From the Terrace 8" X 8" oil on canvasboard

                                                                                  

One of the delights of this area is the many varieties of birds who live here or travel here seasonally. This little guy lives around the corner from us - one of many kinds of Flickers. I called these birds woodpeckers for the longest time because they are very much alike in appearance and habits. Both kinds will peck out a section of a Saguaro cactus and build a nest inside the hole for their eggs. When they're finished with it, the starlings arrive and take it over. Sort of like a vacation rental. Seems to work well!

This painting is available at auction at this link. Click here.

Baby Owl 8" X 8" pastel on Wallis paper SOLD

                                                                                 

This baby Great Horned Owl is one of many that makes their Spring/Summer home in this area. The parents  come every year and have up to three chicks. The big danger to them is falling out of the nest which may be in a tree, a barn or some other high place. They seem to be very curious as they stare at what's below or they may sleep often during the day to get ready for the night's activities. We often lay in bed at night and hear them as they call to one another.

This painting is available in an auction. Click here.

Night Raider 12" X 12" Oil on canvasboard

                                                                                

I have a love/hate relationship with raccoons. They're interesting, quiet and have amazing dexterity. On the other hand they are definitely scavengers, and no regular household garbage container could keep them out, at least back in the days when we lived in "raccoon territory." Every night we'd hear the cans being turned over and had to allow extra time in the mornings before work to pick up what they left behind. They'd come right up to the windows in the french doors and peer into the room where we watched television. Once we left the door open just a bit and they stuck their little paws into the room searching for treats.

Yet, the nuisance factor aside, we were hard-pressed to hold it against them. The "cute-factor" got to us in the end.

"Swan Lakers" 6" X 8" Oil on canvasboard

 The photo with this group of swans was intriguing to me because of the sharp contrast between the white of their feathers and the darker shadows. They are such elegant birds with their graceful movement and long necks. Swans play a big role in early mythology, and children of my era grew up listening to the tale of "The Ugly Duckling" a story of an outcast who later transformed into one of these beautiful creatures.
















                                                                                

"Apres-Swim Shower Line" Oil 11" X 14"

                                                                                
This past summer my son took his two boys to the local pool to swim and cool off. There were several other children  there and when everyone was done swimming they just formed a line to rinse off under the shower. No adult told them to - they just quietly went over and stood waiting. Each one seems to be in his/her own little world. Tuckered out, I imagine.

This is the largest size I have worked for awhile. I'm pleased with the results, but there were many in-progress decisions to make, and I physically felt tired after it was finished. Does that ever happen to you?

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/carol-flatt-1045

"Taking It All In" Pastel 8" X 11"

                                                                             
This little girl is committed wholeheartedly to giving her instructor her full attention. With that approach I bet she'll be very successful!

"Hidden in the Grasses" 6" X 8" Oil on linen

For some reason I'm back into "flower mode" again. I didn't necessarily plan it, but have been delighted to paint a breath of Spring during these cold days. Won't be long before the garden departments of many stores will be full of starter plants and hanging baskets. Can't wait!!

                                                                              

Surprise for southern Arizona!!

 

We knew that a rainstorm was in the forecast, but suddenly the flakes started falling - small, then large, then larger. My husband and I just stood at the windows watching, as excited as kids. We rarely get snow in our location and at our elevation (2500 feet) for any length of time. So this was quite different for us.

 

                                                                          

Today, the sun is out and the snow is gone. And, THAT was our winter.

                                                                               

 

                                                                                                           

"Taxicab Yellow" 9" X 12" Pastel

                                                                       
In the middle of winter I think many people are anticipating the start of spring and the planting season. My garden is never very large or grand, but even the few potted flowers I start each March on my patio are so welcome.

This pastel painting will be posted on DailyPaintworks website at
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/carol-flatt-1045   

"Poppy Fest" 11" X 12" Pastel SOLD

                                                                  
"Poppy Fest" came together in a fun way. I am really liking this Uart paper I began using a couple of months ago. The process for this was a little different than my usual procedure mainly because of the underpainting.  I took some "in progress" photos as I thought you might like to see how it came together.

 

I have a product called Caran d'Ache Neocolor Watercolor Crayons. I bought them at a trade show long ago. They work just like regular crayons do except when you mist them with a fine spray of water they soften and blend into a watercolor wash. Above is the crayon coloring, and below is after I sprayed it with a mist of water.

 

 

 

Now, I like the randomness of washes so I let this one run and encouraged it by tilting the paper in different ways. At one point it got away from me, but that's okay. It gave me some nice areas on which to scumble  the pastel.

