The new view

I am getting started on a new set of large paintings for a show in June. I spent much of the weekend constructing frames for the canvases. There is so much potential in that large expanse of white! I also wanted to take this opportunity to give you a view of the new studio. Out those windows is a great view of Main St. Greenville.

"Waiting for Water"

6"x 6"
Oil on Masonite
$80

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

I snapped a picture of these old boats on our family's trip to the beach. It just seemed like they were waiting patiently for someone to take them back out on the water. I love all the textures and colors that make up these otherwise simple shapes.

"By the Shore"

5 1/2"x 8 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
SOLD

This is my nephew exploring the sand on the shore of Tybee Island. Seeing a child really experience something for the first time really makes you appreciate the wonder of it so much more. If only we could all look at the world around us the way a child does.

"Back to the Audience"

10"x 14"
Oil on Masonite
$150

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

While I like parts of this piece, as a whole I am not as happy with it as I would have liked. It does have a nice sense of movement, though. I tried to post this one yesterday, but apparently my scanner didn't like it much either.

"Gwen"

10"x 14"
Oil on Masonite
$150

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

This dog makes a great subject, because she spends so much of her time sleeping, and is easy to photograph. If you would like a painting of your favorite furry friend, send me a picture, and we will discuss size and price options.

I have quite a few big projects coming up in the near future, so my posts will be a mix of daily paintings and larger, more long-term work. This currently unfinished piece is one of those bigger projects. If you would like a painting of your favorite pet, simply email me a picture.

"Paint Revisited"

6"x 6"
Oil on Masonite
$80

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

I haven't painted a tube of paint since about this time last year. I was curious to see how I would treat this subject now after a year's worth of painting and evolving.

"Finding Mice in Greenville"

6"x 6"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

Hello friends! The reason for my long absense was that I was sick all last week. I hope to get back up to full speed this week.

If you have never gone hunting for the mice on Main in downtown Greenville, I suggest you take a Saturday afternoon to do it. It is good, free, fun!

My "Year of Painting" celebration is tomorrow night. Email me for details. My daily posts will resume next week!

"To the Crowd"

10"x 14"
Oil on Masonite
$150

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

I don't imagine I will ever run out things to paint as long as I keep dancing...

"High Drama"

6"x 6"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

The colors in this piece aren't quite as intense in the photograph as they are in reality. I felt like a dramatic pose needed dramatic lighting and colors.

"Ivy"

20"x 24"
Oil on Canvas
$220

This is another lare piece I did for an upcoming exhibit. My favorite part of this piece is the large mass of ivy engulfing this window. My fear in starting this one was that I would have to paint a bunch of ivy leaves individually to really get the effect. I am very happy with how this one turned out!

"The Start"

5 1/2"x 8 1/2"
Oil on Paper
$80

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

Today is the one year anniversary of my first daily painting! This piece is the painting I created exactly one year ago today. I didn't do much preperation for this piece- I didn't even gesso the piece of paper it is on. But the important thing that day was that I started something, and I haven't been able to stop. Over the past year, I have created just short of 200 paintings! A huge thanks to those of you who have supported me, given me comments and suggestions for pieces, and have purchased my work. I couldn't have done it without your help. Now, on to year two...

"Where I Came From"

6"x 6"
Oil on Masonite
$80

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

The woman in the rocking chair in this piece is my grandmother. And the sweet little baby in her arms is my mother. It was through these women, and the many generations before them, that I was ultimatly created.

"In the Yard"

6"x 6"
Oil on Masonite
$80

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

"Through the Door"

6"x 6"
Oil on Masonite
$80

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

This is the doorway to an old church. I like the simplicity of the compositon here. I just wanted to give the impression that this door is inviting you in to take a look around.

"Snow Day"

10"x 12"
Oil on Masonite
$150

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

It has been snowing in South Carolina! One of my coworkers took this photo of his son playing in the snow. I love the blue colors in the ice, as well as that bright orange jackted against the white of the snow.

"Swivels"

4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

Originally, this piece was twice as long. Halfway through painting it I hacked off the right side, and was instantly happier with the result!

I've spent the last few days working on some larger pieces for an exhibition space. Two of them are posted below.


20"x 24"
Oil on Canvas
$220



20"x 24"
Oil on Canvas
SOLD

Hello friends. I had a camera problem today, so I couldn't post the new piece. Hopefully it will all be corrected tomorrow.

"Ocean of Blue"

5 1/2"x 8 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
SOLD

Difficult days require soothing paintings done all in blue. This piece is from a friend's photo of Alaska, and I actually didn't adjust the color much at all from the original- it was already such a stunning shade of blue.

"In the Hills"

5 1/2" 8 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

Another painting from an old picture of my grandmother. Maybe it is the fact that I have been working from a lot of black and white photographs, but I really enjoy these monochromatic pieces. The challenge is to portray objects with different values of the same color, rather than differentiating them through using different colors. It has proved to be an interesting problem to solve.

"Mid Motion"

5 1/2"x 8 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

Another piece inspired by Lindy Focus. After I took this picture, I really started playing around with the color and contrast. I thought the sepia tone gave the piece a vintage feel and a warmth lacking in the original image.

"With Flair"

5 1/2"x 8 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

This piece was done from a photo I took over New Years. It is such a cute moment in the dance. They are obviously in motion, but she is still able to add in her own bit of flair. I painted the couple as one unit, and in the same shade of green, to emphasize their connection, and then went back in and picked out the individual details. I also let the background fade to black and white so that the couple was spotlighted.

"Across the Years"

6"x6"
Oil on Mat board
SOLD

This is a close up of the foot of my great-grandmother's sewing machine. I did this piece as a companion to the painting I did of the foot of my own sewing machine, which also belonged to my mother. I love that through the different generations, this connection in my family, a love of sewing, has remained.

"Essence of Swing"

5 1/2"x 8 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

I am having a few technical difficulties with the internet at the studio, which is why this one has been posted so late. Please forgive me if posts are a little sporadic as we work out the problem. I love the pose in this piece. I has so much movement and energy. Maybe it is because I have spent so much time dancing recently, but I can almost hear the music in this one, and feel the tension and excitement.

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had as wonderful a holiday as I did. I was able to spend several blissfully relaxing days in Atlanta with my family for Christmas, and danced in the New Year at Lindy Focus VI in Asheville. 2007 was a great year, with the start of my blog and an increasing number of commissions (one of the pieces I completed in December is below). 2008 is already shaping up to be even better! I am quickly coming up on the one year anniversary of my first daily painting, have several shows lined up for the next few months, and have just moved in to a beautiful new studio space downtown! I am incredibly excited about all the things that are to come, and hope you all will continue to share them with me! Thanks to all. ~Emily