Godiva

Diane Mannion, GODIVA, 3.5x2.5" oil on linen/mounted, 2014 Snippet #1

HAPPY NEW PAINTING YEAR NEWS!

Warm wishes for the best year ever to all my friends and family.

Once again, (third time!) I made the commitment to paint 30 Paintings in 30 Days along with Leslie Saeta's group in January.  But since that promise, lots of opportunities have come up... therefore, I'll paint a much smaller, 3.5 x2.5" or Artist Trading Card size.  

Also known as ACEO (Artist Card Edition and Original), is an art form collected around the world.  My 2013 Snippets Series almost sold out (gifted a few) across the US, Canada, Europe, and even Russia.  

All January 30/30 Snippets will be auctioned through Dailypaintworks with bidding starting at 50 and free shipping.

Great way to use up my world's most expensive linen scraps.   It's also a terrific way to practice painting techniques, experiment, slow down and fiddle, or paint faster.  These small paintings are like practicing dance steps or keys on the piano... an artist's workout session.

I know I'm a day ahead here, but my work doesn't show up in the online galleries until tomorrow.

 

 Warning... More horn tooting:

*Two of my paintings have been accepted into the Punta Gorda National Show. 

*And another into the Women Painters of the Southeast Show.

*My painting, Rachal's Five, which won the Bowles Award for Outstanding Portraiture, Punta Gorda VAC, Greatest Hits show... also won the PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD!  

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

Harry

Diane Mannion, HARRY, 10x8"oil on canvas

This painting is a Dailypaintworks Facebook Pick of the Day!

Punta Gorda VAC Portrait Group

Delightful morning painting with the Punta Gorda Visual Arts Center Portrait Group!  Harry was an excellent model, too.   It's a pleasure painting from a live subject... never happens when working from photos.  Although I snapped a few reference photos, didn't want to touch it up, has the loose feeling of a plein air study.  Pleased with it.

Rachael Is Five

Diane Mannion, Rachael is Five, 24x18" oil on canvas, NFS

Bowles Award Winner for Outstanding Portrait

AND
PEOPLES'S CHOICE AWARD!!!!

Warning: Lots of horn-tooting ahead!

Last night this painting won the Bowles Award for Outstanding Portraiture at the Greatest Hits Exhibition in the Punta Gorda Visual Arts Center.  All the paintings in this show had won prizes in previous shows.   Rachael is Five had a ribbon from the Venice Arts Center and had been exhibited in a Punta Gorda National Show.

This is the second Bowles Award for my portraits, first was for Mahogany Woman which also took top prize in the Woman Painters of the SE exhibition at the Corse Gallery, Jacksonville, Florida.

 Diane Mannion, Mahogany Woman, 20x16" oil on canvas, Sold

Artist note:  Here's a link to the Rachael is Five demo. 

Dazzling Surf

Diane Mannion, Dazzling Surf, 9x12" oil on linen, plein air

A Dailypaintworks.com FB Pick of the Day!!! Yay!!!

This painting juried into the Women Painters of the SE, 2014 Show!
Great Morning

Painted on location this morning with my artist buddy at Caspersen Beach, Venice.  Close enough to the surf to feel a cool splash now and then.   Pulled the easel back a few feet away from the incoming tide.

"How lucky we are!" we said, thinking of folks up north dealing with ice and snow. 

And as if the morning wasn't perfect enough, this Great Blue Heron struck a pose right next to us!

Use With Steam

Diane Mannion, Use With Steam, Snippet #28, 3.5x2.5" oil on linen

SOLD

Antique Vicks Jar

Love painting jars, especially this one because it has my favorite colors, teal and ultramarine blue.  Found this tiny antique in shop near San Antonio last year.  Painted it before as Snippet #2.  Holding on to #23 until the paint dries then will put it up for auction.

Even though I tell my students to never ever put their fingers in paint!   Couldn't resist just one touch in the middle of this one to lighten the value.  Do what I say not what I do.

Snippet #2 from last year. Sold

ON EXHIBIT NOW

I have three large paintings on exhibit at the Punta Gorda Visual Arts Center, GREATEST HITS SHOW, all winners from past shows... December 9-26.

