Inspired By Dean Watts

I would like to introduce you to a master stain glass maker, Dean Watts.  His contact is: http://www.deansstainedglass.com/ .  With written permission from him, I was given the right to paint his work - duplicating it completely or adapting it to my style.  Of course, I changed things here and there but not enough to drift too far from his work.

 

Dean is from Gulf Shores, Alabama and has been working in creating these stunning designs for 35 years.  Each piece of art is crafted by him personally.  Many people who commission his work offer suggestions or even sketches of their ideas.  Together they work out the best layout for the stained glass and what turns out is nothing less than stunning works of art!

I am attracted to much of his work and will enjoy painting more!  

I hope you enjoy this blog and other coming like it.  All these paintings are done in Acrylic Paint, all outlined in Ink.  Watercolor was used in the bottom painting a little.  All paintings are 8 X 10, signed and give credit to Dean Watts on back.

Thank you Dean!

Flowers in a Series

 

 I feel in love with what I thought was a beautiful stained glass image of poppies from Brenda Henning.  But what I found out was these graceful flowers were a quilt patter (from master quilt maker Brenda Henning) that looks like stained glass!!! WOW!!

I wanted to paint these poppies... then I found more:

Like this stunning Sunflower! 
So, I called Mrs. Henning and asked if I could paint her treasures.  She responded, “Sure!  Knock your socks off!”

You can find her original work on her website:   http://www.bearpawproductions.com/index.php .

My paintings are not exact duplicate... I feel every artist has their own style which they need to express. Still, I wanted to stay very close so anyone can see the resemblance. 

All of the paintings in this series are painted on heavy 140 pound paper with acrylic-metallic paints, lined in ink and measure 8 X 10.  All are framed.

Mrs. Henning's series has 4, I added one more: The Double Sunflower!

Originally, her double sunflower was a table runner, which is also quilted!  

Many thanks to Brenda Henning for permission to paint this series and more!  

Next, I plan to introduce you to more artists, through my paintings.

As always, these paintings are for sale.  They are all framed, but on back of each painting is a note of appreciation to Brenda Henning and their number in my series of 5.   

Thank you and enjoy!
 PJ

pjmartin2000@gmail.com
 

The Start of the Red Hat Ladies!

This was my first Red Hat Lady, Titled: 'Lady in Green Glasses'.  She is brightly painted with acrylic paint on a stretched canvas.  One of the things I like best about this painting is the texture I added to her hat.

This lady is relaxing under some kind of palm-bush on the beach... or at least that is how I see it.  You can also imagine the palm further down the beach, but I like the thought of the palm branches gently tickling her toes!

This picture is done in Acrylic paints, outlined with ink and on 140 lb paper.  She is framed.

If you see anything you like, or have suggestions of what you would like to see... just send me a note at:  pjmartin2000@gmail.com.

Thanks!!

Art Became My Saving Grace!

This small mandala was created in the summer of '16 in a black sketch book.

 

The short story, of a long one, is that my love for all the arts started at birth but fell to the wayside in making way for the needs of a growing family.  Then, many years later, it became my saving grace!

I am now the sole caretaker of my mother who has Alzheimer's.  Being a caregiver is very stressful.  It is also stressful as well as confusing for the person suffering from Alzheimer's and/or dementia.  I have found that during this transition, for all involved,  doing a artwork helps a great deal! (I will tell mom's story and share her artwork another time.)

Before I discovered this need for an outlet, I got very sick while taking care of mom.  I didn't even realize how bad I was until the doctors wanted me to stay in the hospitable! 

I remember my dad telling me repeatedly how when he and mom where in school, they had to draw circles over and over, so they would have nice penmanship. In much the same exercise,  I started with an ink pens and a black Sharpie and drew circles in a little sketchbook.

I soon found an art form called 'Zentangle', and started incorporating what I learned from websites and YouTube tutorials.  My circles started to evolve.

I mixed the Zentangle designs with my doodles and called my new artwork, 'Zen-Doodle'.  (I found out later, other people were using the same phrase.) I put a book of my designs together, like the two above and below. (But it was never published.)  This was the time of the explosion of the  'Adult Coloring' books.  I gave many of my coloring pages to a local children's hospitable.

                     

My sketchbooks started filling up with miniature, mosaic-type of drawings.

Years later... I still carry sketch books (the one below is black - soooo fun!).  I still doodle.  

And I still say art is my saving grace... for me and mom! 

(My mom... her first watercolor of prints she traced! Amazing!)

My Cats Are Ready For Adoption!

The next few pictures are of my cat paintings and drawings since 2016.  Each cat is very different and unique.
The handsome cat pictured above is a done with acrylic paints on stretched canvas.  I love his nice colors and big, proud, white chest.

This painting is not Tigger...but makes me think of him.  He actually started out as a serious drawing of a cat... but I was probably watching a comedy while creating this orange cat... and came up with Mr. Attitude!  He is on painted on paper with acrylic pants and is  8 X 10.

This pretty, little girl is done with  Prismacolor Pencils on paper and measures about 8 X 10 in size.
This cat to me casts a softer image than Mr. Attitude above.  No hissing from this beauty.  But be careful still... she would be the type that would trip you because she doesn't know when to stop intertwining herself around your legs!

This abstract cat grabs your attention with them bright eyes and that orange background!
He is done on paper with acrylic paints with a touch of metallic to again demand attention!  Size is slightly under 8 X 10.

He is one dominate male lion.  I am attracted to his main - just flowing about in the wind.
He is 8 X10 and painted with acrylics.  I did him back in 2013 on a much smaller scale and revised my lion friend in 2016 with some nice updates.

This beautiful cat proudly shows off his velvety coat.  I have hidden his orange tiger coat with more of this soft brown one... but he has an orange nose.  I think he looks majestic and confident.  He is painted in acrylics, 8 X 10, matted and housed in a nice frame.

This little, sad, black kitty is waiting patiently at the gate for his best friend to come back home.
He is done in watercolor on heavy paper and is a smaller picture about 5 X 7.

This little, grey kitten is fondly entitled, "Happy Kitty".  He is painted with acrylic paints and is on an 8 X 10 wrapped canvas - pictured here hanging on my wall.  He's so cute with his mouth open so you can see his red tongue inside.  He just puts a smile on my face every time I look at him!

So, there you have my cats... as of today.  That could all change by tomorrow when I start my next project!

I hope you have enjoyed viewing my paintings!  Please email me if interested in adopting any of these precious kitties!