Debi McSwain Daily Paintings

Some People Have Their Act Together and Some Don't

2011-04-29T08:08:00.001-07:00

Here is a quote from a Facebook friend:
"I'm at the DMV and the woman next to me is wearing Jack Daniels jammies. Some people make me feel like I have my act together."

Wow! Has It Really Been That Long?

2011-04-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that I haven't posted in 17 months. A lot has happened, but mostly I finished taking care of Grandpa back in March, 2010. He went to live with his two daughters up in Oregon. As grandpa was leaving however, we purchased another ranch property about a mile away from our old house and spent over 6 months rehabbing it. We added an arena and barn and changed the driveway and entrance and gutted the house down to the studs. It's pretty much completed now. I'm really ready to get back into my painting. I have lots of canvases, plenty of paint and my own cabin/studio on the new ranch. Here's a photo of the four horses turned out to pasture on the new property.

Four (5)

2009-11-10T13:26:00.000-08:00

I finished another in the "Four" series a couple of weeks ago. It's been drying down at the barn. I don't really have anything to add. It's not my favorite one and it's a little smaller than the others. The horses look a little like how I feel - weighed down with responsibilities. Now that this one is finished I can start on the first one of three very large canvases that I purchased.

The Black Sheep

2009-10-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

Fourth in my series called "Four" - This one is interesting. The horse on the far left is at odds in color, tone and light vs.dark value with the other three horses and your eye struggles to find a resolution. The resolution seems to be in the strong turquoise background. A sort of resting place. Sometimes life is like that. We have huge conflicts about how we feel. The trick is in the resolution. 40" x 30" oil on canvas.

Four (3)

2009-08-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

I did the underpainting for this last year. How wonderful to finally get back to painting! We hired a great lady to help Dan and I take care of Grandpa, so I'm going back to my painting. This one is 36" x 48" oil on stretched canvas.

Molly

2008-12-15T12:03:00.000-08:00

Can you believe how long it's been since I've painted or posted? This one is for Lynn's sister who recently lost her black lab Molly.

Pablo

2008-09-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

I have some friends who lost their dog in March and went with them last Sunday to the animal shelter. I saw a chihuahua mix who was so much like Joshie (my little dog that died from old age in January) that I went back later that day to interact with him. I talked it over with Dan and Grandpa and on Tuesday I adopted him. The Escondido Humane Society.

Four 2

2008-08-23T17:51:00.000-07:00

Here is the second in a series of paintings called "Four" - It's been over a month since I've painted, but I think it was worth the wait. The models for this series are the four horses that I keep here at my place. Oil on Stretched Canvas 36" x 48" I slammed my finger in a stall door last week so I have a broken index finger on my left hand and my fingernail is a mess.

Check out my new web site: http://www.mcswainfineart.com

Texas Painted Bunting

2008-06-24T15:39:00.001-07:00

Hi All,
Here is my painting of Jean Levert Hood's photo of a painted bunting. See her blog This is a large oil on canvas 40" x 30" - painted with a palette knife. I took a little artistic license with the tail to balance out my composition.

Sky Hunters

2008-06-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't gotten around to painting this month yet, but I'm getting ready to do a large painting of a tiny bird called a painted bunting. I just wanted to say that the group where I serve on the board is having a general meeting this Saturday and it's all about raptors. If you live in the San Diego area, come join us. Get all the details at http://www.hellholecanyon.org - See you there!

Four

2008-05-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

I finally was able to paint this large piece. Last week I sketched it out and I have been painting it for the last two days. I painted it for my personal collection to have as a record of my four wonderful horses. From left: My four year old - Fierte, My 15 year old - Cody, My 5 year old - Vinnny, and My 10 year old - Georgia. This was so much fun to work out the composition and do the under sketching. I took each horse out of its stall and sketched it one by one to capture their unique shapes and personalities. After the drawing was finished, I was worried about ruining it when I painted it. Oh well. I just dug in and painted it down in the barn. I'm happy with it and I will put it above my fire place when it is dry. Oil on canvas 4' x 3'

Cornie

2008-05-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

Father Bob Cornelison died on April 23rd and we went to his memorial last Saturday. This is my interpretation of him. He had very striking hands, and a loud frequent laugh. I've never heard so much laughter at a funeral service. He often wore colorful sashes and wore one the day he married Dan and me. We found out at the service that his colleagues called him Cornie. We love you Father Bob. You are already greatly missed.

Oil on stretched canvas 24" x 48"

Iris

2008-05-05T12:04:00.001-07:00

I was surprised and happy to discover that today was a painting day. These two pieces have been sitting on easels in the garage waiting to have color added. Today was the day.

Lot for Sale

2008-05-05T10:15:00.000-07:00

The town of Seligman, AZ a stop on old Route 66

A photo of the property

I'm selling my 2 acre lot in Bridge Canyon subdivision in Seligman Arizona. It's a beautiful piece of property. The elevation is about 5,600 feet. It's a level lot with beautiful pinon pine trees. Nice straight dirt roads to the property about 6 miles outside of Seligman. No other improvements have been done. You can dig a well or put up a 2,000 gallon water tank and have water delivered. I was told by the county that electric is nearby or put in solar. $10,000

Iris

2008-04-20T19:06:00.000-07:00

I have gorgeous gigantic purple iris blooming in the yard now for the second year in a row. My neighbor gave me the bulbs a couple of years ago and I planted them and forgot them. Last year I had a few blooms and made a nice painting that quickly sold so this year I wanted to be sure to paint them again. One is a commission for a neighbor and the other one will be available. Here is the underpainting so far from this morning. They are both quite large pieces - one is 40" x 30" and the other is 40" x 24"

Dancing Monk

2008-03-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

Well my sister pointed out to me the other day that I haven't painted since March 14. It's true. I've sat down to paint a few times and nothing came to me. I just felt blank. Yesterday I worked with my collage materials. I never made anything or glued or painted anything, but a few arrangements intrigued me especially an Asian looking lady with an oversized upside down butterfly on her head for a sort of cap. I sat down to paint today and the dancing monk came out. It's very large 4 feet by 2 feet. Oil on canvas with a limited palette - orange, yellow, green, and brown. Now off to the doctor with Gpa.
2' x 4' oil on stretched canvas.

