Still Life Painting - White Roses and Hot Pink Flowers

White Roses and Hot Pink Flowers in Copper Pot

9x12 Oil on Canvas

by

Cheri Wollenberg

I have been painting a lot of cattle lately and decided that I should quit painting coats of hair and do something else for a while (lol).  Still lifes are always handy.  I love to painting roses.  My husband buys roses for me occasionally "just because".  He knows that I love painting them, arranging them in different compositions to paint and enjoying them in my home.  I'm not sure that they are my favorite flower, but I like painting them.  These white roses looked very pretty against the hot pink flowers.  I thought the copper pot would add to the warmth of the whole composition.  To buy this painting click here.

Francis - A Cow Painting

Francis - A Cow Painting

9x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

 

Francis is a red cow standing in a field of golden grass.   She is warm and happy!  She is listed here.

Cow Painting of Louise

Louise

20x24 Oil on Framed Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Louise is a black baldie cow.  She looked so regal and feminine that I had to place pink in the background.....something my grandaughters would have "high-fived".   She seemed almost princess-like to me.  Naming the cows in my paintings sometimes comes very easy....sometimes not so much, but she looked clean and pristine like she had just taken a bath or something (lol).  She is for sale in my Etsy shop.  Click here to find details.

Farm Fresh Eggs and Pitcher Farmhouse Chic Painting

Farm Fresh Eggs and Pitcher

6x6x1 Oil on Canvas

by

Cheri Wollenberg

After the first of the year I plan to post about our new venture in raising chickens.  Oh my goodness, have we ever had fun doing this!  We have observed our crazy little hens do some of the funniest things and we are so proud of them because they give us good eggs to eat:)  We love eating them and I enjoyed painting these.  This little daily painting is listed in my Etsy shop.  You can follow this link if you are interested in purchasing it.

Horse Painting - Paint the Midnight Sky

Paint the Midnight Sky

16x20 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

The story about this horse goes back a few years....I was working on my masters degree and I drove to Weatherford, Oklahoma which was about 90 miles from where my husband and I were living at the time.  I, like most artists,...always have my camera with me so that if there is some candid event, subject, or scene that catches my eye I might take a snapshot.  My trip was through beautiful country and farm animals were along the way.  I had noticed this magnificent paint horse at this one farm that I went by and made the decision that I would take his picture when the time was right.  The moment came and I parked my car in the ditch, got my camera out and just about the time I clicked the camera...a Great Dane (an angry Great Dane) dog was running toward me with a young teenage boy screaming for him to stop.  I managed to get to the car and the boy came up to the door and was apologizing to me.......I apologized to him too for not asking permission to take the picture in the first place.  The frightening experience was worth it and I thoroughly enjoyed painting this beautiful creature.  He has one blue eye and one brown eye.  He is listed at my Etsy store.  You can check him out there by clicking Paint:)

Nellie - Pig Painting

Nellie

6x6 Oil on Artist Board

Cheri Wollenberg

Nellie is a Hampshire pig.  Hampshire pigs are usually all black with white markings on their faces.  My grandson shows pigs in the local livestock fairs here in Central Oklahoma.  His favorite breeds of pig are the Hampshire and Spot hogs.  Nellie is pretty young here.....and clean!  It doesn't take much for her to find mud and have a dirt bath.  Details of this small painting can be seen in my Etsy shop by clicking here.

Still Life Painting of Marigold Flowers and Gourd

Marigold Flowers and Pumpkin Gourd

9x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Orange, marigold flowers in beige pitcher with pumpkin gourd and red cloth in background is the subject for this little still life composition.  A friend and I painted these marigolds set up with a turquoise green pitcher and when she left I couldn't help but paint them again.  The colors were so autumn and cheerful.  This painting is in my Etsy store.  You can find out more about it by clicking here. 

Red Bell Pepper and Jalapenos Still Life Painting

Red Bell Pepper and Jalapenos

6x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Red and green are such lovely complements.  This painting was very enjoyable to paint.  They are listed in my shop in Etsy.

