Urban sketchers is a group of people from all over the world who sketch their local areas and post them online at Urban Sketchers.
This is a little different from plein air painters but in the same vein. Sometimes they get together at various locales, but their different styles are inspiring. It is also great fun to view the different parts of the world that they sketch. Many of the paintings are pretty complete while others are really just “sketches.” Check them out!
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Posted in plein air, Uncategorized
Tagged kit miracle, plein air, urban sketchers
It was a busy week here on the farm with company and the big Thanksgiving feast. The weather has been pretty great, too – all sunshine and balmy temperatures. In November, this means more outdoor chores, such as, chopping firewood, cleaning gutters, etc.
Appletini, oil on canvas, 16 x 12, Kit Miracle
All of these activities mean that I only completed one painting this week. I call it Appletini since it features a big red apple in a martini glass with a silver shaker behind it. The reflections were what really attracted me. This is similar to previous paintings that I’ve posted on here, Apple Jack, and Two Lemons and a Martini Glass. I don’t know why but I like placing objects in unusual situations. Props courtesy of Goodwill thrift shop.
I’m not quite sure if I’m finished with the painting but I probably am. What do you think?
Of course, available on my Etsy shop and can be shipped in time for the holidays.
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Posted in art, contemporary impressionism, still life, Uncategorized
Tagged apples, art, contemporary impressionist, Etsy, impressionism, kit miracle, oil painting, still life
Times Square at Night, professional framing, Kit Miracle
Recently I posted about how to frame your artwork on a budget. This post is about how professional framing and presentation can bring out the best in your artwork.
This is also a follow up to a post I made in May about something different, a watercolor and India ink painting I created of Times Square at Night. An acquaintance saw the post and was thrilled. She and her husband had lived in the Theatre district near Times Square for nearly 30 years before moving to New Jersey. She bought the painting as a surprise for her husband’s birthday.
When I mailed it to her, I told her that I had planned on framing it with a white mat and black frame. This is what she and her framer came up with. SO much better than anything I had imagined. Professional framing really brings out the colors of the painting while displaying it to its best.
So, framing on a budget or professional framing, you choose.
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Posted in art, painting instruction
Tagged art, framing paintings, kit miracle, painting instruction
I’ve always liked red paintings. When I did art fairs for many years, they seemed to be very popular with my patrons, too. Everyone has room for a red painting to brighten up that special spot.
The four paintings that I completed this week are predominantly red or at least in the red/orange family.
The Birdcage, oil on canvas. 12 x 16, Kit Miracle
The first one, The Birdcage, features the antique birdcage that I bought at a flea market earlier this summer. I paired it with some bright red fabric printed with beautiful little birds. Then I decided to do a tea theme with a teacup and small teapot, along with some luscious lemons. Although the painting is a little busy, especially after the simplicity of the others that I’ve been working on lately, I think it works. Boy, that birdcage was difficult to paint! The other challenge was to depict the birds on the fabric without letting them take over the composition.
The Conversation, oil painting, 10 x 10, Kit Miracle
The second painting I did this week is called The Conversation. I can just imagine two friends having a lovely talk in the afternoon sunshine. It looks as if they just left, doesn’t it?
Lamplight, oil painting, 10 x 10, Kit Miracle
Then I painted this bright interior painting called Lamplight. This depicts an interior scene, perhaps an entry hall, with a lamp and a simple bouquet of red flowers. The gold frame of the mirror helps connect the objects on the table.
A Sunny Corner, oil painting, 10 x 10, Kit Miracle
My final painting this week I call The Sunny Corner. I’ve always loved the play of sunlight and shadows on interior walls and floors. The effects are often fleeting but beautiful, nonetheless. The chair just invites the viewer to take a rest and enjoy the sunshine.
Visit my Etsy shop, KitMiracleArt, to see many more painting details.
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Posted in art, contemporary impressionism, oil painting, Uncategorized
Tagged art, contemporary impressionist, interior painting, kit miracle, oil painting, painting, red paintings, still life
Another favorite contemporary artist that I like is Cesar Santos, one of the most versatile young living artists. I love his videos on You Tube. This one is about a drawing he did which matches any “master” I’ve seen. This Cuban American is an inspiration to us all. His videos are fresh and informative. Check him out.