Shipwreck

2008-03-14T09:55:00.001-07:00

A fast and loose piece because I have to ride, get to a horse show in Del Mar and then get back and ride another colt before dark. I dropped this canvas and got paint on the carpet. See what happens when we get in a hurry? 8 x 10" oil on canvas panel.

Is He Cold?

2008-03-12T16:58:00.000-07:00

This painting is called Is he cold? It's about my little dog Joshie and his trip to Paris. When we went to the rotisserie chicken store to buy our dinner, the dog would shake his whole body from head to tail. One evening the man asked "Est-ce qu'il a froid?" and I replied" Non. Il a faim." Is he cold? No. He's hungry. That's what's written in french on the painting. It's very large. 36" x 48" Painted in 2000.

I finally got my inventory site pages together. I'm happy that the procrastination is over. Be patient! .mac is a little slow. There are nearly 100 paintings available for sale. Not all of the prices and sizes are complete, but I'm publishing it today anyway. I hope people start buying my paintings now that they can see everything that is available. I need $1,200 towards Fierte's new saddle. Thanks in advance.
Debi

The Following

2008-03-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

I made a few little changes to this one. I added some human footprints and some water reflections on the horses and changed the color of the orange horse. I like it better now. My black colt is the right age to fit him for a new saddle. The one I really need and want is $2,200, but Dan doesn't want me to spend that much. I will have this saddle for years and years, so I need a good one. If I raise about $1,200 from selling my paintings, I'll feel better about buying it, so I'll be working on a web page where I will inventory every one of my available paintings. I hope this gets my sales going again.

Glory of Horses

2008-03-09T11:47:00.001-07:00

Today's painting I finished with the Glory of Horses project in mind, but I'm not that excited about his painting. I did an underpainting with brushes and then went over it with a palette knife. It's 20" x 16" inches on gallery wrapped canvas.

A crop shot of the horses in the rear.

The painting I finished today reminds me of this painting (bottom) that I did of horses on my trip to Montana. This is a large piece that my neighbor now owns. I think it is about 40" x 18"

Maybe I used to be a better painter. What do you think?

2008-03-04T19:53:00.000-08:00

Maybe this daily painting thing has reduced that quality of my painting.

Storm Warning

2008-03-04T19:10:00.001-08:00

Here is a fast loose seascape. I had to take Gpa to the Dr. today for an MRI. They wanted to check his brain for stroke damage to rule out Alzheimers. I guess if it's alzheimers they can give a medication now to slow it down for two years. He got in there and they put some hood or helmet on him and he got scared and furious and told them to take it off and he wasn't having the test. Oh well. I don't blame him.

Seahorse

2008-03-03T08:37:00.001-08:00

A whimsical piece painted this morning with a palette knife using one of my sketches from earlier in the week. This isn't for the Glory of Horses project. That one is a little more ambitious on a 20" x 16" I felt like warming up this morning on a 5" x 7" canvas panel. These palette knife pieces take a long time to dry but I've noticed that they look better and better as they dry.

I've Been Sketching this Week

2008-03-02T18:36:00.000-08:00

I've been sketching instead of painting this week. Here is one of the sketches that I'm working on for the Glory of Horses Project companion piece. Dan today took a very nice photo of my black colt and I. We are starting to work together now and it's a lot of fun. Not as scary anymore.

Tribal Sun - Tony's Collection

2008-03-01T23:38:00.001-08:00

I haven't painted this week. Too many errands to run and Grandpa is getting bored and restless and had to go to the doctor for his blood pressure and knee. He got a shot of cortisone and different blood pressure medicine and is doing better now. He had is 90 th birthday today. Here is a painting that I did last year for a friend of mine in San Francisco. It was a series of three. His web site: Faster Barnacle - He's got a fascinating story. I hope you check it out.

Beach Day

2008-02-26T17:22:00.000-08:00

Gpa and I went to the beach today. I am trying to fit my colt with his very own saddle and I had to return a few to a shop in Del Mar. We drove over to watch the waves and then had a nice lunch at The Beach House in Cardiff where you can sit practically on the waves and eat. This picture was taken at the little park at Fletcher Cove in Solana Beach. He said he hadn't been to the beach in years, so it was fun! The news said the waves were huge yesterday. They have gotten smaller today, but there was a continuous swell.

Stoic

2008-02-25T10:49:00.000-08:00

I'm very happy with today' painting. It shows that stoic quality found so often in the retriever breeds. 5" x 7" oil on canvas panel. $45 includes shipping

Happy Birthday Mom!

2008-02-24T13:48:00.001-08:00

It's my mom's birthday, so I'm sending her these two paintings. The floral is a large 36" x 18" and the other is a little 6" x 8" that I took the time to make a funky metal frame for. I patinaed the metal and then rubbed on three different colors of acrylic paint to make it look kind of grungy. I hope she likes it. After all she says she's my number one fan.
No new painting today because I made the frame and am getting these ready for shipping along with a belated birthday present for my sister. Happy Birthday Mom. Happy Sunday to everyone else!

Ready

2008-02-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

I took a photo of the paint colt the other day because I liked the way he looked alert down in the paddock. I tried to capture that look of alertness and his ready to go attitude. This is a very textured fun little 5" x 7" painting. The top photo shows the changes I made today. It's very cloudy, so the photo has glare, but I will probably change this some more tomorrow.

