Custom Painting Giveaway

As a Thank You to all of my readers and followers on my Facebook page, I am having a giveaway!  Enter to win below via Rafflecopter.  The winner will receive one 8" x 10" oil pastel painted from your photograph.

The drawing will be held Thursday, January 15th.  Here are a few examples of my oil pastel paintings...

 

I'm excited to start the New Year, since most of 2013 I took time off from painting (except for a few commissions).  I rested during my pregnancy and after my son was born in October.  After a few months to adjust to life with two children, I am ready to get painting again!  Here's to a productive 2014 full of art, travel, and happiness!

Thank you for reading,

Bethany

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Colorful Cactus

"Colorful Cactus"
oil pastel on paper
6" x 9"
available here

A little vibrant Southwest painting, based on photos I took in Tubac, Arizona this spring...

reference photo

This was a fun one, playing with shapes and color. Painted on Sabretooth blue paper in oil pastels. Below is the Nupastel underpainting, after an alcohol wash was applied.

Thank you for reading, stay tuned for more updates!

Bethany

Sedona Trail

"Sedona Trail"
oil pastel on paper
5" x 6.5"
$35
available here

A quick little study based on some photos I took to Arizona this Spring.  I'd like to try this one in a larger size, I couldn't get much detail in the rock formations in the distance.

Painted on UART 400 with oil pastels, using Nupastel and alcohol wash underpainting. (see below)

Stay tuned! I'm working on some cacti, too!

Bethany

Tiger - Pet Portrait

"Tiger"
oil pastel on paper
8" x 10"
commission

This sweet puppy is headed to one of my favorite clients, who will be sending it to friends in Taiwan!

Painted using oil pastels over water soluble pastels.  See progress pictures below:

I'll be catching up on the blog for the next few months, posting updates to finished commissions and new works.  I've been painting much less during my pregnancy and am getting back in the swing of things.  Trying to get more work done now that I am feeling better... lots to do before Baby Bryant comes in October!

Stay tuned, and thank you for reading!

Bethany

Day 24 - Marina Reflection

"Marina Reflection"
oil pastel on paper
5 x 7
click to bid here

A little study based on some pictures I took in Cape Charles, Virginia at the marina.  I loved the reflections and was finally ready to try to paint some boats!  These would work well as larger pieces, as the small detail is hard to capture in this size.

Painted on Sabretooth light blue sanded pastel paper with no underpainting.  I didn't really like this surface for such a detailed piece in this size.  It works better for simple pieces like "Sunshine" seen here.

Stay tuned, and thank you for reading!

Bethany

Day 23 - Sunshine

"Sunshine"
6 x 6
oil pastel on paper
$45
available here

This cow was enjoying the afternoon sun, hence the "Sunshine" name.   I liked the shadows and letting the blue paper color show through the oil pastel in some places.

Painted on some small pieces I have left of light blue Sabretooth sanded pastel paper.  It's not my favorite sanded pastel paper, but it is good  for some simpler pieces.  The texture of the paper tends to make it harder to get detail. I prefer to use this paper without any underpainting.

Stay tuned for more posts as I catch up with updates on the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!

Bethany

Day 22 - Felicity

"Felicity"
oil pastel on board
 6" x 7"
available here

This sweetie was happy to see me, hence her name "Felicity."  Painted on board primed with terracotta Colourfix pastel primer.  

I'm catching up still on the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge... a few days behind still but determined to complete 30 by Feb 1st!  

Stay tuned,

Bethany

Day 21 - Making Friends

"Making Friends"
oil pastel on board, 5 x 7
$45
available here

A quick little impression of my daughter up close with a sweet Jersey girl.  This is painted on gray rag board brushed with a heavy coat of clear Colourfix primer to give the brush texture.  I'm working on getting faster and leaving more marks with the pastel.  This was done in about an hour.  On colored surfaces I tend to not use underpainting, and I think the gray worked well here.

Stay tuned!  I am almost caught up with my posts and paintings in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days project.

Bethany

Day 20 - Beach Meeting

"Beach Meeting"
oil pastel on paper
4 x 8
$45

This little one was running down the beach towards this spaniel, who was ready to play!

Painted in oil pastel over watercolor wash on Uart paper.  This photograph was taken during a trip to Emerald Isle when my daughter was just one.

reference photo

Hope this beach scene warms you during this cold week! Thanks for reading!

