Taking a break...

When I painted this a few years ago, I knew how many women face this battle, but never knew how close to home it would be. I auctioned it off and donated the money to Susan G. Komen for a Cure (the charity chosen by my wonderful collector) and at it felt good knowing I helped the cause a little. Then maybe a year later I received an email from the Komen organization letting people know that you could submit your art to be in the calendar. I had the perfect piece! I submitted and the voting began. I was happy to hear that mine was one of the twelve that was chosen to be in the 2016 Susan Komen For A Cure calendar but had know idea that it would hit this close to home.

When submitted you were asked to tell your story. Nowadays, nearly everyone has been affected by breast cancer in some way, and I was no different. But I was not a survivor, I was a supporter, which today could not be more true. At the time, my story was that my grandma had past from cancer and that I had been told I had a lump that needs to be biopsied. Fast forward to today, after I received the calendars and brought a few up for my mom to see and to hand out, we had no idea the she would be added to my breast cancer "story".  We hadn't even been to the Dr. to have a biopsy of the growth on her skin on her breast bone area, yet. So we knew nothing, nothing at all. But she looked at the calendar strangely, saying how coincidental and amazing that my painting was in it.

I told her to stop it and that she'd be ok. It was probably nothing. But I was worried too. They biopsied the area and the Dr. said it was most likely skin cancer. To our surprise it came back as breast cancer and so the journey begins. She's scheduled for a mastectomy by the end of the month. Tomorrow is the PET scan then a bone scan. There was a dark area on her sternum. I'm going to be strong for her. She's not only my mom, she really is my best friend. I moved to this tiny town 15 years ago to be close to her and live 5 minutes away. We talk several times a day, she's my person.

I'm taking a break from Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge because I'm taking her to town several times a week which takes the full day. We live and hour from civilization and now, with roadwork, and an unbelievably ridiculous 45 minute wait, it's more like 2 hours and that's just one way! I'm thinking she'll have to move down there and I might have to go with. So you can understand how painting one painting everyday is not really possible. I do however need to keep painting for me. My art has always been therapy for me and my anxiety, panic attacks, and mild depression, but today it's therapy to keep my mind off what's happening and to recharge myself to be the supporter I'm meant to be. I know now that as hard as I've tried to move away from this tiny town, something keeps me here. I actually moved away in 2010 but here I am again. This is the reason. This is my purpose.

Sorry to be so serious on my art blog. Art is a very personal thing though and it's hard to disconnect what's going on in my life and my art. My art has always been a reflection of my emotions brought on by my life's journey and now more than ever it will be here for me. There I go again, getting all serious! Hopefully my next post will have a new painting to share. I actually am inspired strangely enough.

Some more lemons...

I need to retake the photo

I'm finishing my paintings at night and then taking the photo, so it's dark and they're blurry. This one is actually grainy. I'm happy with how these lemons turned out though. I've always found painting lemons to be difficult because of the color but I think I finally figured it out. This photo unfortunately doesn't show the color very good either. Just another part of the challenge, taking good photos of the artwork! 

I'll retake with my good camera a little later. 

Today, is a big day, and not in a good way. I'm going with my mom to the breast cancer Dr. to see what kind it is and maybe find out what the treatment might be. We found out she had breast cancer couple weeks ago and it's just now starting to sink in. This is going to be a hard day for sure. Please send good thoughts! 

click to see available work

worked more on these...

I woke up this morning and looked at these two paintings on my easel and couldn't resist the urge to pick up my palette knife and to give them some more pizazz! I'm much happier with them now, I hope you like them too! The color is off on these. The background isn't so blue. 

Lemons and Roses

Lemons 1 - 8x8 oil

$95

Lemons 2 oil-8x8 

$95

Day 7 6x6 - Rose $50

Cherries...

6x6 inch oil $50

Painting away...

8x8 inch oil $125

I changed it up a little by adding pink flowers instead of the purple garlic flowers (I think that's what they were), anyway, I thought they would blend in too much. But looking at it now they might have worked too. Wouldn't you just love a little house like this? I sure would. What color would you paint it? 

working on a commission today...

Here's what's on my large easel right now and I've been working on it along with the challenge pieces. Today, it will represent my painting for day 4. I spent the morning dropping off a few paintings at a new restaurant that's having it's grand opening this weekend. I hope they get the artwork up in time! This 24x24 oil is a larger version of one I did a couple week ago. My client wanted the same painting just a lot larger. I think it looks great large (besides my bad phone photo). Tomorrow, I'm trying to decide whether to paint a sunset or a great little house from over on the coast. There's this adorable Victorian town called Ferndale. It's my perfect place, if that's possible. There's all these cute little houses and some grand ones too, farms with cows and chickens, green rolling hills, and the best part is the beach is just down the road. I would totally live there if I could. Anyway, I got some great shots of some houses (well, my mom took them for me when she was over there at the horse races), and I want to paint a few of them for this challenge. 

painting for the day...

8x8 $145

This oil painting was painted plein air. It's amazing how many colors I'm seeing now that I'm painting outside. It's perfect weather, except a little off and on wind. At least I can hear it coming and brace for it! I may have to take this photo again when it's dry because some of the variances aren't showing. 

