Creative Possibilities ©

©2014 Debbi Smith Rourke

Creative Possibilities 12"x12"

Oil on gessoed .5" thick plywood board / unframed

$400 + sh/h in US
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I started this painting in the Sandy Ostrau workshop I attended back in January. But after I got home to my Austin studio, I added the red-orange elements. Now it is a tretrad of blue-green, blue-violet, yellow-orange and red-orange. Yummy. Love the simplified shapes, large brush strokes, mix of brush and palette-knife work and surprises of color where they might not appear in reality. Creative possibilities are infinite!! Love that. What possibilities inspire you?

Sandy Ostrau Workshop Jan. 2014

 

Sandy doing a landscape demo 

I was thrilled to attend Sandy Ostrau's 3-day workshop in Orinda, California (Bay Area) in January. Everything about it was delightful. My dear friend and fab artist Nancy Hartley invited me. She and her hubby Brian went all out to make every moment of my trip so delightful. Thank you, all!!! I was inspired on so many levels.

 Sandy's color mixing

 Sandy showing ways to optimize use of layers

 Another sweet Sandy demo

Learned a few fabulous tips: 

- Simplify. Simplify. Simplify. 

- Experiment. You can always paint over the work, or turn it 90 or 180 degrees.

- Color gets all the credit. Value does all the work.

- Quinacridone red and white make a luscious sky color.

- Learned to make earthy taupes that mix well with oranges and greens.

- Unexpected color pops brilliantly when placed next to a neutral.

Play time!!! I burned the candle at both ends. Up early for breakfast then Nancy picked me up and we laughed our way to class. We watched Sandy and were endlessly inspired, painted with amazing painters all day, enjoyed al fresco lunches, went gallery gazing, took walks on the reservoir, dined out, laughed and shared, enjoyed home cooked meals and even attended Brian's running club's annual gala in San Francisco the last night. On top of that, I met ad pal Roberta Taub Abel for a delightful dinner, too! She drove into Danville from Berkley to see me and catch up. What fun.

 

Nancy Hartley's paintings at Layfayette Gallery

 Yummy home-cooked meal at Nancy and Brian's. Delightful and healthy. Oh the stories I must have told.

Nancy and me after painting, shopping and drinking. Art buddies for life!

 Nancy and Brian on gala night in San Francisco. So delighted to be their guest. We danced all night!

 Dinner with Roberta Taub Abel. We worked at Leo Burnett and JWT together in Chicago 

too many years ago. So many stories and so many common friends!!

 Sad departure. Glorious views!!

Thank you, Nancy!! What a dear, dear friend!! Lot's of love to you! XOXO

Fall Colors ©

©2013 Debbi Smith Rourke

Fall Colors 12"x12"

Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas / unframed

$400 + $50 sh/h in Contiguous US
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I'm re-posting this from last fall. It is part of my Side by Side series with photographer Bill Oakey. We had a joint exhibition of new works last October. Look forward to more collaboration and more fun projects.

Cedar in Tall Grass ©

©2014 Debbi Smith Rourke

Cedar in Tall Grass 8"x10"

Oil on canvas board

SOLD

I painted this Monday and just love it. Snapped a pic of this cedar in some tall winter grass on our way back from San Antonio a couple of weeks ago. Love applying a few simplification techniques I learned from Sandy Ostrau. Also love the mixture of brushwork and palette knife application. So much fun!

Snow Shed ©

©2014 Debbi Smith Rourke

Snow Shed  6"x6"

Oil on 1.5" wide gallery-wrapped canvas

$150 + sh/h in contiguous US
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I painted this from I photo I took on a delightful winter excursion near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Love the little shed tucked into the trees. So enjoying painting snow scenes, even though I am totally ready for hot weather! My feet are cold!!!

Beach Time ©

©2014 Debbi Smith Rourke

Beach Time 8"x8"x1.5"

Oil on 1.5" wide gallery-wrapped canvas / unframed (no frame needed)

$210 + $15 sh/h 
Available on ArtfulGalleries.com

I painted this from a photo I took while vacationing at on the Mayan Riviera a couple of years ago at Grand Velas. It is an abstracted or simplified representation using techniques I learned from the fabulous California artist and generous instructor Sandy Ostrau. I love my beach time and this painting takes me back to this memorable adventure.

Swirl ©

©2014 Debbi Smith Rourke

Swirl  48"x36"  

Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas
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This is the right side of the diptych I recently started. It is now hanging in our entry. Yay!!! But not for long. Hoping it goes to a collector soon as it IS available for sale. Here's how the diptych looks installed. 

 

"Swish and Swirl" diptych
Oil on two 48"x36" gallery-wrapped canvases (48" x 72" together)
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