Brande Arno Art

9 x 12 Inches, Oil on Gessoboard - Sold - Thank you! These trees live in my side yard.  In fact, every time I hang laundry on the clothesline, I look right at them and more times than not think, what a nice painting they'd make.  So finally, I got around to painting them. An artist has to be crazy to paint so much green.  I don't remember where (or from who) I first heard: "If I wasn't crazy, I'd be nuts"   But saying just that applies here.  Really, green can make any artist go crazy because it's second only to orange in the garish and unruly color category.  'Nary a time to use it straight from the tube. No, an artist must mix their greens.  And don't think mixing blue and yellow will get you a nice shade of green.  No, it's NOT that easy.  But, I took on the challenge of green and if you knew how much grey is in the green grass and how much green is in the grey trees... Well let's just say they are very closely related.  ...

"Smudge" 8 x 10 inches Oil on Gessoboard  $ 220.  Framed  Buy with Paypal Smudge is a rare black squirrel who has taken up housekeeping in my backyard.  He mostly stays in the back while his grey cousins spend all day working my bird feeders.  Not that any squirrel would ever go hungry if they could just remember where they hid the plentiful acorns and black walnuts.   Smudge was painted from a photo I took a few weeks ago.  He's not a real big squirrel.  My guess is either he's the runt or a teenager.  Of course, when I first spied him, I didn't have my camera.  So I said a quick prayer, got my camera and hoped he'd still be up the tree when I got back to the window.  He was!  This almost never happens.  I cannot tell you how many wonderful pictures I missed because the camera doesn't hang on my neck. 

5 x 5 inches, oil on board Sold!  Thank you There is very little that's cooler than a tree house to a kid on summer vacation.  I've had the pleasure of hanging out in one or two as a kid.  Of course, outdoor doll houses are cool, but tree houses trump any  house, fort or hideout on the ground.  Maybe I can get Neill to build me one when he retires.

6 x 6 inches, Oil on Board Click to Bid A painting from one of my recent road trips to photograph inspirations.  I was challenged by the steep wooded hill behind the buildings.  Trying to capture more cast shadows in my paintings.

5 x 5 inches Oil on Board This piece was like labor.  I scraped it off several times and for you artist's out there, you know the pain of scraping hours worth of work because that last one or two brushstrokes just ruined the ENTIRE painting. I'm happy with this 3rd attempt.   I'm surrounded with about 4 acres of trees.  Anytime I want a reference for trees, I just look out the window.  With today's powerful wind, it was hard to look at the trees and not feel sorry for them.  While I was in labor with this painting, I went downstairs to to check on my bird feeders.  I happened to spy a cardinal hiding under a shrub, riding out one of the bigger gusts of wind.   Now it's the end of the workday, the last day of January, 2013.  The good news is there is still daylight.  Last month, it was dark at this time.  The bad news is we still have all of February and pretty much all of March left for the real cold winter weather.  Th...

12 x 9 inches, Oil on Board  This is not a daily painting as it took two days to start and complete.  I'm a big fan of Black Bears of the Adirondack variety.  My mom was born and raised in Tupper Lake, NY and I still have precious family there.  My decorating style is Adirondack Lodge.  I also have several black bear paintings of mine hanging on my walls.  I think this may be another one! On another note, "Draw a Dinosaur Day is January 30, every year.  I plan to enter it again this year.  2012 was my first year entering.  No pressure, as you can make a doodle or a painting.  Just do it and upload it on January 30.

6 x 6 inches, Oil on Board This big boy was difficult to know when it was finished.  Also my camera gave me a bit of trouble with capturing the image properly.  But he's finished and if I say so, quite handsome!  Can you tell I love black bears?

5 x 5 inches, Oil on Board with Palette Knife This piece pretty much painted itself...no not really.  Put it's the piece that taught me that less is best.  Every painting session should be so good! 

5 x 5 inches, oil on board I love to see the birds gathering at and near my bird feeding and watering station.  Some birdies (finches) are just plan piggies that sit on the perch of the bird feeder and just have at it.  Other's like this Chickadee will pluck a seed and fly to a branch to eat it, allowing space and time for other birdies to get a seed or two...or one hundred!  All told, I have two feeders and one small bird bath.  I have to refill both each day.   

6 x 6 inches, Oil on Board Another migraine headache today, but I managed to paint this piece.  It is my interpretation of a photograph that my daughter took recently while she was on vacation.    This painting session was followed by a nice nap with my headache bag and both doggies, Cooper & Cookie.  If you have to have a migraine, having one Mini-Schnauzer and one Schnoodle as your support system is the clear path to feeling better and I am feeling better now and after washing up my brushes, my weekend will start.  Enjoy yours!

6 x 6 inches, Oil on Board Sold!  Proceeds benefit Little Shelter of Huntington, NY www .littleshelter.com   Glad to be in the studio again today.  I hope to make up for lost time.  This painting is from a plein air source in Maryland.  I have used my artist license with this piece.  I have more neutrals in this piece and have mixed colors a little further than I usually do.   I'm also trying to mix color values next to each other in my palette.  I'm not going to let the secret out as to who I got that theory from, but she is pretty well known in the daily painting community.

