Friday, December 12, 2014

Rough and Ready

Over the years, I've found I should put away the oil paints during the holidays and work on things that are easily stowed away. And I do love me some good old graphite!
Graphite pencil on Mi-Teintes Pastel paper, 9x12, Still Life? Figurative? Portrait? You tell me. I'm not sure.
Available
Cheers all, 
Karen

Friday, December 5, 2014

Black Grape


Hi all.
Just a bit of what is left of autumn.
Oil on canvas, still life, 8x10, available

Karen

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Camera Truck


Well, I have to say it is quite a pat on the back when someone you love tells you he wants you to do a painting for him. My husband asked me to paint this and wanted it large enough to hang over our mantle. LARGE. Intimidating. I took a deep gulp and said yes and we went out to buy a big (40x30") canvas.




 
Work in progress: under painting with just thin burnt sienna, final layers in only burnt umber, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, the smallest amount of Venetian red and titanium white, all in all about 6 weeks to paint. The burnt umber and ultramarine blue make a nice dark.
We took it to a framer my husband knows well and she did a fab job framing it and touting my work to some of her clients and so who knows, ya know? For now I'm pleased with how it looks on the wall and with a nice confidence booster that I'm growing as an artist.
Happy Thanksgiving to us in the U.S. and happy fall day to those who are not.
I'm grateful for family, friends, home and hearth, and the ability and time to paint.
Cheers all. 
God's peace.
Karen

40x30" landscape, Oil on canvas, NFS
  

Friday, November 21, 2014

Up for luck


Hi and Hello,
Interesting things afoot around here.  I've got my fingers crossed "for luck."
Hope all is well in your world.
Happy Autumn!
Karen

Oil on canvas paint board, 8x10, landscape  I've tinkered with it a bit.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Lamp and Tile

Hi and hello,
I've been working a few large pieces and that's my excuse for not posting for a whole month! (This is not one of those large ones. It is only 11x14.) I finished this at the end of summer and was holding back on it to see if it all "gelled." As I was painting it, I did wish I had made the lamp a tad larger but I'm pleased with the end result. I didn't even have the actual tile I put in here. I printed it off an auction site and cut that out and put it behind the actual lamp in my set up. Sneaky!

On an unhappy note: They decided to close down the CalArtInst in Westlake, CA where I've been taking lessons. I'm really sad to not have a close class to go to now. There are some fine options around to be sure, but none so close and convenient. So many artists have come out of there who do such stunning work. I do so wish I could have attended class taught by Glen Orbik. Grumble....

Ok. Hope autumn is treating you well.
Karen

Oil on canvas. 11x14" Still life. Available

Friday, September 19, 2014

Where have the buffalo gone

Hi all,

Been busy! And hot - whew. I know some of you are already experiencing autumn cool down but we won't here our hot spell until the end of October generally.
This is based on a photo from wetcanvas.com taken by a lady named Ann Garlough who has since passed on. It's kinda nice to know that her lovely photos are still instilling inspiration years later.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=960669

Oil on paint board, 8x10, animal painting, buffalo    Available
Cheers and God's peace all
Karen

Friday, August 22, 2014

If not for you my sky would fall

I really enjoyed painting this, but I was torn between posting it or tweaking it a tad more. There is just something about seeing it in different light, on the computer, etc, etc. I decided it was better to move on.

Hope your world is bright.
Cheers,
Karen

Oil on paint board, 8x10", landscape, nfs

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Artichoke Flower

 Artichoke blossoms.
They are just giant thistles, right?
But they are so pretty and they taste so good!
(There is even a liqueur made from it. Weird.) 

Hope all is well in your world.
Karen
Oil on Fredrix paint board, 8x10", still life, Sold 

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Friend or Foe

So this is the painting I finished at the workshop I recently attended led by Carlo Russo who is a phenomenal painter. I really cannot say enough good things about his work. And he was a very patient and helpful instructor. If you are interested in painting still life and get a chance, attend one of his workshops.
Overall, for the class I attended it was a great bunch of people. No egos, just people eager to learn. However, a student in the class rolled in with a brand new plein air paint box - truly state of the art - the whole rig was great - and completely untouched. Ok, fine. You want to have the best at your fingertips.... Then the student disregarded just about everything he had just gone over in his demo, his leanings toward how he instructed and why, and what materials he would prefer for us to use during his workshop.
Workshop etiquette is paramount.
You can fool around on your own at home.
Ok, enough of me ranting.

