day 30...

Coming home tonight after my friend, a great digital artist, show opening, it took me quite a long time to create a 'collage' of my paintings :), so... I really didnt' have time to paint today...:(   Hopefully, tomorrow I can create my last 'masterpiece' for this challenging 30paintins in 30 days challenge!!
Here's my collage. Finally (after 3 saved attempts :), it looks pretty cool!
I placed a large painting 'Bridge to Hope' (48x36) in the middle of the collage, cause it was my biggest painting during this 30x30 challenge - time, effort, and size wise :)
There're 2 more paintings that didn't fit into it, but it's OK. I like how it looks now :)
Here's the collage. Hope you'll enjoy it, too !:)

Day 29...

Today I did a small painting, but forgot to bring it home... Duhh! 
So I'm posting another painting that I re-worked quite a bit because I didn't like how the sky came out in a first place. It's a 'Sky Flower' that I made a few days back. After changing the sky I had to change the landscape a bit too, because a new sky didn't work with an old mountains, etc... 
So, here it is - a 'Sky Flower #2' :)

'Sky Flower #2'  2013  Acrylic, canvas 14x11

day 28...

I can't say that I'm good with boats (like Leslie :), I have a few painted but mostly from a distance... Decided to challenge myself, and... here's a boat. Just a simple boat in a sea...

'On a Leash'  2013  acrylic, canvas  12x12

Day 27...

Today I've worked on my yesterday's painting and... now the title is 'A Very Independent Cat', and it took me quite a while to come to and implement this concept...:)
Today I didn't create a new painting per ce, but... I don't think it's 'cheating' since I've improved my yesterday's work and also learned quite a bit about cats! :)
This photo is OK, but the lighting on the left under the tree is incorrect... Still have to make a better photo with a day light.

Here it is -

'A Very Independent Cat'  
2013  Acrylic, canvas  20x16

ORIGINAL SOLD!
Available in prints, giclees , etc.  - Please go to 
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-helen-kagan.html   THANK YOU  :)

day 26...

Of course! The very last minute I posted my today's creation... Literally there was 2min left to post :) 
I have to make a better photo tomorrow, do more highlights and shadows, and most likely will add a couple of people... or maybe just one... have to decide tomorrow, am falling asleep - it's 3am on the East Coast! :)  Definitely have to switch back to oil... Acrylic is of course easier and much more convenient, but... I LOVE OIL!!!
Working title: 'NIGHT STREET'                                             
2013  Acrylic, canvas 20x16

'Night Street'

 

 

Day 25...

Today's painting is somewhat unusual ... Can't even say what exactly is unusual, perhaps in a way how I was creating it - having no particular idea in mind, just following the colors and playing with a palette knife...:)

'COLORS'  2013  Acrylic, canvas 14x11

Day 24...

Finally... I painted WINTER!!!
Wanted to do it for a long time... We don't have a real winter in FL :) I definitely don't miss cold, and I totally enjoy walking in shorts and T-shirt all year long, but... I do miss snow a lot!  Being born and raised in Siberia (Russia), I can't forget even the smell of snow... not to say how amazing it looks and feels when it's snowing!!! Maybe another painting will be about snowing :)

OK. This one came out bigger... Honestly, I'm really sick of painting little ones - really a big challenge for me! What I also found out it's that I really don't like squares!! I have a hard time with 12x12 - the format that I initially chosen for this '30in30' challenge. So... I decided that since I am in control of my own challenge, I can change the rules :). Thus, I am painting bigger! 

'Crispy Gold'  2013 Acrylic canvas 20x16

Day 23...

Continuing 'sunset' theme...:)
A simple cute painting 14x11 'SUNSET 5'.  Enjoy :)

Day 22...