Charleen

Diane Mannion, Charleen, 8x10" oil on linen

Portrait Practice

Charleen is receptionist and office staff member at Ringling Englewood Art Center.  Her delightful personality greets folks at the door... lovely young woman.  She posed during the painting class I was teaching, unfortunately only for two twenty minute sessions, wish it had been a few hours longer.  This had to be finished from iPhone photo reference later.

Portraits are the most difficult subject for any artist to tackle.  Not much room for errors, everything has to be precise to capture a good likeness.  If it's off, it's really jumps out.  Landscapes and still lifes are much more forgiving.  But great skill sharpening practice for any artist!  

KC

Diane Mannion, KC, 10x8" oil on linen

PORTRAITS

Fun painting portraits for a change and letting the plein air, fast and speedy technique creep in.  This is KC, director of the Ringling Englewood Art Center who was nice enough to pose during the painting class I was teaching.  Only two short, twenty minute sessions though... only enough time to do a quick sketch.  Finished from iPhone photo later.

KC's photo of my unfinished painting and her empty chair.

Paint Away!

Fresh Wind and Morning Market

 Diane Mannion, Fresh Wind, Snippet #27, 2.5 x3.5" oil on linen, studio

Diane Mannion, Morning Market, Snippet #26, 2.5x3.5" oil on linen, plein air

A Couple of Snippets

Fresh Wind started while teaching a class about the benefits of painting small once in a while.  These small studies are similar to thumbnail sketches, done with paint instead of pencil or marker.   Great way to experiment without a lot of time or materials invested.  They are painted with left over paint from other projects, and scraps of Claessen's double oil primed portrait linen (too pricey to waste!).  

Once dry, I mount them to boards.  A project for next week's class that I plan to photograph and promise to post.  Stay tuned.

Morning Market was painted this morning at the Englewood Farmer's Market while sitting next to Jacobina Trump... fabulous artist, check out her work.   We found a spot in the shade and had a great time capturing the feeling of the place while chatting with tourists and other folks.

It helps to change subjects, medium, working sizes, and brushes to keep yourself challenged.  I often tell my class... if you can control a tiny space like this... it sharpens your skill for larger works.  

These are the ATC Artists Trading Card standard size, 2.5x3.5"sometimes called ACEO... Artist Card Edition or Original.   There's a world of collectors out there for these.  I've sold them all over the States, Europe, and even Russia.  I've sold enough scraps to buy another roll of Claessen's linen and a few more tubes of paint!

Paint Away!

Assael Medium

Diane Mannion, Assael Medium, Snippet #20, 3.5"x2.5" ACEO, oil on linen

SOLD

New Snippet Series

A collector charmed me into painting a few more of these little gems for my Snippet Series.  

The first batch is almost sold out. 

They're painted on canvas, paper, or linen and mounted on board.  A great way to use up those spare scraps and extra paint.

I want to give my Snippet inspiration credit to Duane Keiser,  for his Oddiments.  Check them out!

Delightful working small today after finishing a 40x30" canvas.  Although I have painted these jars fast as an exercise... ten minutes each, I allow myself to take as long as I want with the Snippets.  Some take as long as an 8x10" plein air study, a couple of hours at least.  

I love to linger while painting... the longer I look, the more I see.

An artist friend gave me this little jar filled with a sample of the medium used by Steven Assael,

another fabulous artist to check out!  No, I haven't tried this medium.  I'm happy using paint from the tube and a speck of linseed oil once in a while.

Just noticed, the first time I painted this jar as a snippet...sold to a woman in Russia!

Purchase or auction information will be posted soon.  

Or contact me directly via email (dianemannion@yahoo.com) for special requests or commissions.

It's A Shore Thing

Diane Mannion, It's A Shore Thing, 40x30" oil on canvas

National Show Entry

Finally finished one of my entries for the Punta Gorda National Show!  Have two backup paintings ready also.  Don't know why so many deadlines happen around the holidays.

Painted on top of an old one that was never finished.  Thought it would be easy... not!  Had plenty of reference material, plein air studies and photos, but this was a struggle.  

Not only is this painted on an old painting, but I kept changing it and during the process, estimate it's three or four new paintings thick.  Kept getting it and losing it.  I could see what I wanted in my mind but achieving that vision was almost impossible.  Maybe the next one.  

Simply had to stop and let this one live.