Lara's Artwork: Paintings, Sculpture, FoodArt, Photography, etc.

Really enjoyed your paintings, Lara. Especially the Woodland Fireflies and Geraniums. After looking and looking....trying to figure out if they were oils or acrylics...you have answered my query. More, more, more...please.
 

Yes, more please Lara! Like Holly, I enjoy watching people paint but always do so from a distance as I'm sure most artists don't like being watched. I have a sis in law in Glasgow whose a very good artist and she often goes to an island and sits near a beach to paint.
 
SeaBreeze, Rose, and to everyone above, I thank you for all your encouragement. For you to open your hearts and minds to me like this is very special to me. I'm so grateful.

Nona, I puddled up watching that touching video. The narrator said, "his movements are severely limited...his determination, endless". I'm so humbled by those words and motivated as well. Thank you

Holly and ameriscot, painting outside, on location like that is called Plein-Air and I have only done that once. It was quite windy that day as I sat on my friends white porch on the Bogue Sound off Emerald Isle, NC…aka "the crystal coast"…just south of the Outer Banks (Duck). I painted an egret wading near to me in the marsh grasses but I wasn't particularly happy with it. I think I was distracted by the wind. I should give it another try because I love the fresh air. I just need to pick a calm day.

I'll post another painting soon…thank you all again for your encouragement.
 
ndynt said:
For when that brush just pauses....trying to get inspiration....
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Nona, This can bring me to tears if I allow myself to dwell upon it. I have seen it before so I am somewhat steeled this time to my emotions, this gentleman is an inspiration to those who feel somehow limited. Like he says to those who say "I could never do that!"......
"What CAN you do?" Wonderful spirit and a talent that I am loss of words to describe.
 
chic said:
Your work is truly lovely Lara. What medium do you employ?
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Thank you for asking, chic. I should have said a little about each painting as I posted it…so I will from now on.

Post #1 "Dogwoods" is one of only 2 paintings on gallery canvas I've done in oil but I used it as though I was using my more familiar acrylic paint so I went back to acrylics. With acrylics you have to paint fast because it dries fast. With oils you should take your time and do a lot of blending (because you have time before it dries)…the end result should be warmer and richer in color, softer in application (in my opinion).

Post#3 "Potted Geranium" was acrylic on gallery canvas using a palette knife and a final watery wash of color (acrylic is water soluble) over the window panes after it dried. The color wash used was "Paynes Grey".

Post #4 - "Sphere" is acrylic canvas and I did post some info about that one in post4

Post #19 "Woodland Fireflies", painted on a 12"x12" tile, is multi-media of acrylic paint, white spray paint for the mist, black oil pastel for shading the trunks which I then scraped with a razor blade, and finally dots of metallic gold acrylic from a tiny squirt bottle for the fireflies.
 

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Me too…he had such a gentle quiet spirit and always happy…Bob Ross. "And let's just paint some PooBerry trees over there and that'll just be our little secret", he said.:love_heart:
 
Next painting, please!:)

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I liked to watch Bob Ross too, he made it look so easy. He was a peaceful and happy soul. Nona, I've seen that video before, very touching, thanks for posting.
 
"Deforestation"…Acrylic on canvas with a touch of iridescent paint which doesn't show in photo (it's subtle)

"thank God they cannot cut down the clouds" ~ William David Thoreau (painting by Lara)
I'm in the process of how I want to sign my paintings. My initials are LM so this one is a symbol of that. I see now the "L" lines should be a little thicker.
The cloud square looks a tad crooked but I just measured and it's not. I think it's the way I cropped the photo.
 

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Wonderful. Unsure if I like the sentiment or the painting more .Can so relate...for they cut down the pulp wood forest that used to surround me. Replaced it with subdivisions.
Interesting signature, Lara. Lara would be nice if it were only your actual name. I used to use HTP, until I started painting for my grandchildren. I then started using a derivative of Nonna (grandmother in Italian) Nona.
 
Thank you SeaBreeze and…oh, can I call you Nola? or do you prefer ndynt? Where can I see your paintings?? Do you have a thread somewhere with them? The photo makes my my colors look so much more drab than they really are. I was trying to take it away from the light so as to avoid reflection but it just flattened it. Good excuse, eh? (now those canadians have me saying it lol)
 
Yes, Lasra....it is difficult to take a accurate picture, without professional equipment. Like you, I have either sold or given my children/grandchildren most of my "stuff". Painting for others gives me inspiration. I do have one that I will try and get a picture of. Of a nipa hut, when I lived in PI. Watercolor, under glass.With glare it is hard to get a good pic.
Did put a watercolor e of a fern I did, on here. But, it was cheating...copied a botanical coloring book page..
Am now working on a line of dog related "stuff". A woman, that used to buy a lot of paintings years ago, has asked me to do some things for her. Have not got my head completely around dogs yet. Trying to use my whimsical style...but they end up too realistic. Where I am doing them for her I do not think it is ethical for me to display them ????
 
I think I know what you're thinking Nona (it's been 2 weeks since you asked RR so I hope you don't mind if I step in with my thoughts). You're coming from a true artist perspective, but, as you know, we have to keep in mind that the name of Bob Ross's show was "The Joy of Painting". The key word is "Joy"…getting non-painters and newbies excited to give it a try. He wasn't appealing to the professional juried gallery artists who have matured over time into developing their own styles and use of original thought. Rather...

He was appealing to the beginner artist, or the person who doesn't think they can paint, the person who thinks painting is too hard, the person who doesn't have time to paint (Bob completed his paintings in 30 minutes using BIG paint brushes), the person who is afraid to try. He showed people how easy and fun it is and he indeed got a lot of people to start painting and have fun with it. He was also therapeutic. One guy said, "He's more effective than Zanex for relaxation" :)

The only problem is that most people didn't continue to develop into true artists but rather just continued to do BobRoss-looking paintings because he didn't give them the skills to do that. But he could only do so much in 30 minutes. It's TV.

RadishRose…I don't think Bob Ross was before your time. His show ran from 1983-1994. The last show was 20 years ago. He died of cancer at age 52.
 
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Just catching up now I am back home, and came across this thread of your artwork, and agree as others have said Lara they are beautiful paintings.
I understand what you say about finding your own style as you evolve, I am no artist but can appreciate how it could be more fulfilling when its truly an expression of yourself, rather than a copy of a photo or scene in a realistic style. Looking forward to seeing you evolve. :)
 
Belize Flower with Dew Drops and my daughter
(painting by Lara from a photo by daughter Julie)

Thank you kadee and Merlin for the encouragement.
My painting is acrylic paint 5" X 7". The center is actually a brighter red and orange and the leaves are a pretty green.
 

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