Cow Painting of Grace

Grace

16x16 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

 

Grace is a red and white Hereford Cow Painting. She has a soft,wet nose and she is lovely!

Red is for Excitement!

White is for Innocence!

Her name reminds me how much I need grace in all areas of my life....even in my painting:)

She is in my Etsy shop if you are interested in taking a look at her.

Cow Painting of Winken,Blinken, and Nod

Winken,Blinken and Nod

24x36x2 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

 

Three very different colored cows are lost in a sea of bright, golden wheat. They reminded me of an old children's poem Wynken,Blynken and Nod. The black and white, black and blond cows are watching and searching for a way go home. Perhaps they are waiting for someone to direct them. They are happy and unconcerned about the anxieties of the world. They are dreaming of food!

Cow Painting "Ralph"

Cow Painting "Ralph"

16x16 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

 

Ralph is a special black and white cow that has a very laid back personality. He is relaxed as he can be. He is not worried that he could be late for dinner and is quite confident that he is admired for his black, sleek coat and beautiful white face that is graced with a cute black nose and absolutely great eye lashes:)  More about him can be found here in my Etsy store.

Strawberries Painting

Strawberries

6x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Strawberries, juicy strawberries!  Red is an exciting, sensual color to animate.  You can find this painting in my Etsy store.

Copper Turkish Coffee Maker, Gourd and Zinnia Painting

Copper Turkish Coffee Maker, Gourd and Zinnia

6x8 Oil on Artist Board

Cheri Wollenberg

 

I love coffee.  I am a caffeine addict and I know it!  I have tried to stop drinking the stuff so many times, but it is much more than the caffeine...wouldn't you agree?  It is the warm, hot temperature, the aroma and then the "waking up" sensations that we habitual coffee drinkers have when we get up in the morning.   I especially love it when the weather starts turning cold...like right now in Oklahoma.  My daughter and her husband were missionaries in Bosnia for a couple of years.  She learned to appreciate the stronger coffee there and loved the coffee makers.  She gifted me with this beautiful Turkish Coffee Maker on one of her trips back from Bosnia.  I enjoy painting copper things and it seemed fitting to place it with these seasonal items of harvest....the gourd and zinnia.  Visit my Etsy store by clicking the widget next to my post to find out how to purchase this painting.

Cow Painting of "Rusty"

Rusty

20x20 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

 

Rusty is a very beautiful mixed breed of cow owned by my son who fondly refers to him as an exotic breed. This painting was from a picture taken of him in the early spring.  He still had his heavy winter coat of very "rusty" reds and browns mingled with beautiful warm whites that glistened in the early spring sun.  To purchase Rusty click his name:)

Cow Painting of "Pearl"

Pearl

20x16 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Pearl is named after a dear friend of mine and my husbands.  We knew him for 10 years and our lives were blessed because of him.  This painting is in his memory.  The cow painted here has a very sweet and pensive look.  I am pretty happy with the design and color of him.  His Hereford coat is red, rusty browns, and his face has whites of beautiful blue, warm beige and browns.  Pearl has sold; however, prints can be bought of him at Fine Art America.    If you are interested click here.....Pearl.

Still Life Painting - Yellow Zinnia in Blue and White Cup

Yellow Zinnia in Blue and White Cup

8x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

I enjoyed painting this still life in a complementary color scheme.  It is simple, but one of my favorite things to paint.  If you are interested in taking a better look at it please click here.

Sea Gull Painting

Little Sea Gull

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

We went to the east coast this summer for a Bible conference in Asheville, North Carolina.  Then we traveled on to North Myrtle Beach and south to Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA. We visited the beach on numerous occasions.  I enjoyed the little sea gulls. I'm sure they can be quite annoying to the people who live around the beach, but being from Oklahoma I became entertained by them.  This is one of the first paintings I have done with them as subjects.  This little guy had just shook the water off his back and his feathers were a little ruffled, but I loved the feathers on his head.  He looked like he had a spiked hairdo (laugh).  You can find this painting here.

