My favorite Flower picture

This is one of my favorite flower pictures.

I like the colors the shapes and the contrast.  I have been sick lately so I haven't posted much.  Sorry about that.  I hope you enjoy this picture as much as I do.  Have a happy New year and I hope this year will bring positive changes in your life.

Bobby Mulnix

This is my friend Bobby.  He would have been 52 years old this month.  I recently found out that he died twenty some  years ago at the age of 30.  He was a dreamer and worked all his short life to become a pilot.  He accomplished his dream participating in a short lived career.   He died in his sleep.  The coroner said it was a heart attack.  No drugs or abnormalities were found in his body. He was tethered to this earth for such a short time then flew off to be were he most wanted to be a dreamer in the clouds of our passing.

This is a watercolor pencil painting on canvas approximately 12" by 16".  The painting will be given to his mother as a gift of my condolences for the loss of her son.

Reflections on a pond

Reflections on a pond are always so beautiful.  I love the water and the colors of this painting.  Some times things just work and this just feels like it works.  It is a 12" by 16"  watercolor pencil painting on canvas.   I woulds love to sell it.  It would be matted in a 16" by 20" matte.  I would charge a mere $125.00.  I need the money for Christmas.

Pretty in purples and pinks

I love painting water.  It makes everything in my mind feel surreal.  Maybe it is the mirror image or the color. I do not know.  This is a water color painting on canvas.  I did not use the pencils because of the need to be more free with the colors.  Hope you like it.

Fall Flowers

I saw these flowers originally at  Mary Free Bed.  I really liked the arrangement.  So I painted it.  Again this is more of a fall looking painting.  Hope you like it.  It is a watercolor pencil painting on canvas.

Fall Flowers

This is some type of fall flower I painted from a picture a friend of mine took.  I really liked the colors and how it turned out.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Again, it is a water color on canvas picture.  The original picture was taken by, Emily Hansen.

Water Color Water Lilly

This water color water Lilly is a 16" x 20".  It looks pretty translucent to me.  I used no water color pencils on this work.  I did the technical work with a brush rather than the pencil.  Don't know if I like this or not.  Oh well you be the judge.  It feels strange not being in  Art Prize this year.  I like not having the stress but still am struggling a little with my inability to participate because of the stress.  Well I guess it is the way it is.

Changing Colors

Fall is on its way.  I am not real thrilled about this but I do like the colors.  This is a watercolor painting on canvas.  I like the red and orange leaves.  Hope you like this picture too.

David Warsen, Navy Seal

This is a watercolor painting of a young man who died in Afghanistan a couple of weeks ago in a helicopter crash. His name is David Warsen.  His funeral was yesterday.  I had decided to paint this picture for his parents a a momentum of my appreciation for their ultimate sacrifice.  I brought it to the funeral and left it with one of the ushers.  I hope they received it.  What a nice looking young man who gave his life so that we can live the way we do.  I hope my random act if kindness makes a difference.

Baseball Fan's

I have been going to our local Whitecaps games with my grandson lately.  We have had a great time so I decided to paint a few of the guys pictures.  This is Nick Avila a right handed picture for the Whitecaps.   He is number 20.  In the photo I got of him he has mustache and little goatee.  He pitched the night I took the picture but I did not have a real good shot of him.  The next time I saw him it was cut off.  Oh well this will have to do.  He looks like his cousin, C. Alex Avila the catcher of the Detroit Tigers.  I happened to talk to him at a game and he was asking about the pictures I had given to some of the other players.  He was so nice I decided to paint one of him.  He is a year older than his cousin.  He was very nice to talk to.

   This is a picture of Ernie Young the manager of the Whitecaps.  Every time I have photo-graft him he has a very stern face.  Ernie has been coaching the White Caps for two years now.  The Whitecaps are a farm team for the Detroit Tigers.  I have truly enjoyed to games this year.  Both of these watercolor paintings will be given to the people they represent,

The dogs in my life.

The first dog on the page is Boo.  He is a friend of mine.  He belongs to some friends who I have known since kindergarten.  She is a real dog lover and this is another of the many dogs she has cared for.  I painted a 12 by 16  inch watercolor painting for her of this friendly little dog.  I hope she likes it.

The second dog is Bubba Corn-dog. he is not friendly until you get to know him well or take him for a ride in your car.  He is a strange little critter.  This is another friends dog.  She is also a dog lover and is involved in dog rescue operations.  This is also a water color painting on canvas.  This friend received the painting last week end and loves it.  It makes me feel good that the work I do is appreciated.

