Poetry - figurative oil painting, Debbie Miller

36x36 oil on canvas  $2500

It is hot.  Wicked hot.  Good day to sit back with a good book.

Up Next

30x30 oil on panel

nfs Sometimes you just have to do what you love - what speaks to you, what moves you - actually when it comes to painting it should be what you do all the time - it is easy to get off track, to worry about what everyone thinks, to try and please everyone.
 This has been the monster I've been fighting for a while now.
  Until now, until I got back in the studio and just painted - for ME, for the love of painting, for the escape, for the meditation, for THE FUN OF IT. 
TAH_DAH!  painting is fun again and I've got a secret I'll share with you soon about this painting and some of her friends.  stay tuned

March Beach 2, daily painting,landscape,plein air, Debbie Miller

6x6" oil on panel
#2 - oh hello little little beach plein air. - so painting outside when it's 38 degrees IS possible but you better be quick!  my fingers were getting cold.  The simplicity of this one is what I like - plus I LOVE this color palette right now...this would be great BIG - like 30x30 or more- above a couch.  Don't you think?
(It is a little more subdued in person)

Sitting in the Morning Sun - pink,figure,abstract,debbie miller

24"x30" acrylic on panel

 Playing with acrylics today - my painting is turning a corner, evolving, changing.  This more abstract direction is challenging and fun.
 Makes we want to hurry up and paint- more more more - just to see where this takes me.
   It's something to be excited about - bigger-bolder-freer.

 Still holding on to the figure, perhaps a little too tightly.  Let me tell you - this way of painting is not easy! - it is hard to make it look effortless or the way it is in my mind - that is where the fun comes in.  Switched to acrylic because of the quick dry time as I hope to put a nice thick layer of gloss varnish over the top.

Don't worry the other work - my portraits and beach scenes will still be around but peppered in will be more of these.

in the studio

Yellow Headband -B- Debbie Miller,beach scene

20x20" oil on panel  $1200

Lost the man with the red hat for this - it just seemed like clutter.  HERE is the little version.

Wicked, daily painting, Debbie Miller

She is so Wicked.
10x10"
oil

Seriously Mother Nature, what's up?

Little Pitcher - daily painting,debbie miller

 8x8 oil on panel - another very traditional still life - and here is why:
1. Ive been completely uninspired lately, not knowing what to paint and how.  Empty canvas syndrome,self doubt,why bother...the works.
----just plain Burnt Out.
2.  My son asked me to paint this.

-  I had my travel paints still in the car after going to Open Portrait Painting.  (which I love)
Seeing last weeks portrait sitting on the mantel drying, my son asked "How do you do that? Show me" - and well...he is not one to take no for an answer so I agreed.
 - BUT we were the only ones home with noone to paint...so we improvised with the pitcher of flowers.

Got me thinking that it might be interesting to post my process sometime OR make a video - stay tuned!

Nadia - portrait painting,Debbie Miller

10x10 oil on panel
Finally back at the portrait painting.  Makes me happy.  Painting people is so fun.
See more HERE 

So where is that 'sweet spot' - that bit of the painting that is just yummy to me? 
 I've got a few on this one, but if forced to pick just one....it would be the negative space around her ponytail hair.

heres a cell phone photo of the model Nadia - super bad photo but the gist of it is there

Leaving it All Behind

24x24 oil on panel.  $1200

Goodbye Summer.

I love summer, I really do but oh how I can't wait for cool,crisp weather!! 
Come on Mother Nature, you can do it!!

upcoming fall events

FYI - October 15th - I will be at the RISD Art Sale
and the weekend after that my studio will be open for the Warren Walkabout.

nfdp

Swirl Girl - contemporary figurative oil painting,debbie miller

30x30" oil and oil crayon on canvas.
Its hot. 
In my ac-less studio working on a commission. 
Its not so fun today and I find myself drifting off and staring at my 'swirl-girl' dancing on the wall.
She looks cool and happy.
My middle son is ALWAYS strongly suggesting that I go more abstract.  He is right of course.
Dont know if I'll keep on experimenting with the crayon...and I HATE painting on canvas...BUT
more 'swirl girls' are in my future :)

National Seashore -daily painting,debbie miller,beach scene

6x6 oil - oh how I love the Cape Cod National Seashore and those huge sand cliffs

What's Next - daily painting,beach scene,contemporary painting,debbie miller

6x6 oil on panel By Now I am sure my regular collectors and followers think Ive gone completely mad. I know what they are saying - "Where are those little beach scenes we've come to know and love? Where is the representational work - What are those lines? and my Gosh, what is happening to the skin tones!?" There's no explaining it. It's just happening. The other stuff is not totally gone - if you ask, I'd be happy to paint one for you. Its just that right now THESE are rocking my world. I can't seem to stop

Striped towel, beach scene,blue,Debbie Miller

6x6" oil on panel
striped towel
my fave from the week. This one may have to be painted larger too, maybe I'll get to it over the weekend.
Hope yours is a good one - see you monday

Other stuff

More tech stuff :) - check out the sidebar <= on the left Ive added 2 new button thingys (do they have an official name?? or does button thingy work?)

- One is for a tutorial on how I make the panels that I paint on - basic, easy and economical - if you paint daily -they pile up fast! these will at least keep the cost down.

-The other is a link to a flickr group I just set up. - "Do What You Love, February" - a page for the creative group I started on facebook a couple of years ago - to inspire people to tap into their creative spirit and challenge themselves to use it everyday in February
...what better way to get through the mid winter doldrums right?
You are welcome to join the fun!!

OK - back to the easel (my youngest son said "Jeez Mom, I didn't know being an artist means doing so much Other stuff" ....truer words ...)

something Fishy

8x8 oil on canvas
Thank You all that came by the RISD sale! It was sooo great seeing old and new friends!

furlough #9 - contemporary painting by Debbie Miller

30x30 oil - having sooo much trouble photographing these big ones - the photo below has colors better.... Ive been busy huh? :)

Furlough # 3 - beach scenes,contemporary art

24"x24" oil on panel - so vivid in person, having trouble getting the colors right here. These are so much fun, I may never stop ;)

Daisy - beach scene,contemporary

20x20 oil - below is a close up -
bought a bunch of 20x20 canvases today and painted 3 already - pushing things into a more abstract zone, thinking about the negative space and the thick vs thin paint and the drippy stuff too.
Normally the subject would be the thick paint and the background or the negative space...the "ocean" around the subject would be the thinner paint. Today I thought "what if I flipped it ?"

more exploring of this.... enjoying a more contemporary bent and the bigger size

Thinker - oil painting,contemporary,children

oil 12x16 - said I wouldnt touch this in earlier comments but couldnt help it, just needed a little tweeking.

struggling to find my groove and get inspired this winter - especially with all the grim news lately...however, and this may seem odd but that drippy paint and exposed underpainting at the bottom just might be the thing.

It is calling out to be explored - this contrast....

"Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right" - robert hunter