newest boat painting

this is another large format boat painting...30x30...the camera isn't capturing it very well but you get the idea...i'm sneaking up...

so this is my finished four piece commission.  it's a birthday present for Cindy Force from her husband, David.  I can't get the photos lined up the way I want but all the paintings are oil on 12x12 gallery wrap canvas.  below is Sophie the dog, Betsy, one of the twins, Major the golden and Margy, another one of the twins.  I was delighted to have had this opportunity and I think Cindy was happy with the finished products!!

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

"Lillian's Peony"

30x30 oil on gallery wrap canvas

so I think this is done..after three days of work..palette kinife and lots and lots of oil paint..i think i''m happy with it.  it's in a very large format..30x30...I think i'll paint the edge in a cream color..(davey's suggestion)..after doing so many small pieces..(6x6)..it's so much fun to work large! - i have two boat paintings in the works and one kid on the beach..all large and all using mostly palette knife..stay tuned....

sneaking up...and delivered my commission...

30x30 oil on gallery wrap

so I finally delivered my commission today...david force commissioned me to paint his two dogs and his twin daughters...a birthday present for his wife, cindy.  it's always a little scary presenting a commissioned piece..or pieces...never having met any of the subjects, i was truly going by each photo and the seat of my pants!...but i'm happy to say, he seemed really pleased..and now he only needs to find a place for them.  after lunch with some of my best girlfriends, I headed back to the studio this afternoon...sneaking up on this very large peony...from my friend Lillian's back yard...I did a very small version of this several years ago but thought it lended itself to this large format very well..all palette knife and of course not done but getting there...

lillian's peony..in progress..

30x30

oil on gallery wrap canvas

so we're home and I need to post some of the stuff I did while we were in Georgia...but, after a day or two of re-entering, I finally got up to my studio..this was all ready to go before we left and i'm going to give it a whack!...very large painting..lots of palette knife and lots of paint!!...not even half done but it's lots of fun!!!

Another beautiful day...

We had a great day...played golf at sanctuary cove...a lovely course...we joined up with a fine fellow on the back nine..Willis...and moved along pretty well...Davey beat me again...most improved on points and score both.....took the dogs on a minor walk and then did a bit of acrylic stuff...I still can't figure out how to post images so I just posted to face book...

Great day...

I still can't post any images but we had a really good day....no golf..I planned to paint this morning but did a bit of laundry and housework and before you knew it....time to walk the girls....we headed to the beach..so very desolate after the fall break last week..so windy...but still lovely...met a gal..never got her name but she had one of her rescue dogs with her...never saw anything like it!!...her name was daisy...part lab and part walker hound...the kind you see In the fox hunt photos...anyway...this girl could FLY!!!!!... She was a as fast swimming as he was running and she was relentless!!!....her mom said she has made it all the way to sea island before...fast currents don't bother her....man!!!!...anyway...our walk was extra long this morning...back home to dry the girls and lunch and then some serious painting!...actually finished all the oil work I had planned..Need to give these pieces time to dry...I'm still planning some acrylic work but the hard stuff is DONE!!!!...feeling good, Lewis!!!!... Still haven't figured out how to post images so I posted to Facebook instead ....you can catch up there...( AJ, you're going to need to figure out how to do it....:)...)....playing at sanctuary. Cove tomorrow...I WILL kick his butt!!!!

Great day!...

This was a good day!!...after buying a brand new coffee pot a couple days ago, we realized it was missing some parts..(are you getting this AJ?)...so we used the bare bones one and went back to brunswick this morning for an exchange trip.   Davey thought since we were over there anyway...why not play golf at coastal pines!???!...two days in a row?!?!...when we got up this morning his shoulder was the only thing that didn't hurt..so he said...and he is not harming his wrist...so we went at it....he moved back to the green tees and still kicked my butt...84 to 88....but I plan to get him next time!!..when we got home I finished up another boat painting....finally happy with it but cannot post it tonight...I will try to post it tomorrow..Facebook for sure...