Thank you again for looking at the pictures.  Feel free to give feedback it you like.

Elaine

Sparta Art Contest.

This Watercolor painting on canvas was entered in the Sparta, Michigan Art Competition during Sparta days.  It won first place.  I am honored by this as it is very infrequently that I even get noticed.  I am not good with the politics of the Art World.  I do not know the common speak.  I struggle with the receptions and with the language that is spoken their.  This is not to say I have not found some good people here.  It is that I just do not feel I can make it here.  I am struggling with myself and my identity at this point.  I am struggling even with painting at all.  I do not know how to get over this.  I will post only occasionally and am sorry I can not be more consistent.

Simple but nice.

Simple but nice.  This flower is a very simple but nice portrayal of both color and light.  I liked the purple and periwinkle as well as the blends of green.  I know it has been a while.  I am hitting a wall I have not had before.  I will try to continue to post but forgive me if it isn't always regular.  When my mind gets back I will again try to be more regular.  In the mean time enjoy.

Festival of the Arts 2012

This picture is called the Buds.  It is the second of two pictures that have gained entrance into the Festival of the Arts 2012.  I had two rejects for the Competition.  The other one than won and entry was Eye of the Iris.

These two paintings are the rejects.  Who knows how the entries are chosen.  Since as an artist I pay to enter I think it only fair that I get some feedback on this.  Things such as crappy lighting or looks like you messed up the lighting.  I would actually appreciate this as I still have know idea of what makes a good painting.  My mentor seems to always like my work as does her husband.  Others who have seen my work also seem to like it.  But I just don't know.  I like my work but then again it doesn't seem to sell and I am not in any galleries.  I have chosen not to get into Art Prize so that is an attempt to just paint for painting sake.  I think I am still messed up in the brain when it comes to the art world.  I think I am a slow learner.  Again I work with Watercolors on Canvas as well as the Watercolor Pencil.  I have been doing this for the last 4 1/2  years.  

Festival of the Arts 2012

This is one of the paintings I entered into the Festival of the Arts this year.  I call it the Eye of the Iris.  It is a water color painting on canvas.  The fine lines continue to be done with watercolor pencils but I am beginning to use more and more of only the watercolor and brush technique.  It just feels more 3 denominational to me.  The festival of the Art's takes place in Grand Rapids, Michigan  in the first full weekend of June every year.  This year the Art will be able to be viewed at the old Grand Rapids Press building.  I was able to enter 4 paintings we will see if any are excepted for the competition.

Lane Cooper

This is a watercolor painting of one of my good friends.  He has been a very positive influence on me.  He also has been the victim of a closed head injury and suffers from headaches.  He is an artist  and works with recycled material.  He creates sculptures.  He also had work in the Mary FreeBed show as well as was in Art Prize with me in 2010.  He makes me laugh and is good for my soul.

Dancer

This little dancer is a very determined young lady.  I knew her father from Discovery Alternative High School.   Her father recently passed away and I recognized her at the funeral.  Both her and her father loved to dance.  I hope she will continue her dancing as I feel it will bring her closer to the memory of her father.  May God bless her and keep her close

Spring Buds

Well last week it looked like spring. The tree's were budding and flowers were popping. I was able to take some time to get a few photo's for painting later. It is now very cold so I hope we don't loose all the flowers. Well this is a 16" by 20" watercolor painting on canvas. I do enjoy the flowers. I did this painting without the pencil and used watercolor paints in a tub. Enjoy.

Young dancer

This is a 16" by 20" watercolor pencil painting on canvas. I am doing a little experimenting with back grounds at this point trying to get more movement in the painting. Don't know it its working but I think it makes the picture more abstract with reality based figure. I would appreciate any feedback you have for me.

Thank you for viewing.

I know it's been a while but I have been very busy with the warm weather. Now that it is turning cold again I will try to be more consistent.

Proud Native American

This little guy was so proud of himself at the Pow-wow. His bright colors were amazing. This is a 16" by 20" watercolor painting on canvas. The picture was taken about 2 years ago. I am experimenting with the back grounds. Hope you like it.

After much thought I have decided not to enter the Legacy Prize contest this year. I will not enter Art Prize as a result of this. It is just too much for me and I am taking a year off.

I will be in the Mary Free bed show this year and look forward to it.

Mary Free Bed Contest.

This is one of three pictures I will be entering into the Mary Free Bed art show. There is another one of Zack looking at some flowers with binoculars and then the one of the wizard of oz that was done for Art Prize 2009.

