Fresh Apple Trio

Fresh Apple Trio

9x12 Original Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Several years ago a friend and art student of mine brought about a bushel of apples to art class. We painted some of them from life and documented many still lifes.   This painting is actually from a photo. I love to do paintings from life but many times I like to use photos. This painting is one reason why! Apples are not harvested in the place I live. I wanted to paint some red things....partially because it is a favorite subject color and partially because of Valentines Day. Valentines Day reminds me of red. This painting is listed in my Etsy Store.  Have a look.  You may want to gift it to a teacher:)

Apple Still Life Painting VII

Apple Still Life Painting VII

10x10 Oil On Stretched Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

This painting is another in my apple series.  Most of the paintings in this series are small and were daily paintings.  This view is a stretch for me.  I usually paint from side angles.  I loved the way that the apple was reflected in the silver pot.  The yellow greens complimented the reds and the silver rounded off a primary color scheme.  This painting is listed in my Etsy store.  Click here if you would like more information.

Farm Rooster Trio

Farm Rooster Trio

10x10 Oil on Canvas Painting

by Cheri Wollenberg

As my blog states I am a visual artist and I make journal posts about my paintings.  It has been a long while since my last post here on Dancing Brush by Cheri.  It may seem strange, but I sometimes find it harder to write than paint. Composing my thoughts in an organized manner has never been my forte.   In this painting I used a photo that I had taken of our chickens and roosters.  Actually we had 5 roosters at the time.  The only hen in the painting is the white one.  I cropped the photo off to hone in on the three. There were several others around them, but I like the way the heads of these particular "poultry specimens" seemed to have different expressions as if they were "eyeing or sizing up" the viewer (me)!  I hope to cover my tardiness with more regular blog posts in the next weeks.   I'm gathering thoughts (lol).  This painting is in my Etsy store.  You may click the link  Farm Rooster Trio for more details if you are interested.  Thanks for coming by!

One Green Bell Pepper - Small Still Life Painting

One Green Bell Pepper - Still Life Painting

6x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Something simple for a daily painting, nevertheless still great fun in the process!!!!

This little painting is listed HERE.

SELFIE Portrait With Coffee Cup by Cheri Wollenberg

Selfie  Portrait With Coffee Cup

9x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

 

9x12x.75 Wrap Around Canvas
YES, this is me!  NO, it is not a mop!  I need coffee in the morning!!!  Several cups!  I love coffee jokes too. 
THIS PAINTING IS NOT FOR SALE!  It is my SELFIE portrait; however, I will be happy to paint one of you behind your cup!  Please Read On...

I was inspired recently as I was enjoying my first cup of java.  I looked really bad!  We have this mirror at the kitchen door going to the back and I saw myself.  Oh my!  My hair was flying everywhere (as it usually does....more like feathers), and I couldn't help but laugh.  I decided to take a selfie to send to a couple of my sisters who also "love" their morning coffee.  So here it is....I have to confess, I painted my hair a little better, didn't paint all the wrinkles and made my baggy eyes look a little better.  I didn't want to scare anyone.  I took my ARTISTIC LICENSE!

Let me paint your "selfie" portrait! Follow this link for more information:

SELFIE

Pink Tulips - Oil Painting

Pink Tulips - Oil Painting

6x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

This is my second pink tulip oil painting finished last week.  I'm very ready for spring.  I look forward to the bulbed flowers breaking through the soil and giving me a sneak preview of their beauty.  Fun to do and pink!  Check them out in my Etsy store if you are interested.  Just click

here!

Ms Hilda - Cow Painting

Ms Hilda Cow Painting

24x24 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

I painted this cow from a reference photo I took of one of my son's cows last summer.  The grays on her coat were very unusual.  They seemed to reflect the green hues from the pasture she was grazing in.  There were blue grays, green grays and even some beige colored grays depending on the way she was turned in the sun.   Red seemed to be the color that looked best in the background.  The colorful background seemed more complementary to her over-all appearance.  Click this listing if interested in buying her:)

Down The Road - Tree Landscape Painting

Down The Road

12"x12" Original Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

I try to paint nearly every day.  Some days I'm successful in accomplishing my goals and some days I have focusing problems!  Some days I look out my studio window which is upstairs in my home, and I see cattle grazing across the road and/or I might have a moment or two giving into a daydream.  Here in Oklahoma we have been experiencing very cold and record-breaking temperatures for the past week and one-half.  The trees that were turning to shades of yellows, rusts and browns are beginning to lose their leaves now and soon will be gray and brown stumps and limbs across winter green pastures.  This painting was a scene of trees about one-fourth mile from our home.  I can see a long ways from my studio...or here in Oklahoma, we might say over yonder!(lol).  I took a picture and this is a cropped view of what I saw that warm day that has turned cold, gray and wintery now.  It is listed in my Etsy store.  Thanks for coming by.

Autumn Santa

Autumn Camouflage

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

This is a month that people enjoy opportunities to dress up, hide their identity, or simply use other people's identity or character as a temporary role for foolery, trickery or a good laugh.   I love mystery and intrigue; however, I'm past the age to get into full swing in planning a costume for a one-evening party.  BUT, recently I've been thinking about my yearly Christmas themed projects and decided that I would paint several Santa's before Christmas.  This is my first project.  I have a lot of old-world Santa décor that I've collected through the years.  They have such charm, simplicity and they inspire me to imagine some new stylistic portraits to try my hand at.  I think this guy would be a Santa trying to conceal his identity before the Christmas season.  Maybe he is planning his route.  Maybe he is checking out who has been good before the season.  Maybe.....just maybe he likes to conceal his identity.

Click here if you would like to purchase. 