A Horse of a Different Color

2008-02-22T11:41:00.001-08:00

See! Maybe that collaging/mixed media stuff is helping my painting. I'm pleased with this one today. It's a large piece 36" x 12" with gallery wrapped canvas 2" deep. The model for this one is my black colt Fierte. He's a 4 year old and we are currently both learning dressage from Jo Moran. Monday is going to be his first trailer ride over to my trainer's ranch.

Trailblazer

2008-02-21T12:24:00.000-08:00

Today I got a chance to work with another mixed-media piece. This one was made using acrylic paints, thin copper sheeting, a stamp and a word cut from a magazine. I call it trailblazer. I don't know what I think of the collage pieces, but I do think it may help me in my painting, but I'm not sure yet. I changed this today (2/24) - I can't keep my hands off of this piece. It's better now. This is the new photo.

New Online Marketing

2008-02-19T16:04:00.000-08:00

O.K. Here is my update with new online marketing news:
I'm trying an auction on http://www.artandcraftsauction.com - see my donkey painting.
I signed up with an auction on ArtByUs: I did this the other day (the quail)
I signed up for FineArtAmerica
Lastly I signed up for EEBSQart, but don't have my artist's site for that one yet.

A Day of Marketing

2008-02-19T09:46:00.001-08:00

I'm putting on my professional face today and will be spending the morning working on online marketing. I'm told that I can't just paint all the time. I have to spend time on the computer marketing. O.K. Point taken.

Everything is going great with Gpa. We have a 1:00 T-time to play 9 holes of golf today, but it is drizzling, so we may have to postpone. I'm going back to work now.

Lazy Sunday

2008-02-17T18:48:00.000-08:00

It was a lazy Sunday and I painted a small picture of a daisy, but didn't finish it. I got busy with something else and will finish it in the a.m. before tomorrow's painting. If I even get to a painting because all of the neighbors are off for the holiday and they want to go on a group trail ride around 10:00 or 10:30 and my coach comes at 3:30, so a busy day. Gpa's knee is swollen. He over did it this week I guess, but at dinner I asked him if we could play the 9 hole course about a mile down the road and he said if I wanted to try it, he was up for it. We'll keep an eye on the knee. The neighbors do have a golf cart. That should help.

Wonderful Assemblage Pieces

2008-02-16T19:15:00.000-08:00

I picked up these funky assembled pieces on Etsy. I've got an old rusty square wild wiggly antique car springs thingy that I found on the trail and I'm going to hang them from it. I've been trying to dabble in assembled pieces myself, but it takes so much time because I'm not used to it. I keep falling back on painting. Oh well. Check this artist's Etsy store.

I've Got a Message for You

2008-02-16T09:43:00.000-08:00

My little dog Maggie is becoming very important around the house now that Joshie is gone. She keeps Grandpa entertained and curls up next to him on the sofa. She also politely puts her paws up onto our legs and looks intently into our eyes. Grandpa asks her "Have you got a message for us? " - Cracks me up! I'm going on a quick trail ride with a neighbor in about a half an hour and then going to the driving range with Gpa and then at 2:00 I'm going to a horse message demonstration at another neighbor's ranch. Big day. Grandpa's blood pressure is down to a less dangerous level. Maybe he likes it here!

Mrs. Bess McSwain

2008-02-15T14:22:00.000-08:00

I took Grandpa McSwain over to the driving range and we hit a bucket of balls. I'm not a golfer but he's a good teacher. He's been golfing for about 74 years. He started caddying during the depression when he was 13. I'm having some anxiety. It's a big responsibility having him here and he still asks to be taken to his home in Palm Springs. I have to distract him. Lucky his short term memory is gone. Soon he forgets that he wanted to go home and we have a snack or ice cream or he falls asleep sitting up in the chair. I guess I'll get used to him in a short while. Yesterday it snowed all day, but didn't stick on the ground so we couldn't go outside at all. We took him out for Valentine's Day last night and then to Dan's office. I think he enjoyed it, but his memory is very spotty. This morning he didn't remember that we went to Dan's office and then on our way to the driving range he mentioned it. It's bizarre. This piece is a large oil on stretched canvas to match the one of Mr. McSwain. 24" x 30" I told him I'm going to hang them in his room and he said " I'm not going to be here" and I said "oh" then he said " I keep on saying that and then everyone objects" so I said "we don't want you to go" - He said "I have things I have to do at home" - and this is how it goes. He is adorable though.

Mr. Ralph McSwain

2008-02-14T11:34:00.000-08:00

A large portrait of Dan's Grandfather. I asked him if I could paint his picture today and told him I'd take a photograph of him so that he wouldn't have to be bored stiff while I painted him. I included the round breakfast table in the portrait. He looks a little sad here, but that's to be expected because he just lost his wife of 71 years. I may darken the background a little later. Large stretched canvas size 24" x 30" oil paint.

California Quail

2008-02-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

Last night was the board meeting for the Friend's of Hellhole Canyon Open Space Preserve I decided that once a month I would paint a subject relevant to the preserve and donate the proceeds to the organization. Currently we are campaigning to raise funds to add land so there is more room for wildlife and native habitat and more trails for hikers and horseback rider. Please investigate their web site and feel free to purchase this painting. 100% of the funds will go to the Friends of Hellhole Canyon organization. Thank you. Oil on masonite panel 8" x 10" $48.50 - includes shipping.

The Third Bag

2008-02-12T22:23:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the bad lighting in this photo. This is the very latest that I have ever photographed and posted. Here is the third of the three planned iris bags (See Dec. 30 and Feb. 4 posts). I'm glad to have them finished. I picked up Grandpa McSwain today and it went way better than I had expected. He is relieved and happy to be here. We went out for a hamburger on our way home and stopped at the grocery store. With packing him up and unpacking him and going to my Friends of Hellhole Canyon Board meeting tonight, amazingly I still had time to finish this bag this morning and to ride two horses this afternoon. I'm pleased. Two of the bags are already spoken for and I may be selling the third on etsy, but I have to see which one my neighbor chooses, then one of the other two will be sent to the frozen north.

