Sugar, white cat, mixed media

"Sugar"

©Fawn McNeill, Dec. 2018

Beautifully strange colored eyes. Sugar made herself at home under my gallery in the spring of 2018.  My students loved her and called her Snowflake.  She would dash in each time the door opened. 

 I felt sorry for her and fed her because she was so skinny and nursing three kittens.  She looked like a kitten herself!  I'm sure it was her first litter.  She was wild and skittish, but she warmed up to us a little.  We found homes for her kittens and I had her fixed. 

I created this painting for my students as an example for one of our classes.  We made the eyes bigger than normal and played up the fluffy fur.  It was a fun class!  

White is a challenge for young students because they don't want to add shadows.  (The cat had to be painted light blue, beige, and pink before the white was added over the top so the fur would show up.) 

Later, I went back and added more details and a few beads above her eye and one on the collar.  It was one of the first in my new mixed-media series and I wasn't too sure how much to add or whether I would like it or not.  The custom blue frame was a perfect match!

I'm not sure why it never got posted. I had it on display at some shows as 'not for sale' and then finally put a price on it at the Unique Boutique when I started selling some of my mixed-media pieces. I think subconsciously that I just wanted to keep it. I've enjoyed the memories it carries of my little gallery and teaching center before the pandemic shut it all down.

~ Original Mixed Media

~ Acrylic on canvas

~ Professional Materials

~ 11 x 14 inches 

~ Custom frame (see below)

~ $750.00 (free shipping in the US)

Click here to see more 

Email me: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com  for availability or for information about having your pet's portrait created in a size you would like! (Custom paintings are priced by size.) 

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In the Rock, pine tree, waterfall

 

"In the Rock"

Pulled this out of storage, cleaned it up, made some corrections, added a little waterfall, and put it in a new custom frame with an interesting texture. 

This painting originally started after a visit home to Montana.  I was staying with my brother near Glacier National Park, so I was thrilled to get to go hiking in the mountains again. It had been 5 years or so!  I saw this young pine tree growing right out of the rocks and thought about how life is like that sometimes.  You just have to put down deeper roots, hang in there, and trust in the Lord as your firm foundation.

I added the waterfall for two reasons.  First, I remember crossing a waterfall on a mountain hike when I was 12. It was the first time I froze up while mountain climbing. I should not have looked down!  It was a steep drop-off.  My friend's dad, Paul Miller, rescued me.  He reached back for me.  He helped me walk the thin log that made the bridge for us to cross over.

Second, I thought it would strengthen the composition and give the little tree a drink!

~ Exclusive Art

~ Original Acrylic

~ Professional Materials

~ 8 x 10 inches

~ Custom Frame (see below)

~ $750.00 (free shipping in the US)

Email me for availability: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com

Click here to see more

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Set in Stone 2, flowers in a stone planter, mixed media

"Set in Stone, 2"

© Fawn McNeill 2020

Close-up view in warm lighting.

Flowers jumping off the page! Literally!  This is a wonderful combination of color, pattern, and elements.  It is like a song with a beautiful melody.  Even the colors harmonize. Very few compositions come together so well, but this was the second one. The first was a learning experiment, and it was almost as lovely! 

I created this just after closing my gallery from the pandemic, and now it is framed in a wonderful gold frame that sets it off more than I could have hoped for!

Some of the flowers are actually charms that created nice cast shadows. This gives an extra emphasis on the painted shadows. Other flowers have beads in the middle that catch the light as you view the painting from different angles.

If you can't tell I am very partial to this piece!

~ Exclusive Art

~ Original Mixed Media on Hardboard

~ Professional Materials

~ 11 x 14 inches

~ Elaborate Gold Frame (see below)

~ SOLD

Click here to see more

Cool lighting

Warm lighting

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Calming Shores, beach, foot prints, knife painting

"Calming Shores"

© Fawn McNeill 2020

Look for the footprints fading away into the water, and a dove in the waves! 

This is part of a series of shoreline paintings, except this one is not mixed media.  I was more interested in the effects of the palette knife and trying to get the footprints to be saturated with water than I was in adding fun beads and shells. The dove shape just showed up, so I enhanced it.  Way too cool.

(I created this just before the pandemic. But because of shutting down my gallery, I never got around to posting it)

• Original Knife Painting
• Acrylic on hardboard
• Professional Materials
• 9 x 12 in
• Ready to Frame
• $790.00 (Free Shipping in US)

Email me for availability or for information about having something similar created in a size you prefer!

Click here to see more

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On My Way, path, palms, cardinal

 "On My Way"

"I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the

 Father except by me."   (Jesus speaking)  John 14:6

Exploring this path at a paint-out last year gave me some amazing photos! When the sun peaked through the clouds it inspired me to catch the memory in this painting. I've worked on this painting several times in the past few months and recently put the finishing touches on it.

