Tag Archives: still life

Mixed Bouquet

Posted on March 17, 2019 | Comments Off

Mixed Bouquet, original painting, 20 x 16, impressionistic style, Kit Miracle

Spring is finally ready to pop here in Southern Indiana. The early daffodils and crocuses are out in force. The tulips are up but not yet blooming. I’m not sure if the narcissus will make it after the deep freeze a week ago but the forsythias are ready to pop.

Meanwhile I’m still in the mood to paint flowers which finds me scouring my old photos. This painting was based on a small bouquet of mixed zinnias from my garden. I think the greens are sprigs of coriander with added bits of phlox and sweet peas.

Painting flowers is much more challenging than most people realize. Some artists are so talented in painting every pistol and stamen but that is not my style. I prefer to capture the feel of the flower. This is called impressionism.

As you can see if you view the detail photos, brush strokes are a mix of bold and soft. It takes some practice to achieve this effect but all I can advise is to keep at it. Or, wipe it off or paint over any less than desirable areas.

Mixed Bouquet, detail 1. Another closeup of the flowers. Loosely painted in impressionistic style.

Mixed Bouquet, detail 2. Notice the loose strokes and variegated painting.

Mixed Bouquet, original painting, Kit Miracle

This painting can be viewed on my Etsy shop here.

When you take a flower into your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it, whether they want to or not.

Georgia O’Keeffe

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Posted in contemporary impressionism, painting instruction

Tagged acrylic, contemporary impressionist, country living, flowers, gardening, kit miracle, still life

Lucky Red #5 – Red Robe / Black Dragon

Posted on December 16, 2018 | Comments Off

Lucky Red #5, Red Robe / Black Dragon, acrylic on canvas, good luck symbols, 20 x 16, Kit Miracle

This is the fifth painting in my Lucky Red series. There are many symbols of power and good fortune in this set up. The still life arrangement is a little unusual but I’ve been wanting to work the red satin robe into a painting for quite some time. I love the way it glows. Red is the sign of strength and power.

An unusual composition, the red satin robe brings all the elements together in this Lucky Red still life.

I can’t recall where I acquired the black iron dragon but it usually guards my desk. Another symbol of strength and power, it can also represent danger. Hummm… The cluster of white/clear quartz crystals is a new acquisition from a neat rock shop that I visit sometimes. They’re all just so beautiful. This crystal is from the Arkansas quarry which apparently is in a vein of 170 miles long! Quartz is a very hard crystal and is supposed to amplify the powers of other crystals, especially healing. The mandarin oranges represent good fortune and the sun and are often given as gifts for the new year.

I can’t vouch for the veracity of the good fortune that any of these items will bring, but I love to create still lifes that are a little beyond just pretty pictures. This series of Lucky Red still lifes all feature good luck symbols and the color red at least somewhere in the painting.

This painting is a vertical view, the first such arrangement in the series. Painted in a contemporary impressionistic style, it brings peaceful contemplation to the viewer.

Lucky Red #5 detail 2, showing the various shades of orangey-red in the robe. Very difficult to capture on the computer monitor.

Lucky Red #5 detail showing the black iron dragon, quartz crystals and mandarin oranges

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Posted in art, contemporary impressionism, still life

Tagged art, contemporary impressionist, crystal, dragon, good lucky, good lucky symbols, kit miracle, mandarin orange, quartz, red satin, still life

Buddha and Pomegranates Still life

Posted on December 9, 2018 | 2 comments

Buddha and Pomegranates, still life, Lucky Red series, good luck symbols, acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20, Kit Miracle,Vitarka Mudra

This is the fourth painting in my Lucky Red series.

Detail of Buddha and Pomegranates painting, acrylic on canvas, Vitarka Mudra

The sitting Buddha represents Vitarka Mudra or the teaching Buddha. The circle made in the right hand stands for never-ending flow of energy. The pomegranates stand for fertility, abundance and marriage.

Pomegranates, lucky red symbol, fruit, symbol of fertility, abundance, marriage

I like the slight smile on Buddha’s face along with the contrasting colors of the fruit and plant. Painted in an impressionistic style, this painting brings a quiet, reflective mood to any setting.

Yes, of course this is for sale. Click here.

2 Comments

Posted in art, contemporary impressionism, still life, Uncategorized

Tagged acrylic, art, asian art, buddha, contemporary impressionist, good lucky symbols, kit miracle, long life, pomegranate, still life, wisdom

Jack Frost Visits

Posted on January 7, 2018 | Comments Off

Jack Frost on my windowpane in the studio.

After a balmy winter holiday, the temperatures in the Midwest plummeted. We recorded minus 4 degrees (F) this week. Needless to say, I’m a wuss and am not spending much time outdoors. However, even working in my studio has challenges.

As I have mentioned before, my studio is an old summer kitchen about 30 feet from the back door. It was designed when cooking was done on wood-fired cook stoves (which it actually had when we moved here.) This was to keep the heat out of the house in the summer. You’ll find one of these buildings on many old farms in southern Indiana and throughout the Midwest and South. I am lucky that ours is about 15 x 25’, which is pretty large for a summer kitchen. In this case, the family and field hands actually ate in the building. It is a perfect size for a studio.

Unfortunately, the whole purpose of the design was to keep the heat out of the house so they didn’t really care about insulating the building. Thus, it’s very drafty. Although I have a gas heater, unless I want to go broke, I keep it turned down. This week I was wearing a hat, many layers of clothing, two pairs of socks (the cold comes up through the floor), and I was still chilly.

