Art Auction for Japan Relief

I am joining my artist friends who are auctioning their paintings, with all proceeds to go to the Japanese Red Cross. You may see the work of other painters who are participating by going to Art Auctions for Japanese Disaster Relief. Thanks to Iain Stewart for getting
this started

To place a bid, email me at dianem1111@aol.com -- please put Japan Art Auction in the subject line.

Bidding starts at $75. I will post bids as I receive them.

Bidding will close at 8 pm PDT on Wednesday, March 30 and the winner will be notified by email as soon as possible. Shipping included in the price.
At the close of auction I will place the painting with the winning bid price on my website www.dianemorganpaints.com and the winner can simply pay with Paypal.

Sunset Serenade

It was so much fun to just whip something off in less than a day after working on the zinnia for weeks and weeks. This is a repeat of the image that was used on the Desert Symphony program cover for this season. The original was 6 x 8" and had sold before I even entered the contest. I decided to try it again in 16 x 20" size with a little more subdued coloring. This is the view from my patio. Desert sunsets, cactus and hummingbirds seem to be selling well this year here. I'm building up my inventory for the Indian Wells Arts Festival coming up April 1,2,3.

"Just Glorious " oil on canvas

Finally finished this big one, 48" x 60" Started it way back in September. 60 hours total. Still a few little areas to tweak, but basically done. The WIP pic gives you an idea of scale. I'll try to get a shot with me and the finished piece later.

Coachella Valley Watercolor Society 22nd Annual Show

This past weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday was our big annual watercolor show. We moved to a new location and were nervous about people finding us. We rented a ballroom at the clubhouse of a beautiful golf course. Our worries were unfounded. We had so many attendees that we actually ran out of "people's choice" ballots the first day and had to print more. Gerald Brommer was the judge of awards. What a nice man! The photo showing him judging only shows about a third of the paintings in the show. There were about 700 watercolors on sale. I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of the winners. We did around $20,000 in sales. (I sold two :-) Our raffle sales brought in about $1500. We also sell cookbooks and are almost out of them. A percentage of the proceeds of our sales goes to help under-served children's art programs in the area. We select about 10 needy programs and give them grants every Spring. In addition to this show I also exhibited at an outdoor Wildflower and Art Festival on Saturday. Was quite a weekend. I'm still recovering.

Five Shows in Three Days and more

This is a CRAZY week. My best customer had a cocktail party this evening to introduce me to some of her neighbors and show them my art on her walls. Tomorrow night is the opening reception for over 20 of my watercolors at a new gallery on exhibit for the month of February. I was chosen for this exhibit because of winning the Desert Symphony Program cover competition. Friday night is the opening reception of my new permanent gallery showcasing all my car paintings. All of the people at the cocktail party tonight said they are coming to both receptions. Then I got a piece accepted in the City of Palm Springs annual art show today. That reception is also Friday night. I won't be able to make that one. Saturday, I'm doing an all day art show at the Nat'l Monument Visitor Center again. That's a monthly event. Tuesday I leave for Naples, FL for the BLOSSOM award ceremony and the day after I return I'm exhibiting at an all-day outdoor Car Show which is a local cancer fund-raiser. They get around 10,000 attendees. After that.....I think I'll crash onto a bed of cotton or maybe clouds somewhere.

WIP "Waiting for Breakfast" class demo

I had 14 students in my class yesterday. We had fun pulling all the many color variations out of the fish and sea lion. Some painted just the fisherman. Others did the whole scene. I flipped the image from the original photo then turned the man so he wasn't facing out of the painting. I didn't get very far on mine as I spent a lot of time walking around viewing the students' work. I'll probably add a bunch of seagulls before I'm finished. Really having fun with this one. The photo was taken in Punte del Este, Uruguay.

Rainy Day Rose

This is the piece I started in a 5-hour workshop/demo ten days ago. Add twenty more hours and it's as done as it's going to get. This actually would have been easier to do larger. This is a half sheet 14" x 21, 300# cold press. Part of the beauty of watercolor is the layering of colors, but just once it would be nice to put down a single wash and have it be exactly the right color and effect.