At the beach

I can not figure out how to upload a photo from my
iPad to my blog...very frustrating!!!..we arrived thursday late afternoon and have spent the last couple days with boogie and her family.. Today I had some time to get out my paints and did a little palate knife piece...I sent it to Facebook but can't send it here...I didn't bring my computer so maybe I won't be able to ever post images but I'll keep you posted!... We may play nine tomorrow if my hubby feels up to it...I am so very flexible!!!!

small shorebird painting..in progress

this is maybe 4x6...when it's finished i'll be taking it to Georgia glynn art's Christmas sale..we leave this Wednesday and I can not wait!!

newest boat painting..and day 30!!!

30x30 acrylic on gallery wrap canvas

so here's an image I've been wanting to paint for a while...my palette knife mentor, leslie saeta, said that in order to do a large piece on canvas you need to use acrylic..canvas sometimes resists the palette knife in oil..i'm thinking of doing an even larger piece..only in oil..and I think if I gesso the surface it may be more amenable to the palette knife/oil technique...this will most likely go to my gallery in Georgia..we head down next week and I absolutely can not wait!!!!!

our friend nikko

 

8x8 oil on gallery wrap canvas

this is a tribute to our friend nikko...she lived next door for many, many years and we will miss her so much!!  safe travels nikko...

on my easel...day 26 of 30 in 30...

9x12 oil on canvas panel

not sure this is the best photo...i was too lazy to bring it downstairs and photograph it with my camera on it's tripod...may tweak it a bit more tomorrow...probably it will go in my georgia gallery...

on my easel

18x24 oil on canvas

so this is something I've been working on...lots of palette knife...just so I could slash around a bit after working on my commission pieces...just for fun...

betsy and margy...the last of my four-piece commission...

 12x12 gallery wrap canvas

12x12 oil on gallery wrap canvas

so these are the last two of my four-painting commission..we had "Major".."Sophie"..and now "Betsy" and "Margy" ....it's taken me a while but my client wasn't in a hurry..a birthday present for his wife and I don't think it was going to be a surprise...i'm quite satisfied with the way they all turned out and i'm very grateful for the opportunity to paint his beautiful family...

birthday for james...

11x14 oil on stretched canvas

so this is the final painting...we went out to dinner last night to celebrate jimmy's birthday and I officially gave him his present..and then immediately took it back so it could dry and I could wire it for hanging...i'm thinking i'm happy with the result...at last...

BETSY...sneaking up

12x12 oil on gallery wrap

so this is the third in my four-piece commission...i'm almost done...may have a few more tweaks yet but i'm liking her so far! - heading to dinner with four out of five of my grands...and will finally give jimmy his birthday present!..i'll post that tomorrow

jen and kids...further progress...

so this is getting closer...still have a teeny bit of tweaking to do..spent the day in indy with one of my other grand's joe and his momma boogie...we did lunch and the childrens' museum..what a cool place!!..really have to get this finished tomorrow..as it is it will never be dry by the weekend..he'll just have to be very careful when he takes it home...this IS for jimmy's birthday, after all.....

jen and kids...in progress...

so this is for my son-in-law jimmy for his birthday...coming up this Saturday...YIKES!...I just decided to do this today so i'm dashing and it's in the freezer as we speak.  the big thing in something like this is to get the values and shapes correct..at this distance, i'm never going to capture a true likeness but if the vales and shapes read, the painting will "read"...this has a long way to go and so  it's in the freezer so the paint will stay workable when I get back to it.. I had a lot of fun today..last day of our club championship but I played my way out of the tourney last week so this was just fun...I know it's in there...just have to let it come out all the time...I truly don't know how the pros can concentrate for four straight days...I can't even do it for one day..maybe painting was on my mind....

betsy...in progress

so we're back from Chicago...wonderful weekend..dinner out Friday and wedding Saturday..we stopped into one of our favorite haunts..the billy goat tavern..remember the old john belushi skit.."hamborger, hamborger, hamborger..no fries..cheeps...no petsi..COKE!!!!"...it's still there and they still do it!! ....anyway..after recovering a bit yesterday it was back to normal today..laundry..bathrooms, dusting, sweeping..hit a few balls in preparation for the second round of our tourney tomorrow..but most importantly..got back to the studio!!! this is the third in my four-painting commission..i'm sneaking up on her...i'll post as I go along....