I painted this one with both a brush and palette knife. I think I prefer both. The gerber a daisies were from my bouquet from earlier and I think I might be able to get just one more painting out of it, and then they're done. Thanks for viewing! 

Jen

Pink Roses Day 2

Pink Roses Palette Knife Painting

Rosy Posy

This little pink rose painting was inspired by the beautiful bouquet I picked up at Trader Joe's the other day. They didn't last very long though…I always recut them and use the powder but they always die on me. Anyway, they stayed alive long enough to paint these. I used a palette knife for the whole painting this time with lots of thick paint and texture! The sides are 1 1/2 inch and painted. Tomorrow, I plan on painting the pink gerbera daisies that came in the bunch. They'll be a challenge for sure! 

I'm doing the challenge again!

6x6 inch oil on canvas $59 

It's September at that means time for Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge! It's so much fun to join along with so many wonderful painters! I love seeing what everyone comes up with.
I posted a question on Facebook about what I should paint. It was more me thinking out loud, but I got some good feedback. Seems most of you like seeing my fancy ladies and flowers. I have the hardest time painting one theme, as you can see. So…I figured as long as I get some kind of consistency in the paint application, size of canvas, and try to stick to a limited palette, that might do the trick. That way I can paint anything and it will still stand out as a "Beaudet". lol That's the idea anyway…we'll see if that holds true.

Sunflower Dream new oil painting

10x10 inch

 $195

Sunflower Dream new oil painting 

Don't you think this is such a happy painting? It's the sunflowers, I'm sure but it's hard to resist a red barn. This painting was inspired by my drive to the next town over, last Spring. I got so much inspiration and only 15 minutes away! I live in a beautiful area of California, it's all beautiful. I'm lucky to have been born and raised in California. Even though I'm so far from home now, it's still gorgeous! I will really miss it if we move. I added the sunflowers here, I also changed the barn and added the path leading up to it.                                                          
                                                                   Here's my photo-

you can see I really just use photos for inspiration and don't like to copy exactly what I see. It's not really art if you just copy it, it's a painting of a photo. My goal it for my painting to be an "expression" or "impression" of how I feel about a certain subject. I use certain colors and loose brush strokes to achieve that. 

Oh, studio news! I sold my first angel painting…haven't done any new ones…yet, but I definitely will. I have to be inspired though. 

sold

sold

On hold (soon to be sold)

sold (look for a larger one soon)

on hold (soon to be sold)

I'm very grateful for all of my collectors! I appreciate you all! 

Pink Roses in the Afternoon

available here

Plein air painting some roses in my backyard! I purchased this pochade box a few months ago but this is the first time taking it out for a test spin. It works! I just need a few more hands to hold everything. Now I understand why they come with attachments for brush holders and a place to put the palette. It will take some getting used to. The hard part is not getting the paint all over the place! This painting was a challenge only because it was almost 100 degrees outside and it was after 4 pm. I can't wait for the cooler weather so I can venture out further from home! 

A Little Drive Through Winecountry

this one has been spoken for already

Confession…I don't really drink wine. I know I'm alone in that but it just gives me a headache and some of it makes my celiac problems surface. However, I love everything else about it…the beautiful grapevines, gorgeous wineries, even the taste and smell. This painting was inspired by a photo a friend posted on Facebook. She actually took a bunch for me as she drove through the Napa valley. I combined it with a photo of a Tuscan winery that my step mom took awhile ago. I've used it in another painting I did when I was first starting to paint with oils. I'm going to be doing a series of wine country paintings so stay tuned and join me on our make-believe winery tour!

Oil Painting of Woman in Red by J Beaudet Z

available here

SOLD

Scarlet by Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan©

Hello! I just finished this one after a little break from painting. I've still been working on painting, just not actual painting. I found a great source for online learning called ArtforFree. Even though it's free it has very high quality videos and amazing instructors, like Kevin Macpherson. I've read several of his workshop books but there's nothing like seeing him paint! Thanks for offering this! I'm also really fixing up my studio, and this time I'm mean really. I always have plans that get in the way but I'm really going to do it this time.

This painting is an 11x14 inch oil on canvas…named…Scarlet, by one of my Facebook fans! Thanks John! I hope you all like it as much as I enjoyed painting it!

Some Summer Blooms...

sold

This is my latest painting of hollyhocks. It's my first time painting them but won't be the last! They're so much fun to paint! It was done with oils on linen panel and I only use a palette knife for the stamen in the middle, everything else was painted with a new bright brush. I wish brutes stayed new forever.

I'm a little messy with my brushes and although I do try, I just can't seem to keep them sharp for long. I've been holding off buying some really good ones for this reason, but read somewhere that good brushes are the most important thing about painting. I wonder if that's true.

