30-34 (30 in 30 Challenge) - Qiang Huang and a bunch of studies

Every time I get on blogger to make this final post I've gotten distracted by other art blogs I follow. Namely Qiang-Huang. His artwork in my blogger dashboard feed makes me completely forget what I got on my computer to do. That and makes me re-think posting my little attempts at painting. His work -- the shapes, the tones, the angles, the colors, the brushwork.... I could look at it forever. So, yes, what I was saying: it has been a very busy week and the limited time I've taken to post to the blog has been hijacked by Qiang Huang (pronounce Chong Wong, fyi). If you don't have 20 extra minutes in your day, don't click on the link.

My 30th painting turned into five. Rather, five studies for future paintings. Some studies were for a commission, some for upcoming shows. All completed on July 1st, which was really the 30th day in the challenge for me, since I began on June 2nd.

 

Details are still being worked through, but a number of the paintings of the 30 in 30 will be on display at Gallery Flux's "En Plein Air" gallery artists and "Big Skies" juried exhibits during August and September. More details to come!

Thanks for all the "likes" on the blog posts on facebook and the encouragement during the month. I'm honored that you all actually take the time to look and read. Thank you!

24 (30 in 30 Challenge) "Strawberry Moon" grows up

This one I completed the week we returned from the beach. It was an enlargement of "Strawberry Moon" painted on location of the full moon on June 14th.

Strawberry Moon

16x20, oil

Day 14 and 15 (30 in 30) "A Proclamation" and "Strawberry Moon"

I woke up to watch the sunrise the day we were to drive back to Richmond. The clouds to the east were fairly dense, but the sky to the west was clearer and there was that big full moon -- June's Strawberry Moon.

Strawberry Moon

6x8, oil

This one was another sunrise, I didn't make it out to the beach until the sun had already risen. I named this one "A Proclamation" because Psalm 19:1 says:

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

This sky took me around 1 hour to put down on canvas. And it was hard work. This same sky, changing every instant, God spoke into being. And every second it was a new formation and new declaration of His majesty. And a different one from every beach in the world, every day of the year. Can a craftsman make something more intricate or grander than himself? No. How glorious must this Maker be...

 

A Proclamation

6x8, oil