Brande Arno Art

"Omar" , 5 x 5 inches, Oil on Panel Buy on Etsy This piece is inspired by one of my pictures from a 2006 Yellowstone vacation. What l remember most about these guys is:  They rule the road.  If they are on it, don't expect them to yield. They don't yield to anyone, anything. for any reason.  

Candy Cane Cupcake, 4 x 4 inches, Oil on Panel Sold - Thank you OK cupcake fans... This piece starts at .99 cents!  It is part of the monthly Nibblefest Art Contest and the theme for this month is Sweet as Sugar. The model for this painting was a freshly baked chocolate cupcake frosted generously with white fluffy frosting and sprinkled well with crushed candy canes.  Pam at Sweet Solutions is the artist baker.  If you are ever in Ionia, NY you need to visit her cafe - bakery.  The reward was eating this bad boy after I finished the painting.

"Eight Legs" 6 x 6 inches, Oil on Panel $65. Sold - Thank you These two are wondering if they can trust their ears.  They think so, but you know the saying:  Only believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.  So why did I name the painting Eight Legs?  I think they got nice legs and while I'm passing out compliments, I like the reflections on their wool also.

"Snow Shoes" 4 x 4 inches, Oil on Panel, $ 40. Sold! - Thank you We are fully in winter.  The temperatures are like the middle of January.  Because I live in a rural area, I've seen chickens out in winter.  They take it in stride and go back and forth from the warmth of their hen house to where they are allowed to range without much incident.  Not like me...I hate the cold and turn into a hibernating bear, complaining all the way. 

Iced Roses, 6 x 6 inches, Oil on Board Sold! - Thank you It's a cold, very cold and overcast day.  I thought I would cheer myself with a painting of roses.  Although It helped, nothing beats hearing my daughter's voice and it warmed my heart to talk to her today.  

Grey Juno 13, 6 x 6 inches, Oil on Panel Click to Bid This is the painting I tried to finish last Friday.  I have learned that if after a few tries, what you are trying to paint doesn't work, scrape and wait,  Usually my artist brain resets overnight.   I go to the easel the next day, and woo-hoo I can paint again! I still fall sucker to the tricky artist brain:  "Oh just another dab here and it will look better"  Me talking to myself: Well... NO it doesn't look better, in fact it looks WORSE!  Tricky artist brain: Oh stop being a baby, suck it up and try again.  Me:  I JUST RUINED IT!  All that work and now I have to scrape the whole thing off!  The good news is this doesn't happen as much as it use to.

Tippy Toes, ACEO, Watercolor Rooster  This little guy was painted yesterday.   Today, I wanted to paint a Junco at my bird feeder and I was able to snap some photos to work with.  I squeezed out my oils and got started.  Then as I was painting, I noticed a nuthatch right outside my studio window, perched nicely looking right at me.  I got out my camera and sketchbook.   I got a fuzzy picture and a bare-boned sketch before my friend left.  I was able to get most of the painting finished today...but not completely.  So stay tuned.  

Bubbles & Bear, ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, Watercolor $ 12. Buy on Etsy Everyone has heard the question delivered as a joke:  "medicine stopped working?"  Well in my case, yes it has and I have to wait another week before I can try again with a new medicine.  I'm not feeling well and so I'm doing small pieces in watercolor to try make the most of what I can do in a day. 

"Storybook Lamb ll", Artist Card, $ 12. Buy on etsy Another little Lamb painted in watercolor.  I seem to be liking the softness of thin watercolor washes in creating small paintings.   Today's Proverb:  "A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger." - Prov. 15:1

Storybook Lamb, ACEO, Watercolor  I think the kid in me took over the studio today. I remember the library at the elementary school I attended.  When we had library time, I gravitated to the books illustrated with almost realistic paintings.  Soft watercolors.  Didn't matter much what was written, as much as how it was illustrated. Another Storybook Lamb will be in tomorrow's post.

Sold, Thank You! The Greeters, 4 x 4 inches, Oil on Panel Wow! yesterday proved to be quite the day for The Rare Snowman.  So many people contacted me about giving him a forever home.  Of course only one person could, so I proudly present another piece.  This is from a photo, but with Brande Arno adjustments.

The Rare Snowman, 4 x 4 inches, Oil on Panel Sold - Thank you! It's a warmer day today and the one snowman in the neighborhood is not faring well.  In addition to melting he's got a problem with one of his twig arms.  I take Cooper & Cookie for short walks several times a day and when I saw what was happening to this guy, I knew I had to make a painting of him.   While returning home, I pondered  how many snowmen are not created because of video games.  I know that I don't see them much at all.

Edward II, 4 x 4 inches, Oil on Panel, $40. Available on Etsy About 4 days ago, I put up my two black sunflower seed bird feeders.  While walking my two puppies, I couldn't help but notice all the bird chatter coming from high tree tops. The neighborhood birds have just found the feeders and spreading the word.  That's what I wanted.   I painted Edward in honor of my hard working birdies.  I've never viewed a bird that I didn't smile at! Today's Proverb:  "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out; so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth."  Prov 26-20 KJV

Buy now on Etsy Artist Easel, Christmas Ornament, $14.00 I was inspired to make a Christmas Ornament just for artists and their trees!  The painting on the easel is a cropped print of one of my paintings that is bonded to the wood panel.  The panel is gorilla glued to the easel and passed the dropped test...stayed in one piece!   I added tiny pine cones and a red cloth ribbon for a rustic charm.   On another note, I'm going to start adding a Biblical Proverb a day to my blog.  Think of it as a nugget of Godly wisdom, based on common sense.  Below is today's: " Hear counsel and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in the latter end" - Prov 19:20