30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 30!!!

"Celebration"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

$100.00

Click here for purchase information.

We made it to DAY 30...Woo Hoo!!!

Today's painting represents the excitement of the many talented artists who took on the challenge to paint 30 paintings in 30 days. Congratulations to each of you who sacrificed a little chunck of life each day until the very end!

It was really inspiring to view the all beautiful, fun, and creative work produced each day. I enjoyed reading the blogs and making some new artist friends and appreciated all the wonderful comments shared on my blog. 

A BIG THANK YOU to Leslie Saeta for hosting this challenge and encouraging everyone along the journey. It was a really great growing experience!

The second reason I created this painting is to celebrate the new little bundle of joy that we will have the pleasure of greeting tomorrow, if not sooner! This of course is why I chose a lovely shade of pink for the background. (I sure hope the ultrasound tech was right!)

So much to be thankful for...new challenges, new friends, and new life!

Looking forward to the journey ahead.

: )

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 29

"Baby's 1st Shoes"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

8" x 8"

$145.00

I'm still stuck on the Valentine theme...see those sweet little hearts on these adorable, tiny shoes? It was either this, or the Valentine cookies we baked last night and I didn't want to be tempted by all of those delicious sprinkles!

Back in the day some mom's used to bronze their baby's shoes to preserve them. I decided to paint them instead! 

Today was the official due date for baby girl to arrive. We walked around Target for a while this morning hoping to entice her with cute bargains, but no such luck. Apparently she has a mind of her own..much like her mother. ;)

Or maybe she is just waiting for Grandma to be done with the crazy challenge so she can have my undivided attention.

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 28

"Roses Are Red..."

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

10" x 8"

$145.00

Click here for purchase information.

It's day 28 and we are so close to the end of the 30 day challenge! I am away from home and ran out of panels so I picked a few up at the store. The surface on these panels is so smooth that it's made painting on them difficult.   The paint just wants to slide right off! In fact, the dew drops I had planned to add would not stick without swiping off the base layer, so we have a dewless rose.

You may have noticed my last several paintings have had a Valentines theme... from sweet treats, to sweet flowers and even sweet little baby clothes. LOVE is in the air!

: )

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 27

"Lolo's Laundry"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

10" x 8"
$145.00

As some of you might already know if you've been following my blog, we've been staying with my daughter awaiting the arrival of her little one. We have been sleeping in the baby's new room which is full of sweet little hats, bows, tutu's and itty bitty socks. Surrounded by all of these adorable clothes and toys made me want to paint them. So I dug through the drawers and closet and came up with these. I am so excited to see her actually wearing them!

More contractions today, but she is being shy and not coming out of her womb.  

Funny thing is grandpa keeps driving back and forth across the state and the barista's at Starbucks halfway from here to home keep asking if the baby has arrived yet. Lol

 Two more days until the scheduled due date...I'll keep you posted!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 26

"Adrift"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

Click here for purchase information.

Day 26 of the 30 Day Challenge.

I got a late start on today's painting. My Love, (aka husband) drove over for the weekend hoping the grand baby would make her grand entrance into the world. No such luck. It was a quick trip back and forth and we wanted to spend some time with him this morning before he had to head back home. We took a field trip to the doughnut shop and then the Bellevue Art Museum. 

Like this boat, we are just drifting along... hanging out waiting for someone to arrive. : )

Sweet Dreams Friends!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 25

"Water Lily"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

$100.00

Click here for purchase information.

Day 25 of the 30 day challenge. 

My VERY pregnant daughter brought up a good point..30 days is really not that long when you look at the big picture. Nine months, now that seems like FOREVEEEER! Her due date is in four days and she's been having contractions since last weekend. We've been camped out at her house for the past week awaiting our granddaughter's arrival. : )

So I decided to stick with the flower theme today.

Did you know that the water lily is a symbol of purity? It's also a symbol of secrets because it opens in the morning and closes in the evening. This water lily appears to be stretching, as it awakens  to the morning sunlight. 

I just love flowers..the vibrant colors, intricate shapes, and sweet, sweet scent.

Des Belles Fleurs!

