Basset Griffon Vendeen, 8"x8", 8/31/09, SOLD

He sure was a cutie. Had class this morning and been working in the studio all afternoon straightening. Moving forward.

Morning coffee, 6x6, 8/29/09 $100

I've been out to the dog show for four days now and have made a whopping $6.00.   Seems hardly worth getting up at the crack of dawn for that amount.   Tomorrow is the last day and I have to break everything down and pack it up.   It has been a lot of fun seeing all those dogs and puppies.

Ears, French Bulldog, 6x6, 8/28/09 SOLD

This is another dog portrait I've done for the dog show. He is a cutie! It rained last night but the storm did not damage anything in my tent. Others were not as fortunate. Saturday is the big day so we are hoping for the best. Whirly Girl has been great as the greeter for the booth.

Spectator, Boston Terrier, 6x6, 8/27/09 $125

This is one of the dog paintings that I've done for the do show.   I love the french bulldogs they are so cute.   I put this one on a small format because it works for the small breeds.  All the dogs at the show are so beautiful and I hope to get more photos to work from while I'm there.

Blueberries & Coffee, 6x6, 8/26/09 SOLD

I love looking down on objects and especially things that make circles. The shadows make it more dramatic. As you see I'm not directly above because the circles are off center and the coffee is off center. In this one even the blueberries and the bowl are circles.

Today I start the first of five days at the Bluegrass Classic Dog Show held in Lexington KY. I have a booth there selling dog portraits, paintings and prints. I'm taking Whirly Girl with me (my Shih Tzu) and Kate is helping with PR, she is so good at it. It's held outdoors and we hope the weather holds up. I will be coming back home every night but will probably be exhausted. I have prepared for this by painting some paintings ahead of time. Now I just have to remember to do so everyday. Wish us luck!

An apple a day... , 7x5, 8/25/09 SOLD

A lot of people liked the heart paper that my sister gave me to use, so here is another one. The cup and saucer are from a set of porcelain that my grandmother owned. They are so delicate and light, I'm afraid I'll break them. This is almost a family affair isn't it.

The Tour Guide, 6x6, 8/22/09 SOLD

I've been on a roll with these blueberries, need to use them before they rot or get devoured. Someone mentioned that I could talk about painting round objects without curves. When I draw I try to view the subject as a series of straight lines, and at some point the straight line veers off to another angle. Instead of painting/drawing it as a curve I will put it down as two lines or two planes. It tends to make the drawing/painting more exciting to me. Use the cherry as an example, there is approximately 9 angles making up the whole outline. Your eye will connect the lines and see it as real. To me it looks more real than one that has been rounded off. All the blueberries are painted that way as well. Notice all the straight edges.

How did you get there? 6x6, 8/20/09 $100

Sold

I'm blank.  Can't think of anything to say about this piece.   It's self explanatory.  Maybe it has nothing to say either.

The Rock Star with the Bugettes, 6x6, 8/19/09 $100

I found another dead bug and just had to use it.   They really harmonize well, if you could only hear them.   Their audience was mesmerized.

The Present, 8"x10", 8/18/09 $300

Someone gave me a belated birthday present the other day.   When I was cleaning up the studio I came across the bow from the package and put it on my head and wore it all day.  I like being silly and making others smile, probably should have joined the circus when I was young.  Having fun makes life worthwhile.   There is enough serious people in the world.

The ugly duckling, 6x6, 8/17/09 $100

SOLD

While the blueberries are not particularly hard to do, there are just so many of them. Or rather that you need many of them to make a statement. This needed something with or amongst the mass of berries so I happened to have a cherry. Which is good because you can't go wrong by having a spot of red in the picture.

Ready or not... 6x6, 8/16/09 SOLD

These blueberries were found and eaten as soon as the painting was done. They can't hide from me.

The standoff 6x6, 8/15/09 $100

The sale today was a big success.   Thanks to all of you for coming by my studio and making my event successful.    I sold a number of other pieces from my collection of works and I know they will be enjoyed by all.   There is nothing like having original art on your walls.

Whirly girl is exhausted from greeting everyone all day she is napping and will probably only get up to eat dinner.

Sara N, gold/silverpoint 6"x6", 8/14/09 $100

I decided to do something different today.  I felt like drawing so I used my same 6"x6" gesso panel by Ampersand and drew with gold & silverpoint which is very nice to use but also very unforgiving because you really can't erase.    I realized that the surface was a little too textured, for my liking, for this medium.   I've used silverpoint before but it was on a very very smooth paper with a clay surface where your line quality can really show up.   I don't know what brand the paper was because I bought it when studying at the Florence Academy, Italy and didn't know I couldn't get it here in the states.   I only have one sheet left and it is a yellow ochre color which I don't care for (why did I buy it?).    So...I have gotten a silverpoint drawing ground that I can apply and make my own surface.   Of course I didn't plan out what I was going to do today and just winged it and this is what I got.   This photo does not show the detail but what the heck this is what I did today.

