Sweet Tooth Collage (oil)

 click here to buy a print

Do you remember these "sweet" paintings I did for my Pastry Pleasure" series in February?  They are back!  I used iPiccy.com site to create a much bigger file for large prints.  You can order a print as large as 36 x 36"!

This is it for now.  I am going to take a well-earned break for a week.  Do you know that I have been blogging every single day since January 14th!  When I come back, I will share the collage of my "Spring Fever" paintings and announce which painting I am going to give away.  Stay tuned!

Collage of My February Paintings

Collage of my "Pastry Pleasure" paintings

Wow!  What a delicious-looking collage!  Please tell me which painting is your favorite.

I tend to jump around in my choice of subject matters from day to day to stave off boredom and stay excited.  It has been a great learning experience to work on the "Pastry Pleasure" series.  Around the 12th painting, I felt bloated with pastry and seriously considered ending the series sooner, but thought better of it just to see if I could handle the "pastry fatigue."  I am glad that I saw it through.

I did learn a lesson or two from my first monthly challenge.  Having a theme for a month turned out to be one of the smartest ideas I have ever come up with.  By sticking to a theme, I really got to explore the subject in depth.  For one thing, you wouldn't believe how much I learned about painting texture, from powered sugar to chocolate glaze!  The results of my explorations are impressive too.  Even if some paintings are stronger than others, or vice versa, doesn't the whole collection look fabulous?

Twenty is, however, a lot of paintings!  From now on, I am going to limit myself to 16, or 12, or 9 paintings for my monthly challenge series, depending on how much time or material I have available during the month.  Staying focused is one thing; getting burned out is another!

I hope you enjoyed the ride.  Tomorrow I am going to announce the painting to be given away.  If you want to win a painting, please sign in to follow my blog.  Thanks!

"Chocolate Mousse Cup" (oil on linen; 5" x 4")

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After I was finished with the painting, I sat in front of it for a long time in deep satisfaction.  Perhaps it was the red raspberry dusted with confectioner's sugar; or, the yellow green ground.  Or, chocolate. Something about this little gem makes me very happy.

"Chocolate Cheesecake" (oil on linen; 5" x 4") sold

sold

Ah, the most delicious chocolate cheesecake, topped with a swirl of clotted cream and a raspberry!  It's too much!

If you want to win a painting at the end of the month, please sign in to follow my blog. Thanks!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

"Summer Garden Harvest" (watercolor; 14" x 18") sold

sold

I have a small fruit garden that bears raspberries, blueberries, and sour cherries.  The raspberries posed for my still life one summer day, along with astilbe and tuberous begonia.  I donated the painting to the 2013 Patrons' Show at the Art League in Alexandria, VA, and it won an honorable mention!  Hooray!

If you want to win a painting from my Pastry Pleasure series at the end of the month, please sign in to follow my blog.  Thanks!

"Key Lime Tartlet" (oil on linen; 4" x 5") sold

sold

This key lime tartlet was so small that it could go straight into a mouth.  Doesn't the raspberry look like a red flower in a green field?

If you want to win a painting at the end of the month, please sign in to follow my blog.  Thanks!