Goodness

oil 11x11 Purchase info here. Second painting of four 11x11's. Ready to hang, or it would look great in a simple floater frame of your choosing. These squares would look great grouped together. Two more coming up!

Abundance And Other Stuff

oil 11x11 Available at Square i Gallery in Claremont, CA. Call 909-625-2533 to inquire. After I finished the 30 Day Challenge in September, November continued to be a great month of painting. I completed four pieces for Square i Gallery's 11x11 Show for December. It was my first year entering this odd-sized show. This piece is painted on a wood panel 1/2 inch deep and stained on the sides. I prepped the panel with muslin and gesso, which made a great light toothed surface. It is ready to hang, but would also look great in a simple floater frame of your liking. Below you'll see my conglomerate photo of the September paintings (one missing) laid out on my studio floor. Also below, a dog portrait commission for a fellow artist. I loved painting Bounder! The client gave me a great photo to work from. It's 14x11 and was a gift for her husband. I love being part of surprising someone with a heart-felt gift! To commission a dog portrait, email me at karenwernerart@gmail.com

Just Glass

oil 8x8 inches Purchase info here. On the last day of the 30 day challenge I had a mild migraine. I chose a familiar subject; glass. When I have a good excuse for not painting but need to paint anyway, I think of the master watercolor painter, Milford Zornes, who continued to paint when he was nearly blind. I think of others who learn to paint with their mouth or feet. Painting frequently is important for me to stay fresh and grow as a painter. Once I push past the excuses in my head and get into my studio I'm usually glad I did, and often I feel better. What strategies do you use to "show up" when you don't feel like it?

When Trolls Were Fun

oil 8x6 inches Purchase info here. 

 When I painted this I was feeling a bit of whimsy and irritation at the same time. Trolls were fun when I was a kid. I could always relate to the troll hair as mine was very curly/frizzy and got bigger if I brushed it. Curly haired girls, you know what I mean. I made little troll clothing by cutting and hand stitching pieces of felt. Sweet memories of an innocent time. Nowadays we have internet trolls who have nothing better to do than to interject their unsolicited opinions on social media. Irritated by one such troll that day, I chose to celebrate with this painting the good days when trolls were fun.

Backyard Branch

oil 9x12 inches Available through Vanessa Rothe Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA. Last September our backyard apple tree gave us a bumper crop of there were plenty to paint, eat, and make into pies! Currently the tree is just beginning to leaf out. Here's hoping for more apples!

Olives

oil 6x6 inches Purchase info here. It's a lot of fun painting something that is squeezed tight into a jar. The shapes are altered with the squeeze, and there are little tiny bits of light and shadow within the jar. These are Graber Spanish Olives. They are located in Ontario, CA and family owned since 1894! They cure and can tree ripened olives. Yum. If you go to "labels" below, and click on "Graber", you'll see my other paintings/posts related to Graber.

Old Clown

oil 9x12 inches Purchase info here. When I was a little girl growing up in Southern California, my parents, my brother and I sailed to Catalina Island on the old SS Catalina, also known as the Great White Steamer. It was a 301-foot steamship built in 1924 that provided passenger service on the 26-mile passage to Catalina Island from 1924 to 1975. On board, a clown wandered around entertaining the kids. Clowns were fun back then. How on earth have they become scary now??? Anyway, because it was my birthday that day, he gave me this clown. He's been around for a loooong time! I hope this painting conjures up good chilhood memories for its viewers.

Hot In The Gallery

oil 11x14 During September's 30 days of painting I spent a day sitting my friend's galllery, Studio C, in Claremont, CA. As you can see, the current exhibit was entitled "Hot, Hot, Hot!" I wheeled her utility cart into the display area to create some interest below the work on display. When the quarantine is lifted, plan to visit Claremont Village an support all those small businesses. In Studio C, you'll find all kinds of creative things from local artists. Take a walk around the village and have lunch or dinner at one of the many little restaurants.