Problems of Abundance

2008-02-11T12:19:00.000-08:00

Another attempt at mixed media. Did you ever really think about your problems and notice that many of them are from having too much stuff, too many interests, too many people in your life? I said I was getting tired of the blank white tidy canvas. I wanted to make something more rustic. Here is the cardboard blue jay painting from last week. I cut out the bird and used acrylic gel medium to attach it to a piece of barnwood that I found on the trail. I added a driftwood branch with a bell dangling from it, a little mirror trimmed in copper tape with a seed pod and sunflower seeds attached to it, lots of little glass "rocks", a sunflower seed pile and another seed pod hanging from the bird's mouth. What else could a little bird possibly need? $40 Approx. 13" x 5" includes shipping

Finishing Some Things

2008-02-11T12:14:00.001-08:00

Yesterday's mixed media dried a little better than when it was wet. I touched it up a little with prussian blue and I'm moving on. mixed media 5" x 7" $30

This oil on cardboard never seemed finished, so I stacked it onto two more sheets of cardboard and painted it and when it dries I'm going to make a metal frame for it. I love to paint on cardboard, but it just seems so unfinished. Today I found a good use for my cardboard paintings.

RUN for the roses.

2008-02-10T15:21:00.000-08:00

I don't think today was exactly the right day to try some new techniques, but I woke up like I was on crack or had a severe case of ADHA. So many ideas, so little time and all this craziness. I decided to drink some coffee because don't they give kids uppers that have ADD? Anyway this is my first attempt at collage/mixed media. Canvas panel 5" x 7" - It's not dry yet so it may change tomorrow and I may change it when I come to my senses. I didn't get a fourth of the things done today that I wanted to do. I haven't even ridden any horses yet and it's 3:25. Oh well. Outside I go. Better late than never. We do what we do and that's all we can do. This piece consists of: Oil paint, acrylic paint, paper, lace fabric, crayon and colored pencil. Ha! No price yet because I don't know if it's finished. Somebody tell me something.

I Don't Know If I Can Paint Today

2008-02-09T15:53:00.000-08:00

We went to visit Dan's 90 year old Grandpa today in the "home" and he said he wants to come and live with us at our little ranch. We said o.k. and are going to pick him up Tuesday. Dan and I really feel that he is so much more with it and active than everyone else there. He said he is miserable and bored from the monotony of the place. I still have to do my horse chores today, so I don't know if I will get to the painting. There is Grandpa McSwain on the right after Grandma's funeral two weeks ago tomorrow.
Debi

Things That Go Bump in the Night

2008-02-08T11:09:00.000-08:00

I had a sleepless night. My big Hanoverian colt was so maniacal yesterday. I felt he was being quite dangerous with his antics of trying to get his own way. I woke up at two a.m. with anxiety, and then I remembered my little dog is gone and it started to snowball. I got up and had a cup of tea and connected with people via the internet and things got better. I'm grateful that my trainer is coming today. She gives me helpful advice and can see from the ground what is happening. "Things That Go Bump" is 6" x 8" oil on canvas panel. $40 includes shipping.

Mockingbird

2008-02-07T11:03:00.000-08:00

I thought it was a day to paint a big canvas, but all that white space seemed menacing. Here is a Mockingbird - some people call them catbirds - on an old rustic piece of wood that I collected out on the trail. I rode the colts for the first time in two weeks and brushed the hair and mud off of all the horses yesterday. I think I pulled a muscle near my shoulder blade. Sometimes I feel like one of those old rodeo cowboys, but somebody's got to ride the colts or they won't grow up with a proper education and that spells a very bad life for a horse. If they grow up wild and uncooperative, they could be sent to auction or the glue factory. It's a responsibility that I take seriously.
This painting is oil on rustic barn wood approximately 17" x 7" x 1/2" - $45 includes shipping.

California Blue Jay

2008-02-06T17:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I met with a friend for a chat on her deck and these two blue jays came to the table and we gave them pieces of crackers. She said they come all the time. They were so friendly and gorgeous that I was inspired to paint one. She lives less than a mile from my house, but I guess the Jays don't come here because of my cats. The mocking birds come because they aren't a bit afraid of cats. They love to taunt and torment them. Hey! That gives me an idea for tomorrow's painting. 5" x 7" original oil on recycled cardboard. $20 includes shipping.

Sun Beam

2008-02-05T11:56:00.000-08:00

The cat likes to sleep in the sunbeams in the morning. I think he's a little obese, but I read in the newspaper today that obese people and smokers aren't a drain on the economy in the long run because they don't live as long. Smokers live to be 77, obese people live to be 80 and the rest live to 84. So live it up! I'll have the banana split! $35 includes shipping and handling.

Still Dead

2008-02-04T11:34:00.000-08:00

A little art therapy. Joshie is still dead. I call him and he doesn't come, but Maggie came yesterday when I was lying on the couch and called Joshie. For some strange reason I feel better when I call him. It reminds me that he is dead and he's not coming back. Helps me move on and helps my brain realize he's gone. I really like this painting. It fits my mood today. $45 includes shipping.

Iris Bags

2008-02-04T11:32:00.000-08:00

Here are two finished bags from two of the iris paintings that I did last month. The third one is nearly finished too.

Finished Quail

2008-02-04T11:26:00.000-08:00

Here is the finished bird that I started a couple of weeks ago. It's on a flat piece of canvas because I'm going to make it into a bag.