Have a Lovely Day Friends.

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 24

"Exotic Awakening"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

$100

Click here for purchase information.

Good morning! Blogging today is Shaylynn, Miss Jacqueline Brewer Fine Artist's daughter. :) She seems a little burnt out on her blogging lately so I thought I would step in for a fresh breath of air! This painting in particular is stunning to me. I've always been attracted to art with vibrant, fun colors and a whimsical touch which I think she nailed dead on!

 It's been so fun and inspiring to watch her really push herself with this 30 day painting challenge. Armed with a cup of coffee and a paintbrush, every day she's faced her easel with this raw determination to produce something that not only speaks to others, but is also true to herself and her style, which I can't imagine would be an easy task. I've been so proud and a little awed to see her go from painting twinkies, to horses, to football helmets to beautiful flowers. She's definitely pushed herself to not get into a rut of the same subjects, colors, or just sticking to what she's comfortable painting. How many of us can say we've pushed ourselves to step out of the "comfort zone"? Once in awhile, I'll have a thought cross my mind that I've gotten into a routine. I really haven't pursued anything new and challenging  and honestly, haven't taken any steps to change that. Maybe I've been vicariously living through my mom's motivation, determination and success. It's exhausting watching someone else chase their dreams! ;) 

Playing the role of cheerleader does have it's rewards though. It's really something special to see the look on her face when someone connects with her work. When she hears that her paintings stir others to reminisce of lost loved ones or that a certain piece brings up joyful memories that have been buried for years, she gets this look on her face and a twinkle in her eyes that shows you just how much she loves reaching people through her paintings and how much it means to her to bring others happiness. You can see that she loves making others feel good through those connections just as much as she loves painting itself. One of the many things I love about my mom. 

I could blog for days about how great I think my mom is and how great her paintings are but I think I've gushed enough for one day. No need to give my momma a fat head. ;) 

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and, like me, is a little more inspired to chase their dreams today. For at least the next 30 days... Maybe.

Shaylynn 

        

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 23

"Poppy Dance"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

$100

Click here for purchase information.

Sorry for the cruddy photo of today's painting. I could not for the life of me get a decent one!

I guess that's the disadvantage of being away from your studio, stuck without good lighting. In real life, the left side of the painting is not washed out I promise. 

I went with a stormy grey sky to contrast the red of the poppies dancing in the wind...to classical music of course. : )

Have a great night friends!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 22 SOLD

"Flutter By"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

SOLD

Today I wanted to paint something unique and whimsical. I think Butterflies are such amazing and mysterious creatures. It's incredible that a caterpillar can take a "beauty rest" and with a life change, this beauty emerges from within, so graceful and elegant. To go from scooching around on the ground to fluttering and dancing about like a ballerina. Definitely a beautiful site to behold!

This change reminds me of a verse..

You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

1 Peter 3:4

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 21

"Sweetheart Bouquet"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

$100

Sticking with the Valentines Day theme here...what could be sweeter than a lovely bouquet? Except for maybe a homemade card from your child. : )
While this bouquet may not smell as sweet as fresh flowers, it will last forever!

Fresh off the easel, it will be ready to ship in time for your Valentine. 

Wishing you a  Beautiful Day!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 20

"Chocolate Strawberry"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

Click here for purchase information.

Hi, my name is Jacqueline and I'm a paintaholic. I skipped a day of painting yesterday and I'm going through withdrawal. I actually felt guilty for missing a day of painting! I did have a good reason though, my daughter "thought" she was in labor and we were driving across the state to Seattle . Turned out to be a false alarm and they sent her home from the hospital. So here we are..hanging out..waiting. 

I managed to grab some of my painting supplies as we were flying around the house at 3am, in a packing frenzy, trying to get out the door. However, I don't have the greatest set up or lighting to get quality photos. So for this week the images won't be top notch but at least I will still be participating!