One Bossy Berry

oil 6x8 Purchase info here. Strawberries are a frequent subject for me. I do enjoy painting reds! I didn't really feel like painting that day, but I was half way through the Strada 30 Day challenge. I kept changing the background until this icy blue seemed right. Do you paint when you don't feel like it? It's an interesting experience and in my opinion, a good thing to do. Sometimes inspiration/motivation comes after I show up at the easel. Surprisingly enough, this little painting got a lot of interest on Instagram. You just never know what will resonate with people.

Gallery Still Life from the Randy Higbee Gallery

oil 12x12 inches Purchase info here. In September The California Art Club met at the Randy Higbee Gallery for a Paint Out. This is my painting from that wonderful day. In these days of quarantine that memory is even more precious; making new artist friends, doing what I love with others who love it too, and enjoying a delicious lunch together. There were about 30 of us there that day. Some chose to paint various still lifes that had been skillfully set up for us, and others painted from the live model. It's hard to describe the overwhelming positive energy in the room. It was a great day! I hope there are more days like that ahead, and I hope you are well and finding things to keep you busy. I haven't posted much, but I've been busy painting, sewing masks for nurses, crocheting beanies, even trying my hand at crochet bead necklaces. Staying home this long is mentally challenging! What are you doing to keep busy?

Primaries On Gray

oil 6x6 inches FRAMED and ready to hang. This little gem is available through Vanessa Rothe Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA. All sales are currently online. Contact the gallery at 949-280-1555 to inquire.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

oil 6x8 inches Purchase info here.

Spicy Slices

oil 8x8 Purchase info here.

In Her Shadow

oil 8x8 Purchase info here. On September 16th I was thinking about my mother. It was her birthday. It felt right to paint something of hers. These are two in her set of knock-off Russian nesting dolls. The statement and feeling evoked in this painting was unplanned. As I painted I thought about mothers and daughters. I wondered if there are other grown women like myself who feel small and overshadowed by the memories of their mothers.

A Good Read

oil 6x8 inches Available through Vanessa Rothe Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA. The gallery is currently closed, and all sales are online. To inquire Email: vanessarothe@icloud.com or call 949-280-1555.

Crueller, Coffee & Cream

oil 8x8 inches Purchase info here. The paintings I've been posting lately are all from September's Strada Easel Challenge: paint from life every day of September. One of my favorite color combinations is here; pink/red and orange. Then I decided on green as a secondary color complement. Thus, color harmony with a sweet subject. I have a collection of coffee cups. This "50's Cup" as I call it, brings to mind some good old days. Mom drinking Folgers poured from the Farberware electric percolator. She would ask me to put in the half & half until it was "just the right color."

Just A Bite

oil 8x8 inches Purchase info here. Such a beautiful and luscious fruit! I could use some watermelon and sunshine right now, how 'bout you?

Juicy Big & Little

oil 10x10 inches Purchase info here.

Nectarines On Greens

oil 8x8 inches Purchase info here. How 'bout some color to brighten your day? I hope these nectarines find you well and content with the temporary slower pace of life. I'm finding more time to paint, read, and do projects around the house. If you're interested, I recently posted six time lapse videos of my latest painting (16x20) on my Instagram page. Just do a search on IG for karenwernerart. Stay well, my friends!

SOLD Apples & Poms-Some Gallery News

In & Out Apples 6x6 SOLD Vanessa Rothe Fine Art

Backyard Poms 8x8 SOLD Vanessa Rothe Fine Art. I'm very pleased to announce the recent sale of these two small pieces at Vanessa Rothe Fine Art. Thank you, Vanessa! Vanessa's gallery is as beautiful as they come. Located at 418 Ocean Avenue in Laguna Beach, it's a quaint cottage chock full of California, Russian and French Impressionism as well as contemporary realism. In November, Vanessa approached me about carrying my small works. I'm so grateful! Below is a sneak peak at a few paintings on their way to the gallery soon. Be sure to visit when you're in Laguna Beach. For more info on Vanessa Rothe Fine Art, click here. Thank YOU for following my work by reading my blog posts. Stay healthy!

Sunny In Blue 8x8

Backyard Still Life