I am struggling right now with my art and I don't know why. I am definitely hitting a mental block of some kind. I have decided to sit out of the Legacy Prize contest this year as well as Art Prize. I just can't get up the energy to get out there. We will see how this goes as time passes.

Little Dancer

This is a 16" by 20" watercolor pencil painting on canvas. I found a bunch of my old pictures and decided to paint the pictures. This little girl looks so determined and reminds me of my grand daughter when she dances.

Today we have had 8 people from India who have visited the sight. Welcome and come back soon. We have also had 3 from the US, 1 from France and 1 from New Zeeland. I wish I could meet the people who happen upon this blog. That would be so cool. Hope you all come back!

Native American Dance.

This young woman was dancing at one of our local Pow-Wow's. She was so intense and into the dance that it was enjoyable to see her enthusiasm. I had started working on this about a year ago and then for some reason abandon it. I enjoyed coming back and finishing it.

I also wanted to note today that it never ceases to amaze me at the audience that this blog a tracks. This week I Had visitors from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Latvia, Slovenia, Australia, Spain, Pakistan, and Singapore. In addition to this week for the month the Countries of Russia, India, Netherlands, Canada and Egypt were also people who stopped by. I hope all countries enjoy this work. I always welcome visitors and hope that you will feel free to leave comments or join other followers of my blog.

Again thank you all for stopping by.
Sincerely,
Elaine J. Hoogeboom

Sgt. Michael Keith Ingram Jr.

This is Sgt. Michael Keith Ingram Jr. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2010. I had painted a picture if Mike for ART Prize but had given it to his father as he was the only person I was in touch with at the time of the contest. During the last weeks of the competition I was befriended on Face Book by his mother who was divorced from his father. She was also having a very rough time in her life with the loss of her son. Shortly after that she lost both her sister and nephew who were shot on there porch at home. I can not imagine the grief this woman has touched.

I decided to paint this picture of her son and give it to her with my sympathies. Again, this is a 16" by 20" watercolor pencil painting on canvas.

Music to my Ear's

This Painting was done for a contest at the Art-Defined

web page. ( http://www.art-defined.com/index.html ). As a child this young lady was a very prolific musician at a very young age. This night in particular she was suppose to be getting ready for her bath. Instead she ran to the piano and began playing. The two albums on the piano at that time were Ricky Scages, Highways and Heartbreaks and The Southern Fullman Furay Band, Trouble in Paradise. Frustrating as children can be this somehow puts it all together. This is a watercolor pencil painting on canvas. Hope you enjoy.

Hibiscus Flowers

Hibiscus flowers are flowers I have tried to grow in my back yard for several years. I usually get one or two and then nothing. These are two of them that grew side by side. I enjoyed painting them and the various colors they produced. I hope you like it. Any comments are welcome.

Swan 2012, Mary FreeBed, Art Clash

For all those who do not know this is a watercolor painting on canvas. I enjoyed painting this swan because of the shadowing. I am looking at pictures to submit to the Art Clash Show as well as the Mary Free Bed show. I really like the Mary FreeBed show. These people are so supportive and I see a lot of the disabled artist that I don't see any were else. They are so excepting and supportive. It is the only show that I really look forward to. Art Clash is also a good show. It is a small town show that is a people voting contest. It is in Wayland, Mi. at The Brew coffee shop. I was thinking of putting this Swan in for my admission. We will see.

First Painting of 2012

Well here it is. The first painting of 2012. The actual picture was taken on Christmas. This is a painting of my son and granddaughter. My grand daughter is what you call a girly girl. All dressed up for Christmas with a bow in her hair. To show support my son also put one of the bows off the presents in his hair. She was so happy about this. It's the small things that really count. I didn't want t cut off the picture so the right side on the bottom is just a touch up in the paint program. Oh well you get the idea. I will give this picture to my grand-daughter for her bedroom.

Happy New year!

Happy New year! Hope this last year was a satisfying and good experience for all of you. I must say the strain of painting the portraits of 19 people last year has taken its tole. I am struggling with painting anything right now. I don't know if its because the snow is coming or that I am frustrated with the lack of sun and am getting depressed. This is the first time since I started painting that I haven't painted in a week. I have had some pretty terrific headaches. I think this may be because I am again trying to practice listening and speaking again. I don't quite know what I am doing with it but somehow I think it is important to something inside me. I hope it doesn't turn off my ability to paint I will have to test this out. I had a good holiday with the grand-kids and they also stayed over on New Years Eve. They do make me laugh. Zac told me today that he does not want to take pictures this coming year for the Art Contest that we enter together. He want to paint something for it.