"Sunset Splendor" Glowing Sunset, Miniature Daily

Original miniature landscape
Framed oil painting, 2"x3"
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

NOW SOLD

This tiny study of the clearing storm clouds and fiery sky went so well, I'd love to paint something bigger like this. Commission anyone?

"Auto Allure" Vintage Toy Car, Still Life Daily Painting

Original unframed oil painting 4"x6"
Still life of antique toy car of red metal
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

This old toy car has been sitting around my studio awhile, calling to me to paint it.

It was fun studying this charming little metal object, obviously loved by at least one little boy decades ago. By the looks of it, the red toy car held fascination for perhaps several young dreamers.

"Turquoise Twilight" Miniature Daily Painting

Original tiny oil 2.25"x3.25"
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

SOLD

Scenes like this with the silhouetted trees against the glowing evening sky never fail to inspire and energize me.

Free Shipping on Giclée Reproductions

"Communion" Pastel 18"x24"
©1986 Diana Moses Botkin

ORIGINAL SOLD

This is one of my favorite father and baby pieces I've painted. Please contact me for commissions of your own special dear ones.

This is also available as giclée reproductions at my LifeImages Gallery, with free shipping now.

To take advantage of the free shipping offer, please type promo code PopularArt09 in the promotion box at checkout. Offer expires October 4, 2009.

“Bright Day at the Flats" Plein Air Marsh Landscape

Original oil on canvas 9"x7"
Painted en plein air near Lake Pend d'Oreille
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

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Last weekend was the second annual Paint Out sponsored by the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Society, and Outskirts Gallery in Hope, Idaho. I was able to take part on Sunday and paint this small study while sitting in the lovely sunshine by the lake marshes.

This piece "Bright Day at the Flats" was awarded a third place at the exhibition that evening at Outskirts Gallery. This was a pleasant surprise to me, especially considering all the lovely work produced during this event. There were many wonderful paintings from the weekend Paint Out which will be on view at the Outskirts Gallery for several weeks.

Weigh in on Nudity in Art: Beautiful or Offensive?

"One Hand Behind" (detail)
Charcoal and chalk on grey paper
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

My blog remarks with my cropped drawing last Friday generated some interesting comments about nudity in art. So I thought I'd ask other viewers what they think.

Sure, it depends on the art, as to whether it's beautiful or offensive. And it likely also depends on the viewer. But generally, do you think nudity in art (and especially nudity in art online) is best kept under wraps, so to speak? Or do you think it's no big deal to see naked people as the subject of drawings or paintings?

Maybe you'd like to weigh in on the subject? If you have an opinion about this controversy, I'd like to know what you think. You can leave remarks on this and other posts by clicking on the comments note at the bottom of each post.

And if you'd like to see the uncropped version of this drawing or my other figure studies, you can do so at this page at my DailyPainters Gallery.

Figure Studies Available at my DailyPainters Gallery

"Back Side, One Arm Behind" (detail)
Charcoal and chalk on grey paper
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

Working from live models is a luxury for most artists. I'm very thankful for our Artists' Salon in Sandpoint which provides a venue for figure study. This traditional academic exercise is important to understand lighting, form, human proportion, and the optics of foreshortening, as well as an opportunity to increase drawing skills.

I realize, however, that there may be viewers of this blog that might prefer not seeing these studies. So, I'm posting only a portion of one recent piece that's not too revealing as far as nudity goes. Those who would like to view the entire drawing, and my other figure studies in charcoal or in oil can do so at this page at my DailyPainters Gallery.

"By the Window" Mother & Baby Piece at LifeImages

Young mother and child reading a book, in chiaroscuro lighting
©2007 Diana Moses Botkin

Back lighting is inspiring and challenging. I often find it is difficult to portray just right, keeping enough detail in the shadows to show form, while still focusing on the light areas that make the scene glow.

This is another image offered at my LifeImages Gallery and one of my favorite pieces. You can read in the previous blog post about a special offer this week at the Gallery for framing.

Save on Framing at my LifeImages Repro Gallery

"Entwined"
Still Life Painting of Cowboy Boots and an Encircling Lariat
Symbols of Lives United in Marriage
©1998 Diana Moses Botkin

If you've been wanting to order this or any of my other Reproductions at my LifeImages Gallery, now is the time to save on framing. Type promo code FALL2009 in the promotion box at checkout to save 20%. (Expires September 21, 2009 at 11:59pm.)

Or, I'd love to paint a special painting for you of your own boots. Contact me for more info about commissions.

Our September Challenge: Pantry Shelves

This month's Challenge subject was chosen by group member Robin Cheers. "Pantry Shelves" proved to be a good inspiration for us all for this month.


I certainly had fun brainstorming about this idea. Those little pirates wanted to help again. My son and I had some good laughs with ideas about what Legos might be doing in the pantry!

"Yo-ho-ho, and a Bottle of Rum"
Oil on board
6"x8"
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

NOW SOLD

Here are the rest of the inspired paintings from our September Challenge. They're all so unique; similar in concept but very different in details shown.


