Win a free painting, New Daily Painting Blog by BECKY JOY

This is a new still life that I finished yesterday. I'm not sure on the exact size. I think it is 14x18 (I didn't measure it) It's been a while since I have painted or posted a still life painting. I guess I'm in that mood. I usually get stuck on one or the other for a while. I like all the relected color in this one. Oranges really throw off a lot of reflected light, on the pot, grapes, vase and the tablecloth.

Remember to check out my new blog, http://beckyjoydaytoday.blogspot.com/ I'm posting my small daily paintings on that blog and keeping this one for larger studio works and plein air paintings.

You can be in my drawing for a FREE PAINTING. Check out the new blog to find out how. Then let your friends know so that they can be in the drawing also. I'm trying to build my online business and I can use your help, so let your family and friends know about my blogs.

I hope you all had as good of a Thanksgiving as I did. I spent it with my son and his family in Austin, TX. It was great. Life is good!

Talk to you soon.

Becky

http://www.beckyjoy.com/

http://beckyjoydaytoday.blogspot.com/

Free painting and new blog by BECKY JOY

A new studio painting. This one is 22 x30. I had started painting this after my trip to Montana this summer. I liked the farm and the old school bus, but I wasn't happy with the green field that I had painted. I set it aside and finished it about a week ago, just before I went to Austin. Hopefully, I can spend more time painting and get in a routine. My daughter-in-law fell and dislocated her shoulder and broke her arm in two places. Her mother came to babysit her and the 5 and 2 year old girls. I went last week. It was my turn. I stayed for Thanksgiving and had a great time with the granddaughters and the rest of the family, but it is always good to get home.

I will have the painting on my website: http://www.beckyjoy.com/

I have started another blog that will be dedicated to my daily paintings only. So if you want to check out small, affordable paintings go to: Becky Joy's Day to Day Paintings where I will be posting a new small painting almost everyday. I will be having a drawing once a month for a free daily painting. Anyone that subscribes to my monthly newsletter, becomes a "Blog Follower", or comments on my postings will be entered to win a painting. The more you comment, the more times you will be entered into the drawing. I haven't picked out the painting yet since I just got started, but the drawing will be held at the end of December. So treat yourself to a Christmas present.

Win a free painting, New Daily Painting Blog by BECKY JOY

I have started a new blog dedicated solely for my daily paintings. This blog started as a blog for daily paintings, but has shifted to my plein air painting and studio painting. I have decided to start another blog to keep them separate. Go to my new blog and check it out. I am having a drawing for a daily painting each month. Get the chance to win by becoming a follower, adding a comment or signing up for my newsletter. The more you comment, the more chances to win! For the month of Dec I am only offering the chance to win a painting on my new blog, BECKY JOY'S DAY TO DAY PAINTINGS

southwest desert plein air painting by BECKY JOY

This 9x12 plein air painting is for sale on my website. Click here.

Hi everyone! Well here is one of the paintings from the paint out with the Arizona Plein Air Painters. Of all the sunny days we have here this day was overcast and actually rained while we were eating lunch inside, thank goodness. Since it was a gray day, the painting also has subtle grays. It evokes a quiet peaceful feeling. Most of the group was down below by Saguaro Lake painting at the ranch, but I found it to be too dark. I drove up to the road above where I could have a vista and the sky opened up. I placed the cactus against the sky for more value changes and placed the cholla on the left. The chollas always pick up light in all their needles. They are wonderful when backlit in the morning light. In the foreground is a brushstroke to lead the viewer toward the cholla.

I'm packing for another trip. Pleasure this time, well, sort of. I'm going to Austin, TX to visit my son and his family. My daughter-in-law fell a couple of weeks ago and dislocated and broke her shoulder. She had surgery with pins placed in her two breaks. Obviously, no lifting right now for her, but having a two and five year old makes it difficult. Her mother has been staying with them taking care of the girls. I said I would be the backup and relieve her mom. So now I have to back up my words and get on the plane. Seriously, I can hardly wait to see my granddaughters that I get to babysit. I won't be taking my paints with me this time, because I'll have too much work to do.

I have been formulating a large painting project in my mind lately. I figured that this would be a good opportunity to get my thoughts organized and to get started when I get back. You'll have to come back and see what it is all about. I will be writing about it in my upcoming newsletter, which I'll work on when I get back.

Stay tuned and sign up for the newsletter.

Talk to you all later.