 

The watercolor has dried and with a white pastel pencil I drew the outlines of the shapes of the flowers and buds.

                                                                                                        

 The pastel work has begun, and I've managed to complete the first two poppies in the lower left corner and a little of the greenery. I played it rather loosely using mostly the side of the pastel. I tried to make the most central poppy the focal point, and blurred the other poppies a bit so they wouldn't steal the show. The end result is the painting at the top.

 





                                                                                 

 

                                                                                            

Final crop of "For You!" 6" X 8" Pastel

                                                      
For me it's really important to "live" with a painting for awhile before I feel I'm done. "For You!" from the previous post sat on  a shelf where it was visible while reading, computer work, etc.  I gradually came to the conclusion that the REAL emphasis or center of attention was the bow on the package. The other added volume to the painting, but I don't think it  necessarily contributed to the whole. Therefore, I cropped it down to fit in this 6" X 8" frame. It's not the best photo, I'm afraid, because of the glass, but you can see my reasoning for the change. This decision-making is tough!

"For You!" 12" X 11" pastel

                                                                               
I wasn't able to finish this one before Christmas so I chose colors that might do well at another "event." This painting was done on U-Art paper #400. It's rougher than the #800 I used the first time I painted on U-Art. I've admired the wrapped present still lifes I've seen many artists paint like Carol Marine, Nancy Franke and Karen Appleton. They all use oils, but I was curious to see how the subject would translate in pastel.

My best wishes to all of you and your loved ones for a blessed new year. I hope our wishes for a peaceful world, good health and a stable economy will be realized. Thank you for the interest in and support of my artistic efforts this past year. Being able to connect with all of you is a great gift and immeasurable joy for me. Happy New Year!

"Tiny Beauty II" 6" X 8" Pastel SOLD

                                                                     
I couldn't resist another ornament for this series. I forgot to mention in my post "Tiny Beauty I" I painted on a paper sold by Dakota Pastels. It's Wallis paper that has been adhered to a sturdy, archival conservation board about the weight of matboard.  It's great to work on and comes in white or the Belgian Grey. I think it's a little expensive - a 6" X 8" board works out to $4.00 apiece, but that's just my opinion. It's a great surface though.

Available at:  http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/carol-flatt-1045

"Tiny Beauty I" 6" X 8" Pastel SOLD

Well, I am officially in the spirit of the season now! The last few days I've been working here and there on this piece, and it has brought me so much joy. I just had tons of fun with it.

First, I think the subject matter was uplifting to me. Lots of fond memories passed through my mind of Christmases as a child decorating the tree and just the enjoyment of the traditions we had. It was a very nice way to step into the holiday activity.

To work with the varied and bright colors was a pleasure! I had an excuse to use the brightest red in the box, the boldest yellow and the deepest blue!

The process was liberating. Soft edges, blurred shadows and textured surfaces were exciting to play with. I had the final say as to how I wished the scene to be.

I finished this painting today in the company of the nicest friend anyone could have. We christened her new studio with tea and Biscotti (it was early morning so the wine will have to wait) and two hours of visiting and painting.

So I am officially, wholeheartedly head over heels into this magical, wonderful, amazing and meaningful time of year. I hope you are as well.

Available at DailyPaintworks at:  http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/carol-flatt-1045



"Black Tie" 6" X 12" Pastel SOLD

                                                             
This little hummer is from a photo my husband took awhile back. He commented that it's unusual for a hummingbird to sit still for as long as it took to get the photo. I just fell in love with him sitting out by himself so dignified and tiny. I liked the rock star spiked hair (feathers) on top.

I worked this on a piece of black Art Spectrum paper. I liked the way the pastel let some of the black show through. It worked well on the body of the bird as there were black specks showing through in the original photo. I then decided to see what would happen if I scumbled color in the background. I didn't have any iridescent pastels, but I think the turquoise and gold pastels worked nearly as well to add a bit of shine. I think an off-white mat or double-mat would add a light border around the painting, then maybe a thin wood frame around it all.

"Black Tie" is part of the DPW auction to help with Hurricane Sandy relief. 100% of the sale of this painting will be given to the American Red Cross to help with this effort.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/carol-flatt-1045

"Pomegranate Breakfast" 17" X 15" Pastel

                                                                    
Hi everyone. First of all I want to apologize for my lapse in posting. It's been about two weeks since the last one, and I don't even have a good excuse such as "I've been on vacation," or "The computer has been down." When I started blogging a few years ago I had planned to post two or three times a week, and I did that for some time. But, lately I've been badly budgeting my time, I guess, because the minutes needed to create art and post about it seem to fly by, with me the person still tying her shoes at the start line. I cherish blogging and connecting with all of you, and certainly we share such a wonderful bond with the joy of creating art. I will do my best to continue this sharing on a more timely schedule.

