"Glass Ball and Gold Paper" Daily Painting

Original unframed oil on panel, 8"x6".
Detailed study of iridescent glass Christmas ornament with crumpled gold tissue paper; realism with abstract qualities.
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

Several of my children tromped out in the snow

last week to cut a tree. We have plenty of volunteer fir and spruce in our woods and it's good to thin them out a bit. I was thankful the kids helped get the Christmas tree up in the house, and decorated. I'd been too busy and not very motivated.

Now it's time to put everything away in the boxes for next year's Christmas. The iridescent glass balls are some of my favorite ornaments and I love seeing them every year. Their fragile loveliness is fascinating and makes me smile when I look at them.

This year I told myself I'd use one of them in a still life before they got packed away. So, here 'tis... This piece is a little different from most of my other work, but I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you for your comments and encouragement day after day. Looking back at all the work I've posted here makes me realize I'm still whacking away at my goal of a painting a day. It's been good to strive for this even though some days I didn't finish a piece. But many days I did, and usually managed several a week. Let's see what happens next year! Blest wishes for 2009 to you all!

"Longhorns Fan" Daily Painting and Merry Christmas!

Portrait of young child in UT's colors of burnt orange and white.
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

SOLD

This small commissioned oil painting was a surprise Christmas gift for friend Nita's family members. I really enjoyed portraying the little guy's face and searching look, but that burnt orange was quite a departure for me!

"Longhorn's Fan" is one of the commissions I finished up for customers for special Christmas orders. It is a privilege to be part of putting together such unique and thoughtful gifts. The work is sometimes a challenge, as it was with another portrait I did this month (from a marginally readable photo), but I love being a part of making such a present happen for someone special.

I hope your Christmas was blessed. Ours was. We've had a good holiday with all the kiddos here, even with all the snowy roads. We give thanks to the Lord for all His wonderful gifts, evident all around us, and especially for the gift of His Son whose birth we celebrate at this time of year.

"Reflections on a Pear" Daily Painting

Original oil, 5"x5" unframed.
Some red and green for you!
©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

Contact to purchase.

Pears in the store now are quite good. We've brought them home to enjoy, and today I realized there was only one left. I wanted to paint one before they all got eaten!

So I took a break from the commissions I'm finishing to paint this green pear on the scarlet background. The bright colors were very fun to work with and a nice departure from the charcoal portrait I'm finishing up for a client.

The red in the painting is better than it shows up here; for some reason the scarlets and crimsons didn't scan very well. I hope you can get an idea, though.

DailyPainters.com book now available; I'm included!

Here is another gift idea for you fans of the Daily Painting phenomenon; the brand spankin' new book from DailyPainters.com.

For those who haven't yet discovered the site, DailyPainters is an online gallery that shows and sells new paintings every day by 146 artists who are daily painters. I've been a member since December, 2006.

The volume showcases all artist members of DailyPainters and features our best work. You can peruse the book, or buy a copy for only $39 at the publisher's website.

It's a beautiful book!

Special on Christmas Art to celebrate Christmas

"In Humilty" reproduced from the original pastel.
Nativity scene reproductions pkgd 20x24"
Acid-free paper & fade-resistant inks
$50 plus S&H.
©1992 Diana Moses Botkin

My 14 year old is counting down to Christmas. "Only 8 days left, Mom," he told me today. Indeed I know. I'm counting the days also, and what I have left to do. But I'm enjoying the season too.

So if you're like me and still need to do a little shopping, here's a special offer of my Christmas themed reproductions to celebrate the holidays. Buy 2, get the third free. Contact me for an invoice or more details.

Snow and Blow, and Free Shipping on Daily Paintings

Well ... our plan to go to the show openings in Sandpoint on Friday evening didn't work out.

There was a snowstorm here on Friday afternoon that dumped over 8" of white stuff on us that day and night. On Saturday we had high winds that blew all the lovely powdered sugar off the trees and into roads and lanes. Patches of almost bare ground contrasted with 3 foot high drifts a few yards away.

It's a little difficult to really tell how deep the drifts are from a picture, but this photo taken this afternoon from my front door might give you a bit of an idea.

Temps outside dropped to minus 5 last night and are expected to get colder tonight. We've been drinking hot drinks in our cozy cabin, around our wood stove. I've been baking Christmas goodies and doing a little online shopping.

Speaking of shopping, I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on my blog paintings until Christmas! If you've had your eye on some of my little 'uns, I'll pay the shipping to you. Just contact me and tell me which Daily Paintings you'd like. I'll send you a Paypal bill with no shipping charges to any USA address.

