5-Day Art Challenge - DAY 5

Hello Everyone! Today is DAY 5 of the 5-Day Facebook Art Challenge. (But, why let Facebook have all of the fun? That's why I'm posting it here, too). A warm thank you to Debbie Lamey MacDonald, a Nova Scotia artist, for nominating me.

For today’s post, I am sharing with you several commissioned pieces – two fine art paintings and two pet illustrations.

The Dogwood Blossom painting is a 30” x 30”, oil on canvas, painted from photographs that I took at a local nursery. I am super pleased with the oil paints by M. Graham that are based with walnut oil and offer such vibrancy.

The painting of delphiniums is a work-in-progress that I am painting right now for a client. It’s 30” x 30”, oil on canvas. Again, I am using my own reference photos that I took over the summer. Not only are delphiniums difficult to grow, they are difficult to find to photograph! 

My pet illustration, Cake Cats, was a pet illustration commission from last year. My client provided photos of her daughter’s cats and gave me a list of interest of her daughter and son-in-law. Her daughter loves to make cakes, loves Gerber daisies and her son-in-law is a Bills fan. In-progress photos and sketches of this project can be seen on my website. Gouache and colored pencil on vellum, 5” x 7”.

The Santa and dog illustration was a pet commission for a past Christmas card. The client provided photos of her mixed breed hound. Gouache and colored pencil on vellum, 5” x 5”. You can read about the process of drawing this illustration, here: http://cherylkugler.blogspot.com/2009/12/illustrating-dog-gone-cute-christmas.html

On my last day of this challenge, I nominate TatyanaStarikova, a talented illustrator who I met during a workshop at Highlights Foundation called “Mastering the Picture Book”.

Mid-May in the PA Garden

A mid-May stroll reveals bursts of color and a few purrfectly happy faces. Fulfill your artist's senses as you mix your palette with mid-May hues.

Robin's egg blue no longer, the little peeps are shades of siennas and umbers. Happy Birthday, peeps!

Vibrant orange poppies burst from a grassy embankment.

Just back from the local nursery, a box of perennials awaits their new garden home. There are so many colors to hope for here from rich red geum to sunny yellow gazania.

Cheery pink thrift amidst plum pansies border kissing doves.



Royal red azaleas provide an impressive backdrop for glorious pink dogwood blooms.

You never know who you're going to bump into down the street. These black and white holsteins are telling secrets.



My handsome guy peruses the harvest of cherry red radishes...



...and is a big helper amid the sturdy green cauliflower plants.

A soft, apple scents wafts from these burgundy all-spice buds. Wish you could partake.

The garden is sure to change over the next few weeks. Stop back and visit again soon to get your fill of color. For earlier blooms see my blog from a few weeks ago "Color of Spring Everywhere!".

Color of Spring Everywhere!

The yard is celebrating a bursting feast of Spring color - EVERYWHERE! It's an artist's delight. Come for a walk with me to check out the palette of glorious hues.

Robin's egg blue holds a promise.

A BIG jasmine yellow bumble bee buzzes inside a magenta pink olga rhodadendron.

A broader angle of the magenta pink olga rhodadendron blossoming around a birdhouse.

Cascading soft lavender wisteria graces the fence.

Rosey pink bleeding hearts envelope the petite flowers of a periwinkle blue forget-me-not.

A crimson red azalea sparkles in the dappling sun under an off-white birch and an arching, blush pink crabapple.

My marmalade kitty swaggers past hot pink tulips.

A brilliantly colorful bluebird keeps a watchful eye from a perch above her house. That's an Eastern Bluebird.

A soft pink dogwood surrounded by the variety of greens of solomon's seal, ferns, and fresh cut grass.

Ahhh....and if only you could smell the heady aroma of these lilac purple lilacs!

Lots of perennials are beginning to peak through the warming earth. Stop back again and we'll go for another walk around the gardens to see the next colorful show.

www.cherylkugler.com