Two Small Cow Paintings!

Little Alice - Cow Painting

6x8 Oil on Ramar Artist Board

Cheri Wollenberg

Sassy

6x6 Canvas Print

Cheri Wollenberg

Today I'm being kind of lazy and posting about two small paintings at once.  I decided to do some smaller works.  Actually this is a challenge to me.  I don't work too well with small brushes. I'm used to doing much larger works of cows, and I use much larger brushes.  These are two of our son's cows.  I have a wealth of resources with his changing herds.  My husband and I run around in the Gator and the cows come up very close to the Gator.  They are so curious and many times think we are coming with something for them to eat.  Had a good time taking photos of these!  

Maud II - Cow Painting

Maud II - Cow Painting

16x20 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

I think my motto for today will be "pray" in addition to "paint".  In Oklahoma we have had torrential rains the past couple of weeks flooding many parts of our state.  AND, there is more rain to come!  This magnitude of downpour doesn't happen too often here in our state.   In fact we have been in a very bad drought the last several years.  Record downfall and rain measurements are being recorded and might never be broken at least in this generation's lifetime.   Many folks here have lost their homes either in tornados or damage from floods.  Texas has also had such a bad season for storms.   Wheat crops in both states have been jeopardized; however, hard to see during times of hardship, the good and positive news is that our ponds, streams, and lakes have risen back to normal and above.  Also, many other types of crops may thrive.  People in city and rural areas that depend on lakes for drinking water and daily living will perhaps have  a generous amount for a couple of years.  Our cattle will have grass.  It is very easy to see the negative, but we must focus on the positive.

This painting was one I finished a couple of days ago.  She brings a smile to my face.  Hope it helps your day as well.  She is listed in my Etsy shop.  Click here to see.

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!

Red Watering Can, Country Cuptowel, Yellow Lemons and White Daisies

Red Watering Can and Yellow Lemons

12x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Visit here for details.

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. 

Still Life Oil Painting - Owl Planter and Harvest Gourds

Mr Owl and Harvest Gourds

8x10 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Sometimes as artists we have to paint things that are really fun!  We have to relax and allow our creative energy to express something that we find either amusing, comforting or even alarming!  Recently I lost my mother and I was gifted with many beautiful green plants.  After about a month some of them needed repotting.  So I began a journey to find flowering pots that would look good with my very eclectic home décor.  I must say that I'm very conservative when it comes to adding accessories of this nature to my farmhouse style.  First, I do not have a green thumb, second I want plain things to work into my already over-eclectic furnishings because I have a tendency to make "stuff" statements rather than "good" statements about my life style.

But.....My mother loved birds and living things and as I shopped for pots to house these wonderful plants given in her memory, I decided to get a few that would remind me of her and so.........the owl planter made it to my cart:)

 

I loved painting this quick little study.  This painting can be found in my Etsy store.  Just click here if you are interested.

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!

Lizzy Has A Bad Hair Day - Animal Painting of Cow Named Lizzy

Lizzy Has A Bad Hair Day

16x20 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

I think every female at some time in their life has had a bad hair day!  I visited with my aunt a few days ago and she told me that her day started out bad and for some unknown reason she had not had any good things happen to her.  Her sweet smile indicated to me that her attitude was positive and ready for the good to happen.  We all experience bad days.  Hair makes a lot of difference to some of us and certainly can make a difference in the start of a day. The photo of this cute cow reveals that maybe some cows experience the same thing.  What fun it is for me to make a story from this!!!!  Her hair is between winter and summer coats.  She is a crossbred Charolais cow and she gleamed in the sunlit, green wheat pasture.  The yellow whites against the green created a beautiful and inviting image for me to paint, but I chose warm colors instead for a background in this composition.  I haven't placed her in my Etsy store yet; however, you can click here to go straight to my store,http://www.etsy.com/shop/chatterboxart .  She will be there soon!  You can click on the Etsy widget to the right of this post too.

HAVE A GOOD HAIR DAY!

Strawberry Duet

Strawberry Duet

6x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

These two delicious, red strawberries were a couple that were in my last strawberry painting.  I still cannot get over how large they were.  My husband and I went to the same market yesterday to purchase a carton, but all of them of that particular brand had disappeared.  Many times when strawberries get that large their flavor is somehow diminished.  This was not the case for these delicious fruit.  PLUS, they were perfect for still lifes!!!  My goodness how much fun they were to paint.  This particular small painting of of the Strawberry Duet can be purchased in my Etsy store by clicking here.

Strawberries and Vintage Blue Glass Creamer Still Life Painting

Strawberries and Vintage Blue Glass Creamer

12x12 Oil Painting on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Thank you for stopping by to visit my blog.  Usually I'm singing my woes that I cannot find the time to paint, but during the last couple of weeks I've painted very consistently full time.  But, to get them posted is another issue!  Spending a great deal of time in one task always takes from another.  Don't you love strawberries! These strawberries were so huge!  My husband and I ate them within 4 days and literally two of them made a huge helping (lol).  When I buy fruit one of the first things I think of is how beautiful!  How Beautiful!  What a blessing it is to eat beautiful food and then in my case, arrange them so that I can make them last longer by painting them in still lifes!!!!  Even in all the snow and bad weather we have had here in Oklahoma we can go to a market and buy beautiful and delicious fruit to eat!  How blessed we are in this life.  This medium to small sized painting is listed in my Etsy store.  You are invited anytime to take a look here.