The Plein air works I did that day were watercolor studies from a different area of the Ancient Oaks Preserve in Fort Pierce, Florida. 

~ Exclusive Art

~ Original Acrylic on hardboard

~ Professional Materials

~ 11 x 14 inches

~ Custom Wood Frame (see below)

SOLD

Click here to see more

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Breakthrough, water lilies, mixed media

"Breakthrough"

The young flower was coming up under a lily pad. Got some interesting photos of this area while I was out working En Plein Aire (on location).  Originally, I just wanted to capture the warm morning sunlight chasing the cool shadows away.  It made the many shades of green into a feast for the eyes!  But I got carried away with the impasto, hidden critters, and beads. I also added glitter paint here and there for a little extra shimmer in the water.

The impasto effects are made with heavy gesso and a palette knife. Some of the lily pads, lotus flowers, and the little stick that the snail is on are built up with it.

 The baby turtle is actually a metal charm that I primed with a primer that is made for use on metal (so the paint doesn't peel off).  He was just too shiny to leave unpainted!  I wanted him to blend in more.

The dragonfly is made from paper clay, which is an air-dry clay with paper fibers added to it for strength. I used a mold to make it. Paper clay is wonderful to work with for mixed media projects. It receives acrylic paint well. I added iridescent paint into hues of blue for his color.

The snail is made from a resin mold that a friend gave to me. Resin molds are harder to work with and are not easily painted over.  I used a special primer (different than the one used on metal) to get the snail to receive the acrylic paint. Again, I wanted to get him to blend in.

Gel medium (matte) and acrylic modeling paste were used for adhesives. (I use professional-grade primers, paints, mediums, and sealers for longevity.)

~ Exclusive Art

~ Original Mixed Media

~ Professional Materials

~ 8 x 10 inches

~ Elaborate Gold Frame (see below)

~ $800.00 (Free Shipping in the US)

Email me for availability: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com

Click here to see more

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At G-36, rim canal, knife painting

"At G-36"

© Fawn McNeill 2010

I recently framed this small painting in a custom gold frame to set off the foreground. 

En Plein Air (out on location), I did this a few years ago at lock G-36 on the rim canal.   It was my first try at painting with a palette knife on location.  I had painted with knives before, but not from start to finish while working En Plein Air.

It was early morning and very windy, which made the whole project more of a challenge. I was quite happy with the outcome! 

ENJOY!

• Original palette knife painting
• Acrylic on hardboard
• 8 x 10 inches
• Unique gold frame 
• $695.00 (Free Shipping in USA)

Click here to see more 

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A Rose is a Rose

"A Rose is a Rose"

© Fawn McNeill 2007

 

While remodeling and organizing things this past year, I am also reframing some of the gems I find in storage.  

This is one of my Daily Paintings, back when I challenged myself to create about 5 paintings a week! Most of them were small, and many were quite impressionistic because I did them en Plein Air (on location) or alla prima (all in one session). This painting took a couple of sessions as I took my time to add more detail to it.

I love this frame. It reminds me of something you might see in a museum.  A quality frame can set off a painting, complimenting and enhancing it.  A frame also helps protect the artwork. This is essential if you have art created on paper or photos that you want to preserve.  These should be framed behind glass, with acid-free matting to slow down the aging process and to keep the art or prints off of the glass.  

• Original art
• Acrylic on hardboard
• 5 x 7 inches
• Elaborate gold frame (has a greenish tint to it)
• SOLD

Click here to see more 

Email me at: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com for availability

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Tree Tops, cardinals, impressionism

"Tree Tops"

Applied the paint quickly in this painting, for an impressionistic feel.  Actually, I created it years ago but never finished it. I just pulled it out of storage and added the cardinals and more details in the trees and bushes.  

What inspired me?  Those bright yellow greens contrasted by the deep dark shadows.  I went home and did some small thumbnail sketches so I could capture it later when I had time to paint it!

ENJOY!

• Original art
• Acrylic on hardboard
• 8 x 10 inches
• Elaborate gold frame (see below)
• $775.00 (free shipping in USA)

Email me for availability: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com

Click here to see more

 

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Busy Morning, mixed media, colorful flowers, insects, and a frog

"Busy Morning"

    What can I say? I certainly got carried away with this little piece! 

    Honestly, I wasn't happy with it at first. It started as a palette knife painting. Nothing seemed to be working out.  I added more knife work and even used paper clay to build up the flowers.  (Paper clay is an air-dry clay that has paper fibers in it.  It dries stronger and is better suited for mixed media projects than regular air-drying clay.) But I still was not liking it. 

