Tuesday 10 December 2013

Ready for a ride?

The photos posted by Helen this week, our WDE (WetCanvas) host, were so beautiful, and I decided to do one more (except of the Old Red Barn). This Little Pony was so cute and looking so happy in the green field and in sunlight, and was asking to be painted. I used W&N and American Journey watercolors on Kilimanjaro 140 lb CP watercolor paper. The size of the painting is about 5x7 inches. Enjoy the ride!!!


Sunday 8 December 2013

more ACEOs - Pears and Clothespins

I had taken these photos long time ago, and they were in the "to do" pile, as I liked the sunshine in both very much. This is what I was also looking for in these two small little paintings: to catch that summer bright sunshine feeling. I hope you will enjoy them. Both are ACEO size (about 2.5x3.5 inches), and are done with W&N and American Journey watercolors on Waterford 140 lb R paper.

Pears

Clothespins

Saturday 7 December 2013

In mood for small - ACEO landscapes

The last days I got into a mood for painting really small, so I went down to ACEO size (about 2.5x3.5 inches). Maybe I have about 2 years to paint that small, and I had forgotten the challenge of even getting the drawing done with enough details on this little cards. The first one, an Old Red Barn in a mountain landscape, is from a photo shared with us by Helen, our host this weekend at WetCanvas WDE, while the second is an Old Barn in Kampi village (Zakynthos island, Greece) near our house. Both are done with W&N and American Journey watercolors on Waterford 140 lb R paper.





Friday 6 December 2013

Coocking some of these colorful peppers sounds good!

These colorful peppers looked so good, that I had a go again at vegetable painting. Thank you very much Joel (aka jlorel at WetCanvas) for the beautiful photo! I came out with two of them after selecting some crops I liked most and after re-arranging and changing some of the colors. Get to go to the market and get some myself for some Chinese dishes for the weekend - the appetite is there! :)
Both paintings are small, of about 7x5 inches each, and are painted with Sennelier and W&N watercolor on Kilimanjaro 140 lb CP paper. Happy cocking to you too!!!





Wednesday 4 December 2013

Deep Water Jellyfishes - ocean environment revisited

It was a very nice surprise few weeks ago when I saw those beautiful photos of jellyfishes posted by our WDE host Marianne (aka mginsberg) on WetCanvas. I liked them both, and I considered a combination of the two photos, having both species of jellyfishes (I think these must be Purple-striped jellyfish and Pacific sea nettle) "dancing" together in the same deep waters. I hope you like my interpretation of the reference images. The painting measures approximately 14x10 inches, and it is done with W&N watercolors on Arches 140 lb CP paper.


Saturday 23 November 2013

Lunch time - Chili Peppers

The previous week WDE was hosted by Scatty (aka ScattyCat) on WetCanvas, and she posted a beautiful photo of chili peppers resting on some autumn leaves, which I liked very much. However, I did choose to crop the photo and focus on the vibrant red peppers, rather than taking the photo as it was. I had a great time doing this painting, and afterwords it made me to go and cook using similar chilies from my balcony pot. One day I must consider painting my pot with chilies too. I hope you enjoy this one. It is watercolor (Sennelier and W&N) on Waterford 140 lb CP paper, and has a size of approximately 10x7 inch.


Friday 22 November 2013

Cherries in a Colander

Sometime ago, at the beginning of the summer, after a few hours spent in the open market I got at home with many bags full of fruits: cherries, peaches, strawberries. While washing them in a strainer (colander) I loved the contrast between the metal and the fruits, and the light coming through the holes of the colander. Taking photos (and adding them to a huge archive, which I go through from time to time to refresh memories of places, people, things, feelings and moods) is something that I am doing for over 15 years now. My hubby sometimes complains that I pay more attention to the little insects flying around than to him :). So, that day was dedicated to photography of fruits in a colander, and the very same day I also did a smaller study of 3 cherries and started to paint this still life of cherries in the colander. Don't ask why it took so long to finish it! It took like forever to decide how to go on, and every time I was looking at it I was changing my mind again and again. The painting is approximately 10x7 inch in size, and it is done with W&N and Daniel Smith watercolor paints on Arches 140 lb CP paper.


Wednesday 20 November 2013

Niforeika Beach and the scattered clouds

Some time ago, in spring, we went to Niforeika Beach (about 25 km south of Patras) to check some hotels for some friends that would come in the summer for vacation. Although we couldn't walk for a long time, as it was quite cold and the sky was full of dark clouds, we spent some time walking on the beach and my son was very happy to run free. I took some photos with my mobile, as I didn't had a photo camera with me. Few days ago, looking at them, I was inspired to paint the scene, but transforming the heavy dark clouds to scattered ones. The painting is about 14x10 inch in size, and is painted with Daniel Smith and W&N watercolors on Arches 140 lb CP paper. Enjoy your walk!

