To Catch a Thief

IncredibleArtist.com, my gallery in Palm Springs has many of my paintings, along with other artists from the gallery, on display at the Hyatt Hotel on Palm Canyon in Palm Springs. It has transformed the previously bare lobby into a real art showplace. While I was away, a thief, accompanied by his girlfriend, took a large giclee of this "California Commute" off the wall and casually strolled out of the hotel onto the street. Luckily, the security guard who was patrolling the second story overlooking the lobby saw him as he walked out of the building. He was quite a distance from him but ran down the stairs and managed to catch him on the street and grabbed the painting shouting, "What do you think you're doing?" The thief and his girlfriend took off running and the guard was unable to catch them. Thank goodness he saved the art.

Plein air painting in Uruguay

After saying that I didn't have time to paint on vacation, I realized the only way to have the time is to make the time. So, yesterday I carted my portable watercolor pad and palette to the beach and just got to it. No great masterpieces, but it was fun. I forgot how difficult it is to paint outdoors...to capture shifting light and moving waves, etc. Challenging, but satisfying. This is a one-hour sketch of a cruise ship into Punte del Este for the day. 8" x 10" on Arches cold pressed watercolor block. Two little girls, 5 and 3 came over and watched me paint for quite some time. They were adorable. Can't wait to tackle all the photos I have taken. Flight home leaves tomorrow night at 11 PM. Hate to leave. Back to California on Saturday.

Punte del Este Uruguay

Daily ritual after 3 hours of morning walking....cappuccino and agua con gas (carbonated water) with popcorn or sweets.

One of many delightful artists studios

View at Sunset

The famous "Mano" sculpture

Sea Lions sit patiently on the docks waiting for breakfast.

Punte del Este is regarded as one of the best seaside resorts in the world. I have to agree.

It is clean, and safe and beautiful. Warm sun and cool breezes and lots to see and do. Don't tell anyone, though. Let's just keep it our little secret. Only 6 more days til must return to reality.

But, lots of wonderful subject matter collected for future paintings.

Traveling to Montevideo Uruguay

Just spent 3 days in Montevideo. Lots to see and enjoy. The beaches on the Rio de la Plata, the River Plate. Looks like an ocean, but is a salt water river which connects with the Atlantic Ocean in Punte del Este, Uruguay. Recycling is done with horses and carts. Beautiful architecture. Wonderful food. Tomorrow off to Punte del Este. More later. And of course, paintings to follow.

American Art Collector....Advertising Pays

"Where's the Vodka" one of my mini-oil, painting-a-day series was advertised in the June issue of American Art Collector magazine. It sold yesterday to a collector who saw it in the June issue. Advertising really does pay....and so does patience :-} See the current ad in the December issue, and see more of my mini oils on my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com

Walking on Air

This week's Karin Jurick challenge was to paint upside down, using the reference photo in the upside down position. This was to make you paint using shapes rather than the actual images. I must admit it actually made me a little dizzy. The brain kept wanting to turn the image right side up. Well, since the lady was suspended I figured she must have been walking on air, and gravity would be having its way with her. That made me think of the most famous uplifted skirt. This 11" x 10" watercolor on 300# Arches is available for $275 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

Heaven is a '57

This is a friend's Chevy. His pride and joy. I did a smaller oil version of this last month, but loved the photo and the reflections so much I had to do it again in a large format watercolor. This is one of my more labor-intensive pieces. Some areas have as many as 20 washes of color. Worked on it over the span of a whole month. This 20-1/2" x 15-1/2" watercolor on Arches 300# paper is available for $2200 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

American Art Collector Ad for December

This is the current Artists-Collective.com ad for the December issue of American Art Collector magazine on newsstands now.

Madison Street Produce

This is a working farm and produce stand on our main thoroughfare. It is the last remaining undeveloped acreage in the area. Everything else has been converted to shopping centers. I had a cucumber for lunch that was picked an hour ago. How cool is that! I hope they stay in business forever. This framed watercolor (image: 11-1/2" x 15-1/4" frame: 22" x 26") is available for $1400 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

Frozen in Time

Not only are these people cold, their future seems uncertain. I love doing these Karin Jurick weekly challenges. They are just plain fun. Not that I don't love what I do everyday, but these are kinda like recess. This ready-to-be-framed 9" x 7"watercolor on Arches cold press paper with a simple white mat (outside measurement 12" h x 10") is available for $225 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