Some of my Daily Paintings at Sandpoint Shows

Tomorrow is the Opening for Lilliput, A Miniature Show, at the POAC Gallery in Sandpoint at the Sandpoint Powerhouse. If you're in the area, I hope you'll stop by between 5:30 and 7 pm. I plan to be in attendance and hope to see you!

Some of my very detailed miniatures are in the show. Two of the three appear in this photo, which was reproduced with my permission for the Lilliput Show announcement postcard, recently mailed.

I also plan to get to the Holiday Show Opening a few blocks away at Timber Stand Gallery. Timber Stand is across the street from the Pend d'Oreille Winery downtown on Cedar. Three of my small originals are in the show and there should be lots of other fun art there too!

Today someone asked me if I'm excited about the Openings tomorrow night. I've been quite distracted today with an article deadline for Art Calendar and other commitments, and didn't give him a very good answer. But now that I think about it, I am excited. I don't get out much, so it is always really good to attend art events, especially those where I see fellow artists and my loyal collectors. So yes, I am excited! And I should have that deadline out of the way by then, so I'll be in a celebratory mood.

©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

Life Drawings

"Standing Male, Charcoal"
Original unframed charcoal drawing on white bond paper, 17"x11".

These sketches are my favorites from this week's session with the model. The same fellow posed for us. It looks like he's lost a few pounds. My Texan grandma would say "dropped off". She said to me once during a visit years ago, "Have you dropped off?" I asked her, "Dropped off of what?"

I'd never heard the expression before in reference to losing a few pounds.

As an artist I like to see bone structure and muscle definition, so lean muscular models are more interesting to me. But not all artists feel this way, especially about female models.

"Man Touching Ankles, Charcoal"
Original unframed charcoal drawing on tan Canson paper, 12"x16".

©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

"Clifty Christmas" Daily Painting on Christmas Ball

Oil on glass sphere, approx. 3", with hanger.
Winter landscape of snowy trees, with Clifty Mountain.

Contact me if you'd like to bid on this, or want something similar.

This unusual painting is not my average piece. Every year our art group hand paints Christmas balls for a special gala auction that benefits our local hospital is in its 13th year. Many businesses in our small community create beautiful Christmas items, including royally decorated trees. The funds raised are used at our hospital to pay for equipment and other needs.

I've painted one of these special creations almost every year since we moved to this area. They have brought bids up to $375, with averages around $195.

This is so much better seen in person. I hope you can get an idea of what it looks like. It's quite a challenge to photograph the ball without some kind of glare. Suggestions anyone?

©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

"Flocked Trees" Daily Painting and Followers Gadget

Original unframed miniature oil painting, 3"x2", with mini display easel

God's goodness shines in His creation even in a simple scene like this. Winter snow on the conifers is such a lovely sight. I especially enjoy it in the rosy early or late light, don't you?

SOLD

©2008 Diana Moses Botkin

Perhaps you've noticed something new about my blog lately? If not, please take a look in the sidebar at the very top. I've finally added a Followers Gadget! What is this, you say? Well, I'm glad you asked!

The gadget shows other bloggers who follow my blog. I only recently found out about this (actually I think it's fairly new). If you have a favorite blog and want to let the author and readers know you're a fan, you can do that with Blogger Follower.

You'll be able to keep track of the blogs you follow on your Blogger dashboard, too. You know how sometimes you stumble across a blog and mean to go back but forget about it? That little Follower widget now makes it easy to remember those fun sites you meant to visit again.

The easiest way to become a Follower of a blog is to find one that has added the Follower widget and click on the "Follow this Blog" link. So, now you know! If you are a fan, and this interests you, I'd love it if you'd click on my Follow link. Thank you all who follow my blog. It means a lot. And I love comments too... it's one of the best reasons to blog, I think. For me, the immediate feedback from viewers is of great value. Thanks to all who make the effort. I hope you are blessed here!

Life is Fragile and Fleeting

A young woman has passed on and our small community feels the loss immensely. We grieve with the family who laid their daughter in the ground today and rejoice with them that this is not the whole story. Even in their sorrow, they know that Amy was a Christian and that they will see her again when they are with the Lord too. Our hearts and prayers are with them.

Words are difficult when someone dies. They seem so inadequate, except for the Word of God. In the scriptures is comfort and wisdom.

Life is fragile and can be tragic at times. I'm so thankful God is bigger.

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live even if he dies."
John 11:25