Here is a link to his website. http://www.santocesar.com/
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Posted in Uncategorized
Onions and Garlic, 12 x 16, oil on canvas, final- Kit Miracle
I’ve been painting a lot of still lifes lately. This one was inspired when my husband came home recently with a bag of big, beautiful garlic bulbs. I quickly grabbed them before he could put them in a sauce or plant them in the garden. Then I went “shopping” through the house and refrigerator, and even my prop closet for the rest of the items I needed for a still life. This one reminds me of something by Cezanne or Renoir. The impressionists were known for beautiful paintings featuring simple household items.
If you would like to see a demo of this painting step-by-step, click here for the demo page. The painting is for sale on my Etsy shop, KitMiracleArt. Paint has to dry though!
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Posted in art, contemporary impressionism, oil painting, painting instruction, still life, Uncategorized
Tagged art, cezanne, contemporary impressionist, kit miracle, oil painting, onions and garlic, painting demonstration, painting instruction, renoir, still life
A big tree which Blaukopf paints each autumn.
Another artist that I follow online is Shari Blaukopf, an artist living in Montreal, Canada. I first encountered her work though Urban Sketchers, a world-wide group of artists who primarily paint outdoors, or in plein air.
One of the courses which Blaukopf teaches on Craftsy.
I admire Shari’s work of loosely painted watercolors with pen and ink, or sometimes with pencil overlay. Her usual topic is street scenes, but she also records human figures in various situations, subways, restaurants, etc. And her dog Alice She can find beauty in some of the most unusual places.
Shari Blaukopf, sketch of her dog Alice
Cover for the book by Shari Blaukopf
Shari teaches in Montreal. She also conducts classes on Craftsy and has written more than one book. She makes it look so easy. Check her out at her blog https://shariblaukopf.com/ or her website at……http://www.blaukopfwatercolours.com/
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Posted in watercolor
Tagged artist blog, canada, canadian, montreal, painting instruction, pen and ink, plein air, watercolor
Most people think of autumn as the time to slow down, but here in the country, we have work to do before we can take it easy. We’ve had a couple of hard frosts but the weather has actually been pretty balmy in the 50s and 60s. This really helps extend the growing season here in southern Indiana.
Fall view in the country, looking down to the creek.
One of my favorite things to do is look for the hardy flowers that are still blooming, even after the frost. I still have some geraniums, alyssum, Sweet William, and even one tiny confused violet. There is almost always some flower which manages to make an appearance except in deepest winter.
Hardy flowers that survived a hard frost. Alyssum, geranium, sweet William and a tiny violet.
We also like to plant a fall garden. As you can see by the photos, the frost killed the weeds but the kale is still happily growing. The cold frame will protect some more kale and lettuce until probably early December. We’ve got fall peas growing but ….no blooms. And probably no pollinators if we did have blooms. The asparagus and garlic have been put to bed under straw.
Garlic bed under the straw and some happy kale. See how well it survived the frost which killed the weeds.
Fall peas look great but no blooms, and probably no pollinators. Note to self: plant earlier next year.
Cold frame with kale and lettuce. Asparagus bed behind under the straw. We will cover the cold frame as the weather gets colder.
My husband has a deer blind in a small grove of locust trees overlooking the bottom field and creek where we often see deer. I’m not really worried that he’s going to get a deer as he’s only gotten ONE in thirty years. But….you never know. And the toll the deer population takes on cars in this area is steep. Our family alone has hit seven deer over the years.
Deer blind overlooking the creek and lower field.
Our wood pile is growing. Today the guys dragged several logs out of the woods as it’s easier to cut and split them all in one place, plus they handle the wood less than when they cut and split it in the woods. Thanks also to our son who came home for the weekend to help out. This is hard work!
Cutting firewood on a Saturday morning in November.
The walnuts have been picked up by the boy scouts who turned them in for money at the mill. What they missed, the squirrels are tucking away.
Fall at the creek. We have several creeks but pass this one every day as we go over it on the drive.
This giant oak tree has history and is one of my favorite trees on the property. I call it The Sentinel as it “guards” the driveway.
And, it’s just a beautiful time to take a walk and enjoy the season while I can.
I hope you enjoyed your visit to our country place. Feedback is always welcome.
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Posted in country living, garden
Tagged country living, deer, gardening, indiana, kit miracle, old house
my90acres 