Aunt Lucille goes to Washington

Another "different strokes" painting challenge posed by Karin Jurick. The choice of the Capitol Building is timely. My rendition of my Aunt Lucille climbing the steps was from a photo of an era long gone. Times certainly have changed. My aunt always reminded me of Queen Elizabeth. Her father, my grandfather came to the US from England by himself at the age of 17. He then got drafted and had to go back to Europe to fight in WWI. My aunt worshipped the Queen and watched her every move. My aunt passed away several years ago. I painted this in her memory. This watercolor is 5" x 7" on Arches cold press. You can see more of my work on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

Awards at Coachella Valley Watercolor Society Show

Sometimes pleasant rewards land at your door when you least expect them. I won first and third place in the Coachella Valley Watercolor Society "Small Image" show. I'm thrilled and honored. There was large membership participation and the quality of work was extremely high..... a small show with a big impact. The unframed paintings for sale in the bins are as nice as the framed pieces and all are incredible bargains. If you're in the Palm Springs area in November it's a show worth seeing at the Coachella Valley Museum & Cultural Center on Miles Ave in Indio. These pieces are available for purchase through my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com

American Art Collector Ad and New Online Magazine

Our "Artists-Collective" group of artists has placed a new ad in the November 2008 American Art Collector magazine on newsstands now. See our ad on page 246. Look for our next new ad coming soon in the December issue. We have also started our own on-line magazine this past month thanks to our creator and editor, Andy Mathis. You can see examples of each artist's work with a short bio. Future issues will be expanded with art-related articles and work from more artists in the group. When viewing the new online issue please do not click on the individual pages. It will drive you crazy. Your mouse will move the pages all over the place and make it impossible to see. Go up to the top left and click on "view fullscreen" Then you can click on the arrows on the side of each page to turn the page. Hit escape to exit. You can see our new "ezine" by clicking here.

Moooonlight

This was another weekly "different strokes" painting challenge posed by Karin Jurick. I have to thank her for helping me break out of my normal routine. My usual "modus operandi" is to replicate a still life set-up or photograph I have taken. Since I knew that 70 or 80 people would be posting similar renditions of her cow, I wanted to try to do something different from Karin's photograph. I knew I wanted to move the horizon to accentuate the cow’s face, and I wanted to alter the composition a bit and change the time of day. The challenge got me thinking about creating a story rather than just painting what I saw. That’s what being an artist is supposed to be all about. Thanks to a workshop I took with Elin Pendleton I knew what colors to use to change the time of day. This was so much fun. I feel I’ve created a “work of art” rather than just reproducing a photograph. I’ve done hundreds of paintings over the past 30 years. I think this may be one of my favorites. This is an 8" x 10" watercolor on Arches 300# cold press paper. Available unframed for $475 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

Bird over Paradise

Last month I did a sketch of this hummingbird as a preliminary study for a larger painting which is now the poster for the Indian Wells Arts Festival. (See Sept 24th post) I've been looking at the sketch and kept thinking that the bird on the plain blue sky needed some clouds and mountains to make the painting feel complete. So, I had to add them. Now, the sketch is a bird flying over the mountains in Palm Springs....a bird with a background and a sense of place. This 9" x 11"unframed watercolor on Arches 300# paper is available for $275 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

Chris' Chevy

I have had a few requests for car paintings, so here is the first. This is a friend's '57 Bel Air....a classic. This 6" x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

Desert Trumpets

This was another choice I had for the "orange botanical challenge" The "Orange Peppers" was the first painting. I decided to do another. This 10" x 12" unframed watercolor on paper is available for $325 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

Donut 4acure

This is a little different than my usual watercolors or oils. Just a fun quick sketch. All summer the artists of IncredibleArtist.com gallery have been exhibiting at the Premier Oncology Center in Santa Monica, CA to raise money for cancer research. Each of us was asked to do a quick little drawing that would be auctioned off for charity. The first rendering I did, I later found out I had done on the wrong paper so set it aside. One of the other artists, a young photographer who is a Marine stationed in Iraq, asked if he could have it. I said, "Of course!" This young photographer's photos of what life is really like at war have been very popular at the gallery. Rosie O'Donnell found out about him and has taken him under her wing. She even bought him a camera. You can see his photos on her website http://www.rosie.com/

Just go up to her "links" and scroll down to the pic of the soldier with his palm held out showing a peace sign drawn in ink. His work is on display in the Palm Springs gallery now with artist's receptions on Thurs, Fri and Sat evenings October 23rd, 24th and 25th. For more info go to http://www.incredibleartist.com/harshdesert.htm. You can help make a donation to Art4acure by going to http://www.art4acure.com/ and click on Auction.....then .... take me to the auction......to purchase one of my mini oils of which the gallery contributes 25% of the sale to the Premier Oncology cancer research fund.

