Now, I can’t take credit for the creativity of these titles–all of these are actual names of varieties of sunflowers that can be found in seed catalogs.  I LOVE the names!

Without further ado, here they are–all 16″ x 16″, oil colors on hardboard panels, with the painting continued onto the 1.5″ deep wooden sides.

Apricot Twist

Prado Red

Ikarus

Indian Blanket

Peach Passion

Red Sun V

Jade

Strawberry Blonde

Prado Gold

These 9 paintings can be displayed individually, grouped in any number and configuration, or hung in a grid, like this.

This artwork will add a sunny pizazz to someone’s decor.  (“Sunny pizazz,” how about that descriptor?)

They can add color and punch to a neutral, light and airy atmosphere:

Or they can become the centerpiece for a decor with warm, rich earth tones.

I just came across this blog post of an online acquaintance of mine, Maggie Stiefvater.  She’s a published young adult fiction writer, and I think she’s awesome.  In her post, she talks about how external challenges make it hard enough to be a creative professional, without letting your internal challenges stand in your way too.

Although she’s a writer and speaking to an audience of other writers, it’s amazing how much her message applies to visual artists as well.  I believe that everything I’ve done for myself is a direct result of having a positive attitude, and every time I have become stalled, in the development of my artwork and my business, it’s because I’ve given in to negative thinking.

Click to read Maggie’s blog.

It is both inspiring and seriously humbling for me to look at their artwork–no matter how long I practice, there will always be something more to strive for in both my technique and my vision.  A lifetime isn’t enough!

Photorealism:

Ruth Lull

Jason De Graaf

Abstraction:

Kyle Stewart

Emiliano Baiocchi

Surrealism:

Godfrey Blow

Jack Morefield

One of the cool things about this is that my likeness has been immortalized in artistic forms quite a few times. This happened without my seeking it out, the way people sometimes seek me out when they want their own portrait made. By virtue of knowing and being friends with many artists, it seems I’ve unwittingly become an artists’ model.  (I actually modeled for a few art classes in college for extra money, a job that never would have crossed my mind if I hadn’t been hanging around university art buildings at all hours–one of the art teachers recruited me while I was walking to a class.)

It’s interesting to see how others choose to portray me. I think that when an artist does a portrait, whatever things that artist sees in the subject (self-portraits included) are amplified. This is why a lot of people tend to exaggerate their own perceived flaws in self-portraits. It’s a fascinating thing to think about.

I feel honored to have been the subject of some of my friends’ artwork, and I wanted to share with you my favorite portraits of me by other people–they are as varied as the different self portraits I’ve done over the years.  I know how gratifying it can be to create a portrait of another person, even if it doesn’t turn out quite right, and I hope my friends have had similar experiences when using me as their model.

This one is by a talented portrait painter named Jocelyn.  You can see more of her work at her website: A Portrait By Jocelyn

This drawing is by a man named Chris, one of my artistic friends on Myspace.  He has actually done dozens of portraits of friends he met on Myspace–pretty cool!  Here’s his Myspace page: rickkanelives

This sketch was done by another artist I met through Myspace, whose real name I don’t know–I know him only as “Diamond Cutter.”  His Myspace page: diamondcutter421

And this was painted by an old friend of my family, a gifted classical painter and mentor of mine, Ron Ogle.  He’s simply incredible!  You can see more of his work at his website: Ron Ogle

I’ve also had the pleasure of modeling for a few professional photographers I know.  Photo shoots are always a fun experience!

Jenny Bowen is a close friend of mine whom I’ve known since high school.  She lives in Asheville, NC and is currently working on a photo documentary project called “Faces of Asheville.”  You can see more of her portrait photography at her website: Jenny Bowen

And JP Dawson is a photographer based in Alaska, who I met through mutual friends.  I was lucky to be one of his guinea pigs as he was experimenting with new lighting techniques last year.  All of his work is amazing, and he does landscape and wildlife photography in addition to portraits.  His website: Resurgemus

Thank you, my friends, for capturing my likeness with each of your unique visions!

To end this post, this is one of my favorite, if not my all-time favorite, portraits I have ever painted–my little sister when she was 13.

What an honor!  I have been selected by a fellow artist, Dean H., for this award!  This is very much like Tag. It helps us to become familiar with previously undiscovered blogs.

The rules are that if the person receiving the award decides to participate, he or she must:
1 – Put the logo on their blog
2 – Add a link to the person who gave them the award
3 – Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4 – Add links to those blogs on yours
5 – Leave a message on each of the blogs nominated.

My nominees are:

1. Morgan aka The Paint Eater

2. Karen Yee

3. Heather Brown Truman of Bad! Kitty Art Studio

4. Corrine aka Jafabrit

5. Melissa Fallon

6. Varvara Harmon

7. Lauren Mitchell (a food blog, not an art blog, but I had to include this one!)

Thank you, Deano, for the honor!  It is always so nice to connect in this way with other artists–to be recognized by others and also show my support for others.

No new work to show you just yet.  But I’m working on a painting I’m really excited about, and have lots of plans for new artwork.  My constant traveling this summer is really making a dent in my productivity.  I promise I’ll make up for it in September.

Speaking of which, I have a show coming up next month at Irvine Nature Center in Owings Mills, MD.  Details are forthcoming.

My garden, as always, continues to amaze me.

The only other big thing that’s going on with me right now is that my sweet 3-year-old black lab, Clara, is very very sick, and I’m having a hard time with it.  Click here to read more.

Curious Kitten
Acrylic on Canvas 8 x 10″

Thanks to the excellent photographer JP Dawson for the source image for this painting! This is one of my favorites so far in the cat series–I like how the red background is so vibrant. I can just picture this little guy swatting at a piece of string.

Please take these 2 quick polls. Polls are fun!

Lucky
Acrylic on Canvas, 8 x 10″
Reference photo courtesy of Marc Pitman (Thanks Marc!)
…I love his clear sea-green eyes!

The weather is absolutely gorgeous today–I’m painting outside today, just because I can. The air is soft and the sun is shining. Aaahhh–my spirits are lifted.

But without the expertise of my brother Micah, who provided me with all the code for the very first version of my site (and has helped me out countless times since then,) I’d be lost. Not completely lost, but considerably more lost than I am. Thanks Micah!

Check him out: www.MicahLeeDesigns.com.