Today's Chocolate Strawberry is my little tribute to VALENTINE'S DAY... which is just around the corner, (in case anyone forgot.) You see, we have a tradition in our house, every year on Valentine's Day I make homemade lasagna, french bread, salad and...you guessed it, Chocolate Dipped Strawberries for dessert. We break out the crystal glasses, light some candles and turn on some classic tunes. Frank Sinatra, Etta James & Lois Armstrong make the playlist for sure. We LAUGH, we DANCE, and we REMINISCE. Our girls have looked forward to Valentine's dinner every year and are really bummed if they can't make it home to celebrate with us. I LOVE family traditions and spending with my SWEETHEARTS!

Stay tuned for the latest baby updates...

: )

30 Paintings in 30 Days-Day 18

"Cherry Cheesecake"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

Click here for purchase information.

No long blog post today...I have a birthday party to attend. Not much to say about cheesecake anyhow, except that it is delicious!

Have a great night everyone!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 17

"Garden Bunch"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

8" x 8"

Click here for purchase information.

It's day 17 and I was soooo tired today from lack of sleep last night. For some reason...Ida know..maybe this crazy challenge or maybe our recent house guest (see below) I kept dreaming that my paintings were getting smudged and oil paint was getting EVERYWHERE..my clothes, hair, the couch. Of course this "half sleep" continued for several hours and at 3am I was done trying to sleep. With only four hours of sleep, the coffee just wouldn't kick in, so I was draaaaging.

So I declared today a flower painting day...as you know, flowers come in all shapes, colors and sizes. Basically you can make up your own flower, like the Byzalia, and no one would ever know. ;) Bottom line, no major detail or concentration required to pull off a bouquet. Or so I thought. Today the magic was not happening and I was disappointed with the results. Not to mentioned a little concerned about what in the world I was going to post for today's challenge!!! I was just moments from scraping this painting, but before wiping it clean I decided to step back, take a break and go eat dinner. This allowed me to clear my head and come back to the easel with a fresh perspective. With a little tweaking and re-shaping it I think it came together okay. I also manged to keep my clothes, hair and even the couch clean!

Recent house guest might have used his ninja skills to open my CLOSED door. Then he might have stepped on one of the 10 or so wet paintings that were sitting on my art desk to dry. 

He might have also left behind some blues clues..er evidence...guess he's not much of a ninja after all! Thank Goodness he didn't use ALL of the paintings as cobblestones!!!

It's a good thing he's cute, because it's reeeealllly cold OUTSIDE!

Sweet Dreams Friends!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 16

"Sweet Symphony"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

10" x 8"

Click  here for purchase information.

Today's painting was one I had been thinking about doing for quite a while. It was inspired by my very talented aunt, Karen Mamel, who plays viola for the Tampa Bay Symphony. 

I absolutely LOVE classical music and you will usually find me listening to Vivaldi while I paint. 

I hope you enjoy it. 

Sweet Dreams Friend. : )

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 15 SOLD

"Red Amaryllis"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

10" x 8"
SOLD

We are on day 15...the halfway point in our 30 day challenge! So far I feel that I have adjusted to this new daily habit and I've enjoyed the results of pushing myself. I've always started each morning with a daily devotional and painting almost feels like an extension of that. Painting, similar to writing in a journal, is a way of expressing yourself. : )

For the past couple of days I've tried to steer away from the "blues". As I am constantly told that blue seems to be a common theme in most of my work. Today I decided to paint in lipstick red and went with a winter flower. The intensity of this painting reflects the migraine headache  I experienced today. I do like to put my emotions into my paintings, but I didn't think Migraine would work to well in the title. 

I am also expecting this challenge to become more "challenging" in the very near future..my daughter in Seattle is showing signs of pre-labor as she is nearing her due date! I wonder if they would allow me to set up an easel at the hospital? 

Stay tuned for more updates!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 14

"Twirling Poppies"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

Click here for purchase information.

This morning I had a little dilemma.... my shipment of art supplies, that was supposed to have arrived last week, was delayed due to the weather. My choice of canvas sizes for today's painting was either a 2'x4' ginormous panel or an itty bitty 1" square. Neither choice was too appealing. Luckily, my stalling/praying tactic worked and the shipment arrived this afternoon! Whew!

