Tesla Roadster and the Peacock!

Before I get into the story behind this painting, I would like to point out that there are a couple of hidden objects in my picture (as usual!) A lady lying on her side, and unborn fetus, and fighter jet plane, a tesla coil, and a peacock.....
The Tesla Roadster is an all-electric car that can go 0-60mph in 4 seconds. It is a beautiful car and is in competition with many high-end cars out there. I displayed this Tesla different than one would think.
There seems to be large crack in the earth. Perhaps there is an earthquake going on? The driver is going so
fast, he is not noticing the chaos around him and doesn't see the gaping space until he is directly on top of it.
This painting represents what route the future is going. People want "things" in life, material things, like the best houses, the best clothes, the best cars, etc. Many folks are living in the fast lane and need to take time to appreciate the little things. We all have a beginning and an end. At the end, material possessions just really don't matter, because you can't take them with you after death. It's what you do with your life day by day that will leave behind a legacy, whether good or bad. What legacy will you leave behind?
Oh! ......and the meaning of the Peacock? No meaning really.....I just love the colors and thought it would be
fun to add him to this picture..(hidden...of course!)

 If you couldn't find the peacock before, maybe you can find it now!

It's a Fish Eat Fish World.....

It's a Fish Eat Fish World! This painting was one of the most fun times I've ever had painting! Again, I used a beautiful polished Brazilian Agate stone as my center point.

This stone reminded me of an eye, and that's exactly what I used it for. This time, I also added twelve polished shells, which I used for the teeth.If you scroll down a bit, I've included pictures of how I applied the stone and teeth. :)

This was done in oils, and the painting measures 14x11. The stone measures appx 2-1/2 inches high, 4" long and stands off the canvas about 1/4 inch.

I meant for this picture to tell a story.....which is much like the modern world today. Again, the title is "It's a Fish Eat Fish World". The main fish has a beacon light sticking out of his head, which attracts smaller fish (like the little purple fish) close, then he eats them. This is exactly what is going to happen.

However, the smaller purple fish is not a fish at all. It's actually another beacon light from a much larger fish that is going to eat the main fish.

The little fish below is witnessing everything and knows what is going to happen. He is getting out of the way!

I tried to paint a lot of different sea elements and "surprises" in this picture. :)  Hope you enjoy!

 Below are the first stages of this painting......step by step....this was a long process!

Turquoise Arrowhead

This painting is designed around a beautiful Brazilian Agate I picked up a couple of weeks ago.
Agates are identical in chemical structure to jasper, flint, chert, petrified wood, and tiger's-eye, and are often found in association with opal. The colorful, banded rocks are used as a semiprecious gemstones. This stone stood out to me because of the naturally beautiful shape and colors. "Some say" that agate is a good protective stone. This smooth, polished surface Agate, comes from Brazil. The shape and color of this Agate reminded me instantly of an arrowhead. Since I love to create a painting around what the natural stones resemble, creating an arrowhead was an easy decision!

For the Love of Surf!

So.....if you've been following my blog, or even if you've just recently looked at it, you will notice that many of my paintings have one common denominator. The ocean. Something we love very, very much! The ocean can bring peace and a tranquil serenity and it can be natures fiercest opponent! We try to spend as much time by the ocean we can! Whether camping there, or just a simple walk or bike ride on the beach, the ocean is a special place for us! Naturally, when you visit the ocean, there is something that you see very often. From the earliest morning hours, to when the sun is setting, you will find this great group of people there, who also love what they do.....surf!  It is only natural for me to paint a surfer in his element! If you've ever surfed, then you know that there is a camaraderie that surfers share, that no one else would understand. They are true lovers of the ocean and watching them brings back many memories of when I was younger and loved to surf also! If you are a surfer....this one's for you!

Moonlight Rock Under the Sea

Being I love to  incorporate natural stones in my art, I couldn't resist when I found this  polished Brazilian Agate geode. The moment I looked at it, I knew how I was going to create a beautiful ocean scene around this stone.  The stone is about 4-1/2 inches long and 2 1/2 inches high. It protrudes off the canvas, giving a 3D effect that is hard to capture with my little camera.

"Time is Running Out"....

"TIme is Running Out" is a picture of oil spills mixing into waves. Oil spills are ruining our environment.
The ocean is a beautiful creation, as it all the marine life that lives in it. It's a sad reality how this world treats something so important.

World of Marbles

I loved to play marbles when I was a kid! I mean...who didn't? Marbles are so unique! With marbles, you won't find one, exactly the same as another! They each have their own individual design. That's why marbles are so magnificent, whether a "cats eye" or a simply "swirly"! I also tried to incorporate ocean waves (another one of my favorite things)..., creating this world of water and marbles! I hope you enjoy looking at this as much as I enjoyed painting it! 

Back to Reality

I created this painting with "reality" in mind. One of my favorite things to do in life (besides paint) is go on vacation with my family. It doesn't have to be this big elaborate trip half way across the world. Any place away from home can be called a vacation. It's all in who your with, how you look at it, and what you make of it that matters. When we return from vacation, we always say..."back to reality!". So, this is where the vision for this painting comes from. I am in a beautiful setting, and you can see the big city in the background. The beautiful part of the picture is where we want to be in our mindset, but the city is our reality. But, even in the city, with the daily grind of work, work, work....you can make it great! Again...it's all in how you look at it!

Inca King

This whole painting is surrounding a Mookaite Jasper, which is a naturally beautiful and unique stone. When sliced, it reminded me of an Inca King and I couldn't wait to get it onto a canvas and start painting around it! The stone itself measures 5"x 2.3" and lifts appx 1/4 inch off the canvas. The canvas measures 15"x14".

Old Car in November

Well, I finally finished touching up this fun painting! I changed the colors pretty drastically, adding warm

and vibrant fall colors, a stream, and a small bridge. If you look further back in my blog, you will see how

drastically I changed this picture. I just love color. No doubt about it! 

This painting holds a special place in my heart and was inspired by my teacher and 

mentor, whom I will always be appreciative!