the tragedy and heartache in the world (especially this past week here in the U.S. with Hurricanes Harvey and Irma and the 15-year remembrance of 911), the miracle of birth continues to give us hope in the beauty of life and love.  May our little ones create and live in a world of peace.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Gotta Cut Loose

/ Jodi / 55 Comments

Gotta Cut Loose.

I've been trying to do a painting for a couple days that is just not happening right now.

Seems when I try too hard and set expectations for myself, it just doesn't happen!

<Ugh!>

So instead of trying it for the fourth time……..

I just let myself cut loose…

and do whatever came out…

and see what happened.

This happened.

And I kinda love it.

I played with some different colors than I've been playing with lately.  This painting has Daniel Smith Cobalt Blue, Perylene Violet, Olive Green, and Quinacridone Gold.

Cut loose and see what you can do!

And in case you don't have the song in your head yet…..

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

McKinneyx2designs

Be Bold

/ Jodi / 46 Comments
Pink Rosebuds Watercolor 5x7 140 lb Cold Press Saunders

Pink Rosebuds Watercolor 5×7 140 lb Cold Press Saunders

Be Bold.

Be bold…
in doing what you love,
in doing what feels good,
in doing what makes you happy.

Be bold…
in making your own kind of beauty,
in being your own kind of beauty,
in seeing the beauty in others.

Be Bold!
Be You!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Quick, loose painting done on Saunders 140lb cold press watercolor paper using Daniel Smith Rhodonite Genuine and Sap Green watercolor paint.

Pink Apricot Watercolor Tulips

/ Jodi / 46 Comments
Pink Apricot Watercolor Expressionist Tulips - 8 x 10 Fabriano 140 lb Cold Press

Pink Apricot Watercolor Expressionist Tulips – 8 x 10 Fabriano 140 lb Cold Press

Pink Apricot Watercolor Tulips.

I found a few extra moments to steal away to my art studio this past weekend.

I felt like painting some tulips – inspired by our recent trip to Phipps Conservatory‘s Spring Flower Show.

I gave this one a couple tries before I finally decided I liked this version.  I started too tight and too “literal.”  I so admire folks who paint things that look exactly like real life, but it is not my passion.   In my first go, I tried much to hard to replicate the photo.  I then loosened up a bit and created this version that more represents the beauty I felt looking at the tulips.

To me, this painting speaks Joy and Happiness and Life.

And that is what I am feeling this week as we count down the days in wedding week!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Daniel Smith Watercolor Paints used:  Rhodonite Genuine, Cadmium Yellow Light, Green Gold, Perylene Green

Paper:  Fabriano Artistico 140lb Cold Press

Painting Purple Posies

/ Jodi / 50 Comments
Purple Crocus Spring Watercolor 10x14" 300 lb Arches Cold Press

Purple Crocus Spring Watercolor 10×14″ 300 lb Arches Cold Press

Painting Purple Posies.

Though I could never create the beauty Mother Nature does…

especially in Spring when the purple crocuses pop up and  remind us once again of the hope of life and rebirth and renewal…

I couldn’t resist painting my impression of these beauties I captured and posted yesterday.

It was good to splash some Winsor Violet and Opera Rose and Prussian Blue and Cadmium Yellow with a touch of Perylene Green.

And instead of trying to recreate them, my goal was to paint how they made me feel.

I struggle with stopping here or filling in the details to make them look more realistic.  But ultimately, my love for impressionistic painting wins, and I stopped.

Before I ever ventured into this amazing joy of painting, I would have thought this way easier than exactly duplicating or painting more realistic representations, but the urge to “fiddle” and “replicate” typically leaves me feeling less satisfied.

To restrain….

To stop “before…”

To leave a bit – even if only a teensy bit – to the imagination…

is a challenge…

But a crazy and totally fulfilling, joyful experience when it works.

Not convinced I hit it with this one, but the joy  in the journey might just be as satisfying as the ultimate goal.

Kinda like life – huh?

It’s a journey – meant to be embraced and expressed and felt – all along the way.

Once we reach the destination – then what?

Cheers  & Hugs,
Jodi

 

The Best Things in Life

/ Jodi / 60 Comments
Abstract Gold Flower 8x10 Arches 140lb Hot Press

Abstract Gold Flower 8×10 Arches 140lb Hot Press

The Best Things in Life…
aren’t things.

The Best Things in Life are..

Hugs -real, authentic, tight bear hugs,

Family – and friends who are our chosen family,

Smiles – the kind where your eyes and cheeks and whole face smiles,

Laughter – from the belly that can’t be contained,

Happy memories – of cherished moments,

Love – the verb, the action, the undeniable, overwhelming choice and joy.

The Best Things in Life
aren’t things.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Daniel Smith Watercolors:  Quinacridone Gold, Perylene Green

Something about Sunflowers

/ Jodi / 39 Comments
Sunflower Loose Watercolor 11x14 on 140lb Fabriano Artistico

Sunflower Loose Watercolor 11×14 on 140lb Fabriano Artistico

There’s something about sunflowers
that draws me in artistically again and again.
I’ve painted several versions in the past year or so
since I’ve taken on this challenging and fun journey of watercolor.

I saw several loose and similar to this on Pinterest while perusing
and had the urge to paint sunflowers again.
There’s just something about sunflowers!

For this one, I wanted to work on creating lots of layers of greens from Prussian blue, so I created this little mixing tester sheet ahead of my painting to see what colors could be created from mixing it with yellows and browns.  Look at all of these amazing colors.

Daniel Smith Watercolors used:  Prussian Blue, Quinacridone Gold, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow Light Hue, Raw Sienna

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

PS  This original painting, as well as prints and cards are available at our Etsy Shop:  McKinneyX2Designs