Week 52 Relax! It's been a great year

We did it! It's Week 52, the last week of the year long Jumpstart Your Art challenge. There's no better way to celebrate all you've accomplished than to just take some time to Relax. You've earned it so enjoy the last week of the year.

Here is your last worksheet...

Little Lamb

Little Lamb

6" x 6"

Oil with palette knives on board

Available

I'm pretty sure there was probably one of these cuties at the nativity scene in Bethlehem welcoming little baby Jesus to the world. 

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

Week 51 Leaving a Legacy

This might be the most important challenge of all. That's why I put it near the end. Hopefully after this year of self discovery, you have learned a lot about yourself as an artist and defined what's most important to you.

What will history have to say about you and your art when you are no longer around to talk about it? How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave behind? What was your contribution to the world? What was your art about? 

Reflect on these questions and write your thoughts down for the world to see, now and 100 years from now.

Here is your worksheet.

Why did the rooster cross the road?

Cock A Doodle Do

6" x 6"

Oil with palette knives on board

Available at Zullo Gallery

I think the rooster crossed the road to get to the chicken on the other side and show off his feathers. 

I just loved all the colors on this beautiful guy. A perfect subject for my palette knife technique.

Week 50 Play Time

This week it's time to have some fun. It's been a great year and we all need to take a break every now and then and just be silly. Especially during this busy time called Christmas.

Just breathe and have a hearty laugh.

For a few ideas, here is your worksheet ready to download.

Week 49 Use Others' Words

Good morning Jumpstarters! I was on vacation last week so I'm doubling up this week with my challenge posts.

Last week's challenge was to USE OTHERS' WORDS. It's time to collect all of those great quotes you find in one place and use them to inspire others with your art as a background.

Here is your free worksheet.

Week 48 It’s Not Just a Coincidence

Can you believe it's December and we are nearing the end of this year long challenge? Our final theme of the year is "Celebrating." You should have a lot to celebrate so let's take the whole month to do just that. Our challenge this week is to pay attention to all of the small "coincidences" that happen on a day to day basis and try to determine their hidden meaning.

Here is the worksheet.

Week 47 Share Your Knowledge

Week 47's Jumpstart Challenge is to Share Your Knowledge. This week is Thanksgiving week-for most, this is the official kick off to the holiday season and I know we are all busy with family and eating, so do what you can to share your knowledge this week.

The worksheet is below.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Oink

This Little Piggy

6" x 6"

Oil with palette knives on board

SOLD

Just a cute face for your Thursday.

Oink. Oink.

Week 46 Share The Love

Are you ready to Share The Love? That's our challenge for Week 46. 

I know most artists have a collection of pieces they have purchased from other artists over the years. As creatives, we appreciate the creativity in others. This week, take some time to let those artists know why you love their piece(s) and maybe even send them of photo of it hanging in it's forever home.

The worksheet is below.

How to look a giraffe in the face

Gentle Giant

6" x 6"

Oil with palette knives

$185 framed and available at Zullo Gallery

Well I guess you'd have to be pretty tall to look this guy in the eye. But don't you just want to have a conversation with this him? or her?

Alpacas

Three Amigos

8" x 10"

oil with palette knives on board

Don't you want to be their friend? I just loved the faces on these 3 cuties. Their fun hairdos were just perfect for my palette knife technique.

Week 45 Support Other Artists

As we continue Giving Back this month, think about supporting other artists by attending their shows, commenting on their social media posts, sharing their art, and purchasing some pieces as gifts this holiday season instead of buying off the shelf. It will mean so much to them.

Here is your free worksheet.

Bovine Friends Forever

BFFs

6" x 8"

Oil with palette knife on board

I've been painting a lot of animal images lately for an upcoming holiday show. These two captured my heart when I saw the image on Unsplash-a website that posts copyright free images for others to use. I just loved their little cow bells necklaces. 

More cowbell!!

Inn with a View

View From The Chatham Bars Inn

6" x 12"

Oil with palette knives on cradled board

Here's another in my Chatham series. The Chatham Bars Inn is a beautiful place to stay while visiting Cape Cod. One of my favorite things about it is this view from the front steps. You can see the gorgeous hydrangeas along with a beautiful ocean view. Order up your favorite cocktail and have a seat in one of the rocking chairs on the deck or Adirondack chairs in the garden. Relax and enjoy the view!

A few close ups:

Hot Dog!

Hot Dog

6" x 6"

Oil with palette knives on board

SOLD

This is not a commission, but I just loved this dog profile so much I had to paint it. I also loved his white collar with the belt buckle. Such a nice contrast to his beautiful red coat.

Week 44 Give Thanks

It's November and that means we begin a new theme for this month called Giving Back. Our first challenge is to take some time to say thank you to those that have done a little something to make our lives better, nicer, easier, brighter. I bet it will make their day ... and yours!

Here is your free worksheet.

Week 43 Keep The Momentum

Week 43's Jumpstart challenge is to Keep The Momentum. This time of year it's easy to lose steam and just coast. To keep us going, let's stop for a minute and take note of things we have already accomplished and make some small goals to achieve next week.

The worksheet is below. 

Entering Chatham sign

Entering Chatham

16" x 16"

Oil with palette knives on Ampersand Gessobord

Available

I am slowly working my way around Cape Cod painting these signs that welcome you as you enter each town. There are 15 towns in total and so far I have painted 5 of them. 

Since Chatham is known for its seal population that likes to hang around the Fish Pier, I included one in the painting, bottom right. Unfortunately, Chatham is also infamously known for its shark population but I decided to leave them out. Ha ha.

Another G.O.A.T

GOAT

6" x 6"

Oil with palette knives on canvas board

Available

Painting whites can be such a challenge but it really makes you look more closely at the colors you see. Do I see some purples in there? Do I see some pink too? A little warm ochre? Is it warm light or cool light? I painted the background dark to really bring out all the beautiful colors in this cute goat face.

Week 42 Show Your Face

Week 42's Jumpstart challenge is to Show Your Face. This is one that I struggle with a lot. Not only is it a bit intimidating to show your face in photos or videos, it also can be difficult to take selfies or figure out a camera set up that works best.

But give it a go this week. Here is the worksheet.

Summer on Nantucket

The Sand Bar

6" x 12"

Oil with palette knives on board

SOLD

There is nothing better than being on Nantucket in the summertime. On a nice day you can find places like this to have lunch and a cocktail on the beach while enjoying the sailboats and sounds of the ocean waves. Ahhhh!

Here is a photo I took during my painting progress.

Week 41 Go For It!

Sometimes you just have to Go For It! That's the theme for this week's Jumpstart Your Art challenge. Take a chance on something that scares you and make it happen. 

The worksheet is below:

Fun in the Sun

Beachball Buddy

8" x 8" oil with knives on board

Available at the Art Gallery at Patriot Place

$175 Framed

Even thought we are in October now, I am not quite ready to say goodbye to summer. Our local pool had these big beachballs for the kids to play with and I thought they were so colorful and fun. I photographed a little girl with one and I loved that it was just about as big as she was.

More from Chatham

Clammin'

11" x 14"

Oil with palette knives on board

Framed and available at the Art Gallery at Patriot Place

$450

Another classic scene from Cape Cod. We happened upon these three clamming while driving around in Chatham and I knew I had to paint it.

Here are a few close up details.

A Chatham landmark

The Chatham Squire

12" x 24"

Oil with palette knives on Ampersand Gessobord

Available at The Art Gallery at Patriot Place

$450

This is a great place to have lunch and a cold beer while on Cape Cod. It's right on the Main Street in Chatham and has been around since 1968. 

Here are a few close up details.