(right, above) "The Artist's Pantry"
Oil on canvas 5"x7"
©2009 Suzanne Berry

(above, middle) "Steel Cut Oats"
Oil on canvas 12"x12"
©2009 Silvina Day

(left, above) "Corner"
Oil on board 7"x12"
©2009 Michael Naples



(left)
"Coming Out of the Cabinet'
Oil on board
9"x12"
©2009 Vicki Ross

Each month we all keep our work a secret until it's time to send them to each other on the day before we post on our blogs.

I look forward all month to seeing what each artist paints. When each member's work rolls in to my Inbox on our unveiling day, I am always amazed and inspired!


(left) "Staples"
Oil on board
8"x16"
©2009 Robin Cheers

(right)
"The Red Napkin"
Oil on canvas
16"x20"
©2009 Marie Fox

Painting Demo Recently and Our Challenge Soon!

This past weekend Pend O'reille Arts Council hosted Art Squared in the Garden. Fifty artists created paintings on 10"x10" canvases for the event. My painting was one of those.

I was also asked to be on hand at the event to paint a demo piece, which you can see in the lower right hand corner of the photo at left.

It is often a challenge to make a painting on the spot. It was especially difficult to paint this one because it was an outdoor setting in fading evening light. Next time I do something like this, I'm going to request a spotlight.

I hope you'll tune in tomorrow when the spotlight will be on our September Challenge! Last Tuesday I announced that we have a new member added to the group. Each month we paint a new subject (which you'll find out about tomorrow!).

Here's the writing award I recently received

A piece I wrote for Art Calendar's September 2008 issue was awarded the Bronze for Best Service Feature "Get It There: Packing & Shipping 2-D Art". I'm very happy about this!

The actual award is at Art Calendar's office in Florida but my editor sent me a photo.

Turnstile Publishing Company, which publishes Art Calendar Magazine, received five awards at the 2009 Florida Magazine Association Awards a few weeks ago.

My Bronze was one of the honors. Additionally, Art Calendar won the Silver Award for Best Written Magazine - Trade/Technical!!

Google theft of copyrighted material

Google has, without permission, copied countless copyrighted books and posted them online. This is brazen thievery of intellectual property. Google copied all those books without authors', artists', photographers' or publishers' permission, which is clearly illegal under copyright law.

Read NY Times articles about it here and here.

So, what else is Google doing without permission?

"On a Chain" ACEO Tiny Daily Painting

Original oil on canvas, 2.5"x3.5"
sent in protective ACEO sleeve
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

Purchase here.

Nine, nine, O-nine. While I don't have anything particularly appropriate for this date, it IS interesting to think about.

"Key on Blue" ACEO Tiny Daily Painting

Original oil on canvas, 2.5"x3.5"
sent in protective ACEO sleeve
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

Purchase here.

While I'm busy with commissions this week, I hope to paint at least a small warm-up to show you here on my blog most days.

I enjoyed painting the elegant color contrasts in this little 'un. It was surprising how challenging this small brass key was. I looked at it and thought, "Oh... this will be an easy exercise to loosen up my painting muscles." It turned out to be much harder than I'd anticipated. Not complicated, of course, as you can see... but not exactly a snap to get the shapes and colors just right either. Straight lines are often annoyingly hard to paint!

And it's nearing time for our monthly Challenge (which is next Tuesday, in fact!). I've invited a new member to the group, Suzanne Berry. The work at her blog caught my eye awhile back and I've been fascinated by her choice of subject matter and the realism she details so well. I thought she would be an asset to our merry little band if I could somehow convince her to accept my invitation to join us! Today she agreed and I'm looking forward to her contributions to our monthly Challenges.

"Ragged Sunflower" Still Life Daily Painting

Original unframed oil painting 5"x5"
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

The sunflowers I got last weekend are past their prime, but still interesting. Although I was tired from a busy weekend and didn't feel motivated to paint today, I thought I'd make a little portrait of this aged flower as a warm-up. At times like that, it is good to just put something down even if I'm not all that inspired. Results can be surprising.

"Trees Against a Turquoise Sky" Daily Painting

Original oil on canvas
10"x10"
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

This glowing piece is a larger version of a small study I did a couple of years ago. I've wanted to paint a bigger one and here it is!

NOW SOLD

Please contact me if you are interested in commissioning something similar.

“Sunflower Shadows" Daily Still Life Painting

Original unframed oil painting 5"x5"
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

Sunflowers are such wonderfully bold, strong flowers. I frequently think of Van Gogh's sunflower paintings when I look at them. He was compelled to paint a number of pieces with these bright blooms as the subject.

How many ways can one look at a sunflower and see something new?

Please contact me to purchase this painting.

"Sunflower" Still Life Daily Painting

Original oil painting
7"x5"
of bright yellow sunflower
unframed
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

SOLD

While talking to people at the Art Faire this weekend, I demonstrated sketching and drew portraits in charcoal and painted with oils, working on this live study.

One of the vendors was selling a variety of beautiful flowers and this large sample was one of my favorites.

Those yellow and orange colors were fun to paint. I like using those bright, intense and opaque cadmium pigments.

I also used the time during the Faire to stretch one of my giclée reproductions on canvas. I then added texture to the giclée and framed it.

Another fun thing I did was a giveaway for a little mini. Congratulations to Robert of Paradise Valley whose name was drawn out of the hat as the winner!