Chris Beck features car artists Diane Morgan and Ron Morrison

Chris Beck's wonderful blog brush-paper-water features two watercolor car artists with different approaches this week. Over the past two years she has featured many of the best watercolorists working today. I'm extrememly honored to be included on that list.

Rainy Day Rose workshop WIP

Taught a class today and presented this rose which was a little more complicated than I usually do for a class. There were a few moans and groans, but in the end they were all happy to have been pushed to try to learn water drops. For the first two hours there was not a peep out of any of them they were concentrating so hard. After lunch everyone was more talkative. Maybe they just needed nourishment. There wasn't enough time for anyone to finish. They invited me back in two weeks for a portrait demonstration so they have an assignment to finish the rose (and so do I) "Rainy Day Rose" watercolor 15" x 21" 300# Arches.

Bug Collection photos now online

"Trumpet Taster" photo shot at sunset. I've just posted 80 new photo images from my "Bug Collection" on my website. You can see them here http://www.dianemorganpaints.com There are a few non-bug photos interspersed. Just click on through to see them all. The images are for sale in a variety of sizes printed on paper with mats or as gallery-wrap giclees on canvas.

Diane Morgan juried as member of International Guild of Realism

"Liquid Sunshine" oil on canvas 24" x 30"



"Diversity" and "Autumn Delights" watercolor

"I Love Bees" oil on canvas



I have been juried in as an official member of the International Guild of Realism in Scottsdale, AZ. The roster of members is quite impressive. I'm thrilled and honored. The 5th Annual International Exhibition was held last February at J.Willott Gallery on El Paseo, in Palm Desert, CA not far from my studio. I hope to be a part of the show next year. My oil "Liquid Sunshine" was selected to represent my work on their website. In the acceptance letter they commented that they especially enjoyed "Autumn Delights", "Diversity" and "I Love Bees." You may see all of the members at http://www.realismguild.com

Exterminators buy four Insect Painting giclees

Frazier Pest Control bought full-size 24" x 30" giclees on canvas of all four of my insect paintings for their office. And, they want more...crickets, ants, cockroaches, beetles, spiders... I'm going to be busy painting bugs! The IncredibleArtist.com fund-raiser wreath auction for the Boys and Girls Club of Cathedral City was a tremendous success!

Poinsettia watercolor demo

I started this piece last week for a demo at a painter's group...mostly oil painters. They wanted a holiday theme. The demo was only two hours, so I didn't even come close to finishing during the meeting. Took me another fifteen hours to finish it. Guess this will be next year's Christmas card. Watercolor, arches 300# cold press, 14" x 20"

Misssion Accomplished photo in Vermont show

My "Mission Accomplished" photo was juried into the FLOWERS, TREES, BIRDS, BEES: NATURE EXPOSED photo competition at the PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont. Only 40 images were selected out of over 1200 entries. Exhibition: Jan 4th - 29th. See all the winners at the website: http://www.vtphotoworkplace.com/id97.html

Winner of Desert Symphony Program Cover Art competition

Great show Thursday night at the McCallum Theatre with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy performing with the Desert Symphony. My art "California Sunset" was chosen for the cover of the program for the 2010-11 season. Perks.... 6th row seats and back stage passes. A fantastic evening.

Finalist in Blossom competition

"Raindrops on Roses" watercolor, 21" x 29" was selected to be in the Blossom II Art of Flowers exhibition. Approximately 100 paintings were chosen. Show runs from February 1 - April 10 at the Naples Museum of Art in Florida. Winners will be announced at the awards reception on February 9th. First prize is $25,000. There are quite a few $5,000 awards, too. Needless to say, I'm pretty excited.

Caution Wet Paint

I've been busy working on this large floral, "Just Glorious" 48" x 60" oil on canvas. And, I've been working on my article for International Artist Magazine. It's so much more work than you might imagine. I've finally finished it and will be sending off the piece to the magazine this week. Have no idea when they will publish it. The earliest it could be is February of 2011. This portrait of me at work was one of the requirements. That was an undertaking in itself. Setting the 10-second delay on the shutter and running to get in position many times til I got it right.