Where did everyone go? 5x7,8/13/09

SOLD

I painted this on 8/13 put it in the computer and forgot to post it. I only have a few more cherries left. Have to paint them before I eat them all first. One of my favorite color combinations is blue/white.

Good Morning! 5x7, 8/12/09 NFS

I did this painting for my sister gave me the background paper thinking it would make a good backdrop for a painting.   Today is her birthday.   Happy Birthday Gail. I gave it to her as a present and she loved it.   Now she wants me to do another one to hang with it.

OK, I wanted to talk about the SALE.  Originally I was going to have the sale for just the Daily Paintings, but then I thought "Why not open up the studio and have my other works for sale also."    I have it a week long for all those across the country that can't make it to my studio but want to buy some original art.   The OPEN STUDIO this Saturday is for for everyone in this region.   You can view a few other works on my web site.   Pieces available for sale are scattered through out the site.   Most are sold.   If you are interested in anything on the site and it is not marked just email  and ask.  I'm sure there some I've over looked.

Run Away! 6x6, 8/11/09 SOLD

These cherries were huge.  The ones that come off my tree are very different.    I see that I skipped yesterday, where did the day go?   I'm in a furry of dog portraits so in the next few days I will be posting them.   Need to get them done.

Translucent, transparent, 6x6, 8/9/09 SOLD

Showing the light coming through the grapes was exciting to see but not so easy to portray.   The shadow side of the grapes were luminous  and yet needed to be dark.   I'm not sure I was successful.    I ate the grapes so I will have to try another day.

7 DAY SALE is starting this Wednesday, August 12 - Aug 18.    25% OFF all these DAILY PAINTINGS and everything else in my studio.   I need to make room for more paintings.    I'm also going to have an OPEN HOUSE Saturday August 15 from 10 - 3 at my studio, 908 E Jefferson St.   First come first serve basis.  Now is the time to get those works that you've been lusting over.   Tax will be added if you reside in Kentucky, S&H is $10.   You can contact me through my email, iclaudiahammer@insightbb.com or phone 502-625-3008.

Want to come along? 6x6, 8/8/09 $100

Sold

Again the reds on the plums did not come out true to life.   The painting looks better in person.  

Redhead, 10x8, 8/7/09 $150

Our model today was a redhead named John.  I tried to paint with blockish strokes of value and color.  The jury is still out on this one.   Afterwards I went out to the National Hot Rod show which has about 13,000 cars from 1948 or before.    I try to go every year.   I love them.  Ahh...maybe in another life.

Sunrise, 6x6, 8/6/09 $100

SOLD

OOPS!   I painted this yesterday, photographed it, downloaded it to my computer, named it, got distracted and never posted it.   So here it is.   The whole set up was simple, not very many colors but some subtle color and value changes.   They look like they're mesmerized, like zombies.   Sorta like some people are before coffee in the morning.

Now that we have your attention... , 6x6, 8/5/09 SOLD

Thought I'd challenge myself and use a clear object so the light and shadows show through.   

I want to announce that I'm having an END OF SUMMER SALE    25% off everything in the studio (including these daily paintings).  I need to make room for more paintings!    The SALE starts August 12 - August 18.  Contact me during this time or stop by the studio, I will be having an open studio day Saturday August 15 from 10 - 3.   If you are out of town the cost of S & H is an extra $10  and residents of KY have to pay tax.  All sales need to be cash or check.

Empty nest, 6x6, 8/4/09 SOLD

A friend gave me these beautiful egg shells that are from Aracana chickens.   It was a real challenge to paint them because I was painting during a torrential down pour this morning.  I think 4" of rain came down in an hour.   There was more rain than that during the morning but it was very very dark in the studio which made it hard to see color.  At one time it looked like midnight.   There was flooding all over the city in places where it never floods.  I went into the kitchen for more coffee and the stove was flooded and water was coming out of the light/fan fixture.   I now have a temporary fix on the roof and I'm not turning on that fan/light for a week.   

Three stand alone, 7x5, 8/3/09 $100

Sold

This was a partial demo for class this morning.   I love the dramatic darkness of these cherries.

Pink Ballet shoe, 7x5, 8/2/09 SOLD

The key to getting something like this right is correct value.   I know I'm always talking about value to my students but I think it is important if you want to capture  the the essence of your subject.   The shoe is pink but in many places it has a lot of grey or blue.   In fact there are places where it is not pink at all.   The inside is luminous because of the light source coming through.   The inside of the shoe is actually a muslin color but when painting you have to forget what you "know it is" and paint what you "see".    The value even fools me sometimes.   I have these "value finders" that I made from gel sheets. (I sell them for $5 each)  There are 3 of them, red, green and cobalt blue.    The blue one shows you how much white is in what you are looking at and shows you instantly where the lightest lights are.   The red  and green are helpful in showing if you have the right amount of the opposite color in it to grey it out.   

Everybody out!, 6x6, 8/1/09 SOLD

Made some blueberry bran muffins and had lots of blueberries left over.   I had forgotten how delicious blueberries can be.   There was some daylight coming in from the north windows to the right which kept the shadows from being too dark and gave them a cooling green tone.   I like that.