OK :) It might be considered 'cheating' since I didn't make a new one for today but only worked on the previous one that just didn't feel right... It survived quite a few modifications and perfections... - can't believe that this little one took such a long time to do!!  Now, I'm satisfied with it :)  
Too bad though, that you can't see on the photo the textures 'running off' of the canvas in a couple of places - it creates additional 'movement', and I really like it! :)
The title also changed. Now it is -
'MYSTIC MOON'   2013  Acrylic, heavy textured, canvas 14x11

See you later tonight with a new one :)

Day 21...

This painting I've been working on for several days on and off... Still feels sort of unfinished...? It's very very textured, you might not see all the texture in the photo. At first I felt that no other colors besides the different shades of purple, is needed. But then, I decided to make it a sunset instead of just an old big tree at night... 

The title still is 'An Old Tree at Night' :)  2013  Acrylic, canvas 14x11

day 20...

Today is just one...:(  Wanted to make two, but... didn't happen ;)

JUST COLORS.  2013 Acrylic, canvas 14x11

See you tomorrow!

Day 18...

As promised, I created 2 paintings today :)  Was very excited to get back on truck!!
Somehow I felt like painting skies... And different things on the bottom :)

#1. SKY FLOWER   Acrylic, palette knife, canvas 14x11

#2.  SUNRISE   Acrylic, palette knife, canvas 12x12    

See you tomorrow! :)

Day 10 through 16...

This is what I've been working on the whole week!! For a few days I tried to do both, my big 'Bridge to Hope' and my little ones for '30in30' challenge... Didn't serve the purpose at all! No fun and too much stress...
This is the final product that will be donated to the Hospice in Stuart, FL.

 'BRIDGE TO HOPE'

2013  Acrylic, Mixed media, canvas  48'x36'

day...?

OK. Now, after I finally finished my 'Bridge to Hope' (a really big one - 48'x36'!) that I am donating to Hospice, I am making a new decision... Starting tomorrow, to catch up with my '30in30' challenge I am going to do a 'double challenge' - create 2 paintings a day...  Not sure how and if I can accomplish that at all, but I am up to this new challenge :)

Today's one was born as a 'BEAUTIFUL MORNING'  (acrylic, canvas 12x12 )
It is beautiful, isn't it? :)

Day 9...

...I had to make a conscious decision today...  For the next few days I am not posting any new small paintings for a '30in30' challenge! My BIG project I'm currently working on - a 'Bridge to Hope' 48x36 painting that I need to complete in a few days - occupies my whole being... Besides the fact that it equals 12 small paintings! (by size :), it is also very powerful and consuming by its nature (donation to Hospice...).  It does require my undivided creative attention on a spiritual, emotional, mental, physical and energetic levels... i.e my whole 'holistic' being is completely involved in this 'Bridge to Hope' work. Thus, painting anything else at the same time does not feel congruent with its purpose.
I thought about posting each stage of daily completion of the "Bridge to Hope' for my '30in30'challenge, but... it doesn't feel right either. I tried to do both - work on my BIG project and paint small paintings daily, but... it's too exhausting and takes away from both.
So... my decision - the '30in30' challenge is to be continued as soon as I complete my 'Bridge to Hope' ( I just need a couple more days :) C U soon!

For now, just posting another one of my very recent works for you to enjoy :)  "Hurricane1"  2012.  Acrylic, canvas  36x24

Day 8...

This one is my favorite so far.. Lots of movement in stillness... :)
'Quiet Passion' . 2013  Acrylic, canvas 14x11

Day 7...

I started this painting 2 days ago, yesterday I finally finished a textured one (took a long time to dry the layers...!) So today I finished the 'Sunflowers'... Seems like I have to wait for better days with the heavy textured technique - it's way too humid in S. FL now... :)  And, it looks like I went through quite a process with this one too...! I started with a brush - didn't like it, then - switched to palette knife, then wasn't sure what to do - whether continue with a palette knife or brush... ended up using both! :) And I like how it came out... Hope you too ! :)

Sunflowers.  2013 Acrylic canvas 14x11

Day 6...