I just finished reading a Terry Pratchett book, I shall Wear Midnight. He has such clever quips.


"‘Actually, I quite like the guarding.’ He reached down and pulled a book out of his breastplate, which in fact could have accommodated a small library, and went on, ‘There’s plenty of time for reading if you keep out of sight, and the metaphysics is quite interesting as well.’
Tiffany blinked. ‘I think you just lost me there, Preston.’
‘Really?’ said the boy. ‘Well, for example, when I’m on night duty and somebody comes to the gate, I have to say “Who goes there, friend or foe?” To which, of course, the correct answer is “Yes”.’


Cheers all,
Karen
Oil on linen, 11x14", still life  NFS

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Lilium

Hello.
Hope you're well.
Doing well here.
Just recently finished a three day workshop that was super, so, hopefully, I (and you) will see an improvement in my painting from that and my ongoing classes that I attend. I don't think I'll even be done learning. (I'll blather on about the workshop when I post my painting.)

Oil painting on wood panel, 8x8", still life - Available for sale
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/230124

Cheers all and God's easy peaceful feeling

Karen

Saturday, May 24, 2014

My Neighbors Mailbox

Busy busy busy
I pass by a neighbor's mailbox that at certain times of the year is nearly overwhelmed by the bougainvillea bush. A bougainvillea has super sharp thorns so I kinda wince just looking at it while admiring it at the same time.
Oil on Fredrix Paint Board (LUV those things!)  8x10" Landscape

I just recently finished reading Rod Stewart's autobiography. Wow. Just as I was wrapping that up, I watched the "rockumentary" about the Eagles. It's called "The History of the Eagles" and after watching that and reading Rod Stewart talk about his life I felt like I'd been whisked back in time to the 70's and 80's, trashing hotel rooms, dating super models and starlets, and experiencing a lot of drugs and alcohol while wearing a lot of leather with fringes and other ridiculous finery. Or... not wearing so much.

Cheers all! God's peaceful easy feeling.
Karen

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/karen-stitt/my-neighbors-mailbox/233583

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Woodland Fungi

Found a stellar photo of a mushroom (who'd think I'd say something like that ever?) over on DevArt and I just had to draw it.
12x8" Charcoal on Canson Cagrain paper Still life   SOLD
Cheers all,
Karen

Friday, April 4, 2014

All Things Must Pass

Been listening to George Harrison quite a bit lately and it seems a fitting title for this.
16x20" Oil on canvas, available for sale

Cheers and God's peace,
Karen

Monday, March 31, 2014

Bits and Pieces and Peanut Butter

So here are a few of my recent attempts at painting from life in class. These first two are eight hours each sessions at four hours in a stretch except for the last one. I did not capture the first model's face that well but I am happy with how I used color as a whole.
This second painting has a previous weeks work under it that I sanded down and reused the canvas, hence the blue. Blue is not a great choice for an underpainting of flesh, but oh well.

Last session's worth which was just a four hour (and a frustrating and unsatisfying event as a whole from a class standpoint.) Overall eight hours to paint the same pose is not enough! 
All oil on canvas, 14x18 and slightly smaller.


Anywhoo, we had a lovely BBQ yesterday for my father's birthday and my husband requested Tri-Tip roast and what with everything I was trying to juggle in the kitchen I inadvertently overcooked the corners of the roast. Darn! So I cut those ends off and intended to feed those to the dogs, but today I decided to make a mostly vegetable soup with it. So of course the soup had a slightly burned taste. Ick. What to do? Go on the internet! The answer to help get rid of the burned taste in soups and stews and the like? Peanut butter. Yup. Peanut butter. I was skeptical (probably like you are now) but I added just a smidge to a bowl and sure enough....pretty much took that slight burned taste away without adding any real peanut butter taste to the veggie soup. Who knew? (Margie probably knew, huh Margie?) I found the answer on the GardenWeb in their kitchen forum. AND obviously DO NOT feed a peanut butter laden soup to anyone with peanut allergies. Just sayin'.
Cheers all and God's peace. Hope you are all well and to those of you up to your eyeballs in snow I wish you a bright sunny day and the gentle warmth of spring.
Karen

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Into the Light

So we've had as much rain in the last three days that we've had in the last year and already my husband  has cabin fever. He wouldn't make it in snow country.
Oil on paper canvas, about 6x6", still life, tangerine
Cheers all,
Karen

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Winter Blessing

I love when the cymbidium orchids bloom in winter. It makes it feel warm and tropical even if it isn't so.