Escalante Plein air painting by BECKY JOY

This is a 12x16 plein air that I painted in Escalante, UT. I have it listed on my website at: http://www.beckyjoy.com

Today I delivered a couple of paintings in Phoenix for the Arizona Plein Air Painters. I met my friend Marla from Prescott there. She brought back this painting from my plein air show in Escalante in Sep.and delivered it to me this morning. I had to leave the show early because I had to get home sleep, wash my hair and clothes then take off for California. I had almost forgotten what this painting looked like, I really liked the brushwork in the foreground. I had a lot of fun painting the chumisa (the yellow flowered bush). I used a toned canvas. You can see the cad red peaking through especially in the foreground.

Yesterday was an overcast day in Phoenix with a little rain. I went out to the Saguaro Lake Ranch where about 30 members of the Arizona Plein Air Painters met for the annual paint out, lunch at the ranch and the meeting. I met a lot of new people, old friends and met some that I had heard about through other friends. It was a lot of fun connecting and finding new people to paint with. I just took photos of the two paintings. I need to crop and size them, then I will post them tomorrow. Today the weather was absolutely beautiful. A little cool this morning, a bit like fall. What passes for fall in the desert.

I needed to get a copy of my bio for the show coming up, but realized I lost my copy on my computer. I've looked through my partially done portfolio and desk and cann't find a copy. I guess its time to write a new one. Not something I look forward to doing, but I guess it has to be done some time. I've been trying to think of subjects to write about in the newsletter that I plan to put out. I'm just not sure what to write.

Well, I'll post tomorrow. Now I guess I'll go ponder a while about what to write.
See ya!
Becky Joy
www.beckyjoy.com
beckyjoy@cox.net

Arizona Desert River Plein Air Oil Painting by BECKY JOY

I made a mistake about yesterday's painting, it is an 8x10 size. This one is 6x8 (I promise). I painted this one in the same location, the river bottom of the Salt River in late afternoon. The brushstokes going through the rocks lead you to the trees across the bank that are lit from the sun. I'm trying to incorporate more loose, leading brushstrokes in my paintings to guide the viewer. This painting is listed on eBay with a bid for $100. To bid on this one click here.

I told you yesterday a little about my workshop last week. The brushstrokes in this painting are more of what I am trying to achieve along with stronger compositions. I'll be going back out to this location on Saturday to paint with the Arizona Plein Air Painters. I'll work hard to use what I learned. I have pulled out my books and rereading them. It's been a while since I have done so, (they were packed away for quite some time.) Carlsons Guide to Outdoor Painting and Edgar Paynes book on composition. Both very good for basic info.

Since my computer crashed this last weekend, I have been starting to retake photos of my paintings. A little at a time. Fun. I'll be back in the studio this afternoon and tonight.

Talk to you all tomorrow.

BECKY JOY
beckyjoy@cox.net
http://www.beckyjoy.com/

Plein air painting by BECKY JOY

Bye Mickey

Hi everyone, Its been a while since I posted. I was in my workshop all last week and then I had problems with my computer. Lost some photos, info, and email addresses. I had previously put most of my photos on CDs, but the latest paintings are not. So I will be photographing again.



The workshop with John Poon was great. Not a lot of new things, but it was presented very well. We talked about brushwork, color, value and composition, changing the landscape in plein air to support our focal point. This is one of the things I need to pursue more vigorously. I make small changes when I'm painting, but I need to take it a step farther and change things a little more to make a more dynamic composition. Use my imagination a little more and use the brushwork to help lead the eye through the painting.



This is one of the paintings from the class, a 8x6. This was painted on the Salt River. Most of the paintings were painted above looking down on the river and the rock cliffs. I've painted that scene many times, so I walked down to the river and painted this one and another. I loosened up on the brushwork and used the rocks in the shadows to lead the viewer back into the painting. John said he was waiting all week for me to start using my brushwork a little more.



The last few days I have been making small value sketches trying to unify more work more and to make more dynamic compositions. In the workshop after discussing things all week, John put up some photos from the locations that we painted at. We discussed what we would use as a focal point and what we would do to change the photo to support the point of interest. I thought that this was very effective in dealing with what we had learned.



Anyway, this painting will be for sale on eBay for $100. I do need to paint out one of the signatures. I noticed I signed it twice. I'll redo this and post it tomorrow along with another painting.



I also wanted to post the photo of Mickey. I didn't find a home for him, but I am going to say goodbye to him. I figured I really never looked at him for the last 40 to 50 years. He was just packed away in a bag. My kids and grandkids really aren't interested in him. As my granddaughter said, "He's scarry!"