The Feather Collection Painting in OIL

 

 

  "The Feather Collection," 8"x 10", 

oil on canvas, (available on etsy)

There is something truly beautiful and magnificent about feathers...hoping to get a better photo up once we get a bit of sun here in Michigan...paintings always look better up close & personal! (*Linking this post to Smiling Sally's Blue Monday :)
Also! Be sure to enter my painting GIVEAWAY here!

Robin's Nest with Eggs Painting in OIL by LARA

Not exactly turquoise and not exactly Tuesday, but I'm an artist...I need some flexibility :) This piece is available on etsy.

I'm No Longer Afraid of Blue...

For a long time I have avoided using some colors in my work for fear that I would make an absolute mess of something I had spent hours on, but I finally took the plunge and added a bit of blue to this black Lab. It may not be so apparent in the photo, but there are subtle hints of blue in some of the highlights and doggone it, it just works! And I have to say I'm really lovin the nice light brown of the blanket and the bit of brown in the eyes...both seem to complement the blue just right! If you are interested in having a pet portrait done feel free to contact me!

Mother's Day SALE on etsy...Original Art, the perfect gift

With Mother's Day right around the corner, I thought it might be nice to put some items on sale in my store on etsy in honor of all the Moms (or Mums:) out there! There are also some Itty Bitty Bits of Pretty in my store as well!

A Super Yummy Giveaway! & More...

Be sure to head on over to Nancy's Daily Dish for a super yummy, giveaway! You can enter to win some homemade cookies from the Sweet Cheeks Bakery! How good is that? Also, there is a super CSN Stores.com giveaway at My Cottage Charm!

 And I just thought I'd show you one of two commissions I am currently working on....both Black Labs. I've been experimenting with using a bit of blue for the highlights and I have to say I am lovin it! It feels so wrong, but I reckon it looks so right! :) Have a GRREAT weekend!
(*Reminder! I am currently taking Pre-Orders for the upcoming magazine, HOLIDAY with Matthew Mead...order now & save $)
Linking this post to:
Feature Yourself Friday

Love Landscapes? You Will Love This Artist From Montana

As some of you may or may not know, I am not only an artist, but I love to look at and collect other artists' work as well. I happened to be browsing some of the art listings a couple months ago on ebay and came upon a listing by Taylor (TJ) Lynde with a quote that caught my eye...it said something like 'Be true to your work, and your work will be true to you'. Loved that, it's something I need to remind myself daily... I decided to probe further and discovered some truly beautiful landscapes that he paints in the open, plein air style. He paints in such a way that you feel as though you were right there beside him. I've never been to Montana, but heck his paintings make me want to go there! I've chosen a few of my favorites to share with you here. To learn more about TJ Lynde visit his blog, and be sure to check out his listings on ebay.

Mother's Day Gift Ideas & PRE-ORDER Matthew Mead's HOLIDAY Now & Save $$

 (Pre-Order Matthew Mead's HOLIDAY Magazine

NOW in my store on etsy & save $$:)

Looking for some great gift ideas for Mother's Day?...or perhaps a little something, something to spruce up your home? Take a look-see at my store on etsy for some new Giclee Prints and Original Oil Paintings. Art, the perfect gift...don't you agree? :) AND you can also PRE-ORDER Matthew Mead's HOLIDAY Magazine (144 pages) now in my store on etsy and save a bit of $$ :) Not only with the issue have some awesome designers, art/artisans, but it will have such guests as Stephanie Nielson of the Nie Nie Dialogues & artist Mary Engelbreit!

Turquoise Tuesday...a New Blog Adventure!

"Ocean Breezes," 9"x 12",

oil on canvas, (available on etsy)

"Bows on Her Toes (the Remix)," 9"x 12",

oil on canvas, (available on etsy)

So I decided recently to start yet another blog...true, I need another blog like I need a hole in the head, but humor me and take a look-see :) at Turquoise Tuesday!

Moo-oo!...Black & White Cow Painting in OIL

"Black & White Cow on Farm," 16"x 20",

oil on canvas, (available on etsy)

A bovine friend I met on a trip awhile back to North Carolina.

The flowers are more colorful than they appear and the sky has hints of baby blue among the white clouds....paintings always

look better in person! :)

It's Official! I will be a part of Matthew Mead's HOLIDAY!

I can't say a great deal more than I will be designing something special for the upcoming issue of HOLIDAY with Matthew Mead! I'm such a fan of his amazing work, 

as well as Linda MacDonald of Restyled Home, 

and was also thrilled to find out 

that Nie Nie(Stephanie Nielson) 

  

NieNie Dialogues

 will be included in the issue as well!They are taking PRE-ORDERS NOW and if you order either today or tomorrow you will be entered into a wonderful GIVEAWAY of one of the flower holders below! So hop, skip, & jump on over today!

Some Gift-giving Ideas for Mom

I was recently contacted by someone from CSN Stores.com and invited to look thru their site which includes over two hundred different stores and find something I might like to review. They have everything from speaker stands to fancy chandeliers. I thought it would be fun to find something for Mother's Day to review. It was a difficult choice as they have so many beautiful items to choose from 

such as this beautiful rug by KAS:

or this gorgeous duvet set by Eastern Accents:

 I finally decided on this...a beautiful set of  French Home Gourmet glasses by La Rochere:

 Be sure to check back in a couple of weeks to find out what I thought of this set, and more importantly,

what my Mom thought of this set!
**UPDATE! These awesome glasses arrived yesterday and my Mother LOVES them (as do I!) They are not only beautifully made, but you can use them for everyday or for a formal meal...and my Mother pointed out that you could easily use these when serving desserts as well! Be sure to check out the many great stores at CSN!

My Entry for the Canine Art Guild Exhibition

"A Golden Touch," 5"x 5",

oil on canvas panel,

$125(available, contact me)

This is my entry in the Canine Art Guild's 'Dog Gonn-It Art Exhibition' celebrating its' 5 year anniversary. Be sure to stop by and cast your VOTE for your favorite pup painting & feel free to share this post with other dog lovers! If you are interested in having a pet portrait done, feel free to contact me to book one in today!

I Made the Front Page!!

Yes, I know yesterday was Easter, not Thanksgiving, but my Mom gave me these old news clippings from when one of my drawings made the front page of the Novi News...circa 1978, I believe I would've been 6 years old :) I probably won't add this to my list of credentials, but it's a pretty neat keepsake for sure!(*my drawing is the one at the top...a Pilgrim and Native American)

Wishing Everyone a Truly Blessed, Family Filled Easter!

Busy as a bee at the easel with commissions, but I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a truly, blessed Easter! :)

"But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him." ( Matthew 28:5-7)