White Flower ala Georgia O’Keefe style

“Striving for perfection is the greatest stopper there is.… It’s your excuse to yourself for not doing anything. Instead, strive for excellence, doing your best.”
– Sir Laurence Olivier



White Flower ala Georgia O’Keefe style
Acrylic on Paper

Unfortunately, during my computer fiasco, I lost many of my pictures that were saved on my primary hard drive.  Rather than whine… I decided to go back to some paintings I had saved on the secondary drive and look at them again, just for fun and inspiration.

The paintings I have selected to share on my blog are the Plant Parade paintings I did on WetCanvas’ Florals and Botanicals forum.  This is one I did in 2007.  The challenge was to paint in the style of Georgia O’Keefe.   The reference was a white flower, but I don’t remember what kind it is.   Any ideas? 

About Sir Laurence Olivier

The brilliant English actor Laurence Olivier, known for roles in such films as The Entertainer, Rebecca, and Wuthering Heights, was central in founding Britain’s National Theater, and was artistic director there for ten years. He was born in 1907 in Surrey. Not a Method actor, he used external attributes to create a character. He craved performance and was depressed between jobs. He was the first actor to direct his own Oscar-winning performance, in Hamlet. He died in 1989.

Poppies in the Wind

“A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.”
– John Lubbock

Isn’t that the truth!!!

 

Poppies in the Wind
4″ x 6″ Watercolor

I really enjoyed painting this little painting.  I tried to keep it loose and not get too caught up in the nitty-picky little details.  I tried to concentrate on forms and shadows.  It was really freeing.  May’s Plant Parade project over in WetCanvas’ Florals and Botanicals forum is poppies.    Sharrm supplied the references and I chose one by HolyLL.    We all upload  our work on the 25th, so if you check it out, you’ll see some amazing poppies!  

About John Lubbock

John Lubbock, the multifaceted British banker, statesman, and scientist, was responsible for the institution of England’s monthly Bank Holidays, sometimes referred to as St. Lubbock Days. He was born in 1834 in England. Growing up, he learned science from his father’s friend Charles Darwin. He coined the terms Paleolithic and Neolithic to denote the different Stone Ages, and he wrote the well-regarded books Prehistoric Times and Ants, Bees, and Wasps. He died in 1913.

Caladium

"Joy increases as you give it, and diminishes as you try to keep it for yourself.  In giving it you will accumulate a deposit of joy greater than you ever believed possible."

Norman Vincent Peale


 

Caladium

6″ x 6″ Watercolor

I did this one for the Plant Parade project in the Florals and Botanicals forum at WetCanvas.  Each month, we all paint from the same references or theme and we upload it on the 25th of the month.  I think I have been doing this since late 2007.  It’s really fun and it’s not unlike what Ryan did with his poppies yesterday.

Tomorrow, I’ll post the acrylic I did. 



Norman Vincent Peale was the pastor of Marble Collegiate Church for 52 years and one of the most influential religious figures of the 20th Century. The author of 46 books, including the all-time inspirational best-seller, The Power of Positive Thinking. With Marble Church as a base, Dr. Peale launched far-reaching innovations in the decades of the 1930s, 40s and 50s. He was a dynamic motivational speaker on countless platforms, the co-publisher of the world’s leading inspirational magazine, Guideposts, and the co-founder of the first school for pastoral psychology, The Institutes of Religion and Health. Dr. Peale recognized the powerful impact of mass media and in 1935 launched a weekly radio broadcast, “The Art of Living,” which was to continue for a record-setting 54 years. His down-to-earth message of optimism, courage, and faith in God’s love for the individual has helped countless millions find confidence and inner peace.
Dr. Peale spoke to an average of 100 groups a year, until the age of 93, and he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan. He died at his home in Pawling, NY, on Christmas Eve, 1993. Dr. Peale’s wife, Ruth Stafford Peale, passed away in February 2008.

White Flowers

“Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own instead of someone else’s.”
– Billy Wilder
 
White Flowers
9″ x 12″ Acrylic on Ampersand Aquabord Panel

I did this painting for the Plant Parade challenge over at WetCanvas, in the Florals & Botanicals forum.
White is hard!  This painting went through so I thought I’d share them with you.

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About Billy Wilder

Billy Wilder, the Austrian-American film director who gave us classic films like the farcical Some Like It Hot and the sardonic Sunset Boulevard, was a true rags-to-riches success story. Born in 1906 in the Austria-Hungarian empire, he fled the Nazi regime in 1934, arriving in Los Angeles with $11 and speaking almost no English. By the 1950’s, he had become one of Hollywood’s greatest directors, directing more than 60 films. He won six Oscars and the National Medal of Honor. He died in 2002.
(There was one more progress shot, but it wouldn’t upload.)

Agapanthus - November 27, 2009

Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: 'I'm with you kid. Let's go.'

– Maya Angelou

Ooooo.... I LOVE that! I hope you U.S. folks had a terrific Thanksgiving!

Agapanthus

5" x 7" Acrylic on Ampersand Panel

I did this little painting for the WetCanvas Plant Parade challenge. I know it doesn't look like the real thing, but it was fun anyway.

About Maya Angelou

American poet and author Maya Angelou is best known for her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. She was born in St. Louis in 1928 and grew up in rural Arkansas.. Due to her activism, Martin Luther King asked her to take a leadership position in his organization. In 1993, at President Clinton's request, she wrote and performed a poem at his inauguration. She has also directed films and appeared on television. She teaches at Wake Forest University.