Tag Archives: painting

Golden cats

Posted on May 14, 2023 | Leave a comment

Leo napping, original painting, acrylic on canvas 16 x 16 with gold leaf on sides.

As an artist, I’ve often been asked over the years, where do you get your ideas? This is a tough question because you can’t just go to the store and pick some ideas up. Well, maybe depending upon which direction you feel like moving.

For me, ideas can come from a variety of sources. Something I see, read about, even from dreams. Sometimes I think I want to explore a certain idea but end up going in an entirely new direction. That is what happened to me recently.

I was contemplating a series of local scenes. Landscapes, cityscapes. Just a variety of ideas have been strolling through my brain. Then I found myself noodling around with some sketches of my cat, in fact, various cats that I’ve owned throughout the years. (Not forgetting all the dogs, birds, lizards, and a variety of other pets we’ve had over the years.) No, I am not a crazy cat lady. I like cats and it seems as if I’ve had one around nearly all my life.

Tom. Original painting on canvas with gold leaf on front and sides. 8 x 8 x 2.5

So I started with some sketches of my little buddy Leo the cat. He seems to manage to find so many different ways to sleep that he’s almost acrobatic. One particular pose leads to another. Then I removed his ratty old blanket and put him on an Oriental carpet. And this lead me to think, Why not really jazz it up with some gold?!

Anyway, Leo was the first victim, er uh, volunteer. Then came Tom, my dad’s cat. Then Princess who is just too too glam. Adding backgrounds of oriental carpets and some real 23K gold or silver leaf. I have never done anything with gold leaf before but, hey, it’s always good to try new things.

Ki, original painting on canvas, 8 x 8 x 2.5. Unfinished.

Then I realized that I was running out of cat subjects. Even photos of my old cats.

So with the help of a friend who volunteers, I went to the local humane society. BINGO! Back in business. They have lots of cats. Every time the volunteer was telling me that this cat was shy or standoffish, it would come and climb all over me, waiting for its ears to be scratched or belly rubbed. Such a beautiful variety. These people do such good work, especially with the help of many volunteers.

But what really broke my heart was seeing the older cats who appeared in good shape but had been turned into the humane society because their owners died or who were no longer able to take care of them. How confused they must be. They looked so sweet and loving.

Anyway, I’ll be making more trips back there in the coming months. If you have a humane society near you, check it out next time you need a new pet, or just another pet. They definitely get high marks on my list.

Meanwhile, check out my Etsy shop KitMiracleArt to keep track of the new golden cats.

Dubois County Humane Society if you need to adopt a pet.

Pumpkins! Pumpkins! Pumpkins!

Posted on October 18, 2020 | Comments Off

Ever since our visit to the pumpkin patch a few weeks ago, I have been obsessed with painting pumpkins. Well, this has gone on long before that visit, but there is just something about the shapes and colors, the many varieties of these humble squashes that appeals to me.

Pumpkin Head – final painting, oil on linen, 29.25 x 36, Kit Miracle, Halloween theme, telling a story

The first pumpkins that I painted were several years ago in a large painting of my granddaughter and son carving pumpkins. I posted the “how to” of that painting here. Pumpkin Head presented many challenges. When my granddaughter wanted a happy face, my son replied, “No, they’re born as pumpkins but they die as scary jack o’ lanterns.” A bit macabre sense of humor, I’d say.

Little Turk. Love the shape and warty bumps on these pumpkins.

Since then, I’ve painted little white ones and little orange ones, and pumpkin buddies. Pumpkins with flowers and leaves. And some larger pumpkins. I know it’s not “high art”, whatever that is. But it amused me this autumn. But I think I’m done. They’ve sold well in my Etsy shop and some local shops. I guess that I’m not the only person who loves pumpkins.

Little White. I did two of these and they both sold instantly. Guess white pumpkins are popular this year.

Two Pumpkins. This is one of the older paintings of these little friends.

Pumpkin friends. The small squash is actually more yellow than orange but this is the way it turned out.

Back to prepping canvases for the larger series.

Or…maybe something else.

Fall decorations on the farm. My husband’s old 1952 Allis-Chalmers tractor all gussied up for the studio sale a few years ago. He even washed it! And this was his idea entirely.

Comments Off on Pumpkins! Pumpkins! Pumpkins!