This little fellow and his pomegranate were caught in a photo by my husband on a morning walk. He is a Verdin, the bird, that is, and these birds live in the southwestern part of the U.S. and Mexico year-round. I wanted to do a larger-sized painting and this one measures 17 1/2" X 15 1/2 inches which is large for me. It was also done on U-Art paper which I used for the first time with this painting.

I love this pastel paper! It comes in seven different grades of roughness. This one is supposed to be the least rough, yet it still has plenty of tooth and can take a wash. I'm anxious to try a couple of different grades to see what they can do. I happened upon it at an art supply store in Tucson when I was wanting to purchase Wallis paper for a project. I guess Wallis is having much trouble keeping up with demand in the retail and online markets like Jerry's, ASW and Dick Blick. It was a lucky find for me, and I'll certainly buy more of it.

Here is another photo of the painting showing closer detail.

 

I don't know if you call it "style" or not, but I enjoy "playing" with the pastel stick by rubbing it over the tooth of the paper. I like the texture it makes and loose quality it leaves. If you look closely at the leaves you can see how some of them are defined, but others are very loose and undefined. Spraying with fixative between layers makes it even more receptive to this exploration. The paper shows through in many place. I always feel nervous with this because I'm afraid people will think I was negligent and/or messy. A couple family members prefer the details finished with precise drawing and a realistic look, and I know it's just personal taste. We all have our preferences. But, I love the experimental nature of it and the inferring instead of the readily seen.

 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/carol-flatt-1045

                                                                              
      

"Washed Ashore" 8" X 11" Pastel

                                                                           
This old fishing boat has met a sad end along the California coast. From Big Sur up to Washington State the waters in the coastal vicinity can be unpredictable. With strong currents and rapid weather changes a captain has to be vigilant and cautious.

This pastel was painted on Wallis paper dry-mounted on foamboard. I chose not to do an underpainting with this one because I was afraid the dry-mount wouldn't hold up to the liquid and become loose. But, again, the rough, sanded coating of Wallis made for lots of fun with the texture.

Re-do of "Loose Ends" 6" X 6" Pastel

                                                                     
You may remember awhile back I posted a new pastel titled "Loose Ends." Well, it's been sitting on my shelf where I keep my unframed art, and I've been able to "look" at it for several weeks. I thought today I might change a few things about it to kind of "freshen it up."

I defined the stems a bit more and used a few more warm greens. I also modified the background color to a cooler color, kind of a light turquoise. The shadows had to be changed as they had been drawn with a deep-valued gold color to go with the yellow background. Now, they have a deeper turquoise tint.

Lastly, I added highlights (I had forgotten them completely the first time (Duh!) in a cool, pinkish red. Below, is the original post. I like the updated version better, but in all honesty, how do YOU feel? Your feedback is always welcome!

                                                                                                                                                         

"The Showoff" 6" X 12" Oil on board

                                                                 
On my Bucket List of "things-I-wish-to-do " would be to travel to Europe (France in particular) and see and paint the fields of poppies for which France is so well-known. (Why NOT dream large!) They must be a sight to behold!   And, if there were lavender fields next to the poppy fields, and a winery in the neighborhood, well....

"Gerbera Daisy" Oil on panel SOLD

                                 
After I painted "Night Bloomer" a couple of posts back, a friend suggested I do a series of flowers. I've never done a series before although I've always thought doing so would be a good idea. It seems like it would be a wonderful opportunity to explore technique and possibilities within a specified subject matter.

The direct light on the petals of flowers does so many interesting things as does the reflected light. The different values between the bottom petals, the top petals and the shadows of the top petals on the bottom petals are all different. Just wonderful practice in a subject of your choosing.

After the initial lay-in and the next layers where more detail and texture is added, I stepped back to look at the painting and compare it to the photo. It's not that I'm wanting to have it look just like the photo as I want to add something of "Carol" (me) in there, too. But, it's the best way to check values, I know of. You can really compare this to that...and make corrections which I needed to do in some areas.

I'm looking forward to doing a few more flower paintings then possibly beginning a new series. Thanks for a great idea, Barbara!

This painting will be up for auction beginning Monday, September 10th at: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/carol-flatt-1045