Today my daughter and I studied Georgia O'Keeffe in our Meet The Masters art program and it's what inspired today's choice of subject matter. This poppy reminded me of dancers twirling around the room so the title was chosen. 

Does anyone else feel like choosing a title is one of the most challenging parts of painting? It seems like I spend more time doing that, and photographing, and posting etc;..than actually working on the piece! Why don't I ever remember to think of a title WHILE I'm painting?

Tomorrow is a new day..maybe I will remember!

Have a GREAT evening!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 13

"Sunset Palette"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

12" x 12"

Click here for purchase information.

Today I decided to share with you a sunset view from my deck. Every time I see a sunset like this, it reminds me of an artists palette. I am simply awed and amazed at the beauty of God's creative hand! I LOVE spending summer evenings out on the deck... enjoying a cup of coffee while the humming birds buzz past, and the clouds swirl around as the sun is setting. Regardless of what craziness might be going on in your life, taking time to watch the sunset is a great reminder of the bigger picture, and that each day is a precious, unrepeatable gift!

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. 

PSALM 118:24

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 12

"Heels"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

It's day 12 and to be honest I wasn't feeling super inspired today. This was just a quick study of a purple glass shoe. 

It was the second day in a row that I started painting late in the day..not my best time. I was also wiped out from the tension of that CRAZY Seahawks game!

Tomorrow is another day with another blank canvas waiting to be filled with color! I have no idea what I will be painting yet. Hmmmmm?

Sweet Dreams everyone!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 11

"Broncos"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

8" x 8"

Click here for purchase information.

It's 11pm on day 11, you could say I'm cutting it a little close! 

Our daughter is visiting from Seattle and we decided to go x-country skiing today..then we had lattes and the next thing I knew it was 5 o'clock and I hadn't started painting yet. Yikes! 

I already knew I was going to paint another helmet because after posting the Seahawks helmet on Facebook there were a couple Bronco fans that put in a special request. ;)

Someone mentioned that I wouldn't be loyal to my team if I painted an opposing team's helmet. But while Seattle is my #1 team I still root for the other teams (when they're not playing my team). How do I decide which team I want to win? The uniforms of course...may the team with the best uniform win!

I happen to love Denver's uniform, so painting the Bronco's helmet was fun. I just hope no one requests a Bengal helmet painting..bleh.

So there you have it, my game winner picking strategy and another day of the painting challenge complete! 

Here's to a big win for the Seahawks tomorrow!!!! 

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 10

"Bus Stop"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

8" x 8"

Click here for purchase information.

Day 10 and I had so much fun painting umbrellas yesterday, I just had to paint another one. I love people watching, at the mall, the airport, the beach, you name it. People come in all shapes, sizes and personalities..they can be pretty interesting and entertaining ! This group is definitely a colorful looking bunch.

Today is Friday and my daughter drove over from Seattle to stay for a week. This painting challenge is going to get interesting!

Have a super weekend everyone!

:)

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 9

"Rainy Day"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

8" x 8"

Click here for Purchase information.

Day 9 and still going strong. What is so great about a rainy day..the umbrella of course! They come in so many fun sizes, colors, and designs. Do I own one? Yes. Is it cool? No. It's plain black and the only exciting thing about it is that it pops out at the push of a button. I almost bought an amazing Monet umbrella when I was at the museum in St. Louis..but I didn't. I should have. 

I did buy a huge Elvis umbrella once. It was for my mother-in-law who oogles over him and insists he's still alive and just in hiding somewhere. 

I guess the next time a see a cool umbrella I will just have to buy it..then  see if I can remember to take it with me on a rainy day. : )

Have a great evening friends!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 8

"Flower Power"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

$125.00

Click here for purchase information.

It's day 8 and I'm tired of painting snow! I  had to switch things up a little and try something different. I thought it would be fun to go a little more abstract today. Technically, you can still call this a "winter" painting because what woman doesn't like getting flowers year round..right? I just received a lovely bouquet from my husband a few days ago. Of course I love to smell and look at them often, as I dream of warmer days ahead. : )

During this challenge I am having fun experimenting, loosening up, and letting the paint fly! 

See Ya Tomorrow!