Chickadee

2008-02-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

Another wet day in sunny San Diego. I cry for my little dog less and less often as the days pass. No matter how much I cry, or wonder what I could have done for him, he is still dead. That is the way of life. It all ends in death. I'm not saying this to bum anyone out - on the contrary - celebrate now while we are alive! We're going to visit Grandpa McSwain today while he is still alive.
Chickadee - 6" x 8" Oil on canvas panel - $45 includes shipping.
SOLD

Gerber Daisy

2008-02-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. I didn't get to paint for a week because I had family in every room in the house. Here is a little gerber daisy on a 5" x 7" canvas panel. I haven't cried for my little dog yet today, so I think I'm making progress. The young woman that comes to ride a horse once a week fell off today and got the wind knocked out of her. I hate that. It's like falling off a moving ladder. Everyone falls off of this mare. I don't know why. She's got a super smooth trot, but a rough canter. Lindsey lost her stirrup today and just as she was regaining her balance, the mare switched leads and off Lindsey went. If you'd like to purchase this painting, it's $35 that includes shipping. Thanks for visiting.

Goodbye Joshie

2008-01-30T14:33:00.000-08:00

I'm very sad today because my little dog died the night before last. He got sick last week and Sunday he became critical and the vet did everything she could, but I brought him home and he died. We had a nice funeral in the yard and laughed and cried about him. We don't know how old he was really, but the animal shelter where I got him said at the time that he was at least 2. That was 11 years ago. He was the best most attentive dog I've ever had.

Most of my family has gone back home now except for my daughter and I will be taking her to the airport tomorrow morning. I've got a canvas out, but it's getting late and I don't know if I will be able to paint today I've still got all of my horse chores to get to.

Rainy Day

2008-01-27T09:54:00.000-08:00

It's another rainy day in sunny San Diego. Everything's wet and muddy. Here's a little bird in the yard interested in a fallen rose petal. No painting today. I'm going to a movie with Dan and his brothers.

Bess McSwain

2008-01-26T08:19:00.000-08:00

I won't be painting today. I'm going to Bess McSwain's memorial service in Palm Springs. She was a nice Grandmother - in - law. Here's a picture of her with her husband Bill and their dog Sissy taken a few years ago. She and Bill celebrated their 71st anniversary last November. Goodbye Bess - We love you.

Mouse

2008-01-25T13:09:00.000-08:00

This little folk art mouse is for the Nibble Fest Art Contest on E-bay on the 20th of February. The theme for February's contest is "Rodent". I did a similar little mouse on a cardboard box a month ago and I wanted to paint another one. It's oil on a solid wood block that measures 3" x 3.75" x 1.5" thick. The sides are painted blue and the top is painted pink. The piece is made to sit on a shelf or mantel and might be good for a baby's room. Look for it on ebay on February 20th.

Cat Nature

2008-01-24T13:13:00.000-08:00

I didn't know what to paint today and as I sat on the couch holding the cat and thinking about things, he reached out and bit me on the cheek. Here is a close up of him. I am fascinated by the color of his nose and eyes, so I like how this came out. Look at the stubborn set to his little mouth. 5" x 7" oil on stretched canvas. Sides are painted and it is ready to hang. $45 includes shipping.

The above painting reminds me of this large canvas that I painted of the same cat several years ago. It's oil on stretched canvas size 24" x 30" I think it was painted in 2003 or so. If anyone wants to buy this one it's $250 and includes shipping.

Painting Slump

2008-01-23T18:15:00.001-08:00

Hello Friends, Collectors and Family,
I'm in a slump again. I can't paint my way out of a paper bag anymore. Maybe because I had beef for lunch. I had a french dip sandwich over at Harrah's casino with a couple of girlfriends. I painted two disasters and one that I may be able to keep working on and get something. Two are scraped off and drying to make an interesting background for more paintings and one I'm going to work on more later. Do I dare post that? No because I want to get into the Daily Painters Gallery at Dailypainters.com - They said they're going to jury me in February. What if they see bad paintings and they don't let me in? Here is a photo of my paint colt last Saturday getting his feet trimmed. I may make a painting - Farrier - soon. Vinny - the colt - is 16.1 hands and 4 years old. I raised him from a 3 month old baby and may be selling him in the Spring when he sheds his winter coat and is a little more finished under saddle. He turns 5 in May. I broke him myself and have been riding him dressage for a about a year now. You can see a video of me riding him last September at http://gallery.mac.com/debimcswain#gallery I'm sure we have improved since the video was taken. My neighbor is going to video me on the colts again as soon as the rain lets up. Thanks for hanging in there with me and reading my blog. Debi

Quail

2008-01-22T14:05:00.000-08:00

A stylized quail oil on canvas to be made into a handbag. We have a days respite from the rain. It's supposed to rain Wednesday through Sunday so I have to get out and exercise the horses while I have some daylight left.

Horse Woman - Under Construction

2008-01-21T13:12:00.001-08:00

Hello. It's a rainy day here in San Diego. That gives me a chance to catch up on indoor work like painting, housecleaning, and working on my Friend's of Hellhole Open Space Preserve duties. My job is to find corporations that will donate funds to purchase property in order to expand the preserve for wildlife habitat. I better get going with that. If anyone knows of any corporations who are into donating funds for environmental groups, let me know.
Today's painting is a little different for me. I said I wanted to get into abstract and suddenly I find I'm getting into surrealism. Oh well. My mind and my art don't always coincide - in fact they never coincide! My right brain refuses to co-operate with my left brain. When I was in Palm Springs a few weeks ago I saw a bronze sculpture with the body of a woman and the head of a horse. I was delighted, so here is my version. I put her as decoration for a Native-American looking piece of pottery. I kind of like it. 8" x 10" oil on masonite. $45 includes shipping and handling.

Swami's

2008-01-20T12:29:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday I went to Encinitas and watched the surfers at the spot known as "Swami's" - I studied this piece of poplar wood and saw a horizon line with little surfer "knots" in it. Approx. 24" x 5.5" oil on poplar wood. $40 includes shipping.
Last night I watched "Grizzly Man" the story of Timothy Treadwell who studied Grizzlies in Alaska for 13 seasons until one finally ate him and his girlfriend. Today we were going to hike out to the place where I rode yesterday, but I woke up at 3:00 a.m and decided I wouldn't go except on horse back. It's too remote and I don't want to get eaten by a mountain lion. The last grizzly bear in this area was shot near where I live now and I know there are still lots of lions out there.

