Spring cleaning.

From time to time I go through old paintings and drawings, and throw away those I don't want to keep or sell. When a painting is done, it is sometimes hard to be objective, and time will tell if I still like it. Some paintings age with dignity and even if I think I'm more skilled today, they still have charm. I am sure I am not the only one doing this. The amount that went to the trash was 7 this time.

Yellow Iris 3

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Purple Irises is my favorite, but there are many others that are beautiful. This is my 3rd take on Yellow Irises. Wasn't sure if I should go dark or light in the background since the flowers are quite light. This is the end result.

Eggshell abstraction 3

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This my 3rd and for the time being last eggshell painting. After almost excluding all color, I went with some color in the background, so see what happened.

Playful blueberries 2

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I am sure that I am not alone in finding that ones personal favorites isn't always the ones that get most views and comments. And sometimes things that isn't a favorite gets loads of views, and you have no idea why.

Well, this is my last blueberry painting, and is a small variation of the large "Playful blueberries 1" painting.

Early snow

I am still exploring and finding out how I want to do landscapes. Finding the balance between my black line, amount of details and keeping things clean and graphic takes work. Like I said, this one was saved from being painted over. I am not sure if I like it or not, depend when you ask me. There is aspects that I like and others I wished were different.

Blueberries and raspberries 3

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Things doesn't always go as planned. I did earlier (as mentioned) 2 paintings with the theme "early snow" and I wasn't pleased with the direction they took. One was painted over and has become a bad start of a new landscape, which I let go for a while. The other one was going to be painted over today, but my better half stopped me, saying that it was good, so I will save it and photograph it. Instead I went on working on the "bad start", but it looks like it will turn out better than I thought, so keep your fingers crossed.

This post is one of 2 small paintings I did before I left the berry subject. I wanted to try them small and playful.

Purple Iris 12

Can't say that I have mixed things up that much lately, sorry about that, but I tend to stick with things, especially with new things/motives, trying things out. This one is an old and familiar motive, and my favorite flower, the Iris (and my favorite one among them the purple one). I like this one a lot myself, think it's one of my best Iris paintings.

Blueberries and raspberries 2

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Right now I feel my life is content and I am more interested in how some things will work out, than paint. I have never gone to any galleries or those venues to see if there is any chance of doing an exhibition, I should do that, been thinking about doing it.
I do paint, but I don't feel the pressure that I have to post a new painting on my blog everyday, or even sell anything.
I have done some more blueberry and raspberry paintings and this one was actually the 2nd I did, so it is a while back. It is in your face approach, a close-up.

Eggshell abstraction 2

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Back to the eggshells, and after number one comes number 2.

Playful blueberries 1

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Back to blueberries, but not the one I had in mind. This is my latest painting and is my first larger painting for a while. Considering that the painting is 15.7" x 23.6", these are some serious big blueberries. Not that the ones on my first painting was smaller, but this one is more complex.
I am sure there is blueberries that are more blue than black, but the ones I bought is more black than blue. I played with the subtle colors, and the painting is almost black and white, with a hint of color.

Eggshell abstraction 1

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I am not over blueberries yet, but thought I post this one, mix things up. After I did the eggshells for a DPW challenge, I had some more ideas that I wanted to try out, this is one of them.

Until a year ago, I wasn't much for using color. I never used colors like red or yellow, and if I did, I mixed the colors with a lot of white and black. Now my paintings explode with colors, so it is fun to go back and do things like this one.

Bell pepper 1

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I didn't buy this due to it's wonderful shape and character, but I found it in my fridge when I was cooking dinner, and I had to photograph it and paint it. The process did delay my cooking, but I love the painting, so it was worth it.

Blueberries and raspberries

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Well, this is a first, have never painted blueberries or raspberries. I thought these berries would be appropriate for this weeks DPW's "The Paint it Before You Eat it Challenge", so I gave it a go. It is always a challenge to simplify something, but I have to admit, those raspberries scared me.

Purple Iris 11

SOLD

I was suppose to post this earlier, but here it comes instead. It is a simple Iris painting. I tried to make it lively, but still simple.

Dark cherries

I was suppose to post another painting, but I changed my mind while writing this. Right now I got two directions I might follow. The one I started with the "eggshells", or this one, going more dramatic and dark. Have to see which one I will follow.

Eggshells

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This is my take on this weeks DPW challenge "The White on White Challenge". Initially I didn't think I do this one, and it didn't trigger any inspiration, but then I though, what the heck, lets go for it and do a quick attempt.
Naturally I got inspired doing it and I took it my way, and created an black and white world with a hint of color.

4 Persimmons

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I continue the path of "getting back into it". I like painting Persimmons. I love the shapes, colors and the shine they have.

World Of Big Peppers 4

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This is my first painting I have done after my not attentionality break. A blank canvas can be so scary and it is hard when everything you do look like "s--t".
My intension right now is to do things I like doing, and have fun with it, play with it. So no masterpieces, but at least I will have fun and that is more important.

Well....... "I am back".

This one has been a little bit scary. Sure, a year ago I would just think that it was normal, and I wouldn't paint for several months or years, but since I really have giving it all my attention the last year, I was worried that I lost the drive. I worked and failed with 2 larger paintings (tried to paint forest with early snow, but wasn't pleased with the result. I have also had a lot to do regarding getting things together with the company that I have given a license agreement to, going through photos of paintings, buying a new camera and rephotographing some to get better quality photos. I am very curious what it will look like and what will come out of it.

I will do a lot of 8" x 8" or 12" x 12" paintings with things I am familiar with, so I really get painting a daily drive and passion again.