off to chicago...

we head to Chicago today..big wedding doings tomorrow and we're going up a day early to have a chance to do a nice dinner and enjoy the town a bit.  i'm working on a "grand"..didn't want to post it yet because it's not quite there...and obviously no painting til I get back so I find myself a bit behind in the challenge...had to play golf at greenbelt today...glad I did because I certainly had a better day than my usual lately...I guess it's just called "golf"...

30 in 30 day eleven..."Wolf"

                                                                            12x9

original oil on canvas panel

so this is my painting for day 11...first off..i remember so vividly 12 years ago..being in my kitchen..sky a perfect blue..and then the horror...said prayers for the lost again as i do every year on this day...should be praying every day....ok..so this is a painting of the "child" of one of my daughter's friends...his name is Wolf...for obvious reasons...black is a very hard color to do..since i don't actually use black, it's a combination of several colors...hope her friend likes it!!...spent some really good time with my tennis buddies today..i really miss them over the summer when they're still playing tennis and i am golfing! - we were celebrating my friend Moon...and I loved being with them again!

                                                              

day 10 of 30 in 30...."Ballet shoes"...iin progress

 

12x9 oil on canvas panel

so after playing a horrific round of golf in the first day of our club championship...90 plus degrees  and a very bad swing didn't help....I retreated to my studio for some solace...i always feel better when i can lose myself in my work..i put this is the freezer so I could continue working on it tomorrow...a few little tweaks, i'm thinking.....



day 9..30 in 30..."Boat"

6x6 oil on panel

this is a little boat painting for day 9...I sold a few of these small paintings at my gallery in st. simons so i wanted to take advantage of this month's challenge to replenish my stock...

"Daisy" day 8..30 in 30...

10 x 8 oil on stretched canvas

so this is daisy...she is one of the ménage of dogs and cats at my daughter jen's house..she happens to belong to matilda, my first-born grand daughter who will be turning 11 on Thursday...my gawd...where on earth has the time gone??????....this is not the best photo..i took it upstairs on my easel...trying to finish it so I can present it to her on her birthday!...maybe a bit more tweaking but I wanted to post something after taking a few days off..last week was a beast...starting with jimmy's surgery on Thursday a week ago, we/i have been on the road almost every day!..went to a follow up for davey on friday..then to a smokey robinson concert in carmel on Saturday..then on to the cottage for a family celebration on sunday..home on monday..golf Tuesday, wednesday, thursday and Friday..two of them travel days...i was for sure "on tour" last week...lots of fun but not a lot of time to paint!!...lovely dinner friday night in indy with dear friends and then laid low yesterday and had family over today for the colts game...who has time to paint anyway??????...(promise to do better...)

day five 30 in 30...

"Sophie"

12x12 oil on gallery wrap

 

this is day five...the fifth of September and the fifth day of our challenge...I have painted a little ahead..this has been a very busy week for me so I really needed to...this is the second painting in my four-painting commission..i think I finally captured her!

day four..30 in 30

12x9

"Through the forest"

original oil on panel

this painting is done from a photograph taken out west..i think in northern Arizona..and i'm not sure what these trees are...but i have several photos i'd like to work through...

day three

8x6 oil on panel

so here's day three of our challenge...this is a very small version of a painting I sold years ago.. from a picture I took on st. simon's.. 

day two..september 2nd

8x8 original oil on gallery wrap

"Bulldog"

so here's my day two offering.  I have an upcoming commission for some Georgia bulldogs...of course this guy's for sale if you just have to have him!!