New Romantic Floral

Buy Now with Paypal

Wouldn't this piece look great in a cottage chic, shabby chic, romantic style home? I think it would also look great in a beach home too, even traditional decor. Framing it will change the direction it can go. I see all kinds of possibilities. The inspiration for this painting came from my recent trip down the hill to Trader Joe's. I don't always pick up flowers but I saw they had lisianthus and had to have them! The roses were also beautiful and came with a few stems of alstroemeria. I used lots of texture achieved with a palette knife and love the way the glass turned out. I think I'm getting better! This one's my new fav right now but I've already started on a new hydrangea piece. It's a 20x20 so it's not small. This one isn't small either. It's 16x20. You can find all the info about it by clicking on the link right below the image.

Inspiration Overload

available here

Can there be such a  thing as too much inspiration? I'm not really sure what's been going on with me these last few months, but I'm trying to work through it. I get so inspired to paint but then hesitate because of too many choices and the thought of out doing my last piece. I don't want to regress!

I just got back from a whirl wind trip to Southern California. My mom and I traveled to see my sister and attend my nieces high school graduation. It's a long, long drive and we did it in one day. The following day was spent recovering and wasn't helped any with a sleepless night. We enjoyed one spectacular day in Laguna, where we had lunch at Las Brisas, overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean (my home), followed by more inspiration at a few galleries. I was pleasantly surprised at the down to earth feeling I got from the Art Directors/Owners of the few galleries we stopped in. I had thought they would be stuffy and indicating. I was so wrong. Since this was a spur of the moment idea, I wasn't prepared to introduce myself as an artist interested in representation. I did tell them I was an artist so they would waist too much time selling to me, but they still took time with me even after finding that out. Anyway, this little excursion left me with a new goal. I think I would like to seek some representation down there. It's probably a big dream and nothing more but I'm just "putting it out there" to the Universe. I had pieces in local galleries but have never tried to get in anywhere else. I might never try but it's on my mind now and will soon be on my Dream Board.

prints and more available here 

The whole trip left me yearning to be back home at the beach even more than ever. We were there for such a short time, busy with family (not complaining though. It was great to see them) I didn't even get to put my toes in the sand. While we were having lucy we met a daughter visiting her father who lived in Laguna. She had grown up there and like me misses the ocean, a lot! As soon as they finished lunch she changed into her suit and went for a dip! I should have brought mine with me. I'm on a new mission to move to Oceanside-San Diego, somewhere around there. Huntington Beach would be my first choice but it's quite pricey. My guy is 55+ and I'll be 45 next month so we qualify for the retirement communities! haha I'm happy for that! Now...I just have to get him to go along with me. He's  not from California originally so doesn't have a love for it like I do, and would actually like to move away.

available here

So, back to my art. I think I'm going to focus on figures and flowers and go large! That's one thing a gallery owner told me. Large is the way to go. I will still be offering smaller pieces too of course and I'm sure I won't be able to help add a landscape in there, but will also be trying to create a body of large pieces, like in the 40x60 range. They may be shipped, rolled and then need to be re-stretched if they are going over seas but as long as they're staying in the US shipping is doable. So I'm off to create my new Dream Board and order some gigantic canvas!

I will write about the angel and her significance in my life in my next post. 

Where Did May Go?

work in progress

Where did May go? It happens every year. I wait for Spring and Summer and they fly by! I remember this even as a child growing up in Southern California. Yes we did have the best weather but i still waited for the perfect beach weather. We had what they call, June Gloom, where the marine layer stays along the coast, never burning off. July was my favorite but that could have something to do with the fact that it's my Bday month! But the weather was always the best late summer, early fall. The water warms up to a nice temp, and the nights stay warm. What great memories I have of that time of year. The night blooming jasmine fills the air and swimming at night was not out of the question. 

Good times. 

This piece I'm currently working on, of Catalina, brings back some wonderful memories. But now I'm once again, scouring the internet for a way to move back down there (well, I kind of always do that). I'm not sure if it's a case of "the grass is always greener", or if it's because that's where I was born and raised and nothing compares to it. Whatever it is, it keeps me drawn to painting its beauty of never endless inspiration. 

I just purchased my first pochade box and am planning on getting out and painting the world…that's my plan at least…we'll see. I have a french easel but it takes so long to set up, I'm hoping that the ease of the pochade box will make it so I have no excuse. I tried to make one myself but it never quite came together. I think the box was too heavy, anyway.

This painting of Avalon on Catalina, CA is not from plein air painting, but from a great reference photo from Ivy Faulkner of Palos Verdes Pictures. I'm friends with her on Facebook and have admired her photos for quite awhile now. When I saw this scene, I knew I had to paint it, so I was thrilled when she said yes to my question of using it for reference. I cropped it a little tighter and added the bougainvillea, which really sets it off. I'm really liking this one… I can just imagine the ocean air and warm sun on my face. It's an 18x24 oil, so is taking about a week to complete, but I'm enjoying every minute of it. 

sold

available soon

 This piece was done on mistake and will available soon for purchase. It's a 9x12…I was supposed to paint an 8x10 and don't know how I mixed that up. Anyway practice is always good, right? I still need to retake the photo with my good camera and then get it listed. If you're interested before then, it's a 9x12 oil on stretched canvas.

So now I'm off to paint more! I will be continuing my painting every day but am taking a week off soon! Can't wait to get some new inspiration photos on my trip! Have a great June!!!