Tomatoes on a Window Sill - Food Painting

Tomatoes on a Window Sill

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Four tomatoes are the subject of this medium sized painting.  Food paintings create a comfortable decor in many kitchens; however, my interest in painting them goes a little beyond kitchen decor.  Every time I have set tomatoes up for a still life composition to paint....the reflections and colors of the fruit have created such visual excitement that I am inspired over and over again.  This painting is listed in my Etsy shop.  Click tomatoes to see more details.

Red Tomato Green Tomato and Fried Green Tomatoes

Red Tomato Green Tomato

8x10 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Our garden has produced a huge amount of tomatoes this year.  It is so much fun to pick them, give them to neighbors and family,eat them and finally....for me to paint them.  We have had so many that I have started experimenting with different ways of preparing them in foods.  I had never actually cooked fried green tomatoes so I started asking family and friends how to prepare them.  Oh my goodness!  They are wonderful!  We are still picking them, freezing them, and giving them away as well, but I wanted to share some of my new tomato paintings.  This one was so exciting to paint.  I placed them on the window sill in my utility room.  The light is dancing all around them making such wonderful color.  They were delightful to paint.  This painting is listed in my Etsy shop.  You can check it out by clicking tomatoes.

Queen of the Hill - A Cow Painting

Queen of the Hill

8x10 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

 "Queen of the Hill' seems to suit this black baldie cow as she stands proudly on the hill looking down at the viewer.  Her black coat glistens in the light and she has her head held high!  I think she looks like a magnificent creature.  She is surrounded by a field of grasses, and trees are at a distance.  The blue sky sparkles as it is reflected on her coat and her face is designed with spots that resemble sunglasses!  She certainly seemed royal to me as she looked into my camera's eye.  She is listed in my Etsy shop.  Have a look at the Queen.

Lilac Painting

Lilac Painting

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

When I paint lilacs I am always reminded of my grandmother, her last country home and her flowers and garden.  I am reminded of learning how to snap beans, shell black-eyed peas, and cousins.  Yes...cousins.  My mother and father both were from families of nine children, so I had lots of cousins.  Just the scent of lilacs remind me of my grandmother's driveway.  Her lilac bushes were huge (at least to a kid) and they grew up on the bank from the ditch along her driveway.  I was born in the oldest set of grandchildren and I remember literally digging a horseshoe tunnel along with my cousins into the bank next to the lilac bushes, covering it with old lumber and dirt. After we sufficiently covered the claustrophobic tunnel came the "DARE".  We each had to take turns and crawl through the horseshoe tunnel on our bellies........it was sort of like an acceptance code of being in the "in crowd"!  The "in crowd" of older cousins!  The crazy thing is that it took us forever to dig the tunnel for the short "thrill" it gave each of us.  It seemed to take a lot longer and not near as much fun filling the dirt back into the hole.  Lilacs, an old fashioned flower, have so much more meaning for me than the beautiful scent, the fabulous lilac color and my passion for painting them with canvas and paint.  This painting is listed in my Etsy store.  Click here.

Brilliant, Yellow Sunflower Bouquet Still Life

Sunflower Bouquet

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Brilliant yellow sunflowers are beginning to pop up from the red earth here in Oklahoma.  By the end of July these wildflowers will be in the ditches of country roads everywhere.  Many choose to think of them as a weed of nuisance but they are such beautiful wildflowers.  I love to paint them (as do many artists) in still lifes especially when they are placed with their complementary colors of blues and purples.  This color combination brings a dazzle to my eye and brings a "happy" sense of feeling to my heart:)  To find this still life follow this link.

Bird's Nest,Blue Water Jar, and Bouquet of Red Geraniums

Birds Nest, Blue Water Jar, and Bouquet of Red Geraniums

12x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Red geraniums are still my choice in subject matter this week.  I've found them to be compatible with many different items in my still life object collection.  Their brilliance and liveliness bring a special sparkle to the compositions.  To buy this painting you must follow this link.

