New Amish Paintings And Elizabeth Walton Completed

Hello! I finally did it. Three paintings completed, finally! I am so happy I accomplished this and really happy with all of these.

The two new Amish paintings were a lot of fun, especially trying the landscape painting, which I haven’t painted too many of. But what I thought was going to be “impressionistic” and simple, of course for me…turned out to be more of a perfectionistic approach. I can never seem to just throw the color on the paper and go with the flow, which I really want to try! But anyway, I’m very happy with the colors and the feel of the painting, since my photo (which I took on one of my trips down to Lancaster) was very dull colored. This came out really warm.

“The New Puppy” was also a lot of fun, but always a challenge trying to keep the focus on the amish boy and girl with the puppy, and not the background. I had to stop myself! I added the flowers in the girls hands to look like she had just picked them from the field, then decided to stop over to see her brother and his new companion. I just like the serene feeling to this painting.

And then there’s little Elizabeth Walton! This was really for fun and because I love the Walton’s Show so much. She is so cute! I wanted it to look like the scene from “The Homecoming” when she is standing beside the Christmas tree as Mary Ellen is calling her names. I tried my best to look like she had raised eyebrows as she defends herself.

Anyway, I hope you like them and the Amish ones are now on Etsy, and Elizabeth will be on there soon! Stay Safe!

The New Puppy

Amish Barn at Sunset

Elizabeth Walton

New Painting Completed, Sarah and James, Working The Farm Stand

Well, I’ve finally completed my latest painting!

This painting took me quite awhile, not just because we are in the midst of doing a major floor renovation here, but because of all the little details in this painting. I thought I would never finish! But I did manage to get alot of the things I wanted to in this painting.

One thing I love to do when I am in Amish country is visit the many Amish farm stands in the area. This painting has many of the items one would see at these stands. Whoopie Pies, breads (especially the frosted one), Shoo Fly Pies and we can’t forget some kind of quilted item hanging in the front, such as quilted pot holders! I also decided I would paint a boy and girl, since I haven’t painted too many of those.

And there you have it! I t was a challenge to paint many things here, but the most difficult was making the baked goods looked like they were wrapped in plastic. That was a trick! On to the next painting…enjoy!

Another Amish Painting In The Works

Hello again. I just wanted to share the latest painting that’s on my drawing board right now. Of course, it’s an Amish painting. I really enjoy painting amish themed paintings, because they take me away. My mind goes to Lancaster, Pa. and I really need to go again.

I had wanted to do another painting with an amish girl and boy together since I haven’t done one of these in awhile. This one may be titled, “Sarah and James, Working The Farm Stand”. Still not sure yet though. I had wanted to do another farm stand, but this time instead of canning jars, I wanted the whoopie pies, the shoo fly pie and the beautiful, delicious looking bread the Amish always sell. I also want to add the quilt block potholders hanging above their heads that we usually see at farm stands everywhere there. I think I have it all in there!

It was fun trying to make these goodies look realistic, and it was very tough! I still have alot to work to do, but its getting there. I do as much as I can each day…little by little. I hope you like what I have done so far. I should be completed by the end of the week…fingers crossed! I will share it when I do, I promise. Take care until next time!

Faces completed first! It helps to go to the next step.

Look at those goodies!

The color of the clothing. Always a tough decision!

New Amish Sketches In The Works

Hello again. I promised I would bring you sketches and here they are.  There are 4 here that I am currently working on….and I want to paint them all NOW! I am excited about painting each of them, envisioning what I want the finished pieces to look like, and actually seeing what they will become.  So exciting!

The one I am working on presently, and actually have more done than what is shown here, is the little Amish boy with the calf. The background is going to be tricky, as I want color and interest, but don’t want to take away interest from the  connection between the boy and the calf. We will see.

I also have a little girl peeking from behind..hmmm…something. A fence post outside? Around a barn door? The door to her house? So many decisions…and I just want to paint!

Another one here is an older girl in thought…in a kitchen after baking? In a field of flowers? By a buggy, maybe?

And lastly, the little amish girl with the butterfly that rests near her feet. What is the background? On a haystack…on a rock in the garden? The colors…I have to make sure the colors all go together! This is what takes the time…but it is all worth it in the end. Let’s see what happens with each of these. If you have any ideas, please give some insight. Thank you!

Anyway, I will try and share what I have done in several days with the Amish boy and the calf. Please check back. Take care!

P.s. On a sad note…several days ago I heard that N.A. Noel, an artist and beautiful painter of many subjects,  especially Amish and angels, passed away. I was so saddened by this news as she had been an inspiration for my paintings since I saw an amish painting my mother placed above the mantle in our living room years ago. Just to think  how much that  made such an impression on me back then! She was a beautiful person and exceptional artist.  Please check out her paintings when you can. Thank you.

The amish boy and the calf…the beginning

little amish girl peeking

Amish girl in thought

Little amish girl with butterfly

Amish Painting “Taking A Break” Completed

Just finished this amish-themed painting titled “Taking A Break”. This amish girl selling fruits from her farm stand is taking a break and just can’t resist trying one of her own apples. This one took me awhile, but I really like the end result, almost looking like a photograph. I’m really happy when everything seems to work and come together…finally! I am also working on two more paintings which are in their last stages…Princess Diana and Laura Ingalls (Melissa Gilbert). I will post them when they are completed. Hope you like this one…I loved painting it!