Bethany

Day 19 - Washington Monument in Autumn

"Washington Monument in Autumn"
oil pastel on paper
4 x 8
available here

I had to do this painting in honor of Inauguration Day.  I took this photo in October of 2011 during our visit to Washington DC.  We love visiting our good friend Jessica, and she always takes us to all of the best spots!  We took our daughter to all of the sights, and though she won't remember this trip, we will
have the pictures to remember her first visit to our Nation's Capitol!

visiting with Jessica
November 2011

Thanks for reading!

Bethany

Day 18 - Coco

"Coco"
oil pastel on paper
4" x 6"
available here

Here's a cute pup I met on vacation in Cape Charles, Virginia last summer.  He loved to pose for some pictures, and was quite a sweet boy!

Thank you for reading!
Bethany

Day 16 - Bluebell

"Bluebell"
oil pastel on paper
4" x 4"
available here

Day 16...still catching up on blog posts, and now I am a day behind with the paintings!  I worked at my "day job" all day yesterday, cleaned house (for the babysitter!), and stayed out late having dinner and drinks with friends.

Yikes, better get in gear today and pour another cup of coffee.

Happy Sunday!

Bethany

Day 15 - Oreo

"Oreo"
oil pastel on paper
4" x 4"
available here

This cow has a partner on a blue background, will post day 16 later today!

Oil pastel on pink Sabretooth pastel paper in a mini-size, only 4" x 4".

Stay tuned!

Bethany

Day 13 - Sunlit Path

"Sunlit Path"
oil pastel on board
8" x 10"
available here

Catching up on posting these finished paintings...I'm current with the paintings, just haven't had time to blog them (today is day 16).  I'm posting twice a day until I catch up!

This was another cabin from the Daniel Boone Native Gardens in Boone, NC.  

Thanks for reading!

Bethany

Day 12 - Evening Light

"Evening Light"
oil pastel on paper
6" x 10"
available here

A marsh painting based on my photographs from the Eastern Shore of Virginia last summer. Painted in oil pastels on Uart with Nupastel and alcohol wash underpainting.

Nupastel underpainting before applying the alcohol

I did a similar piece to this one here.

Stay tuned for Day 12...almost halfway through the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!

Thanks for reading!

Bethany

Day 11 - Cow Lick

"Cow Lick"
oil pastel on board
5" x 7"
available here

Day 11 - Another cow!  I think I could go a whole year with cow paintings.  This was painted on gray Pastelbord with no underpainting.

Stay tuned to see what's next!

Bethany

Day 10 - Camille

"Camille"
oil pastel on board
5" x 7"
available here

Day 10, back to more cows!  This little calf was only one day old when we visited Billings Farm last summer in Woodstock, Vermont.

reference photo
Billings Farm, Vermont

It was hard to get a picture inside the barn stall, but I just had to paint this sweet little one.  I named her "Camille," meaning "innocent"in Latin.

Thanks for reading!
Bethany

Day 9 - Sunlit Afternoon II

"Sunlit Afternoon II"
oil pastel on board
8" x 10"
available here

This is the companion piece to Day 8 yesterday, "Sunlit Afternoon".  Both are of an old home in Windsor, Vermont.

reference photo

Tomorrow I think I will stick with Vermont and do another dairy cow.  Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!

Bethany

Day 8 - Sunlit Afternoon

"Sunlit Afternoon"
oil pastel on board
8"x 10"
available here

I took many pictures of the light hitting this old home along Main Street though Windsor, Vermont.  It was across the street from the Constitution House along Route 12.  I started another piece tonight of the same house from a different angle, and will finish it on Day 9!

reference photo
Windsor, VT

I tried out Golden's Pastel Ground on some gold metallic rice paper matboard.  The metallic quality of the matboard was lost under the ground, but I liked the texture overall.  

Stay tuned for this piece's companion tomorrow!  Thanks for reading,

Bethany

Day 7 - Wandering in the Garden

"Wandering in the Garden"
oil pastel on paper
8" x 10"
available here

Day 7 features another Boone painting based on our 2012 trip, which included the Daniel Boone Native Gardens.

I could keep working on this, adding more detail, but I wanted to keep it fresh and retain each stroke.  I love the oil pastel over watercolor on the Uart sanded papers.  

Going to get back to some more Vermont pictures for the next few days, stay tuned!

Bethany