Blue Willow Pitcher And Brillian Yellow Lemons

Blue Willow and Yellow Lemons

12x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Blue and white dishes are so beautiful when paired with yellows and oranges.  A nice combination like this is cheery during the cold weather in Oklahoma.  I enjoyed painting it.  You can find it here.

Pig Painting–Vindicator

Vindicator

8x10 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

My grandson is raising pigs as a project for 4-H and Stock Shows.   “Perry” his gilt pig had a litter of 13 baby pigs two months ago.  He now has less than that because a few of them died and he will be selling a few to other children as show pigs.  Vindicator, above, is a pig that he acquired after all these other pigs.  He is about a month older than the others.  He named this pig after Vindicator in the movie, “The Rare Breed” with Jimmy Stewart and Maureen O’Hara.  In the movie Vindicator was a Hereford bull that was left to a lady and her daughter by the wife’s deceased husband.  They take the bull from England to a cattle breeder in Texas.  Vindicator leaves a legacy of the Hereford, a “rare breed”.  My grandson believes Vindicator will enhance his pig herd to be a “rare breed”

Vindicator is for sale in my Etsy store here.

A Still Life Painting - Pears and Turqoise Pitcher

Pears and Turquoise Pitcher

12x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

 

These yellow pears were fresh picked by my grandson about two weeks ago. He brought them in and was so generous and proud that it pleased us. Of course, I had to paint them in something before we ate any of them! Pears are such beautiful subjects for any kitchen décor or dining home décor. "Paired" with turquoise seemed to make them even more juicy and desirable. To purchase this painting you may click here:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/167571088/oil-painting-still-life-pears-and?ref=shop_home_active

Snowmen–Paintings and Tins

I couldn’t decide what title to give this post!  I knew it might be a longer post, so steps or parts seemed to be the answer.  I wanted to bring credit to many deserving people who have blessed my life as a painter over the last three years.  So here is my story:

 Each year I try to paint something for the winter season and/or Christmas.  I started out painting realistic scenes and subjects.  I would have them printed into note cards for my personal use.  Then I was very inspired by a young lady who “felts” and sells her work on Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop/BearCreekDesign) in 2011.  She creates some of the most charming felted snowmen and they seemed to “talk” to me .  It was as if each said “paint my sweet face” and I’ll bring a happy attitude to everyone who sees me during the winter!  I contacted her and asked her permission to allow me to use the images of her adorable little snowmen.  I painted my first two whimsical snowmen in 2011.  Last year I created two more and they are added here:
         
         Snowman III                             SnowmanIV

Part II of my story is kind of like Buzz Lightyear’s approach to life, “Infinity and Beyond”!  However, I would insert the text, “Etsy and Beyond”!  I began to sell on Etsy in 2009.  I have enjoyed this venture so much that it is difficult to explain unless you are an Etsy seller!  I ‘ve met the most wonderful people from all over the world….good, kind people…..sellers who encourage, and buyers who enjoy my work!  For more on this story you can actually go here, see my studio and read more about the process of my work: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChatterBoxArt/about/.

Part III…. Last year from January to July I worked with a young man who has a design firm to create the composition that is on these tins.  He had came up with the idea of the grouping of snowmen and hired me to paint them in my style.  I'm very grateful to him for his trust and confidence in my work.  I'm also grateful that my work was exposed through Etsy and this blog.  I've worked very hard to get my work to the public.

Caroling Snowmen

 

Part IV…….. My work is being displayed on popcorn tins and sold in Walmart stores this month.  These two generous people who let me interpret and express their ideas in my own "style" are absolutely AWESOME!   I wanted to thank them in this post for this opportunity.  My family is very proud of me(lol).  They have pasted the tins all over Face Book.  We have discussed that before this we might not have taken the time to see who the artists are on those wonderful gift items every year.  I think we will be much more interested now... Also, Etsy has provided the opportunity for me to do custom work for  many people.  I enjoy selling there.  Etsy is a great way to get your “hand-made” items seen, and I appreciate the efficiency and work of their staff and people.  My snowmen are available in small prints in my print shop:http://www.etsy.com/shop/artprintsbycheri.  For larger prints (up to 16x16 on canvas) contact me there.

Here is a look at the tins
           

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.

Peaches on Blue and White Saucer Painting

Peaches on Blue and White Saucer

6x8 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

This painting can be found 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!

Cow Painting of Ms Petunia

Ms Petunia

18x18 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

Lately I have wanted to paint white petunias.  Painting whites are a challenge for me.  As all artists know...to paint whites you need to stay away from white!!!!  I also have so many reference photos of cows.  My son is a commission cattleman.  He also runs stocker cattle year round that graze almost in our backyard,  so I have a wealth of beautiful and diverse breeds and mixbreeds to choose as models for my cow paintings.  That being said.....I came across this beautiful Charolais cow photo and decided to paint her instead of the petunias.  Her name came very easy to me (laugh).  She is my flower for this week! She is listed in my Etsy Store.  Just click Petunia and you'll find her.