I'm posting today for the Day #6. Even though I did paint it yesterday but had to re-do it a few times!! Texture just didn't dry enough so the next layer of paint and even of varnish I applied while it wasn't completely dry, screwed up the painting every time I tried to work on it ... Ahhh ! Having quite a challenge with my 'texture' - it's very humid now in FL! :)  Today I also I made a couple of texturized surfaces for the next paintings so it can dry better overnight. Guess, one day this week I'll have to make two paintings in one day to catch up! :)
OK. This one continues my 'textured water theme'. I kept a bit on the bottom and on the left of the photo uncropped so you can see better the 'corals' running off the canvas :)

Corals.  2013  Acrylic, Mixed media, canvas  12x12

Day 5...

OK. Day 5 of the 'challenge'...
 Today I've learned something new.... I learned that I really like painting landscapes in an old-fashioned way (which I consider quite 'trivial') ... and that doing it is much less challenging and more enjoyable that working with heavy texture on a small size works. Hmmm... interesting :)

This new painting (which I really like BTW :) came out as a substitute for the one I planned yesterday and started to make today... The one, actually two 12x12s, that I prepared in texture, didn't dry out enough (again! :) to make a painting in a decent hour... Also I ran out of 12x12s and didn't want to break the creative flow and go to the store :)  So I painted this one instead. On a different size canvas (14x11). In an old-fashioned way... My favorite impressionistic - expressionistic style. One of my favorite themes - flower fields and mountains. No additional texturizing, just several layers of acrylic paint... And colors!! And I love it. Hope you, too :)

Beautiful.  2013 Acrylic, canvas 14x11

Day 4...

Finally... Did what I wanted to do for a looooong time! A simple yet heavy textured sea theme. Loved doing it!! Will probably develop this technique further and make many 'simple themes' with it :) Thanks to my great friends and great artists, Denise Justice, Francis Mesaros, and Horst Mueller, who use heavy texture in their wonderful work. That gave me inspiration to develop mine. 
Hope you'll like it too! :)

Sunset 2.  2013  Acrylic, mixed media, canvas  12x12

Day 3...

Well... This one is not the painting I was going to make, but... the texture I applied on the other two canvases in preparation to paint the one I wanted didn't dry enough at the time I could paint... :)  
So... I decided to just paint. Not what I planned. Just paint. This is what came out.......

Sunset 1    2013  Acrylic, canvas 12x12.
See you tomorrow. With the 'textured' one :) 

Day 2...

Continuing with the 'Fall' theme :)

Autumn 2
Acrylic, canvas 12x12

Day 1...

...After some long contemplation about what to paint, with what media and tools, size of paintings etc., the decision was made when I started to paint... it's always the case, right? Definitely, in my case :)
Decision: for this '30in30' challenge I will be painting abstract landscapes, small size canvases 12x12, acrylic paint, maybe texture, palette knife, maybe brushes, and... my very own techniques I use with large oil paintings. Will be quite challenging to work on a small scale and with acrylic, but... I am up to this challenge! :)  My new 'studio', a very comfortable space I just made a couple of weeks ago (converted my new garage and finally organized all my art supplies there :), is quite serene and very inviting to create!!

OK. Here we are... My first creation of the '30in30' - Autumn 1 
2013  Acrylic, canvas  12x12

All paintings of this new '30in30' collection will be available for sale.
Please see my site www.HelenKagan.com  or my FB page https://www.facebook.com/helenhealingarts . I will also post them in a few on-line art stores (later :)

30 Paintings in 30 Days...

I have just joined the "30 paintings in 30 days" challenge!!! You can see it here: http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/2012/12/thirty-paintings-in-thirty-days.html

Beginning tomorrow, January 2, 2013, I will try my best to paint and post every day for thirty days :) Below is one of my latest creations - "Eternal Dance" - Acrylic, Mixed Media canvas  40x30

Now I will try to make small size paintings... 1 per day... Quite a challenge!!!
See you soon :)

www.HelenKagan.com