This, the second onion, makes me think of a planet. I’m not sure exactly what about it makes me think that, but it’s just very out of this world. This little guy was a breeze to paint and I finished it durning a recent painting spree. During the spree I painted over 10 hours…
Category: Burnt Umber Arts
All posts
Photo: 4th of July Fireworks
It’s that time of year again. Summer heat, popsicles, the red white and blue, and of course fireworks. Happy Independence Day! For me, this day is all about family barbecues and trying to capture fireworks on camera. I’ve only managed to get decent photos a handful of times, but this year I’m really excited…
Completed Dog Portrait Commission “Trigger”
I mentioned a while back that I had three portraits in progress that I needed to finish. I finished one! This is a commission I did for my mother-in-law. I had given her a portrait of her dog Dopey last Christmas and she soon after requested portraits of her other dogs. When she saw…
Bunkers in Spring
One of my favorite things is abandoned old structures. All over the island of Kodiak, Alaska are remnants of World War II. Most of the concrete structures are showing their age, but still pretty solid. The one in the picture above is a massive structure built into the hillside. I wanted to look inside…
The Humble Yellow Onion
It has been a while since I’ve painted onions. If you’ve been following me this year, you’ll remember the Red Onion Trio I finished back in February. I think onions are really fun to paint and I use them in nearly everything I cook so they’re always in the house. It can be a…
Onion Still Life Photography
I’ve been doing a lot of studio still life photography lately. A few days ago had to buy and photograph a whole bunch of hot peppers for a commission. It got me thinking that I should start buying veggies at the store every time I go, specifically for still lifes. You can’t always find what…
I Love My Patrons
No new paintings this week. I tried really hard to paint two paintings the previous week because I knew I would be busy, but it just didn’t happen. I was super busy hosting guests (in my new multi purpose studio) and helping with my niece’s wedding. When I did finally have time to paint, I did absolutely…
Termination Point
Here are a few photos of Termination Point in Kodiak, Alaska. It is a beautiful hike through mossy forest, assuming you can find the trail. The first time we attempted this hike, we ended up on a game trail that left us a little way off with just a good view of the point. The second…
Orange you Glad? The Complete Orange Trio
This orange went by pretty quickly. As it usually is the case when I struggle with one painting, the next one is a breeze. I like to think I learned something in the struggle which is why the next one is almost always easy. The oranges all look good, but the final…
Cholla Cactus Blooms
There is this large bush like cactus in my yard that looks pretty ugly most of the year. It traps all sorts of debris with its spiky fingers so it always looks a mess. It has a redeeming quality though. Once a year is covers itself with beautiful pink flowers. I think whoever…
Orange is the New Black
Sometimes I get lazy when I paint. I try to capture an object with the simplest shapes/paint strokes possible but it rarely works out for me. This week’s laziness was focused on the texture of the orange. I just kept soothing everything out when it really needed anything but. After a while of struggling with…
Onion Flowers
Green onion flowers in the garden. After this picture my husband and I each ate one. Not a good idea! They’re really spicy. Not in a peppery way, but in a horseradish or wasabi way. The big challenge now is remembering to harvest for cooking.