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged autumn, fall decorations, painting, pumpkins

High Noon, a street scene

Posted on December 23, 2018 | Comments Off

High Noon, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36, Kit Miracle
cityscape, landscape

I had the idea for this painting rolling around in my head for some time. The middle of the day is not my favorite time to paint as the shadows are often small and the colors are too washed out. However, I wanted to try this back-lit village scene with the street, buildings and cars.

High Noon, detail 1, showing the contre jour lighting and impressionistic brush strokes, Kit Miracle

There weren’t really any people around at the time that I took the reference photos for this painting which is surprising considering all the cars that were there. I decided to add some people to the landscape to give it more life.

The challenge for a painting like this is, first, to get the perspective correct. Perspective can be conveyed not only from the actual drawing but distance is also indicated by the shading. The farther away the objects, the lighter the shading. The second challenge is to ensure that the colors are right, that enough details are included without being too focused on details. It’s all a matter of balance.

High Noon, detail 2. Adding people to a street scene makes it come alive but you don’t need to include every detail. Let the viewer’s eye fill in the story.

I added more color to the street to “lay it down”, that is, to make sure it didn’t appear floating. This is where having a lot of experience in plein air painting helps. Photos often make the darks too dark and the lights too light. Copying a photo exactly often gives unsatisfying results.

Overall, I liked the challenge of this painting. It has been on display at a local gallery and many people have recognized the scene and commented on it.

Comments Off on High Noon, a street scene

Posted in art, contemporary impressionism, landscape

Tagged acrylic, art, cityscape, contemporary impressionist, contre jour light, Jasper Indiana, kit miracle, painting, street scene

Memories of Paris

Posted on July 8, 2018 | Comments Off

Memories of Paris, 24 x 36, acrylic on canvas, Kit Miracle

I completed this large painting this past week. Well, I may not be finished as I keep tweaking it. You would think that a painting of the sky through some tree branches would be easy but I’ve worked on it for some weeks.

Memories of Paris, detail 1, acrylic on canvas, Kit Miracle

I’m not quite sure why I was attracted to this subject. Maybe the cool spring colors. It seems to exude a feeling of peace.

Memories of Paris, detail 2, acrylic on canvas, Kit Miracle

It was my intention to just give an impression of the sky view, not to paint every detail. In fact, I think that is boring. I like the viewer to bring something to the scene. If you look closely at the detail images, you’ll see many variegated colors, both in the foliage, the flowers, and on the tree limbs. But also, look at the blank sections of the painting. You’ll spot a vapor trail and some wispy clouds.

Memories of Paris, detail 3, acrylic on canvas, Kit Miracle

And, do you see the surprise that I hid here? It is a pair of birds. Maybe they’re getting ready to build a nest in one of the trees. Not overly obvious, just a sweet sign of spring.

Comments Off on Memories of Paris

Posted in art, contemporary impressionism

Tagged acrylic, art, contemporary impressionist, kit miracle, painting, Paris, spring painting

Wyoming Landscape

Posted on April 22, 2018 | Comments Off

Wyoming Landscape, original painting, acrylic on canvas, near the Shoshone River, impressionistic style, Kit Miracle

If you have never visited the western United States, you really must do so someday. I particularly love Wyoming, Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. However, when my husband and I visited a few years ago, we took the northern route across the Big Horn mountain range, (a nail-biter for sure). After we crossed the mountains and were heading to Cody for the night, we drove along this river valley.

The scenery is just so beautiful. Peaceful and with the bluest sky you’ve ever seen. I imagine it’s a different story in the winter but this was summer. As I searched through old photos earlier this week, this subject caught my eye. Of course, much editing as usual, but the landscape just called to me. Oh, how I want to visit again.

This is painted in acrylic on stretched canvas. I’ve painted the edges black so the painting doesn’t necessarily need a frame. Such a peaceful painting. Enjoy!

Comments Off on Wyoming Landscape

Posted in contemporary impressionism, landscape

Tagged acrylic, art, contemporary impressionist, kit miracle, landscape, original, painting, shoshone river, travel, wyoming

Studies in Red – Oil Paintings with Heart

Posted on November 19, 2017 | Comments Off

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.

Comments Off on Studies in Red – Oil Paintings with Heart

Posted in art, contemporary impressionism, oil painting, Uncategorized

Tagged art, contemporary impressionist, interior painting, kit miracle, oil painting, painting, red paintings, still life

Reading other blogs

Posted on October 18, 2017 | Comments Off

I always enjoy reading other blogs. Some I check daily, some are just weekly. Many are about or by other artists. It always makes the artist seem so approachable when I read what they have to say in their own words. Plus, there is so much to learn!

