Apple Bowl Wallflowers, Acrylic on Panel, 10x10

Here's a painting that I almost completed at the end of last school year. I was super happy with the way it was going and I didn't want to rush through finishing it. So, I waited until after summer when I had more time to focus on it. The bowl is from my grandmother's china collection. I had to simplify it because the original has some ornate holes in it that I'm not able to pull off just yet. I'll come back to it when I have more experience and confidence. The pattern is a sheet of scrapbooking paper. I'm crazy about this one and I'm sure there will be more like it from me.

BON Center, Acrylic on Panel, 20x16

I'm back! The kids are in school so I have time to paint again. Hopefully I'll be a little bit more prolific now. This is a sign from a shopping center built in 1953 in the Old North End of Colorado Springs.

Frontier TEL, Acrylic on Panel, 18x12

Another motel sign. This one is from a motel a little bit north of downtown Colorado Springs. I took this photo last month. I found another photo of this sign that was taken last year where it was mostly green and the "MOTEL" part was still damaged. So since then, apparently the owners have painted the poles and such, but haven't replaced the sign part. I'm going to go ahead and assume that it's been ordered and they are waiting for it to be delivered from the manufacturer.

Silver Saddle Motel, Acrylic on Panel, 11x14

A couple weeks ago I drove around Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs taking photos of the motel signs around there. This is the first painting from those shots. There is so much that I love about this painting (the texture of the sky and sign, the "Silver Saddle" script, the overall graphic quality of it) and so much that makes me cringe (the neon and shadows and the black text). Painting letters is incredibly challenging and I get so excited about finishing a painting that I rush through parts of it. But with every painting I learn something and I'm able to build on the experience. I'm looking forward to doing some more paintings like this. Hopefully with a bit more skill.

Yellow Flower in a White Vase, Acrylic on Reclaimed Plywood, 6x6

This was supposed to be a quick painting. I only wanted to take a day with it. I ended up taking three. As with most (if not all) of my paintings, there are about two or layers of fail attempts underneath what you see. This is the same flower from the previous painting, but I wanted to take another stab at it. I'm much happier with this one.  Also, I'll occasionally paint on scraps of wood. That's why there's a staple mark in this one.

Blue Birdhouse Yellow Flower Red Apple, Acrylic on Panel, 10x10

Bowl (21st St.), Acrylic on Panel, 5.5x11

Something a little different this time. I had a scrap piece of panel that I wanted to use and a photo from the bowling alley down the street from us. I was very intimidated going in and it was challenge to paint, but I ended up having a great time. I'm going to have to drive around town next week and take some more photos.