Merry Christmas 2014

The big day is almost here and I wanted to take the opportunity to let you all know how much I appreciate your support throughout the year.  My blog has had over 1,000 posts, something I never imaged when I started.  I cannot express my gratitude those of you who are interested enough in my work to follow this blog.  It is a very humbling experience,

In this, my last post before Christmas, I wish each and every one of you a wonderful holiday season and the best new year ever.

Flower Painting, Floral Still Life, "Mixed Blessings" by Carol Schiff, 8x8x1.5 Oil SOLD

It's spring.....sigh!  The perfect time to paint flowers...........

SOLD

I don't know about you, but I was beginning to think that winter would never go away!  I now what you're thinking...."she lives in Florida???)  Well. true, but even in Florida we have seen day after day of piles of snow and cars sliding off the road, although it was on the nightly news.  We feel for those of you who had to suffer through it first hand and we are happy that it is gone.

detail

So lets all celebrate a new beginning.

Hope you pin it!




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Floral Still Life Series, #2, Daily Painting, 6x8"

I have been working on a series of small floral still life paintings in the past week or two.  The images are all from small floral arrangements that I cut from my garden and photographed over the five years.  I never painted them, but always kept the images in my files.

$96 + 6.50

It's odd how you ignore something, something you may see many, many times, and then one day you look at it and magic happens.

When I noticed one of these little pictures last week, it was like the first time I had seen it.  The strong shapes drew me in immediately.

Since then, I have been in a floral frenzy.....painting one after another.  The common factor, other than that they are all flowers, is that each image had back lighting, sometimes strong, sometimes not so much.

So here is #2 in the series.  I will be posting them all, but not in painting order and probably not every day.

This week I am doing several portrait commissions.  After a few weeks of struggling with those projects, I will be ready to return to these simple and refreshing daily florals.

Flower Painting | Floral Still Life | Small Oil Painting | Daily Painting | Geranium Joy by Carol Schiff 8x10" Oil

What could be cheerier on a dreary day that a bright red flower painting?  Geraniums are always a favorite in my home.  This one is painted on stretched canvas and looks fantastic in a bold black frame.

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150 + shipping

This will brighten up even the darkest, most boring corner of your home.

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Once again, my goal was to keep my colors clean and bright and my strokes simple and bold. I think I achieved my goals in this flower painting.  Thanks for viewing my daily painting today.



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Christmas Sale Will Soon Be Here!

The big countdown to our group Christmas Art Sale has begun.  We have a very frantic few days ahead, setting up our show at Ralph's Art Supply on Highland Ave. in the Eau Gallie Arts District.

6x8"

Many of the paintings you have seen here on the blog will be available......and at very special prices.  Did I mention to you that I am overstocked on these small daily paintings?  If you have a favorite, contact me.  If it is available I am happy to share those greatly marked down prices with you and ship your art to you.

We have also been busy the past few months putting together special Christmas ornaments and decorations for the sale.

We have candy cane vases in several sizes.  Perfect as a floral centerpiece or a large candle.

For your shopping pleasure, a steady supply of cookies and coffee is available.

I hope to see you at Ralph's Art Supply on Highland Avenue this Friday December 5th, from 3:00-8:00 and Saturday December 6th from 10:00 - 4:00.  Get in the spirit.......the holidays are here!



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Palette Knife Art, "A Thistle Day" by Carol Schiff, 8x10" Oil ,SOLD

Who said weeds are not pretty???  I found these thistles on top of Grandfather Mountain outside of Boone, NC last month.

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SOLD

Their delicate color and beautiful form was all it took for me to know I had to paint them.  However, it was 50ish, 30 MPH winds and in a very inconvenient spot, so no painting took place at that time.

Fortunately, I had my trusty traveling companion, my camera, hung around my neck and was able to capture this image.

I think that one of the most wonderful things about being an artist is that it has given me the ability to see beauty in unexpected places.   I am so thankful for that gift.



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Small Floral Still Life | Flower Painting | Daily Painting | Rose Bush and Reflection by Carol Schiff | SOLD

I am continuing on with my series of small floral still life paintings in oil.  They are just too much fun to stop!  This is one of my all time favorite daily paintings.

SOLD

Of course, this painting has all my favorite colors....the rose, purple, turquoise, green and yellow seem to sing.