Tuesday 19 November 2013

Narcissus serotinus (Autumn Narcissus) - the delicate autumn lady

This delicate little flower can be found in the Mediterranean area in the autumn, when the weather gets cold and after the first rains. It has long white petals and a yellow/orange corona, and carries usually one flower. I found them by the end of October, while taking a walk near Kampi village (Zakynthos Island, Greece). I hope you enjoy them in my little painting too. The Narcissus serotinus painting has a size of app. 5x7 inch, and it is done with W&N watercolor paintings on Kilimanjaro 140 lb CP paper.

Friday 15 November 2013

Hawksbill turtle - exploring the underwater environment

I have always been fascinated by the beautiful underwater photos mostly posted by lisilk (aka Li Newton) in the WC reference library, and I did some smaller paintings some time ago (only up to 7x5 inches). This time I wanted to go "big", and worked out this beautiful turtle on a 10x15 inches Arches 140 lb HP paper. It took me quite a long time to finish it, but I enjoyed the process and I like the way it turned out. I hope you will enjoy it too. I mostly used W&N watercolors.

Tuesday 29 October 2013

Featured on the current twitter art exhibit cover photo - bottom right


My floral little card is currently featured on the cover photo of the twitter art exhibit that will take place in Orlando in 2014. It is the one in the bottom right side of the cover photo above. I wish a successful exhibit, with many sales!

Thursday 17 October 2013

Autumn is here - Sunset Clouds

The last days is raining a lot, and most of the time the sky is dark and full of clouds. But sometime you can still see the clear blue sky above the clouds, and at sunset it is amazing how the sky is layered from orange to blue, just like the photo that Li (aka lisilk), our host for the October 11 WDE, shared with us on WetCanvas. Thank you so much Li for the beautiful photos, I hope I will manage to do some more in the near future.
So, here is the cloudy sky at sunset, painted on Arches White 140 lb CP paper with Daniel Smith and N&W watercolor paints. Painting size is about 10x7 inch.

Tuesday 15 October 2013

Twitter Art Exhibit - my wildflowers

Some time ago I painted and mailed two card size paintings for the Twitter Art Exhibit, and I am happy to know that they reached the destination.

Medicago sativa (yellow alfalfa), 6x4 inch, watercolor on paper


 
Vicia Purpurea (Purple Vetch),  4x6 inch, watercolor on paper



After sending them, I found out that this year the rules have changed, and only one will be exhibited, the Yellow alfalfa, while the other one will be directly donated to the The Center for Contemporary Dance, Special Needs Classes, and they shall decide how to use it (i.e. future funds raising events). That is fine with me, since I did both of them for this scope.

I wish the exhibition is even more successful than the previous ones! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to participate!

Friday 11 October 2013

Autumn feelings - Pumpkins painting

Previous weekend WDE was hosted by misswiss on WetCanvas, and there was this colorful autumn photo, with pumpkins, leaves, and flowers. I choose to crop and keep only the pumpkins and slightly changed the composition, to push more the autumn feelings of this little painting. I used W&N and Daniel Smith watercolors on Waterford 140 lb CP paper. The painting has a small size, of approximately 5x7 inch.


Monday 7 October 2013

Yellow Hibiscus - sunny days before the rain starts

Few days ago we had a walk around, in the University Campus, enjoying maybe the last days of sunshine and nice weather before the autumn rains and cold wind start. And, indeed, since yesterday, the sky is dark, full of clouds and quiet and continuous rain has started. The strong winds and lots of water will follow, I suppose. So, in the Campus we found this little Hawaiian hibiscus tree, with the last yellow flowers also enjoying the sunshine. I took a few photos, and I started to paint as soon as I got at home, with the fresh memory of the yellow flowers and the feeling of sunny day. The painting is done with W&N and Daniel Smith watercolors on Waterford 140 lb CP paper, and it is approximately 10x7 inch. Enjoy the last sunny days!


Saturday 21 September 2013

Woodpecker bird painting

Usually we see these birds grabbing a tree trunk and we definitely hear them as they are drumming and hammering to find insects inside the tree trunks. This one was wandering on the ground, looking for food between the dead autumn leaves and fallen branches. I liked very much the greenish-yellow feathers when I saw the beautiful photo shared by Robert, our host for the September 20 WDE on WetCanvas. It is a 7x10 inch watercolor painting, done mainly with Daniel Smith and W&N paints on Arches 140 lb HP paper.

Friday 20 September 2013

Strelitzia reginae - Bird of paradise

I have always been intrigued by the strange color combination, of blue and orange petals, and the shape of the Bird of Paradise flowers. Long time now I wanted to paint one, and the opportunity came with a beautiful photo shared with us, for the September 13 WDE, by our host Grace (aka OrzieRTgal). My main concern was to achieve the vivid orange color variations of the petals.
I was also playing around with the watercolor dry on dry brush strokes, which made some people think this is a colored pencils painting. But it is 100% watercolor (Sennelier and Daniel Smith) on Waterford 140 lb CP paper.