5 x 5 inches, Oil on Board http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/82846     First, let me say how sorry I am for my fellow New Yorkers downstate who got slammed by Sandy.  Next, my heart turns to those others living in the states on the Eastern Seaboard who also got slammed.     I wasn't sure what to expect where I live, because of the wide swath of this storm, so I went out yesterday shopping for things like lots of bottled water, batteries, even two new flashlights.   My biggest worry was the wind and the 4 acres of trees that live here with me.  Some pretty close to the house.  I could just see in my mind one of those trees falling on the house.  But the Lord was good to our trees, they endured and we in this house did well.   All night long we had wind and even now as I write this, I can hear wind.  My little feeding station is being temporally ignored by my feathered babies.  They ...

Monday's Chickadee 5 x 5 inches, Oil on Board The neighborhood birds have found my feeders!  I have to move my small desk downstairs to face the window where the feeding station is.  There are so many wonderful little feathered sweethearts outside plucking away at the black sunflower seeds.  I also have a fruit and nut mixture and just recently added a small birdbath.   We are enjoying mild weather, but the colder weather will return and I want my birdies to be able to count on me for food.

North Road Field, Sold 6 x 6 inches, Oil on Board Part of me is glad it's Friday and part of me wants more time to work in the studio.  I've finished this little piece this morning and then took Cooper & Cookie out for their bathroom walk.  I left without my jacket...that was a mistake.  It's cold outside!   Now, I have housework waiting and then need to run off for a meeting, but when I come back, we order in and begin to enjoy our weekend as a family.  May you have a blessed weekend.  We'll be firing up our woodstove to keep cozy.

Tree View in October 5 x 5 inches, Oil on Board   This painting is really from memory.  I have driven by this spot enough to memorize what I need to create an little painting.  I love this time of year and aside from plenty of rain, we are holding on to our beautiful color Autumn is noted for.   On another note, I purchased 25 lbs. of black Sunflower seeds for the neighborhood birdies that brave the winter.  I also decided to purchase a 5 lb. bag of nuts and fruit and set up a small bird bath.  As I write this, I can hear the Chickadees spreading the word.   I'm waiting for the squirrels to try and get to the feeders.  Of course, I have a baffle on the nuts and fruit feeder, but that does not stop them from trying and what entertainment.

Deer # 2 5 x 5 inches, Oil on Board This is another painting from the small herd that visited my the front of my house last Saturday.  I so enjoyed their visit.  I have a love-hate relationship with these creatures.  I love them because they are so shy and beautiful.  I hate it when they get into our Hostas.    Cooper, my Mini-Schnauzer, decided my painting would come to an end at 2:15 pm today.   He just would not let me paint.  He jumped up on my lap, something he only does when he's frightened from a thunder storm.  I don't know what frightened him, because it isn't even raining, but I could see that he needed me out of the studio more than I needed to paint.  Now we are cozy together, He's listening to Dr. Phil up and I'm doing paperwork.   I would take a picture of him to post, but alas!  He's afraid of the camera too! 

Saturday Visit 6 x 6 inches, oil on board   Had the treat of a group of yearlings pay us a visit on September 29.  I was able to grab my camera and get pictures.  This little lassie was off from the group just a bit, making for a great subject for this painting.  Not sure I'll use the group photo's for future paintings.   I love deer.  I think the same reason I love cows...the big beautiful eyes.  I enjoyed painting this piece.  Don't know what tomorrow will bring.

Tupper Lake, NY Woods 5 x 5 inches, Oil on Board   This is my entry for the Daily Paintworks weekly challenge.  This week features Birch Trees and I have my own source from my mom's collection of photo's of how Tupper Lake looked in the 1940's.    Thanks to strictly enforced environmental laws and restrictions, there are some areas in the Adirondacks that have not changed much since then.    I loved visiting my Aunt Ownne (Leona) when I was a kid.  Tupper Lake had wild strawberries and raspberries and I loved picking them.  I especially loved my aunt Ownee's berry shortcake desserts.  Her husband, Uncle Phil once baked up a batch of homemade saltines!  He make crackers from scratch.  Mine had sugar on them.  So many good memories of Tupper Lake and of the dairy farm in New York blessed my childhood.   I could go on...like how the power went off all the time.   

Billsboro Lavender 6x6 inches, Oil on Board, Plein Air   This is the last painting I created for the 5th Annual Billsboro Winery Plein Air Competition.  This is a lot of work for the owners of the winery and I so appreciate their dedication to the arts. The patch of Lavender in this painting is not really in bloom yet.  But I have an artist's licence and took the liberty to suggest it.  I've passed this rock more than a few times, telling myself...you've GOT to paint that!  So yesterday, at the last possible hour of the event, I did.  I love it, but left it there for sale.   $ 110.00 with frame.  www.billsborowinery.com And while I'm promoting my Plein Air paintings at Billsboro, let me show you my larger piece below: Sanctuary View 9x12 Inches, Oil on Board, Plein Air This painting is the result of much trouble with the police and my dead battery.  I was in about 1.5 hours on a dairy scene when out of no-where...

About Face 5 x 5 inches, Oil on Board, $ 60. Like most of working Americans I'm glad it's Friday.  Tonight is my night off from cooking and even though I use to have Neill take me to a restaurant, we have been ordering takeout.  We are blessed to have a great Italian pizzeria that will deliver more than a few miles from their shop.  Love their food! This painting is another in my sheep series.  I don't feel the need to stop painting sheep yet, so on Monday, they'll probably be another posted.  Stay tuned.  Titled About Face because of the unusual pose.  Weekend blessings go out to you from me!