Two years ago I was hiking in Orange County in Laguna Canyon with my little dog and we were stalked by something. We heard something crunching the leaves behind us and everytime we stopped the crunching stopped. We hurried home and three days later a neighbor spotted a mountain lion up behind our back fence line where we had been walking. A couple years later a jogger was killed by a mountain lion in Orange County.
SOLD

Tattoo - This painting is being finished off

2008-01-19T17:41:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to slowly work towards abstract painting. This is a semi-abstract oil on recycled cardboard.

Recession

2008-01-18T15:32:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone,
I've taken almost a week off from painting and today I revisited several paintings and changed them and I used a painting on cardboard and some old rustic wood to create "In the Dog House" - I asked Dan this morning what exactly is a recession and he said that it is when the economy doesn't grow for two months. I guess that's where we are. It seems strange that when people stop buying things we enter a recession. Why does everyone stop buying stuff at the same time? Kind of a weird viral thing. I guess. I know my e-bay sales completely stopped in the month of December and I myself have lost interest in buying new stuff too. Now Bush is going to give everyone $300 to $800 dollars so we will all go out and buy stuff again. Kind of like an allowance? Daddy Bush gives us an allowance so we can get everyone making stuff and selling stuff again. Maybe I'll buy myself a nice used saddle with my Bush allowance. What will you buy? "Dogs and Stripes" is $85 including shipping and measures 24" x 12" on stretched canvas. Ready to hang.

Taking a Break

2008-01-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone who is following my blog. I have taken three days off from painting and will be taking today off as well. Check back tomorrow. Hope to see you here soon.
Debi

Another Everydog - SOLD - Newport Beach Collector

2008-01-11T11:14:00.000-08:00

I think this is painting a day number 102 - A painting of a dog that I photographed several years ago in Berkeley. I was fascinated by the mixture of so many breeds, but now when I reduce him to an oil painting he looks like a boxer around the mouth especially. 5" x 7" oil on canvas. $40 includes shipping.

To warm up today I practiced copying Chinese calligraphy characters. Here are some of them painted on little bamboo beads. they have meanings like - peace, destiny, honor, truth, tranquility, and beauty. There is one miniature painting of a dog thrown in with the bunch. 10 hand=painted beads $18 includes shipping.

Dachshunds 1 and 2

2008-01-10T11:36:00.001-08:00

Dachshund 1 - 5" x 7" oil on canvas panel - $40 includes shipping

I felt like going back to dog painting again and maybe I'll go back to e-bay and try some dog painting auctions. Dachshund 2 5" x 7" oil on stretched canvas - ready to hang. $40 includes shipping

Rustic Cat

2008-01-09T12:49:00.000-08:00

Here is a cat painted on a very rustic, thick piece of board. It measures Approx. 11" x 15" x 1.5" - I was finished with it earlier and then I went back and painted on it more and I think I need to learn when to quit. Sometimes less is more. I have a general, overall happiness in my life now and it is lasting and lasting. It's pretty amazing for me. I've always been a moody person affected by people, places and things around me. Now I can detach from distractions and other imperfections and just live my life minute by minute breathing in and out and going on to the next thing.

Self-Portrait

2008-01-07T13:41:00.001-08:00

I keep remembering that lady saying painting is dead and maybe she's right, but I paint and I'll keep painting until I'm sick of it. And here is anther weird thing. Sometimes I feel like I wish I'd kept every painting I've ever painted. Then I could have a big giant exhibit of my work. That seems like fun, but maybe not. Where do I store them? In stacks in the spare bedroom? Maybe I'm just making more junk to fill up the landfills. Today's painting is 16" x 20" on stretched canvas. I was a stained glass artist for a number of years and then I used to like making elaborate beaded lampshades. After that I did some artsy upholstered furniture and I went to garage sales and junk shops hung junk all over my old farmhouse walls in Oregon. Now I paint because it's noisy and messy and I can dance with the paint. Does that make any sense to anyone? Does anyone give a shit? Is anyone out there? Does anyone want to give me my paintings back? 16" x 20" oil on stretched canvas. Ready to hang.

Stair Master - Painted Over

2008-01-07T10:17:00.001-08:00

I couldn't upload yesterday's painting. I guess because of all the rain, the internet connection was really bad. I painted Dan while he was running on his elliptical machine. It's humorous. If this figure were riding a bike, he'd be about to crash. I'm getting overloaded with little paintings because I did very few auctions last month yet kept painting. I guess I better get auctioning again. I'm losing my enthusiasm for e-bay and for small paintings. 5" x 7" oil on canvas panel

Portrait of Sammy - Back

2008-01-05T11:43:00.001-08:00

Last Friday I did a portrait of Sammy on a recycled box and today I painted the back of Sammy on the back of the box. I also painted the top of the box a solid color and left the sides as they were - printed with a teal on one side and a bright green on the other. I will either fill the box with beans for some weight and display it on a table or I will paint the bottom, attach a handle and suspend it from the ceiling. Maybe I should be a keenex box designer.

Painting is Dead

2008-01-04T18:51:00.001-08:00

Last night I was watching a show on the HD gallery channel and an art critic of sorts named Barbara Pollack told someone that painting was dead. I've been thinking about that a lot since I heard her say it and I surely hope it's not true. I do think that our culture is totally saturated with images and our attention spans are extremely short. However, when I try to imagine my life without paint and painting and paintings it seems preposterous to think that painting is dead. If at least one person keeps it alive, it's not dead. Maybe she was thinking that people are blase about paintings now because there are so many artists painting now. This is true, but people will always have blank walls and a need to add color, beauty and interest to their personal spaces. I wonder if hanging monitors on our walls will some day take the place of hanging paintings. You would have art that projects slide shows of art like on a screen saver. But then we would be missing the tactile experience of running our hands over the painting surface and watching how the light plays on the paintings in different ways throughout the day. I'd love to hear your comments.