Diane Morgan - One Life Photos

If you like my photo portfolio please click on the One Life Photos website link below to vote. I could win a trip around the world :-]
Diane Morgan - One Life Photos

Unfinished business. Works in Progress

Here's what happens when you teach a bunch of 3-hour workshops. Works in Progress. Lots of paintings started and not finished.

Last stop for NWS traveling show in 2010

Last chance to see my "Organized Chaos" in the National Watercolor Society award-winning traveling show from the 89th Annual Exhibition is Firehouse Arts Center, Oct 19 – Dec 2, 4444 Railroad Avenue, Pleasanton, California 925.931.5355
http://www.nationalwatercolorsociety.org/exhibits/2009-Annual-Show/index.html

Desert Symphony Program Cover Winner

My "California Sunset" was selected as the winner of the Program cover competition.
YAY! Besides the cover I get a free full-page ad in the program worth $3000. Luckily, I spent the whole weekend putting the ad together because they gave me 5 hours notice til it was due. I never was able to convert the PageMaker doc to a pdf as they required so had to recreate the whole ad in Photoshop. So I learned a new skill. Now I know how to combine multiple photos in one jpeg. Noone uses PageMaker anymore. One of these days I'm going to have to upgrade to InDesign. In addition to all this wonderful program stuff there is also the month-long gallery showing. I'm so honored and thrilled. This is the 7.5 x 10" ad.

California Sunset finalist in cover competition

Just received notice that my oil "California Sunset" is one of three finalists in the Desert Symphony's program cover competition, 2010-2011 season. In addition, I have been offered a reception and month-long exhibition of my work at the art gallery at Robert's of Course on El Paseo, Palm Desert, CA

Sunset Snack

Latest painting "Sunset Snack" 24" x 30" Oil on canvas. I have so many ideas I want to paint. There just aren't enough hours in the day, or days in the life.

Raindrops on Roses

Fresh off the easel. Latest watercolor, Raindrops on Roses, 22" x 27" on Arches 300# cold press.

ArtvsOilSpill store featured in The Artists Magazine

The Zazzle store started by watercolorist Paul Jackson to raise money to help in the Gulf oil spill cleanup got a nice write-up in the October issue of the Artists Magazine, page 18. My friend Jane Freeman's t shirt is the number one seller. $6,000 has been raised to date. That means $60,000 in art sales! Other Artcolony artists friends who are involved include Debbie Cannatella, Vernita Bridges Hoyt, Mary Jansen and Cindy Agan. Paul says the store will remain open indefinitely to help wildlife rescue in the Gulf Coast. To purchase items go to http://www.zazzle.com/artvsoilspill+gifts

Liquid Sunshine

Finally, after six weeks of interruptions, I have finished the latest in my bee series. This bee is feasting on the blossoms of a miniature palm tree. I never realized palm trees had flowers. Liquid Sunshine is 24" x 30"w oil on gallery-wrap canvas.

Joshua Tree Bee accepted in Oil Painters of America Exhibition

Joshua Tree Bee, 24 x 30" oil on canvas was accepted in the 2010 OPA Western Regional exhibition. The show runs from Oct 9 - Nov 10 at the Mountain Trails Gallery in Jackson Hole WY. I'm on cloud 10. I was a little worried because I had entered both the lady bug and the bee in two competitions. Lady's Day got in the Paint the Parks and this one got in OPA. I don't know what I would have done if both competitions had wanted the same painting. What luck! In addition to these great events, I sold a large watercolor that a lady had seen way back in January, I sold 5 minis on eBay and I picked up a greeting card account. Our local National Monument Visitors Center is carrying an assortment of 15 of my images depicting local scenes, which include watercolors, oils and photographs. It is not consignment. They buy them outright. Make that cloud 11.

Artistic Touch 4 fine art book now available

This is the latest book in the Artistic Touch series by Chris Unwin. The book is 9 x 12" 172 pages, with 164 full-color plates. My "Heaven is a '57" watercolor is a full-page image on page 44. The book lists for $35. I'm offering at $29 including shipping and a personalized autograph by me. The book may be purchased on my website

OvationTV seeking Nude Art for September show

Three minute sketch with live model. OvationTV is featuring the human form in September. Upload your nude images by August 9th for a chance to be showcased on air during The Body by OvationTV event. To enter join The Community at http://www.ovationtv.com/