     Carol Jones (https://www.facebook.com/CarolsTreasuresFromTheSea), a close friend of mine, sent this resin frog as a gift with my order of seahorses and starfish. It made me smile each time I looked at it.  I moved it all around to see if it would look good and where I might add it.  It cracked me up! That got things moving.  I added some charms and then purchased some molds to make insects and flowers out of paper clay.  Thought I would use resin at first, but the paper clay worked so well I just kept making more.  

    The advantage of paper-clay is that I can paint it any color I want.  Resin stays as it was created, so you have to get the colors right when you make the mold.

    Painting the molded insects and flowers was time-consuming but enjoyable.  Each piece gave me a new idea of what else I wanted to add. I had to make myself stop because it was too much fun to keep adding more! 

    This breaks so many rules on so many levels!  So I went back and added shadows to the bottom and the left side of the painting (to tone it down some) and also to keep the viewer's eye in the painting.  I also used a solid color scheme of complementary colors throughout the project to harmonize the painting. 

    To top it all off, I made a shadow box frame for it and sealed it behind glass.  This added to the whole notion of a child capturing a frog in a jar!  So far everyone that sees it starts laughing.  That makes it all worth so much more!

ENJOY!

• Original art
• Mixed media
• 8 x 10 inches
• Gold shadow box frame (see below)
• SOLD

Click here to see more 

 

Wedding Roses, white roses

 

"Wedding Roses" 

© Fawn McNeill 2007

Here is another one I just reframed.  I think this fancy frame is perfect for it!  

Click here to see the original post.

This is another one of Kathy Papasso's frames that have been on sale at the Okeechobee Arts and Culture Alliance.  Her husband donated her equipment and frames (and many of her paintings) after she passed away from COVID last year.

It brings me comfort and joy to use her frames.

• Original art
• Acrylic on hardboard
• 5 x 7 inches
• Elaborate silver frame
• $525.00 (Free shipping in USA)

Email me for availability: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com

Click here to see more 

Enchanted Morning, water lilies, great egret

"Enchanted Morning" 

© Fawn McNeill 2010

Just reframed this little favorite painting.  I did it on location (en plein air) quite a few years ago at White City Park, in Fort Pierce, Florida.  White City Park has always been one of the best places to do a paint-out.  It is hard to decide where to set up my easel!  By the river or near a pond, it doesn't matter because every painting turns out amazing.  

This is one of Kathy Papasso's frames I purchased at the Okeechobee Arts and Cultural Alliance.  Her husband donated her equipment and frames (and many of her paintings) after she passed away from COVID last year.

It brings me comfort and joy to use her frames.

Enjoy!

• Original Plein Air painting
• Acrylic on canvas
• 8 x 10 inches
• Elaborate gold frame
• $800.00 (free shipping in the USA) 

Email me for availability: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com

Click here to see more art

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Christmas Snow, Christmas tree, mixed media

"Christmas Snow"

© Fawn McNeill 2018

Went back and embellished this demo by adding glitter paint, and metallic paint.  I have done 3 of these, and each one is a little different in the the background and the placement of the Christmas tree. This one has lights coming down, reminiscent of a hint of  Northern lights, and a suggestion of a frozen lake or pond. 

This is always a fun lesson for the children's art class. 

I framed it in an expensive frame, which set it off (see below).

Original Art

Mixed Media

11 x 14

Elaborate silver frame

$1,000.00 (includes shipping in the US)

email me: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com for availability, or for having something similar created in a size you prefer. 

Click here to see more

 

Lovely Ladies, flowers, mixed media

"Lovely Ladies"

Normally I create a painting and then put it in a complimenting frame.  But this painting was a little backward.  I had this amazing custom frame that belonged to a dear friend that passed away, so I wanted something special that looked fantastic with it.  (See below.)

Honestly, it was too elaborate for most of my country and wildlife paintings until I tried it on this painting with the pretty yellow flowers, it looked like it might work. 

 I painted a few more flowers in key places (and let it dry) before moving some charms and gems around on it.  I tried different pieces. They looked okay, but I wasn't satisfied.    I wanted something demanding that stood out and grabbed my attention.  That way the frame would enhance the artwork and not take away from it.    

I found some earrings, broaches, and pendants at a thrift store within the next week, and I knew that the gorgeous red flower would be perfect for this project! I added the sparkly white flowers, some beads, and the pretty butterfly for balance. I thought it all came together nicely.  The digital image doesn't do it justice.  The way the light hits it at different angles is truly delightful.

Custom frames are quite expensive, but I love it.  This is a tribute to my dear friend, Deborah Flowers, who had exquisite taste.

Mixed Media

8 x 10 inches

Elaborate custom frame

$895.00 (includes shipping)

Please email me for availability: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com

Click here to see more