Inspired by J.M.W. Turner, Georgia O'Keefe, Massimo Cruciani, Edgar Degas and many others, I am pleased to be an artist painting in oils (palette knife and brush), soft pastels, paintings on glass and now watercolors. My landscapes are driven by my travel memories. My flowers are inspired by the actual thing -- I once had a pressed and dried flower business. And my skies -- my hero is Turner. What more can I say?
My motto: "Life is short, use color!" I hope you enjoy my show.
Irises tend to be very trying to paint, very difficult. The waviness of them, their curves, their shadows -- all a bit frustrating. And yet I enjoy attempting to capture them. Painting irises onto glass can be a little disconcerting because it is so easy to lose track of their lines -- they tend to merge together on occasion. Still, I enjoy the challenge. There is a close-up on my website.
"Colorful Irises", framed painting on glass, 10"x22" edge to edge glass, sold framed in black, Paypal preferred, $675 plus s/h to be determined at time of sale, e-mail me at KarlaNolan@gmail.com for more information
Venice is spectacular. The canals are mesmerizing, the vapporetti (spelling?), the canal buses, charming. My husband, two daughters, and I were there several years ago and thoroughly enjoyed our adventures. If you have the opportunity, take my advice: go there! It is a legendary town, full of history, and well worth the money and time involved in traveling to see it.
I decided to add a new category to my website, www.KarlaNolan.com, entitled "Bargain Bin". Painting almost every day tends to produce a lot of paintings! And I am running out of space in my studio. So help me out, get a great deal, and scope out the new site on my site....This one was heavily inspired by travels to Wales and Ireland. I swear, I have never seen such green....
Years ago my husband and I traveled to Spain. While we were there, we decided that since Gibraltar was literally just a hop, skip and a jump, we'd check it out. Walking around was fun but what startled me was the deep, deep blue hue of the morning glories. Now you can see it, also!
I sometimes wish I lived by the ocean. Every time I go to visit a friend on either coast, West or East, I just fall in love all over again with the sea. The waves, coming and going, the sounds (which bring me peace)....do you know how lucky you are to live by the ocean, those of you who do? Never mind the seafood!!!!!
Did you ever notice how the sky isn't always a blue hue? Sometimes it has green in it, sometimes, grey, often white, of course, and every once in a while I see a purple or lavender tint to it. Possibly this depends on the time of day, but in this painting it IS that time of day. This is a favorite flower for painting and lavender, at least to me, does it justice as an accent.
An all-time favorite travel destination for me, Santa Fe, New Mexico, is known as an art mecca. Adobe, color, architecture unlike any place I've lived, it's a great place to visit. Here's my take-off on some mailboxes I saw while walking up Canyon Road.
"Colorful! Santa Fe Mailboxes" pastel painting, sold unframed, 6"x9", $95.00, Paypal preferred, includes s&h in North America; e-mail KarlaNolan@gmail.com for more information
Utah is easily one of the most astonishing places in the U.S. that I have visited. Red rocks, blue skies. My kind of land! Almost like a completely different universe or planet. You should definitely, if at all possible, make sure you swing by Capitol Reef, not as famous as Bryce or Zion, but worthwhile to see.
"This Is Capitol Reef", framed painting on glass, 11"x14" edge to edge glass, sold framed as shown, $450 includes s&h in North America, e-mail me at KarlaNolan@gmail.com for more information
This poppy looked surprising to me, hence the title.
"Surprise!", palette knife oil painting on canvas, sold unframed, 4"x4", $50.00, Paypal preferred, includes s&h in North America; e-mail KarlaNolan@gmail.com for more information
Back to the experimental mode for me on this wintry, snowy day in Colorado. I employed both brushes (yes, you read it correctly, brushes!) and palette knife to provide the viewer with a typical, in my mind, anyway, Colorado summer dusk. What do you think?
Well, once again Mother Nature is wrecking havoc with us in Colorado. We are supposed to be receiving up to a foot of snow! This is past mid-April, mind you! Therefore, this is the perfect painting for posting today. Wishful thinking!
Every once in a while I get inspired by a neighbor's yard. There was a lady who used to live across the street from us -- she's since moved. She was growing these unusual colored poppies, big Oriental ones, salmon colored. I was so inspired by HER poppies, that I tracked down some for our yard. Here's one for you!
Next month it's poppy time in Italy -- spring will have sprung! The hill towns become alive with tourists soon -- everyone is awed by the wonder of the European red poppy! I'm with them -- and here's a painting, a tiny jewel, to prove it!
Another early morning by the Atlantic Ocean...a rare morning for me. Being the ultimate in night people, I dread early mornings. This one was worth rising at an early hour. I hope you agree.
"Newport Dawn", 18"x24" palette knife oil painting on canvas, sold unframed, $650 includes s&h in North America, e-mail me at KarlaNolan@gmail.com for more information
What can I say about Utah? It is dramatic. It is colorful. It has blue skies and red rocks. Canyons. Arches. Arroyos. Desert. Maybe Mars resembles Utah -- all dramatic and such, a different type of landscape. I love it there!
"Three Sisters, Arches National Monument, Utah", framed painting on glass, 14"x11" edge to edge glass, sold framed as shown, $450 includes s&h in North America, e-mail me at KarlaNolan@gmail.com for more information
East of Fort Collins lies the small community of Ault and further east of that are the Pawnee Buttes. I traveled there a few summers ago on what had been a lovely summer day. But, as is typical in a Colorado summer afternoon, the dark clouds rolled in, giving the atmosphere a steamy, eerie tone. Here it is for you to enjoy.
"Dark Prairie Clouds", palette knife oil painting on canvas , 4"x7" s, sold unframed, $55 includes s&h in North America, e-mail me at KarlaNolan@gmail.com for more information
Not being a morning person, painting a sunrise or dawn presents a challenge for me. I overcame this obstacle by determindedly getting up pre-dawn while visiting Rhode Island several years ago, just to attempt to capture the beauty of the sun breaking the edge of the ocean early in the day. I probably won't do this again for some time, so I do hope you enjoy my painting!
The bright turquoise blue skies, the adobe, the clouds floating by -- this is Santa Fe. One of my all time favorite cities, as well as many artists', Santa Fe inspires me. The food, the high and dry mountains, the history -- all are such wonderful memories. No brushes used here, just knives. And fun.
If you have read any of my blogs about art at all, you know that I live in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. When I walk outside in the early evening, I see this kind of sunset frequently. I am spoiled. I love it!!!!! These are such fun to paint and yet challenging. What an amazing place to reside.
Fun, fun, and more fun! This painting was a blast to create. The hills in Italy surround you -- and in spring they are loaded with wild European poppies. You cannot escape them nor would you want to, they are so delightful! Keep in mind that they are opaque, transparent, and sometimes they shimmer...the photographs do not do them justice! Close up on the website!
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