: )

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 7

"Morning Meditation"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

8" x 8"

$245.00

Click here for Purchase Information.

Way up high above the fog line are the trees, standing still, taking in the quietness around them. They face the sun and collectively let out a sigh, filled with peace, and reverence for the beauty God created. 

Wait.. Did I say trees? I meant my husband. Yep, that's the photo he took at the top of the ski hill. Yes, he is overcome with awe and wonder every time he hits the slopes. It's his counseling session (kinda like women's retail therapy), where he can unwind, breath deep, and forget about the worry's life has to offer up. He stands there in the midst of the trees taking a moment to behold the scene, then he's off..zooming down the hill, thinking about nothing except making his next turn!

I am so thankful for my husband..and I really appreciate that he took the time to snap some awesome photo's to share!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 6

"Sledding Fun"

Oil Painting on Museum Quality Panel

8" x 8"

Okay, so here we are on day six. Since I was touching up yesterday's painting this morning, it feels like I've done two today! 

I chose to paint this one for two reasons. First, because I haven't done a self portrait yet and thought it would be fun to try. The second reason was because I'm not a cold weather person and so I rarely go outside to hang out it in. If you read my blog a few days ago I mentioned our attempt to build a snowman that failed. This failure turned out to be a big win because my daughter talked me into staying outside to "play".  We made a snow angel and then broke out the sleds to make some runs. Not only did we both have a good time, more importantly, we made a memory! 

I know it really meant a lot to Evie that I took the time to do something she loves with her. She kept saying "Thanks Mom" all day long. 

So..the take home message..take time out to PLAY LIKE A KID WITH YOUR KIDS! It will make you both feel great!

Have a HAPPY DAY!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 5

"Sleigh Ride"

Oil Painting on Museum Quality Panel

8" x 8"

It's 10:30 pm on day five of the challenge. I started painting this morning, but then got side tracked watching the Seahawks WIN their first playoff game!!! Then one thing led to another..as in snacks, then dinner and finally I had to round up the gang to head back home so I could get back to work!

I am now getting blurry eyed and going to call it a night. I snapped this photo with my cell phone just so I could get it posted. I will look at it again in the morning to see what tweaks need to be made.

Sweet Dreams Everyone! : )

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 4

"Seahawks"

in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

6" x 6"

Click here for purchase information.

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 4

It's day four and a WEEKEND, which made today's challenge even more of a challenge! We had a birthday party to attend so I started it this morning and finished when we got home this evening. Woo Hoo! 

As I am continuing with my winter theme, I thought.."What would winter be without football?" More importantly, what would football be without the playoff bound Seattle, Seahawks!!! 

This was the scene in Seattle this morning as they raised the 12th man flag on the space needle and the send off the team received on their way to the airport.

So call it destiny if you will but I just had to paint something to show my team spirit! To add a little more fun, I've listed this one on ebay. : )

Hope you can catch the game tomorrow....GO HAWKS!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 3

"Aloha Snowman"

8" x 6" in Oil on Museum Quality Panel

$245.00

Click here for purchase information.

Here we are at day 3 and I am sticking with the winter theme so far. I mentioned yesterday that we would be going outside to build a snowman for today's painting. We got all bundled up, picked out our snowman's fashion accessories, and headed out to find the perfect spot in the yard. As I bent down to scoop up the first ball of snow it crumbled in my glove..it was POWDER...great for skiing but doesn't make much of a snowman. Since we were already bundled up, we decided to make a snow angel and went sledding instead!

As for today's painting, I used an old photo from a few years ago. It was late into Winter and I was dreaming of visiting warmer places (Hawaii) and wishing the snow would just hurry up and melt away. But it didn't, so as the saying goes.."If you can't beat em, join em!" We dug out whatever tropical garb we could find and sent our snowman on vacation instead. : )

It's ironic that I'm not much of a cold weather person, but I've lived on a ski hill for the past 8 years..Go figure.

This just might be the year of change and warmer destinations... stay tuned for more information on that! 

I will leave you with two questions, if you could live anywhere in the world where would it be and why?

Have a great day!