 



day one of the 30 day challenge

"Portrait of Major"

12x12 oil on gallery wrap

so this is my first post..it also happens to be the first of a four-painting commission..i posted it yesterday on facebook so in my mind, even though I was away from home this weekend, I got it posted in time!..

framed gleaners donation "A Glass of Red"

13x10 oil on panel

so here's my completed donation for the gleaners big gala. the photo is a bit glarey and crooked but you get the idea.. i need to get this to them by the end of the month so i'm happy to have it off my plate..i'm getting ready to tackle a four painting commission...I've got the first one almost done and I hope to complete them all before the first of September...and the reason why?...leslie byrd saeta has issued a new challenge:  30 paintings in thirty days and I AM IN!!!!!...i'll be posting them here, on facebook and on her blog and I am very excited to have this reason to get back to my studio in earnest!!! stay tuned!!

my good buddies

I am very excited about our family reunion tomorrow...all or almost all the Gregory clan will gather here to swim and sun and eat and drink...and I have to say a special thanks to my good friends at frank Anderson tire...they have always ben there for me..in a pinch or not in a pinch..and today they did a special favor for me which I so appreciate!!..on to the reunion!!!!

gleaners donation

13x10 oil on prepared panel

 

so here's my painting for gleaners...they thought something wine-related would be good this time so here it is...I planned to get this accomplished at the lake but we ended up coming home early...my hubby was having a terrible time sleeping and then thought he was getting the flu...had a really bad 24-36 hours and i sure didn't want to make it worse with oil paint fumes...but my studio is so far away from him here at home so I was able to get at it...also getting ready for our annual gregory family reunion here this weekend..lots of stuff to catch up on if i want to play a little golf this week...rooting hard for our girls to pull it out against the euros in the solheim cup!!  we just can't seem to make a putt!!!!~





At the lake

After Davey worked this morning and I played at timber gate...(three birdies, some pars and bogies, four doubles and a triple...what?????).... He picked me up and we were off.. Both needed to recuperate after my reunion weekend, don't you know!!...we're here and loving every minute... I have some projects to accomplish and I hope to post them as I go along.. I'm doing a painting for gleaners food bank and then I have a big commission to work on... Makes things a lot easier since Davy's still recovering and we won't be golfing...

my fiftieth high school reunion

boy did I have fun!!!!!..I wish I could show pictures here but none of them would make sense...and a lot of them were of a horse named mabel who might make a good subject....we stayed at the oliver inn..a bed and breakfast in south bend, Indiana..a lovely venue for a bunch of us to gather and host old classmates on the lawn..we spent lots of hours out there at all times of the day and night..great fun catching up! - I told many of my old friends about my "grand" project so hopefully some will send photos for me to paint as I go along..meanwhile I have a painting for gleaners I need to accomplish and four paintings due as a commission. we head to the lake Wednesday to rest and I may get some stuff done there!..i am still reveling in the afterglow of a wonderful and nostalgic weekend..thanks to all my old friends!!!

"Dressin' Up"

12x12

original oil on gallery wrap

here's a little ditty I reworked a bit...I borrowed a pair of shoes...fancy party shoes..from my friend diane a while back to use as fodder for this one!











quinlyn at the piano

16x20 oil on gallery wrap canvas

so this is a painting i did in june for my golf pro at harrison lake.. ( I think I actually tweaked it some more...made a bit less of her reflection so as not to take away from her face..) it was a birthday surprise for his daughter quinlyn's sweet sixteen!~ she's a lovely girl and I hear they were all very happy with it!  I don't know what's happened to the summer..i attended a 3 day workshop in zionsville with john buducin..loved it and learned a lot! - then I took a one day workshop with peggy kroll Roberts at one of the lily homes in indy...I only wish i had more time with her...she was fantastic!...I've been doing a bit of painting but also playing golf...it's so hard to head to my studio on gorgeous days!! - plus my hubby is coming off left shoulder and wrist surgery..he was miserable..couldn't play golf...couldn't sleep...so now he still can't sleep or play golf but it's only less than two weeks out and i am really hoping for the best!!..it's an absolutely gorgeous Saturday afternoon and we would have surely been on the golf course..he's napping with a bag of peas on his wrist and I've been in my studio..i'll post some of the newer stuff as I try and get back in the swing of this blog!!

 



actually may 27th...

