This little miniature painting (3″x5″) was a quick study done as a color demonstration for a student. Color mixing is most important to learn early on so as to make successful paintings. We practice color mixing in every class.
Miniature Barn, oil on canvas, 3″x5″, $25. Contact kwalker@doubledogdesigns.com to purchase.
Posted in daily painter | Tagged barn. miniature painting, daily painter, daily painting, impressionism, Landscape, miniature barn, oil painting, Shenandoah Valley, Virginia Artist | Leave a Comment »
Four years ago this past week (January 5th) we made the cold trek (it was during a snow storm) to get our Jed. He’s the sweetest boy. So Happy Adoption Day Jed. We’re so glad we are your people!
Many of you know that I name my dogs using a presidential theme. Jed was my first exception to the rule. He is named for the fictional president, Jed Bartlett from the West Wing. We loved that show and since he was already being called Jed and answered to it well we just went with it.
Read and see more about Jed here and see a step by step painting of Jed here! Way to go Jedder Bean! We love you big boy.
Posted in Dogs, Pet Portaits | Tagged acrylic, Black Lab Painting, daily painter, daily painting, Dogs, Rescue dog, Rescue dogs, Virginia Artist | Leave a Comment »
Art in Bloom at Boston Museum of Art – 2012
“Dog Bed” – Boston Museum of Fine Art
This new year I am going to introduce a few different concepts on my blog. The first is “Tips to Being a Better Painter”. This is the first one.
When I first became serious about painting I would read and study everything I could find about different styles of painting. I would go to as many galleries and museums as possible to see art. And then a good friend who is also a painter (and she studied painting in college) said that her professor used to tell her that for every hour you make art you should spend an hour looking or studying art. I have made that a habit.
The Souper Dress – Boston Museum of Fine Art
Here are some examples of art that I have studied. These photos are from my trip last year to the Boston Museum of Fine Art. I took many pictures and pull them up on my computer and look at them over and over. Many times the things I “study” are not necessarily paintings as I have shown you here. I love to see other types of creativity. I especially love the “Calder Cow”!
The Calder Cow – Boston Museum of Fine Art
For instance, the floral arrangement was a special show the garden clubs in the Boston area were doing on this particular day that I was at the MFA. They did arrangements that interpreted a painting or work of art. It was interesting to see because obviously they had to look closely at a work to pull out their interpretation.
So to be a better painter don’t just spend more time painting. Also spend more time looking and studying art of all types. You’ll see a difference in your work.
Posted in Tips for Better Painting | Tagged art lessons, Boston, Boston MFA, Calder, Calder Cow, daily painter, Museum of Fine Art Boston, Painting Tips, Virginia Artist, Warhol | Leave a Comment »
At Thanksgiving this year my niece Lexie made the best dip. I can’t quit thinking about it. Maybe it’s because I am trying to eat healthier this new year but I made an exception last night and whipped up this wonderful onion concoction for supper. 
I am pretty sure it’s not suppose to be a main dish but it’s just that good! And the really great news is it is so simple to make.
Lexie explained to me as she was writing out the recipe that any sweet onion would do but of course, we use Vidalia’s being from Georgia!
Lexie’s Sweet Onion Dip
3 cups chopped sweet (Vidalia) onions
16 oz. cream cheese
5 oz. Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Mix all ingredients together and Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until it’s bubbly around the edges. Enjoy with pita chips, crackers, chips.
Thanks Lexie. You know I love this recipe!
Posted in Recipes | Tagged onion dip, onion dip recipe, onion side dish, sweet onion dip, sweet onion dip recipe, Vidalia onion dip | 1 Comment »
The Young Artists started off the year with a great winter painting of a cardinal.
Great job everyone!
If you have a young artist, ages 7-12, that might like to paint with us, contact kwalker@kellywalkerstudios.com to sign them up. We’d love to paint with them.
Posted in Art Class | Tagged acrylic, Art Class, art lessons, Blue Ridge Arts Council, Virginia Artist | Leave a Comment »
Coloring Book Dogs
Several years ago I did this painting I call “Coloring Book Dogs” after I watched a kid at a doctors office coloring in a book there. He was not at all concerned about the lines as he gleefully put color on every item on the page. Each item was a different solid color with the color running outside the lines. That made me think, “Why don’t we all color outside the lines still? Why are we always so careful when we color/paint?” When I painted this piece with the dogs and a couple of others with other subjects (you can see them here) I had a great time. It was fun! So this year I am going to attempt to “color outside the lines a little more”. How about you?
Posted in daily painter, Dogs | Tagged acrylic, Coloring book, daily painter, daily painting, Dogs, pet portrait, Rescue dogs, Virginia Artist | Leave a Comment »
This is Paisley. She is my niece, Lexie’s, dog although I suspect she is more her mom’s dog. I did a silhouette painting of her. Just a quick and fun format for pets like this. The canvas was 20″x30″ and I painted it in acrylic.
Posted in Dogs | Tagged acrylic, daily painter, daily painting, Dogs, pet portrait, Rescue dogs, Virginia Artist | 2 Comments »
My year end report just arrived from WordPress. I am always amazed by the information I receive. Many thanks to my readers for increasing my average daily views. They are up 63%!!! In 2012, there were 298 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 881 posts. There were 702 pictures uploaded. That’s about 2 pictures per day.
The busiest day of the year was June 20th with 1,142 views. The most popular post that day was About Kelly.
I am amazed that the posts that got the most views on “Life of a Daily Painter” in 2012 are mostly posts from previous years so that means that viewers searching for specific topics find my blog. The good news is that my posts have staying power!
And even more amazing is the viewers of my blog in 2012 came to it from 132 countries around the world! WOW! Most visitors came from The United States. Canada & The United Kingdom were not far behind.
So thank you to readers of “Life of a Daily Painter”. I plan to make a few changes to the blog in the New Year. I hope they will be something you will all enjoy. Stay tuned.
Posted in daily painter, Polls, Trivia | Tagged daily painter, Virginia Artist, Year in Review | Leave a Comment »
This painting of Day Lilies was a birthday gift for Allen several years ago. They are his favorite so they are a repeated theme in the art at our house.
The Day Lily appears in this smaller painting hanging in the kitchen.
I try to paint things that people like. For instance, the day lilies for Allen and pet portraits for pet lovers and for me. These are the things I like so it makes it easy to hang my work and enjoy it. Difficulty in painting for me comes when I attempt to paint something I don’t particularly care about. Then the painting becomes work and when it’s not fun, it’s really hard to do.
Posted in daily painter | Tagged acrylic, daily painter, daily painting, Day Lilies, flowers, impressionism, Landscape, lilies, oil painting, Virginia Artist | 1 Comment »
One of the most frequent questions I am asked as a full-time artist is, “Do you hang your art at home”? And the answer is sure! I live with my art. I like it. Sometimes I live with pieces to see if there is anything more I want to add or adjust before I varnish them which is the final thing I do to a finished painting. And sometimes I live with them because I painted them specifically for an area in the home. That is what this piece is all about. I painted it for the spot above the TV stand at the Hilton Head house. It shows the water and the marsh. It fits nicely there. And I am lucky that I have a partner who also likes my work and encourages it to be hung in our home. 🙂
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The Studio 