Orange Botanical Challenge

I belong to a wonderful international group of very talented artists who support, encourage, challenge, inform, instruct and befriend each other. We have started a new challenge for all of us to create a painting each month with a theme. October's theme is "something orange and botanical." This is my contribution....an orange pepper that has a sort of Halloween feel to it. I've seen two previews already and they are awesome. To view the other submissions go to http://artcolony.blogspot.com/ This painting is an 8" x 9" watercolor on paper.

Flood of '72

The assignment for the 1st meeting of the season of the Coachella Valley Watercolor Society, October 13th was to do a painting using one tube of paint only. This is from a photo taken in 1972 of a mini flood in my backyard. Since I love Georgia O'Keeffe, I thought I'd do a skull painting. I took the skull outside and photographed it in the "pond." The painting is 8" x 10" watercolor on Arches 300# cold press using Payne's Gray

California Commute

This is a 16" x 20" watercolor on Arches cold press. I did a 6" x 8" version of this last year for a small image show. It sold right away and the reproductions have been selling. I decided to do a full-size version for several upcoming landscape competitions....and, so that there would be better detail for future reproductions. It was a fun piece to paint.

Different Shades of Pale

One of my favorite artists, Karin Jurick, posts a new photo on her blog every week for artists to create their own interpretation. Great fun. These white pumpkins are this week’s challenge. Go to http://www.karinjurick.blogspot.com/ to see her blog and the "Different Strokes" challenge with all of this week's pumpkin art.

Hummingbird Sketch

I'm working on a large watercolor of flowers and a hummingbird. This was a painting done to work out the composition and coloring prior to painting the final bird in the full-size painting.

How Fortunate

This little fortune cookie titled "How Fortunate" is a 6" x 8" watercolor. I have a small image watercolor show coming up November 2nd so painted this for the show. You often hear that watercolor is more difficult than oil. It really is true. This took 3 times as long to paint as my same-size daily oils. It is a framed piece (frame 12-1/2" x 15") available for $475 on my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com

Killer Cupcake

This 8" x 6" oil on gallery wrap canvas is available for $175 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

Lemon with Cherry

This 8" x 6" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

The Noodle Eater

This is one of the larger paintings that has been keeping me from my daily minis. It's from a photo that I've had for quite some time, but thought would make an interesting painting. Can't help but wonder what in the world he's going to do with those noodles once they reach his mouth.

Cream Puff

Since I can't eat it, at least I can paint it. My healthy eating guru, Dr. Gundry, says no white food, and especially no sugar. So, with paint, I can have my cake and not eat it, too. This 6" x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com

Leeks

I've been working on several large paintings that have early September deadlines. I will post them as soon as they are finished. In the mean time, I will post my mini oils as often as time permits. This 6" x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com

Crystal's Memory

This cute little gal was hit and killed by a car while crossing the street last year near Palm Springs. My gallery, IncredibleArtist.com asked me to paint this portrait as a gift for her Mother, who was devastated by the loss. I was happy to do so. Crystal loved butterflies and hummingbirds. A copy of this painting will be given to her school. A bench was placed at the school in her memory. She has many friends who miss her. You can watch the CBS news story about the presentation of the painting to her mother.
Click here In Memory of Crystal Delgado

Oh, You Little Tart!

This 6" x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com

California Sunset

This 8" x 6" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com

Pine with Cone

By special request from my dear sister. She sent me the pine cone and sprig. Funny, though, there are both palm trees and pine trees here in the desert. Never have figured out why they get trimmed here to look like deciduous trees instead of leaving them cone-shaped. This 6" x 8' oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website www DianeMorganPaints.com
SOLD

Desert Path

This 6" x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available on for $150 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/ SOLD

Michelangelo goes to Vegas

This 8" x 6" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com

Cupcake on Steroids

This 8" x 6" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com

Oh My, Pumpkin Pie

This 6" x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website in plenty of time for Thanksgiving http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/
To bid on this painting on Ebay click here
The starting bid is $49

Home Sweet Homestead

One of those colorful old shacks you find in the desert when taking the backroad to Vegas.
This 6" x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com

Lemon Slice

When life gives you lemons, paint them. Put them on eBay. Sell them. And, make a ton of money :-} This 6" x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/ SOLD

Coffee Bean Custard

This 6" x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com