14x11 oil on panel

i finally finished my planting today...i have several peony bushes around my yard..ants and all...and i really mean ants and all...(i hear peonies need ants, so...).. i cut a few and brought them in to paint.  this was done with a palette knife! 

corner of my backyard...

7x5 oil on panel

i am very excited! - i'm getting ready to take a three day plein air workshop with john budicin.  it's being held in zionsville..about an hour north..so i have the option of staying up there with my former daughter-in-law or driving back and forth each day..depends..in the meantime, i decided to work outside yesterday..set up in the back yard while listening to Indiana clinch the baseball game to get them in the college world series..lots of yelling of course!!...anyway...i am going to try and soak up all this fellow's knowledge and try things his way..i'll be taking pics and posting..moreso than i have lately!

Biscuit

6x6 oil on canvas panel

this is biscuit...everyone says he was a good dog and he went to heaven a few days ago.. i didn't know him but is owner is an old old friend and i wanted to do a tribute.

lily pads

6x6 oil on panel

as busy as we've been this weekend..i still finally managed to get upstairs!!..this is a little study of lily pads..and a little duck creature...the ducks we have at flint lake don't have red beaks...i just wanted to add some color...

daily paintworks fundraiser "Golden"

6x6 original oil on gallery wrap canvas

after the horrific tornados in oklahoma this past week, the daily paintworks folks have issued another challenge.  this is the painting i'm donating to the fundraiser..all the profits from the sale of this painting and all of the paintings on the website will go to the relief fund for these people who have lost everything. here's the link to the place you can donate or purchase a painting: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Challenge/OklahomaTornadoFundraiser#/sort=ending soon&available=only&mode=search  my personal charity is the american red cross.  thanks for helping!

this is a badge....

today we are learning how do create badges.  i'm still not sure how to insert the link in the badge but i'll figure that out...http://susiegregoryfineart.com/works/787416/the-resurrection-giclee

day five of our marketing challenge with leslie saeta.....a collage!!

For day five of our marketing challenge i made a collage of some of my images.  i put it together on iPiccy.com per leslie saeta's instruction.  it was easy and fun! - some of these are for sale, some have already been sold, some have been donated and some are in private collections.

"Lacing Up"...and Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 challenge...

18x24 original oil

we've been in georgia and very busy since we've gotten home.  a new fence..new carpeting in the library and dining room...love it!!...and if i want to play golf in this beautiful weather, i need to make hay!! - so i have been working hard to get my chores done so i can play and also apply myself to Leslie Saeta's marketing challenge (http://www.lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/)...and then maybe get a bit of painting in as well...this is a painting i did a while back...since both of my daughters were ballerinas and now have children of their own..this image (http://susiegregoryfineart.com/works/816444/lacing-up) holds wonderful memories for me....should be a very fun and very busy may!!!  

"White Dress"

7x5 original oil in palette knife

so this is another little ditty i've done with a palette knife...on it's way to st. simon's with us today...

SOLD

my friend deepa is buying this painting...very happy it's found a good home!!

"Green Apple"...

6x6 oil on panel

here's another piece done completely with a pallette knife...it's interesting that you can do a curved shape with a totally straight instrument...tricky..the secret is to do lots of small straight lines and they end up looking curved...

i've been busy

6x6 oil on panel

so i took a fabulous workshop with leslie byrd saeta a few weeks ago...this little ditty is painted with only a pallette knife.  i've used a pallette knife lots of times but this workshop was different..no brushes allowed...since then i've tried to work exclusively this way..even people paintings..i'm getting ready to head to st. simon's and wanted to do some stuff for the galleries down there ahead of time. i'll be posting in the days ahead.  we've had so much stuff going on around here that my painting and posting has gone by the wayside...hoping to get back at it!!

In carefree...

So here we are in carefree Arizona...golfing and having fun!!..I took some pix from our terrace but can't figure out how to transfer them to this blog...if I can't get that worked out I'll post when I get home

named it!

Roxie from the philharmonic suggested "an afternooon respite"..and i said yes!

11x14 oil on  prepared panel

so this is more finished...don't know if i overworked it..i rather liked the first one i posted..