This little blossom makes the composition special.

When I first started painting, I worked in pastel for eight years, before moving on to oil.  One of my favorite pastels was a painting I did from the same photograph.

This painting is 20x25"....much larger and still one of my all time favorites.  I must say though, that I prefer the new version over this.

Which do you prefer?


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Floral Still Life, "The Beauty of Life" 8x6"

Time for another of my small floral still life paintings.  The title of the painting is a reminder that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

$96 + 10

The flowers loosely represented are hydrangea, goldenrod and Queen Ann's Lace.  To many the goldenrod and Queen Ann's lace are weeds.  To me, they were just the thing to brighten up my little display of hydrangea blossoms.

Here's hoping you have a weekend full of unexpected beauty and joy.

Small Floral Still Life, Spring Flowers, 8x10" Oil

$160 + 11

WILD AND WACKY WEDNESDAY, "Lacetop Hydrangea" 6x8" Oil

This week's wild and wacky Wednesday painting on sale is a close-up view of lacetop hydrangea from my flower garden in North Carolina

Purchase here
45.00 + shipping

This 6x8" oil was originally $95.95 but I have marked it down more than 50% to help it find a new home.  I like the delicate, fragile look of this painting...just like the actual flower.

Just click on the header "Sale.Sale.Sale" above for more.

Painting on Sale | Flower Painting | Daily Painting | Small Oil Painting | African Violets by Carol Schiff | 6x8" still life

It is always fun to pick my weekly painting on sale, here on my blog.  This week I was thinking flowers, so I decided to offer this little African Violet painting.

Purchase here
95. with 25. rebate

I love the purples, pinks and blues and yes, even the blue greens, in this daily painting.  All my favorite colors!

This is how it works:

Purchase at the link above and you will be charged $94.95 and shipping. You must write ART SALE on the order to receive the discount.  As soon as I receive your payment, I will return a credit of $25.00 to your credit card or PayPal account.

This sale is only for readers of my blog, so if you don't write ART SALE on the order, I won't know you saw it here and you won't get a rebate.  

Tip for artists:  Instead of purchasing art books, I purchase paintings from my favorite artists.  I find it much more helpful for me to study technique and brushwork from an actual example instead of a book.  I have the added benefit of owning original artwork which I enjoy daily in my home.

Hope you like my bargain of the day!  This offer expires Friday, Oct. 17th at 12:01 a.m.

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Small Oil Painting, Daily Painting, Flower Painting, Floral Still Life "Hydrangea and Goldenrod" 8x6" SOLD

Another of my "chunky" floral still life.  The idea on these is to keep detail to a minimum with color, brushstrokes and shape catching you eye.

SOLD

I quickly sketched in very basic shapes, not being fussy but trying to capture enough of the flower shape to be recognizable.  I massed in dark under colors and then worked a little with local color.  Of course, I  pumped it up.

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I worked with big strokes and lots of paint.

Thank you for viewing my art today.



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Floral Still Life Painting, Daily Painting, "A Rose is a Rose" by Carol Schiff, 9x12x1.5"

I was in the zone of this one and able to complete it very quickly.  My palette knife was slinging paint.....maybe it had to do with the music I was playing.



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195 + 13

You may recognize this set up as I have painted it before.  Last time it looked like this:

I enjoy painting the same object or scene in different styles.

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Floral Landscape | Small Oil Painting | Daily Painting | Garden Walk by Carol Schiff | 6x8" Original

I have always had visions of the perfect flower garden in my head and this small oil painting really captures it.  A white picket fence, an abundance of flowers, bee's buzzing...something like a Disney garden with no weeds allowed.

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96 + shipping

When I saw this garden, in front of a charming cottage in North Carolina Blue Ridge Mts., it was like a dream come true.  Of course, I had to paint it.

detail

I am not blessed with a green thumb, so this was as close as I could get to my fantasy.  I hope you enjoy it!

When I first moved to Florida, I remember going to a plant nursey and the owner said to me "You are in the land of milk and honey, everything grows here."  Not true!  In the summer, it is so hot, my plants die or struggle to survive.  This year we have had so much rain, everything has rotted!  Now, Washington State, British Columbia, England....that is where beautiful flowers grow!

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Floral Still Life, "Summer's Crown", 8x10"

This painting has been knocking around the studio for quite some time now.

99. + 15