Dog

2008-01-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

A little painting of a dog - again on a ceramic tile. 5" x 5" - I'm experimenting with painting on different material. I like the tile. It's a little like painting on wood and a little like painting on cardboard. I like how the color of the tile adds interest to the painting. $20 includes shipping

Lillies

2008-01-03T17:15:00.000-08:00

This is the finished painting that I started last weekend. I had a lot of fun changing colors with this one and I even did a little scratching in the paint. I think they call that sgraffito in the art world. It's difficult to photograph paintings with dark backgrounds because there is always so much glare bouncing off the dark paint. I've got a commission of flowers to do for the neighbors, and I will continue to work on the John Sargent and do my little daily paintings. 16" x 20" oil on stretched canvas. Ready to hang. $55 includes shipping.

King - The Stray Dog - Sharon's Collection

2008-01-03T17:11:00.001-08:00

We had a lot of action surrounding this stray dog in our neighborhood this week. For one thing Animal Control came and shot him with a tranquilizer dart, but they missed and got him in the ear. He ran away and they never found him. There were tons of neighbors ready to riot and animal control called a sheriff car. King came back later that night for awhile, but then left again because he was feeling very uneasy. This is a portrait of King painted on a piece of Italian tile.

No Painting Again

2008-01-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

No painting again. I went to divorce court with a girlfriend today. She needed my support and then I had to run errands and I had to ride my black colt because I wasn't able to for the last few days because of the high winds, so I chose the horses over the painting today. I needed the exercise too. We're expecting rain, so perhaps I will have two solid days to do nothing but paint. That would be lovely. You see. It all works out. Don't sweat the small stuff.

Pyracantha Tree

2008-01-01T11:53:00.000-08:00

I'm taking the day off for New Year's so there won't be a painting, but I wanted to share a shockingly beautiful tree in my back yard. It is dripping with spectacular berries for six months or more out of the year. They turn from bright orange to bright red and I love to bring the berry bunches into the house and put them into vases around Christmas time. The stems end up drying in the vases and they are just great for months. This is a large painting that I did about 4 or 5 years ago of the orange berries. It is hanging in my Father-in-Law's Kentucky home now. Maybe it's time to paint pyracantha berries again only this time vivid red. Happy New Year everyone.

Lillies

2007-12-31T17:09:00.001-08:00

I didn't make a little painting today, but I started a larger one. Almost finished the first layer. I also worked on the picture based on Sargent's work. Last night I went to the movies and saw Charlie Wilson's War. It was a good movie, but a piece of art jumped out at me. The character played by Julia Robert's had a portrait of herself hanging in her grand staircase and it was her face and hair in Sargent's Madame X composition. I really enjoyed that because just a few hours earlier I had been contemplating painting Madame X before I decided on Fumee d'ambre Gris.

Fumee d'ambre gris

2007-12-30T13:36:00.001-08:00

I was looking at my John Singer Sargent book yesterday and today I decided to do an exercise in white based on his painting Fumee d'ambre gris. It's so many shades of white with a few spots of color. Here is my rough beginning. I've got to get to the movies with my husband now, so I'll work on this more later. This is a large canvas 30" x 48" - It's been so long since I've done a large painting. I'm looking forward to it.

Iris

2007-12-30T13:31:00.000-08:00

Sorry these photos are a little blurry. I'm still burned out on florals, but I did these Iris for a friend and I've got to do a large floral for a neighbor, but I can handle it I hope.

Portrait of Sammy

2007-12-28T11:31:00.001-08:00

I'm tired and bored with canvas and am thinking outside the box. Well actually this is a box. A french press coffee thingy came in it. It actually said in small letters, reuse and then recycle on the box. I really like this painting it reminds me of painting number 16 on October 10th. I liked that one too and I thought my style changed after that painting. This piece has a richness and simplicity in color that comes from the brown tempering effect of the cardboard. It's somehow a relief for the eyes. I also like how I just sort of blocked in color. I did another painting this morning that I don't want to post. Somehow it evokes anger and I hate it.

Tatiana Memorial

2007-12-27T16:09:00.000-08:00

I feel so bad for the families and the tiger that were involved in this unfortunate incident at the San Francisco Zoo. Oil painted on rough wood approx. 10" x 6" $40 includes shipping

Mare and Foal Painting - SOLD - Dallas, TX Collector

2007-12-27T11:34:00.000-08:00

Painted on 5" x 6" balsa wood. This is painted for the Nibble Fest Art Contest on the 20th of the month. Many artists put their paintings on this contest with a starting bid of .99 cents. The theme this month is two animals become one. To find Nibble Fest Entries on e-bay search NFAC under the art section from the 20th of the month to the 27th.

I'm feeling very dissatisfied with painting on balsa wood and canvas panels. What I have been painting and creating is not what I want to create. There is something more organic and rustic that I want to do, but I'm not sure how. I'm also dissatisfied with the two dimensional aspect of painting. I'm thinking sculpture, rustic, organic recycled. There is a frustration here with my art. This is not what I want to make.
Quote of the Day
"I make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes."
– Sara Teasdale

Portrait of a Goat - SOLD

2007-12-26T10:37:00.000-08:00

Today's portrait is of Susie the miniature goat next door. This piece is painted on 6 1/2 inch round balsa wood and is painted mostly with a palette knife. It was hard to photograph this morning with the shiny wet paint and the thick textures. I added the black matte in iphoto for this blog. $40 free shipping.

Goodbye Christmas

2007-12-25T13:25:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone. I guess we'll go see the movie Juno today, since the Bucket List isn't opening around here after all. No messing with horses today - it's too windy out. $40/free shipping and handling.