Rose Bouquet in Teal Pitcher

Rose Bouquet in Teal Pitcher

9x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

This is one of the latest listings in my shop on Etsy.  I am also a featured artist on Imagekind today.  Please take the time and visit and place your "like" on their sight.  It is a great place for artists to sell their work.  Follow this link:   http://www.imagekind.com/

This still life  painting is of a bouquet of mixed roses that my husband gave me last Valentines Day.  It was one of the most beautiful bouquets I had ever received and I took many images to remind me of them.  This is one of the images and of course painting them would have been much more fun to do live, but I liked working on this little painting.  Another post with these same roses is dated here on my blog.  I did a mini documentation of the way I painted them in a brown bowl.  For more information about this painting you can follow this link.

Peaches - A Still Life Painting

Peaches

6x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

One of my husband's favorite fruit, these peaches are a favorite to paint.  I am a fan of Cezanne  and I love the color he placed in his fruit.  Take a look at this blog to read more about him and see images of his work.  I have this painting listed in my Etsy store.   Click here to find out more about it.

Blondie - A Cow Painting

Blondie

8x10 Oil Painting on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg 

Blondie is another one of my son's cows that graze behind our house.  She had her nose turned up one evening as the sun was going down and I fancied that she was smelling the grass and clover that was all around her and the other cattle.  Her blond coat of summer hair was high lighted in the sun,  and her ears were perked up as I walked up with my camera.  She looks proud and relaxed in this painting.  Cow paintings are such a favorite thing to paint.  She is priced in my Etsy shop.  This link will take you there.

Crock Pitcher and Radishes

Crock Pitcher and Radishes

8x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Uno Radish

6x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

 

The last several days we have harvested the first fruits from our garden.  This is so exciting to me because it has been years since we lived on a farm and actually grew our own vegetables.  Then we were more excited about large crops of wheat and raising cattle and kids.  We liked gardening then, but didn't slow down and "enjoy" the remarkable process of watching the seeds grow to something edible and beautiful.  When we picked our first beauties....red radishes and green onions this year I couldn't wait to paint them.  Then we ate them!  These paintings can be purchased by following this link:  Original Oil Paintings by Cheri Wollenberg by ChatterBoxArt

Pears and Turquoise Cup - A Perfect Paisley

Pears and Turquoise Cup

8x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

I love to paint pears.  In art school we learn a great deal about composition...how it is constructed and classical views of how to create good composition.  The artist wants to take the eye on a tour.  The artist does this by employing the elements and principles of art to direct the viewers' eye.   Sometimes we do it intentionally and sometimes is purely by accident.......an unconscious or natural tendency when creating a balance in the composition.  The paisley is just a designers' name for a spiraling line of direction.  Here I have a paisley design that is formed with the three golden pears winding from the right edge of the canvas toward a turquoise cup on top of a brick in this painting.   The background and foreground colors and textures are suppressed or are not significant, but was intended to complement the composition.  Please take the tour and give me your comments.  This painting is listed in my Etsy shop.

Daisie Cow Painting

Daisie

20x20 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Dasie is another one of the most wonderful cows that graze back of my house.  She is very gentle and always seems to be amused at my photo wanderings in the pasture.  She is perfect for the new farmhouse decor.  The painting was very enjoyable to do.  I think Herefords are my favorite to paint.  She is in my Etsy store if you would like additional information about her. 

Daffodil - A Cow Painting

Daffodil A Cow Painting

16x16 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Daffodil is one of the cows that has been eating grass back of my house all spring.  She is one of 150+ head of cattle that belongs to our son.  They are so fat and tame that I can walk right up to them and move around with my camera in the pasture.  Occasionally they look up curiously and every once in a while one will paw her foot as if to try to scare me off......at first I was concerned when one did this to me and I instinctively jumped.  My jump scared her more than it scared me (chuckle).  I have enjoyed this herd of cattle more than any I've ever been around.  They have been a tremendous inspiration to me as I look at the natural patterns and textures in their colorful coats.  The original painting of Daffodil can be bought in my Etsy store.. here and different sized prints can be bought of her on my Fine Art America website..here.

