Brande Arno Art

5 x 7 inches, Oil on Gessoboard - Sold Looking at Daily Otter again, I found this sweetheart.  An Asian Otter who is just adorable.  I enjoyed every minute creating this painting.  In-process  here

4 x 4 inches, Oil on Gessoboard Click to bid From Pinterest, I found the Daily Otter blog.  One of the posts was a short video of a grouping of otters trying to catch a butterfly.  The way they tracked the butterfly reminded me of cats.  After looking at a few Pinterest boards featuring all manner of otters, I got inspired to paint another.

4 x 4 inches, Oil on Gessoboard Click to Bid I've said this before, but it's worth rubbing in again:  I live where paintings are just outside my door!  I'm so blessed to live in Western New York, where old barns, shacks and outbuildings can still be easily found.  In real life, this shack lives next to two large maple trees, but in this painting, they are reduced to just saplings.  Artist' s license at work.

6 x 6 inches, Oil on Gessoboard $ 75. Click to Buy I came upon this historic barn a couple of weeks ago.  That day started with a call from my husband...he forgot something and could I pretty-please bring it to him.  Well, with a promise to take me to lunch, I set out.  That errand took me down a beautiful country road and as I pulled over (more than once) to take pictures, my brain was running the "Oh, Goody-Goody" tape quite a bit.  Being richly blanketed in deep snow made this barn stand out.  The extreme contrast is what switched my gears from driving to scouting.  I'm very thankful for my apple phone as it offers a very good camera and I never leave home without it.   After getting pictures and making that important delivery to my husband, he made good on my free lunch.  I was craving french-fries with gravy and had a side of hot turkey sandwich.  Neill had a hamburger and coleslaw.    

4 x 4 inches, oil on gessoboard Sold - Thank you I'm two days late in listing this painting.  Family visit and in my heart, family always comes first.  This is my entry into the February, 2015 NibbleFest Art Contest (NFAC)  The theme is Black & White and what better subject?  The Blackbird.  These birds are smaller than the Crow and Raven. I enjoyed painting this piece.  I'm having fun experimenting with brushwork.

4 x 4 inches, Green Crowned Hummingbird, Oil on Gessoboard Click to Bid Fiddle heads are a popular veggie option of a restaurant that's not far from where I live.  Before I started receiving their emails, I didn't know Fiddle heads even existed, much less are edible.  I've never eaten one and don't plan to in the foreseeable future.   I was looking for inspiration on Pinterest and what do you know...  A photograph of a cute little Hummingbird delicately perched on top of a fiddle head was posted.   Just had to create a painting from that.

4 x 4 inches, Oil on Gessoboard Sold - Thank you Occasionally, the bird feeder is visited by a Rose Breasted Grosbeak.  They are stunning birds and are just the right size...not too big, not too small.  I'm pleased to have been able to create this painting today.

5 x 7 inches, Oil on Gessoboard $ 55.  Etsy Shop I'm blessed to have two mated pairs of cardinals that visit my bird feeder daily.  They have to take turns at the feeder, so sometimes they wait on our trees. What I was trying for in this painting, was to get the feeling of overhead height.  I'm also starting to premix some colors in an attempt to gauge values.  Enjoying the journey.

4 x 4 inches, Oil on Gessoboard - $ 45.   Etsy Shop When I look at this painting, I feel like my style might be changing.  Not sure yet but I do know I'm having fun getting color combinations I didn't think existed.  Not bold color but subtle color variances.   The weather is exceptionally cold and will be through next week.  All the birds are puffing up their feathers so they can stay warm.  On a day like today (2 degrees), the feeders get refilled twice.  My two doggies (Cooper & Cookie) get their thick sweaters on before bathroom trips and paws wiped as soon as we get back inside.  Then they hang at the wood stove while I get their potty treats.  

5 x 5 inches, Oil on Gessoboard $ 45. Etsy Shop This is my first Eastern Bluebird sighting and painting...all in the same day!  Four of these beautiful birds were at the birdbath and shrubs that live just under my living room window.  So I grabed the cell phone out of my smock and walked very slowly to the window. As soon as I could focus the lens, I started snapping.  Got three somewhat grainy photos, but that's ok.  I'm really excited about their visit and getting any photos.  According to my "Birds of New York field guide", the usual winter pattern with Eastern Bluebird is they migrate to the western third of the state and fly in groups.  That explains why this group stayed close to each other while perching on the shrubs and taking turns sipping from the birdbath. I sure hope they make my birdbath a daily must do.

5 x 5 inches, Oil on Gessoboard - $ 75. Click to Buy This groundhog enjoyed corn on the cob, a photo-op and lots of fanfare the day before Groundhog Day 2014.  On that day, a $ 40000. grant from the Investor's Bank was given to the zoo that cared for him and his family  But... On Groundhog Day 2014, during the photo opportunity with Mayor Bill deBlasio, the poor little creature wriggled out of the mayor's grip and fell about six feet.  But even though the groundhog hit head first, it righted itself, saw it's shadow, then scurried off to the safety of it's shelter.  But... One week later, that groundhog died of internal injuries.  This information was kept from the public and the mayor by the Zoo, until January 2015.  Also revealed was the fact that Staten Island Chuck was really a Charlotte.   Sometimes, things like this have to happen so that they don't happen again.

5 x 5 inches, Oil on Gessoboard, $ 75. Click to Buy Let me introduce you to Gen. Beauregard Lee, who has the distinction of being the 2015 groundhog for Georgia. On Groundhog day, he did NOT see his shadow while strolling around their Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn, GA.  Looks like Georgia will be getting another early Spring.  Excuse me while I say: "just peachy, Georgia"   I hope to paint Staten Island Chuck next.  

2015 Punxsutawney Phil, 6 x 6 inches, Oil on Gessoboard  $ 75.  Etsy Shop OK, so Phil saw another 6 weeks.  Here is New York, we'll still have snow through most of April, now matter what he see's or doesn't see.  Although Phil has a following in Punxsutawney, PA - other groundhogs from all over the grand USA have their 5 minutes of fame.   Two that come to mind right away are Atlanta, GA and NY City.  Tragically, NYC Mayor DeBlasio, actually dropped the 2014 groundhog and that accident resulted in the groundhog's death.  So, this year DeBlasio is not allowed to hold the groundhog. I might start a groundhog series, because there are really good pictures in the Internet to work from.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.