Claire in repose

15x30 oil on canvas

Yes...the magic words have been said..."I'm finished!" This month has passed by in a blurr...many things happening at once, but I have kept painting through it all. This is an accomplishment in itself. I am happy to be doing the thing that I love to do. I have had a completely joyful experience with this painting...1st, painting my sweet Claire, and 2nd, painting completely out of my head. Diving in head first is always exhilarating. David Leffel said, "Learning means leaving security and taking risks. Talent is actually the ability to take risks, to attempt different solutions..." I am definitely in search of a new, higher level of painting. Trying to find myself in different styles is part of the process....seeing what speaks to me....helps me define who I am as a painter and what it is I want to say in my paintings. I'm loving the journey.
love,
Neisy

There is beauty all around...when there's "no" one home.

Sorry, I don't have a decent title for this one yet...I'll think of something better.....

This is a pic of Donna's play house that is in her backyard. She built this all by herself and it is truly a work of art in itself. She added stained glass windows and really cool doors and all kinds of antiques to the inside and did the stucco on the outside....she is really amazing. I feel priveledged to call her "friend". Did I mention she is also my teacher? ( I will do a post sometime just dedicated to her, so you can get to know her.) Anyway, her play house is totally
"magical". It feels like you are entering Snow White's house and should expect to find dwarves there....way cool. Ms. White, I am sure would agree. (maybe I'll call it ms. white plus 7...?)


I decided to do a study of it and at first I hated it so much! I swear there were elements that made me want to throw it away! ( I did parts of the trees 3 times before I felt it was right!)
But, I persevered and LEARNED so much! I am glad now that I stuck with it. It has been a really good thing for me in the long run.



This is a detail of the finished painting.
The reflections in the puddle on the sidewalk are my favorite. :}



Happy Painting!

Love, Neisy

Looking Back

These are the finished paintings of what I have been working on all through

last fall. Check them out:

"Anthropology"

oil on canvas
by Denise McConnell
24X24




This is a study that a bunch of us did together. All from the same pic. They all turned out sooo different!

"Dream House"

oil painting
by Denise McConnell
14X18

This is a from a snapshot of Levi when we took him to Mexico. He was probably around 9 years old then. (he's 20 now!) I have been wanting to paint it forever....It's never to late!




"Doin' Huntsville in 4th Gear!"


oil painting
by Denise McConnell
12X24



This was from a collection of pics I took of Mattie. There is no 4th of July celebration as good as the one in Huntsville....my favorite place in the world!

An Open Window

This is the painting that Got me started again. I was looking at some pics that Kit had and saw this one that was actually a mistake. (someone's hand was in the way of the shutter...something like that...that's what made it all fuzzy.)

I just knew I could paint it. So one day I picked myself up and said "I am painting today...no matter what!"

I had been having such a block...the likes of which I hope never to have again....and I hope for all artists to never experience. Debilitating really. Anyway....I feel like God reached down and said,"enough is enough....get busy." and I knew I could. Thanks God.


Remember to keep on painting...no matter what.
love,
Neisy

Yellow and blue

11x14
oil on canvas
framed
artist: Denise McConnell

Dinner

14x18
oil on canvas
framed
artist: Denise McConnell

"3 girls"

8x10 oil on canvas
framed
artist: Denise McConnell