My Second Scotchman Peaks PaintOut Piece

"The Peak From Johnson Creek"
Oil. 8x10"
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

SOLD

This painting from the PaintOut sold to a fellow artist which made me very happy. I also purchased a piece from the show from one of the artists whose work I admire.

Scotchman Peaks PaintOut

"Reflections at the Flats"
Original oil, 4"x6"
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

SOLD

For the third year in a row, painters from around the Northwest participated in the Scotchman Peaks PaintOut. It is always an exciting challenge to see if we can paint something beautiful in rapidly changing conditions, hot or cold temps, rain or shine.

This was one of two pieces I was happy with from the weekend of painting outdoors on location. Both sold at the show on Sunday, which boasted dozens of beautiful works from 24 participating artists.

"Berry Slide" Miniature Abstract Daily Paintng

Original oil, 2"x3"
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

Here are more bright colors for you.

"Orange Crush" Miniature Abstract Daily Painting

Original oil, 2"x3"
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

Something like this in a large format would be really fun in these bright colors. Let me know if you are interested, or would like this little 'un for your desk.

"Glacier Melt" Miniature Abstract Daily Painting

I'm gathering up another handful of minis from the corners of my studio to keep you entertained while I'm busy with commissions.

Please tell me if you'd like to own any of them, or want information on ordering something similar in a large piece.

Original oil 3x3"
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

"Sugar Swing" Miniature Abstract Daily Painting

Original oil, 3"x2"

©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

The image and title came from somewhere beyond the recesses of my mind... or maybe I'm simply sleep deprived.

Whatever the case, these playful little thoughts keep me moving along to new ideas.

"September Evening" Small Daily Painting

Oil 4x4"
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

When I brought my painting home from my demo last weekend, I had a couple of shots in my camera of what I was painting. Photos, being what they are, never quite capture color and exposure of the light just right.

So, I figured I'd work out how to proceed on a little piece before adding to the image on my unfinished canvas. Here's the little 'un, which I used to figure out where I wanted to go with the canvas. You can let me know if you'd like to own this one.

Painting Demo at Art in the Garden

Last weekend was Sandpoint's Art in the Garden. It was an entertaining event by beautiful Lake Pend Oreille with live music, food, wine and art. I was on hand to demonstrate plein air painting, as I did last year.

The Lord gave us a beautiful evening; not too cold, and a fun one to paint outdoors. Although sundown is my favorite time to work en plein air, it is always challenging to capture a scene in light that quickly changes and fades.

By the time I got enough down on the canvas to look like a painting, the light was pretty much gone and I couldn't really see what my work looked like.

(left)

This is as far as I got on the piece that night, which would not be bad if it was really small, but the canvas is 10"x10", so I felt it needed a little more development.

Participants in the outdoor event had the opportunity to win my painting that night and the recipient of the prize was excited about the piece.

I wanted to see what my work looked like in the daylight, so promised to finish the painting and deliver it to the winner later.

(at left, the finished piece)

"September Evening at the Lake"

Oil 10"x10"

©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

September Challenge: Paint it RED!

Challenge Group member Elizabeth Blaylock picked the idea for our September Challenge. She directed us to "do a painting with a red, red violet or red orange color dominance." For the past month I've been thinking about this simple idea and what to do with it. So many choices. I finally settled on painting a small enamel pitcher I bought awhile back (thinking I'd paint it one of these days).

So, Monday was the day. I set up the colorful still life on my patio table outdoors and worked away in the glorious sunshine.

We've had cool, overcast weather lately so to play with bright colors for several hours outside on a warm sunny day did my brain a big favor.

The reflections in the shiny surface of the vessel were especially fun to paint.. so many colors in addition to red.

(left) "Red Pitcher on Blue Cloth"
7"x7"
Oil on canvasboard
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin



(left) "Arrangement on Red" 6x6" Oil on Panel ©2010 Elizabeth Blaylock
(middle) "Red Dance" 8x8 Oil on Paper ©2010 Robin Cheers
(right) "La Basilique du Val de Grace illumine'e la nuit" 14x11" Oil on Panel ©2010 Vicki Ross

(left) "Sultry" 16x16" Oil on Canvas ©2010 Suzanne Berry
(right) "Red Brush" 6x8" Oil on Canvas ©2010 Aaron Cordell Johnson

Some Miniature Abstracts From my Desk

(left) "Gold and Green" acrylic miniature
(below left) "Jambalaya" oil miniature
(below right) "Jelly Roll" oil miniature
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

I thought you might enjoy a few of the little abstracts I wrote about in my last post. As you can see, my most recent painting only slightly resembles a couple of the ideas that inspired the larger piece.

Like sunsets, no two are identical, but they might resemble one another sometimes.

Contact me to purchase these little 'uns or to discuss a larger commission based on these rough ideas.

"Explosion" Abstract Daily Painting

Acrylic on hardboard, 12"x12"
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

On my desk are a handful of tiny abstracts. They are ideas I've jotted down for larger paintings. But something happens whenever I try to develop one of those little ideas. The big piece seems to have a mind of its own and doesn't turn out to look like the little idea at all.

This is one such piece. It seems fitting that I would finish it on September eleventh.

"Fall Snack" Landscape Oil Daily Painting

Original oil on hardboard, 4"x6"
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

Available framed or unframed.

"Evening Graze" Original Oil Landscape Daily Painting

Oil on hardboard 4"x4"
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

This week I've been trying some looser painting for practice making a composition fairly quickly. Adding a few animals creates interest in this ethereal scene, which reminds me of our recent Oklahoma trip near the Wichita Wildlife Refuge.

"Trees on the Hill" Landscape Painting

Original oil
10"x11" in custom frame
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin

Available unframed, or framed in custom bark frame.

"Rosy Sundown" Revised Daily Painting

Many artists I know have paintings in the studio that are banished to a pile of failures or turned face to the wall until a solution is found for whatever is not quite right about the piece.

This little jewel is one such disobedient orphan who has now been retrained, bathed, brushed and dressed.

"Rosy Sundown"
Oil 4"x6"
©2005 Diana Moses Botkin