Oil on canvas, 8x10", still life, orchid
Available

God's peace,
Karen


Sunday, February 2, 2014

Bits and Pieces 6

Well, I have to say I am a little starstruck at the moment. I went to the Autry Museum today to trip around by myself for the Masters of the American West 2014 show. It just opened yesterday and I thought with the Stupor Bowl on it would be pretty quiet. Wrong. Anywhoo, I went around most of it and turned a corner and Z.S. Liang is standing in front of his section of art and then just after that Jeremy Lipking came in with his wife and newest baby. You can really tell the people who know these artists by the way they stare at them with that deer in the headlights looks - not me! I acted all casual. Besides, I live near both of these guys and I was pretty sure one day I'd be standing in back of one of them at the super market. Would I talk to them? Er, probably not, other than to ask Mr. Liang if he ever opens his house/studio for a visiting day.
And the show was super! Way more Super than that Bowl thingy.


And so here is Model 6. This may be one of my favs. She came together real well. 
Available
Oil on canvas, 12x12", figurative 
Cheers all. Karen

Here's a link to the show

Friday, January 31, 2014

Y B Blu

I never had one of these but I did have a Karmann Ghia. A convertible. I loved it, little rackety thing. After a big rain, when I hit the breaks it would do a slow "slosh, slosh, slosh" back and forth. A woman in a big truck came a little too fast around a corner and climbed right up over the back of it and crushed it all to pieces. I do mean pieces. It had been held together with bondo and duct tape. Sure was a fun little car.

Oil on canvas, 8x10", cityscape, landscape, nocturne, night, Volkswagen
Available
Cheers all, God's peace
Karen

Friday, January 24, 2014

Bits and Pieces 5

So I may be getting my models out of order, but I believe this girl was week five. She was a pro! George Paliotto, who formerly taught at school and now is an adjunct professor at CLU, tried unsuccessfully to make this model laugh. It was quite funny as she would scrunch up her face for just a moment and then resume her pose with fluidity. And, yes, her hair was several shades of red not found in nature.

Oil on canvas, 12x12", figurative
Available and, yes, I used the side of my canvas as a test block for colors. It was useful and I think it looks rather mosaic like.
Cheers all and God's peace.
Karen
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/karen-stitt/bits-and-pieces-5/196123

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Give Me Strength

Hi,
Been very busy.


I've got those glittery tears in my eyes right now, mostly because of Terry Stricklands' beautiful Samson and Delilah painting and her words to go along with it.
 I can only hope to paint so beautifully someday. Here's a link    http://terrystricklandart.blogspot.com/2014/01/samson-and-delilah-trust-and-betrayal.html

Cheers all and God's peace.
Karen
Oil on deep edge canvas, 12x4", still life, available

Friday, January 10, 2014

Field Trip

How does it get to be January 10th so fast!!
So about, what?, three years ago or so my husband and I went to Nevada's Valley of Fire. So beautiful! So hot. Wow. But really cool.
So anywhoo, here is Robby the Robot on a field trip.

Cheers all.
Karen

Oil on panel, 8 x 10", landscape
Available

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Bits & Pieces 3

Life model week 5
I had started this one in landscape and Mark strongly suggested portrait so I changed it and then didn't have as much time as a result. I do like her blue bra.
Oil on canvas board, 12x16", figurative Available
Cheers all,
Karen

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Bits and Pieces 2

Week 4 Life model
Oil painting, 12x16", woman nude, Figurative
Available

Karen

Friday, January 3, 2014

Bits and Pieces

So I've decided to post my previous classes worth of work over the course of a few days because the new semester is going to start. Some are better than others and I feel these two fall in the not so great category. I had sketched the blond previously and while very sweet, she twitched a lot. (I hope she never reads this, but facially she moved quite a bit.) She was week #3 and I have her facial features down so much better than week #2. (I've already posted week #1 in black and white)

This brunette was week #2 and Mark was rushing me to put color down. I really am a person who wants to get my drawing element correct first beforehand and he did finally understand that quality in me. I really, really did enjoy his class but I'm torn as I want to experience some of the other teachers they have there (before they lose them to their own studios.)
Oil on canvas board, 12x16", figurative
If anybody wants to buy these, give me a shout. They won't be expensive.
Cheers,
Karen

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