Wednesday 18 September 2013

Contrasts: the young boy and the old olive trees

We spent our summer vacation in my husband birth-home, in a small mountain village called Kampi (Zakynthos Island, Greece), where we are actually spending at least 3 weeks every summer during the last 10 years now. We also go there very often all year long, and we spend Christmas and Easter holidays there, in a family and Greek traditional atmosphere. The major occupation of the people living permanently in the village is agriculture, with olive trees culture and olive oil production playing the most important role in their everyday life. They also make wine, and some of them are beekeepers (my husband is among them, although it is more for hobby), and grow up goats and sheep to make the wonderful feta cheese. Anyway, during the vacation, we spent many hours taking long walks outdoors, me taking pictures and my little son enjoying the freedom to run on the country roads without being disturbed by cars or any vehicles. The contrasting image, of my little son walking between the hundreds of years old olive trees, attracted me very much, and I wanted to have a memory of it.
Although summer is almost gone here, this Summer Memory will bring sunshine to all the autumn and winter days to come. I hope you enjoy it. The painting has a size of approximately 10x7 inch and it is done on Arches 140 lb HP paper, with Sennelier and Daniel Smith watercolors.

Friday 13 September 2013

Three Tulips

Flowers always attracted me, and I love to paint them! While I wanted to test a bit more the behavior of the Arches 140 lb HP paper, which has a very smooth surface and behaves completely different to water and paint, I came across with this beautiful tulips and immediately start to paint it. The Three Tulips painting is 7x10 inch.

When I finished this one, I recalled another Tulip Trio painting that I did when I started painting, back in 2002. It was one of the very few paintings that I considered as "good enough" at that time, and I was proud of it back then and I still like it, although now I can detect some mistakes, and I would have done a few things differently. I would like to share that one with you too, so here is the "beginner" Tulip Trio:
Thank you for looking!


Thursday 12 September 2013

TwitterArtExhibit - Thursday, March 20, 2014 | 6-9PM, CityArts Factory, Magic Gallery | Orlando, Florida, USA

New social media are now part of our everyday life, and the word "community" has a completely different meaning. It is not anymore about the next door people. Being active in the today community goes across geographical borders and I would like to share this initiative, which I really like and I invite everyone to participate:

#TwitterArtExhibit utilizes social media and public engagement to generate income for charities and nonprofit organizations. In the past, #TwitterArtExhibit has generated funds for a library suffering from deep funding cuts to purchase much-needed children’s books, for an abused women’s shelter seeking to improve the lives of the families they serve, and for an arts organization mentoring underprivileged young adults in preparation for careers in the visual arts.
Have a nice day, and consider helping others do so too!!!

Thursday 5 September 2013

Swans - Sennelier triad again

Another painting done with the test set from Sennelier, this time with a photo from Susan (surob), for the August 30 WDE (Weekend Drawing Event from WetCanvas). A small correction for the previous post - the Fuchsia flower was from the August 23 WDE and not from August 30 as initially mentioned.
Painting size is approximately 10x7 inch (app. 26x17cm), and it is done on Arches 140 CP paper.

Tuesday 3 September 2013

Sennelier test triad - Yellow Light, Opera Rose and Cinereous Blue

Some time ago I got this test set from Sennelier, and didn't manage to check out its potential. The previous days I give it a try, with a beautiful photo from the August 23 WDE (Weekend Drawing Event from WetCanvas). Thank you Connie for the beautiful fuchsia flower photo - I decided to go with a crop of it, and focus on the bud this time. I might revisit it some time and go for the flowers. The paper is Waterford 140 CP.
So, the Sennelier triad was tested alone, as I didn't wanted to mix it with paints from other manufacturer. The colors are beautiful alone, and they also make some beautiful mixes. Here is the Fuchsia flower painting:

Online Gallery, Etsy Shop and Fine Art America Prints

A few months are gone since the first post, and although I didn't manage to post, I managed to do a few other things:
  • My online Gallery, with many of the most recent paintings. It has an online shopping chart, with the option to pay through PayPal. Except of the original paintings, through my online Gallery I also sell Limited Edition Prints for some of my paintings.
  • My little Etsy Shop - to have a larger visibility, as Etsy is dedicated to art and crafts sales. From time to time I have SALE offers there, mostly for prints.
  • I have also created a Fine Art America profile, for the Open Edition Prints and the option to directly get them framed, but this still needs some more work.
In the mean while I did a few more paintings - some of them already shown in my online Gallery or in my Etsy Shop - and some to be uploaded the following days. All C&C on my online Gallery are more than welcome!

Friday 7 June 2013

Welcome

Although I have quite a few years (since 2000) that I have started to play around with arts, it is only recently that I am more serious about. I have managed to put together my own website and selling options, but please bear in mind that it is still under construction, and I would appreciate any suggestions and ideas to improve it and make it more functional for the visitors.
In this first post, I would like to welcome you and to tell you that I would be honored if you would join me and share with me in the future your thoughts about my art and about my future posts in this blog.
Before I go any further, I must say that none of the following would have been possible without the great help and support of my friends from WetCanvas, and, of course, without the help of my beloved family.
Saying that, let me share with you this Tomatoes painting, that I did previous weekend for the May 31 WDE.