Dinotopia by James Gurney

One of my favorite artists and blogger is James Gurney. He is the author of the famous Dinotopia series of books. His own artwork is wonderful. He works in plein air much of the time but not always. His plein air paintings are usually done in smallish art notebooks (5 x 8) and are usually in gouache.

Color and Light by James Gurney

I was first introduced to his work through his book Color and Light. Later I ordered a used copy of his drawing book The Artist’s Guide to Sketching where he and his college roommate, Thomas Kinkade, bummed across America in the 80s. Wow! What company! They also both worked at a movie studio for a time doing background cells for space animations. And, he’s just seems to be a really nice person.

The Artist’s Guide to Sketching by James Gurney and Thomas Kinkade

Gurney also includes videos of his work, reviews favorite books, museum exhibits and many other artists. Certainly work checking out.

http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/

http://jamesgurney.com/site/

Comments Off on Reading other blogs

Posted in other artists, Uncategorized

Tagged art, artists I like, blogs, James Gurney, kit miracle, painting, painting instruction

Plein air painting, old buildings

Posted on July 10, 2016 | Comments Off

Hoosier Desk Building, Final. Watercolor / pen and ink, 11 x 14, Kit Miracle

Today I decided to paint this old factory building. It has undergone so many renovations and additions over the years. Very interesting from many aspects. I selected this broad scene (and it really could have been a panorama if I had brought larger paper with me). I may end up doing some close-ups of the interesting architecture over the coming months.

Today’s challenge was to work with some speed in order to beat the changing position of the sun and the shadows. This is why so many artists like to paint on cloudy days. I don’t so I just have to paint quickly or remember where I want to keep the sun and shadows even as they move.

Plein air painting, Hoosier Desk Building. Beginning

Comments Off on Plein air painting, old buildings

Posted in pen and ink, plein air, plein air painting

Tagged art, kit miracle, painting, pen and ink, watercolor

Sometimes you’ve just got to paint

Posted on June 26, 2016 | Comments Off

When pigs fly. Watercolor / pen and ink, 12 x 16. Kit Miracle

We’ve all heard the admonishment that you need to create art every day. But…life gets in the way. Jobs, family, gardening, etc. Sometimes I find all my have-t0′s overwhelming my urge to create. This weekend I just had to paint.

Yesterday, before I could get overly involved in the rest of the home tasks, I trucked my painting gear out to the front yard and painted this flowerbed which has been calling me for weeks. It seems to be a symphony of purples, mauves, and yellows this time of year. The heat was oppressive. The humidity was drenching. But I had a great time.

For you gardeners out there, you’re looking at purple cone flower, bee balm, weigela, daylilies, lambs ear, and a giant yucca. The flying pig is a bit difficult to make out but he’s one of my favorite yard statues, as he bounces on his spring in a strong breeze. Symbol of not-quite-lost causes.

Giant Moth Mullen Watercolor/ pen and ink, 16 x 12 Kit Miracle

Then, this morning I decided to capture this weed, Giant Moth Mullen. It is already 5 feet tall and will probably top 6 or 7 feet. It has fuzzy leaves, similar to lambs ear and the most interesting curly-type leaves and stalk. It will eventually have a tall spike of yellow flowers which in turn, will produce seeds that the goldfinches love. Probably how it came to be growing near my cellar door. Majestic!

BTW, I was inspired by a blog challenge by James Gurney, who held a recent competition of people who paint weeds. This painting is not entered as it is past date, but I thought it was a perfect subject.

Comments Off on Sometimes you’ve just got to paint

Posted in art, country living, pen and ink, plein air painting, Uncategorized

Tagged art, country living, gardening, kit miracle, painting, pen and ink, plein air

Gardening with Scottie

Posted on February 10, 2016 | Comments Off

Gardening with Scottie, 20 x 20, oil on canvas, Kit Miracle

I recently completed this winter still life painting. That is, when it’s cold outside, I usually paint inside. The theme for this painting is planning my spring garden. There were many challenges, especially all the circles and ellipticals as well as that dang ceramic dog. I’m not sure I’m done with this yet as I keep tweaking it every time I walk past it in my studio. Check out the demo for Gardening with Scottie.