Tea Ceremony

2007-12-24T11:53:00.001-08:00

My daughter is in town and we love drinking tea all day long. I used her as my model. She was pouring tea and wearing a hood. $40/Free Shipping. I didn't paint yesterday. Thought I would give myself a little break. Now out to ride the horses.
Happy Christmas Eve everyone!

A Little Bit of Anguish

2007-12-22T14:44:00.000-08:00

I tried one more portrait of Lynn. I'm getting a stiff neck and sore shoulder muscle from painting. I stood up today to paint and I think I had more freedom and looseness. 5" x 7" oil on canvas panel. $40 includes shipping.

Portrait of Lynn with Hat - Lynn's Collection

2007-12-21T10:41:00.000-08:00

I usually use Prussian Blue or French Ultramarine. Yesterday I bought Cerulean Blue and Cobalt Blue. I'm pleased to be able to mix some new colors. I was getting stuck in a rut. This is Lynn again 5" x 7" oil.

Portrait of Lynn - Lynn's Collection

2007-12-20T10:56:00.000-08:00

A portrait of my friend Lynn. She's a beauty, but boy I obsessed over this little painting. I don't know what's wrong with me these days. I guess I'm trying to improve. I keep thinking just one more brush stroke and it'll be perfect. Pretty soon I don't know where I am anymore and I think it's starting to get worse. Thank god I'm meeting girlfriends for lunch, so I HAVE TO STOP MYSELF before someone gets hurt! Me mostly. Painting is not fun when I obsess. I'm taking myself too seriously. Sigh! Sigh! Get over yourself. Plus I don't like the way my paintings show up on blogspot. What am I doing wrong. They seem faded. At .mac they seem vivid.

Meditation Bell

2007-12-19T16:47:00.001-08:00

The meditation bell that sits on my piano. 5" x 7" oil. This isn't quite finished. It's too dark now to go further or even to photograph it well, so tomorrow morning I'll finish it and re-photograph it. I'm still recharging so the painting feels a little dull to me. I don't know. Rain today, so no exercise with the horses. I wormed them though. They hate that. You give them a plastic syringe full of wormer in the back of their throats. I'm sure it tastes nasty even though some brands are "apple" flavored. This one actually smelled like peppermint and my mare seemed like she wanted more. $40 and free shipping

Tulips

2007-12-19T16:45:00.001-08:00

Another "project" painting from WetCanvas.com - Practicing painting miniatures. This one is 4" x 3" on card-board. The tulips are too big for the vase. $10 free shipping

Purple Cow - Painting 78

2007-12-18T10:41:00.001-08:00

Painting is like pulling teeth again. Sigh. Sigh. I need exercise. Going outside to ride!
Quote of the Day
"When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge."
– Tuli Kupferberg
SOLD

Red Head Revised

2007-12-17T14:36:00.000-08:00

I revised the Red Head and then I didn't like her as much. I was afraid/self-conscious about the wildness of the first one, so I tamed her down and then I didn't like her as much. Oh Well. $45 - free shipping

Red Head

2007-12-17T14:34:00.000-08:00

A photo of my red head before I changed her. The painting picked up a lot of glare. I should have left well enough alone.

Pretty in Pink - Traverse City Collector

2007-12-17T10:07:00.000-08:00

Cow day two. The winter doldrums are upon us. Only 5 more days to go and then the days start getting longer again! Rain expected here tomorrow. I'm not complaining we need it. $40 Free shipping

Calf - Traverse City Collector

2007-12-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

I signed up with WetCanvas today and I joined the miniature project that was going on. They give 4 reference photos and you choose one to do a miniature painting of. I chose the photo of the calf and this is what I came up. It's a little 4" x 3" oil painting on a piece of cardboard. I don't have much opinion about the painting really. Happy Sunday. $10 - Free Shipping

Portrait of Janice Gordon - Janice's Collection

2007-12-15T11:24:00.001-08:00

Janice Gordon has the most wonderful white hair, so I made it green! I don't know why, but there it is. I like the lavender and green color combination. I wonder if Janice will think it looks like her at all.

I Hope My Big Hat Doesn't Fall Off

2007-12-14T12:08:00.000-08:00

I guess I feel like shouting with color today. It's Friday! I couldn't think of a name for this painting and then I really looked at it and saw that her hat is too big for her head. I started to change it and then I decided I didn't mind it. Go with it... Feel the big hat - BE the big hat! 5" x 7" oil on canvas panel. I found this great blues radio station on my itunes. It's Size Blue 42 radio. $40 - Free Shipping

An Uninvited Guest.

2007-12-13T12:31:00.000-08:00

This painting ran away from me. Ike Turner died today and he lived about 20 miles away from me in San Marcos, CA. I thought I would look at some photos of him and make a little tribute painting. Well I found a portrait of Tina that I liked and I started to paint a portrait of her. Before you know it the hair that I had sketched for her began to look like a turban so I went with that. I added an Ike style mustache and this character showed up in my studio. He doesn't look all that happy to be here. 6" x 8" oil on canvas panel. $40 Free Shipping

The Death of the Newspaper - Dan's Collection

2007-12-13T09:25:00.000-08:00

My husband asked me to paint a picture for his office wall. He works as managing editor for the North County Times and so he said he wanted a picture of a newspaper and a pair of work gloves or a cowboy hat - something manly I gathered. I painted this composition with a newspaper, a cowboy hat and a mug on a table top. Something was missing or not right with the background.(scroll down to December 2 post). I abandoned it until the other day when I painted a round red table top and that finished it off. Pun intended. I now had the newspaper lying on a red table top or in a pool of blood. I thought it was appropriate because as everyone knows, the newspaper business isn't doing well. I guess people like to get their news on the internet - blogs, etc. Additionally, the cowboy hat represents the dying of an old tradition - the newspaper. The green mug represents the "green" movement - saving paper/trees. I'm happy with the the symbolism captured in this piece. 36" x 12" oil on gallery wrapped canvas