Texas Bluebonnets Oil Painting

Texas Bluebonnets

12x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

My son videos cattle for a cattle commission company here in Oklahoma.  He spends a lot of time in Texas and he knows that I love the Texas landscapes in the spring when their wildflower, the Bluebonnet, covers their pastures like a plush carpet.  Recently he brought some photos home and shared them with me.  I was so inspired that I created this painting.  Painting from photographs is never the same as being in the real place painting from life!  The artist misses out on the whole experience and is handicapped in producing the right colors, depth, and values when painting from photo images.  But, I still enjoyed painting this little vignette and remembered the times that I was so impressed with the countrysides of that great state.  It is listed in my Etsy shop.

Red Geraniums Oil Painting

Red Geraniums

12x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Red Geraniums are so colorful.  Our farm home has white siding, a green roof, and is trimmed with black shutters.  I have a red front door.  I wanted to use red geraniums as accents in our landscaping for my front porch.  I'm pleased and of course......inspired.  So the thing to do is..... paint them.  You can see this little painting by clicking here.

Blue Hyacinth

Blue Hyacinths

8x10 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Working in flower beds this spring has taken hours of my time.   I get inspired by the different blooms of bushes and bulbs.  We are only a few official days into spring here, but Oklahoma is having record breaking highs in temperature.  We've had some wonderful rains come quite early and consistent for this time of the year.  The flowering bushes have been blooming for almost two weeks and the aromatic scents of these beauties are intoxicating.  It is a wonderful time for an artist.  These hyacinths inspired me for today's daily painting.  It is listed in my ChatterBoxArt shop on Etsy.

Hot Pink Peonies in Black Vase Painting

Hot Pink Peonies in Black Vase

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

A black vase sets this bouquet of hot pink peonies.  Muted pastels surround the subject matter in the background.  This black vase is almost like a metal pot because it reflects the things around it.  If you look very carefully, you can see the abstract artist in the reflection.  This painting is listed in my Etsy shop.  Just click the following phrase:  

Hot Pink Peonies

Red Geraniums in White Enamelware Pot Painting

Red Geraniums in White Enamelware Pot 

9x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Birds' Nests!  Finding these little uninhabited homes has given me some playful ideas to use in still life compositions.  I have also been working in flower beds the last several days, and I keep getting inspired by everything around me.  So the red geraniums became part of the still life subject matter along with the lovely little bird nest for this painting. I kind of like the empty nest (smiles).  It can be interpreted as being ready for use by our little feathered friends this spring, or it can be a great or little statement about those of us whose children have vacated our homes.  Either way I certainly enjoyed composing this little still life painting.  I have this painting listed in my Etsy shop.  Just click here to take a further look at it. 

Geraniums and Nest

Pansies in Blue Enamelware Cup

Pansies in Blue Enamelware Cup

8x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

It has rained a lot in Oklahoma this week.  It is also spring break for most schools in Oklahoma so two of my grandchildren have been staying with us and we have had quite a time.  When the sun peeked through the clouds we planted flowers and seeds in our vegetable garden.  We have also transplanted a lot of small potted plants....a good project for grandchildren.  I also have found a lot of nests lately, and  I cannot throw them away.  So, as I arranged some pansies in a blue enamelware cup I placed one of the little nests beside it.  I had to borrow some chocolate candy Easter eggs to provide my nest with the look of a potential family and here my painting is!

Daisies in White Enamelware Pot

Daisies in White Enamelware Pot

11x14 Oil on Canvas

by

Cheri Wollenberg

I love old enamelware.  I have a pretty extensive collection of old teapots and cups that I have found at flea markets and antique stores over the years for my still lifes.  This one does not belong to me, but I wish I had bought it before someone else did.  I have this painting listed here.