Amish Painting “Taking a Break”

Amish Girl With Lamb Painting

Hello everyone.  Im so sorry (as always) that I haven’t written on my blog in such a long while.  I am in like this “artist’s block” where I can’t seem to even find time to sit and paint, and when I do, I can’t get my ideas down on paper. It is so frustrating! The other day,  I just grabbed this drawing that I had half done already…inked it and started painting it, just to get in the mood again! This is tough! At least it’s in the works now.  This little, amish girl walking with her lamb is a watercolor painting …which I haven’t done in awhile, so it’s been fun!

I should just paint something daily…anything…just to get the flow going, and the practice! I am going to be in Country Sampler again soon, and this edition comes out the end of May, so I better be prepared for that. I am also going on a much needed trip to Tennessee to see my son just before the ad comes out, so I better get myself going!

But anyway, it’s another start.Hope you like her so far.

Amish Girl with Lamb

New Amish Painting: First Snow At Dawn

I finally finished this piece! I have been working so hard at this and I am so happy with the way it turned out.  I never thought I could actually paint a horse and make him look realistic, but I think I accomplished that here.

When I first drew this out, I was imagining two amish children bringing their horse into the barn in the early hours of the brisk, morning. They are about to go inside, when something startles them, and as they turn to look around, it happens!   The snow starts falling! The First Snow at Dawn.

I really hope you enjoy this one. It’s like the painting is telling it’s own story.

First Snow At Dawn

A New Amish Painting In The Works

Yes, a new painting in the works.  It’s one that I started awhile back and is shown in it’s drawing stage several posts ago. I almost didn’t want to start this one, as I guess I was afraid I wouldn’t know how to go about painting the horse, but so far, I like the way it’s turning out!

I want the end result to be a sunset sky on a snowy day…the amish girl in a bright scarf (instead of her cap), and I want the breath of the horse to be slightly seen to show how cold the day is. I don’t really know what made me conjure up this scenario the way it turned out, the boy, girl and the horse all looking the same direction. But I do like the feeling of the whole picture. Like they all hear something or see something in the distance, and you wonder what it could be.  I still don’t know what I will name this yet, but for now, I just want to complete it. I hope I will be able to show you something in a few days.  Fingers crossed!

In The Works

It’s getting there…slow but sure.

Two Amish Paintings in the Works

Hello!  I have had some trouble trying to come up with some ideas for some new Amish paintings, although I have a notebook with written ideas and tons of cut out pieces of  reference material. It was like I had a dry spell or something.  Nothing was working out right…the flow was all off.  I had to just step away and try to make a slow come back.  Listen to quiet music, dream a little bit…something.

It finally came back, but it’s day by day with what steps to do on the paintings next.  What will the backgrounds be? Do I add another child, blades of grass, a barn perhaps?

Anyway, I needed to show something just to get me to stay with these, focus and finish them.  The first one is two amish children and a horse.  I knew I wanted them to be looking all in the same direction,  like they see something in the distance. I was thinking winter clothes here, and maybe with some falling snow, some breath showing from the horses nostrils.  A sunset sky…maybe.

The next one is an amish girl hugging a jersey cow. I wanted her to look like she’s dreaming and really feeling comforted just hugging this cow around the neck. Now….here’s the dilemma.  Are they in a barn with a dark background? Are they outside with flowers and a light background. Is she hugging this cow above the neck, or below!  What will I title these? Arrrrggghhh!  This is what takes so much time!  But I must admit, it is rewarding in the end…because like I said before..I don’t even know what these will turn out to look like until the very end! How cool is that!  Until next time!

Two amish children and a horse

Amish girl hugging a cow

New Paintings Coming Along Continued

Here are two of the paintings I mentioned in the previous post, that are currently being worked on. The cow portrait is almost completed.  It just needs some hairs on his ears, numbers on his ear tag and lots of finishing touches.  I do like the way he came out though. I figured out though that when you get near the end of painting on velour, there may not be a lot of tooth left in the paper to add the finishing touches you want to add…it just won’t take any more pastel.  This was hard as I wanted to add many random, little white hairs coming from his chin and ears and top of his head, which I did where I could.   I have heard you can spray fixative on an overworked painting and continue painting, but I did not want to chance this as I have  never tried this.  In any event, I will post the finished painting soon.

Now, the painting I am really happy about is the daydreaming amish girl in the back of the buggy. I wasn’t too sure how this would turn out, and I was going to originally do this one as a watercolor, but I really like the soft realistic effects with the pastels. I am so  happy I tried this….I really like how it’s going so far. Here you see the 3 stages…the face…the glass in the front of the buggy and the side of the buggy completed…and I can’t wait to do more! So excited.  So please check back, I do have Pink’s face completed too, but it was just too much to put in one post.  Soon! Enjoy!

Almost done!

The beginnings of the face

The background is the front of the buggy, looking through the front glass. See the figures of the backs of the mom and dad in the front?

The buggy side and front window piece…you can see it all coming together, can’t you?:)