Cow Painting - Ms July

Ms July - Hereford Cow Painting

20x30 Original Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Ms July is a Hereford cow.  I enjoy painting Herefords with colors in the natural environment of Oklahoma.  The soil where I live is very red and the greens of the pastures, trees, and grass are complementary in color schema.  In the winter the cattle graze on the wintered gray and beige grasses in pastures that accentuate their coats that have become dark rust in color and hairy.  The blues and grays of distant trees create a beautiful palette.  Reflections of the variety of moods in the sky complete beautiful color to translate to a canvas.  Ms July is listed in my Etsy store.....here!

Cow Painting - Tess

Tess

18x18 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Tess is a white faced cow with large spots around her eyes. She has a black nose and her hair comes out of two cow licks.  Her long face gives wins her a look of esteem or respect from a viewer.  I get tired of using the same backgrounds of blues and greens when painting so many cows so I like to change things up and try some other colors.  In the photograph I was painting from she was surrounded by some Hereford cows and their coats of rusty reds gave the idea that the rusty sienna, gold, orange and umbers would be interesting.  Give her a look in my Etsy store.  Have a good day:)

Cinnamon The Cow - Now Better Than Ever!

Cinnamon

16x20x1 Original Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

I painted Cinnamon the Cow several months ago.   I liked painting her but there was something that bothered me, and I couldn't quite pin point the problem. She has lots of texture in her red, Hereford coat and face.  Her hair is thick and curly.  The picture I painted was from a photo I took during winter which explains her rich, thick coat.  Part of the reason I couldn't see where the problem was because I focused too much on her beautiful coat. I loved the hair and enjoyed expressing the texture of her coat so much that I jeopardized the design of the painting.  The image below is of the painting before I tweaked her.  Her neck was wrong, her eyes were wrong and the turn of her eyes were wrong!!!!!!  Oh my goodness....it has taken 6 months to figure out all this and I have corrected those things the last several days.  I'm a "happy camper" artist now.  I still adore the curly, thick hair.  Below is an image of her previously.  Compare and send me comments.  I welcome them.  She can be found in my Etsy store here.

Have a good weekend!
Cheri

Red Watering Pitcher - Still Life Oil Painting

Red Watering Pitcher and White Snowball Flowerettes

12x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

I paint a lot of red things!  When I see red items at a department store, home interior boutique, or flea market I get excited.  This little painting didn't take too long to arrange and paint.  I wanted to get right to it and express color.  You can find it by clicking RED.  Thanks for stopping by.  Please visit again.

Cherry Desert Food Still Life Painting

Cherry Desert

Food Still Life Painting

6x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

During Thanksgiving holiday I looked at recipe after recipe and my mouth was watering the whole time!  Inspiration for this food painting came during all that search time.  I enjoyed painting this little desert.  It is offered in my Etsy shop.....click here.

Pumpkin With Blue and White Pitcher Still Life Painting

Pumpkin With Blue and White Pitcher

6x6 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

I love orange and blue together.  These two colors create a complementary color scheme that always makes a beautiful contrast.  This small pumpkin was just what I was looking for to create a small daily painting with a new blue and white pitcher that I had picked up a couple of weeks ago.  This little 6x6 painting can be found in my Etsy store.  Click here.

Gourds and Gourd Paintings

Green and White Striped Gourd with Black Eyed Susan

6x6 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Gourds are some of the most fun objects to paint.  Their textures, shapes and colors are endless.  Placing a sunflower or two gives an added interest.  Painting them always puts me in a festive, autumn spirit and scooping up large quantities of paint and applying it on canvas makes me happy .  These small paintings are listed in my Etsy store.

 

Assortment of Gourds with Blue and White Vase

6x6 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Crock, Gourds, and Sunflowers

12x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Horse Portrait Painting–Gossip Party

Gossip Party

20x30 Oil on Stretched Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

These three horses seem to be talking to one another about something or someone....probably their viewer (lol)....almost as if they were gossiping. Their rusty, burnt sienna coats in the sunlight magnify the beauty of their color, eyes and manes. The blue sky and green tree line behind them accentuate their presence.  This painting is featured in my Etsy store here.

Crock Pitcher and Green Onions Still Life Painting

Crock Pitcher and Green Onions

6x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

 

We have had such a lovely garden this year.  In spite of all the bad weather and tornados in Oklahoma much of the state has pulled out of a very long drought.  We have gathered lettuce, onions and potatoes for several weeks.  Now we are beginning to get squash.  Ummmmmm.  Love that fresh food!  As I think of how I'm going to prepare these treasures I can't help but think how they would look in a painting as well.  So, I get double pleasure from my veggies.  This painting was such a delight to do.  It is listed in my Etsy shop if interested.  Click here!

Still Life Painting - White Pottery Teapot And Red Strawberries

White Pottery Teapot and Red Strawberries

14x18 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

 

Exciting strawberries!  Why would an artist be interested in painting strawberries?  Why would a viewer desire to look at them?  Inspiration in some form or another always comes from our senses.  Everytime I buy strawberries I think to myself I will have to paint them before my husband and I eat them up!  The color of bright red brings a delight to my eyes.  The juicy, wet quality (touch sense) and the tangy smell of them causes me to remember their delicious taste.  All of these reasons cause me as an artist to record those sensations with brush and paint in hand onto a support (canvas).

Click red strawberries to go to Etsy.

Daisy Painting III - White Daisies, Pink Pitcher and Green Pear

Daisy Painting III

6x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

This daily painting has daisies of course, but I liked using the pink pitcher and the spring green hue in the pear.  It makes for a nice complementary combination. It can be found on in my Etsy store by clicking PINK AND GREEN!