Apple Painting

Apple Painting

10x10 Oil Painting

by

Cheri Wollenberg

Besides being a delicious fruit the apple has become an icon on it's own.  Just this morning on the news I observed that the newest generation iPad was announced today.  Alas, some of us eat apples, some paint apples and some buy apples!  These apples are on the market too.  Just click apple.

Tomatoes and Old Crock

Tomatoes and Country Crock

11x14 Original Oil on Canvas

by

Cheri Wollenberg

When I paint still lifes, I have favorite themes that draws my interest.  I will think about how the arrangements of certain items will look in compositions.  Then I begin.  I love the country chic or prairie style look in decor.  Garden vegetables are always available at a local market to use with my compositions, and I have a collection of retro, vintage cuptowels, and crocks.  I have a large collection of enamelware in blues, reds, whites and blacks.  I enjoy the relaxed feeling country themed paintings give.  This is one that I did earlier this year.  To see it describes more please follow this link:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/91693044/tomatoes-and-crock-country-chic-still.   

Floral Paintings

Red Tulip Painting

6x6 Oil on Canvas

by

Cheri Wollenberg

White Tulip Painting

6x8 Oil on Canvas

by

Cheri Wollenberg

Haven't had much time to post about my paintings lately.  Here are two little floral paintings that I've decided to use as some of the first of floral daily paintings.  I love this time of the year even if the weather has an "attitude".  In Oklahoma we enjoy nice warm days a lot in February, but the cold North wind doesn't play any favorites and the wind certainly "comes sweepling down the plain" (laugh).  We are planning to raise some chickens in our retirement so I better get these florals out of my system before the chicks come along to inspire my paintings.  Both of these little paintings can be found in my Etsy shop.  Just follow the colored link under the paintings:)

Blue Hydrangea Painting

Blue and White Hydrangea in Blue and White Vase

6x6 Original Oil Painting

by

Cheri Wollenberg

I have a pretty large collection of blue and white dishes and home decor.  We use our Churchill Blue Willow dishes every day.  I can't resist them. I think these blue and white hydrangea splashed with touches of greens create an interesting composition.  I have this little painting listed in my Etsy shop.  To comment, tweet, like, "pin" or see where to find this painting......Just click the title above.

Garnet the January Cow

Garnet The January Cow

9x12 Oil on Canvas

by

Cheri Wollenberg

Garnet is the name I decided for this Black Baldie cow.  I wanted to give her a personal name instead of cow #3, or #4 so I named her for my birthstone which is this month, January.  She is actually from a "cow" group picture I have.   I liked her because she was clean nosed and she seemed to be looking back at me as intently as I was her (smile).  She is described more thoroughly in my Etsy shop.  Just click here.

Walking the Lambs

Walking the Lambs

6x8 Oil on Canvas

by

Cheri Wollenberg

My two previous blog posts have featured lambs that our grandchildren are training for a Sheep Show this spring.  As I am posting this little painting the children are working hard walking their animals to improve their muscles and stature. After they walk and excercise them they will practice setting them up.  Setting them up involves bracing them so that their muscles will be displayed for the judge to feel.  This is not as easy as one would think.  Bracing animals that weigh more than you do is not the easiest thing to do.  Today they went to a sheep show to observe how other people do it....many of them older children and much larger and stronger than our little kids who are only 7 and 9 years old.  I admire their diligence and determination to be good showman.  I also simply love them. This painting is available as a custom painting by me on Etsy.

A Sheep Called Kevin, Pancake or Syrup

Kevin

Original Oil on Canvas

by

Cheri Wollenberg

I had a small problem in titling today's painting.   Our grandchildren have three sheep that they will be showing this spring in stockshows.  My problem?  All the sheep look alike!  Their names are:  Pancake, Syrup and Kevin.  I finally decided on Kevin for the title of this painting because both Pancake or Syrup seemed to  require the other's presence (laugh).  All three of these sheep with their heads raised are almost taller than our grandchildren; but, with perseverance and determination the children will manage to train them to be show animals.  It is a family effort and the parents are as dedicated as the children.  I'll keep you posted (smiles).  Kevin has a place in my Etsy store.