Blog Hop!

Thinking

18 x 24

Oil on Canvas

I do love painting my daughter in law, Marissa.  She is kind enough to pose for me quite often...this is one of a series I am doing of her.  

I have been invited by CJ Holt Roughton to participate in a global blog hop.  Click on CJ's name to visit her blog.  Part of the task is to answer a few questions. 

What I am working on, how I work, and why do I create what I do.

I like to tell stories with my artwork.  I feel my pieces are to be read.  One of the stories I am working on is my visions of military life.  As a military brat, and army wife and mother to an Air Force pilot I have many memories to tell.  I want to let the civilian world know a little bit about military life...the trials tribulations but also the good times.  It is an amazing way to live.

My creative process involves working on multiple projects at a time.  I usually have 4 or 5 paintings in various stages.  I begin with a concept and then flesh it out with models and props.  I paint from life or take photographs until the composition works then I begin sketching.  I sketch to get a feel for where everything is in the composition.  It is much easier to paint a composition after I have sketched it a few times.  Through classes with Elizabeth Floyd I learned to do thumbnail sketches to check my compositions   When I believe I have the best composition possible and I feel the story will unfold as the viewer's eyes travel across the canvas I can begin to paint.  When I think I am done set the painting aside for a week or so and then check it again for any changes.  

So the Blog hop continues with Linda Collins and her fabulous blog http://www.dogfaceartwork.com/blog.  

and none other than Michael Bennett Hock (yes...he is my son) and his fabulous blog badshakespeare.blogspot.com

So enjoy the blog hop!  

My Mom

My Mom

18 x 24

Oil on Canvas

NFS

Last time my parents visited I was fortunate to be able to sketch and take lots of source photos.  My, usually camera shy, mother didn't just come out of her proverbial shell...she blossomed.  She allowed me to take lots of pictures...wore costumes...hats...posed...It was amazing.  I love painting portraits and to get to paint portraits of my family is a bonus.  

Feel the Love

Feel the Love

Oil on Canvas

20 x 24

I paint portraits of my family frequently.  They are available and will let me take source photos of them and some of them will even sit for me.  I also paint family because it makes me smile.  As I paint I remember our times together and it just makes me happy.  

This portrait is my younger brother, Richard, with a dear friend of his.  I was in Chicago visiting Richard and doing some portrait sketches of him when Mamta stopped by to visit.  I was fortunate to have my camera in my hand when they hugged...what a great moment to capture.  I knew immediately I wanted to try to capture the love on canvas.