I snapped this photo of the beautiful patterns of the frost on the windowpanes. It looks like giant feathers. With all of our insulated windows and super-heated houses, window frost has become more and more uncommon.

The beauty of nature is all around us, even in the most unlikely places.

Since I was confined to studio painting, here are a couple of my recent works. Plus, I tweaked the still life with red cabbage and artichokes that I posted on here a few weeks ago. Artists are never quite satisfied with their finished work. Renoir was known to bring his paints to gallery exhibits even after his paintings were hung, just so he could make changes. I’m not quite that bad but I might fiddle around with a painting which doesn’t quite suit me.

Here’s hoping that the weather is better where you are and that warmer days will be here soon.

Artist Still Life, oil on canvas board, 10 x 10, Kit Miracle

Down by the Creek, oil on canvas, 20 x 16, Kit Miracle

Red Cabbage and Artichoke, 18 x 24, oil on canvas, Kit Miracle. Still Life revised from previous version.

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Posted in art, country living, old house

Tagged art, contemporary impressionist, country living, indiana, jack frost, kit miracle, oil painting, old house, still life

Red Cabbage Still Life – A Challenge in Color and Shape

Posted on December 17, 2017 | Comments Off

Red Cabbage Still Life, oil on canvas, 18 x 24, Kit Miracle

This still life is a little larger and more complex than many of my other recent paintings. I was inspired by a visit to the grocery. I must have had my “artist’s eyes” on that day because I seemed to be dazzled by the beautiful colors and shapes of the vegetables. Several of the more interesting vegetables came home with me that day.

Inspiration in the vegetable department at the grocery. I love these colors and interesting shapes.

Before I tackled the main still life, I first completed several smaller still lifes just to get a feel for the shapes and colors.

Red Cabbage, oil on canvas board, 10 x 10, Kit Miracle

Surprisingly, the red cabbage was the most difficult to paint. It has very subtle hues of purple, red and magenta. It was a tight head so not much interest as far as shape until I peeled back a leaf or two. I think a larger, leafier cabbage would be far more interesting.

Artichoke, oil on canvas board, 10 x 10, Kit Miracle

The artichoke, with it’s pointy leaves and shapes, was very fun to paint.

Radishes in Green Bowl, oil on canvas board, 10 x 10, Kit Miracle

The radishes are usually fun but their greens started to wilt quickly. However, they later generated more new leaves so that was a big help.

The final big still life was painted on an 18 x 24 inch canvas which I had toned in variegated colors. It seems to have a glow all its own. I don’t quite know how that happened except that some of the under painting showed through. Unfortunately, I didn’t’ take step-by-step photos of this painting. I might tweak it a bit more but there’s always a risk of going too far. Sometimes done is done.

These paintings will be for sale on my Etsy shop. KitMiracleArt

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Posted in art, oil painting, still life, Uncategorized

Tagged art, contemporary impressionist, kit miracle, still life, toned canvas, vegetables

Ladybug Teapot, a Whimsical Painting

Posted on December 3, 2017 | 2 comments

Ladybug Teapot, oil on canvas, 12 x 16, Kit Miracle

This playful still life was inspired by the whimsical ladybug teapot that I found in my prop cupboard. It’s actually a teapot and cup combination which I paired with some red apples and bright green fabric. Check out the step-by-step of how this painting was created here.

The painting can also be found on my Etsy shop, KitMiracleArt. A great gift for your favorite tea lover!

2 Comments

Posted in art, oil painting, painting instruction, still life, Uncategorized

Tagged art, contemporary impressionist, kit miracle, ladybug, oil painting, painting instruction, still life, tea lover, teapot

Appletini – Something Different

Posted on November 26, 2017 | Comments Off

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

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.

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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

Onions and Garlic, a step-by-step demonstration

Posted on November 12, 2017 | Comments Off

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

Painting Marathon – Trying Something New

Posted on October 15, 2017 | Comments Off

About a week ago, I decided to see how quickly I could paint ten paintings. I’m not quite sure what the spark was. Maybe I was bored, tired of the old style. Something I saw that reminded me of some yellow and blue paintings that I had done years ago. Anyway, I decided to challenge myself, not only with the number of paintings, but stretching to a slightly different style. In this case, my aim was to paint looser, faster, and more colorful.

Apple Jack, oil on board, 16 x 12, Kit Miracle

I chose my subject matter by going “shopping” through my house and refrigerator, and, of course, my prop cupboard in the back of my studio. Hey, I didn’t even remember that I had martini glasses until I spotted them in the back of that cupboard! And a shaker, too. Must have been from a resale shop.

Two Lemons and a Martini Glass, oil on canvas board, 12 x 9, Kit Miracle

It was really great fun. The miserable and damp weather meant that I didn’t feel any guilt at all about holing up in the studio instead of going outside for some fresh air. I didn’t even want to come into the house to eat. (And that never happens!)

Wait for Me!, cherry tomatoes in a dish, oil on canvas, 8 x 10, Kit Miracle

Although I wasn’t deliberately trying to emulate any particular style, I can see a lot of Cezanne and Janet Fish in these paintings. And I’m really eager to try some more, perhaps larger or some landscapes in this style. What do you think? Thanks for stopping by. Your feedback and comments are always welcome.

Oh, yes, all of these paintings are available at my Etsy shop, KitMiracleArt. Check them out.