Strutting Your Stuff

Strutting your Stuff!!!  If you have ever watched the movie, “Staying Alive” and watched John Travolta dance his pants off -- well, literally, of course, then you know the feeling of giving it all -- 500%  Not only is John beautiful to watch, he is in incredible shape and you know that you are watching perfection.  There must have been months and  months and  hours and hours of practice to make that last dance work.

John was so HOT in this movie --  and when he danced, it was all of him -- every muscle, every movement was sensual and powerful.  Just watching him dance, makes me want to dance -- as his partner, of course!

He danced his heart out -- he broke the rules -- he was there in the moment with every part of his being!   And that fever, that intensity,  is what a painting cries out for -- All of you.

After his performance he just wanted to walk the streets of New York and Strut his Stuff!

And that’s how you feel when you do that powerful painting that makes you smile and makes you glad that you are a painter.

Soooo -- here’s the challenge.  Strut your Stuff!  Play the song, “Staying Alive” and paint your pants off and see what painting with all of you is like!  And let’s see these incredible paintings!

I look forward to seeing these great paintings and Strutting your Stuff!  Send me photos of your incredible paintings!

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Specialties

Watching Gregory Hines dance is so amazing -- his talent transcended dancing -- and it was a specialty -- tap dancing.  He had to overcome a lot of prejudice to find his way into Hollywood and into our hearts -- and that he did!  His feet moved and created their own music with his taps!

In art, there are so many specialties that we can choose from.  And when we find our way of making art, it becomes our specialty.  Today, promise yourself to try something new in art -- a new color, a new technique or even a new medium.  And, in life, do something new for yourself -- walk backwards, hug a tree -- hug your neighbor -- be outrageous and find that music in your feet that makes you dance.

In the movie, “The Cotton Club”, you see some of the most amazing performances of song and dance -- can you tell that I love movies?  Life is a movie -- are you winning an Oscar?

"Monday Afternoon"

9 x 12 Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Painting for You

Wrap yourself in gentle arms -- arms of strength and love -- let those arms be your guidance -- think of it this way -- what if this was your last painting in your life -- what would you want it to be -- Michelangelo had a cot beside some of his unfinished sculptures -- I love the roughness of them -- and he would find some strength each day to get up and work on them -- yet, truly, he was already sculpting them from the cot.  I wonder what was that last chisel into the marble  that he put on his sculpture ......

I always put my paintings on the floor in front of my love seat and look at them in different light and I study them -- and then I paint them in my mind -- long before I paint them on the easel -- and that is how I finish a painting -- I feel it -- if I am working from photos, I take them down and just let the painting finish itself.

That last stroke -- that finishing piece -- that one last item that says “it’s done now” -- 

Here’s to those paintings -- the ones that we came here to paint!

"Low Tide"

36 x 30 Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Finding Love

I love “love” and I love to paint it!  When you paint a mother with her baby, there is pure love, and the joy in painting this feeling is the greatest gift for everyone.

And, I love the beach -- I love the smell of the ocean, the sound of the waves and the feeling of the wet beach sand on my feet - it is a place where I go to find peace and tranquility.  When I get the chance to be with mothers and babies on the beach, I think I grow more wrinkles from smiling.!

"Togetherness" (study)

12 x 9, Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Forgiveness

If you haven’t seen the movie, “Invictus”, directed and produced by Clint Eastwood -- the movie is  about Nelson Mandella, run, don’t walk and rent it -- the man is my hero and has been for a long time.  After spending 27 years in a cell no bigger than spreading your arms (they show it in the movie), he was released and was elected as the President of South Africa.  He  forgave his jailers, and he taught the world about compassion and forgiveness and how to lead a country by inspiring others to be the best that they can be.  His inaugural speech says it all  ....... 

He inspired his ruby team to overcome their own prejudices an dissatisfaction and to help lead South Africa back to a  unified country.

In your life and in your art or whatever you do, when you are giving your best and you are pushing yourself beyond your own limits, then, you do fly, you do win, you do paint masterpieces.

Great movie -- great actors and great sound!  I love movies that are real and that make me want more out of my life!

He shared his own words of wisdom that kept him surviving his imprisonment -- and I shall share them with you here ----------- I am the master of my universe --

Thank you, Nelson Mandella -- for making me a better person.  

We are all masters -- let’s be the best in everything we do and share those gifts of love.  It is a great universe -- it is ours!

And here is a very special Thank You to all of you who are taking the time to read my blog!  When you take the time to leave me your great compliments and tell me what you see in my work -- you put a smile in my heart and I am every so grateful for the encouragement to be a great painter.  I promise to do the same.

"Summer Sails"

24 x 24 Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Finding Perfection

Life is not a “dress rehearsal” -- we hear that all of the time.  And, sometimes a painting is a practice painting -- when you are trying out new ideas, new colors, new techniques, or just plain “growing”!  Musicians practice before they perform on stage.   Watching the video of Michael Jackson’s preparations for his tour is so inspiring -- what an amazing talent!  He worked on every move to make sure that it was done the way he knew it could be done -- with perfection!  His feet simply slide across the stage, his body moves with such ease and grace and he exudes the loves of dance and music -- and then he starts to sing and WOW -- He gave his all to his music and even though we all know that he dealt with his own “issues”, we certainly can all appreciate and admire his talent!

So when you are in the studio painting -- remember that practice is the purse essence of finding the perfection in your art -- I have been painting a long time and there are still days when I wipe out my painting, knowing that I can do it better -- and that is what drives me to be the best artist that I can be!

Each painting brings me to the next one!

"Afternoon Love"

8 x 10 Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Finding Your Passion

Inspiration rules our world!  Subjects for paintings are all around us -- and each of us are drawn to what sparks that desire to paint inside of us.  Some of us are drawn to paint flowers, others find landscapes that stir our creativity, and buildings and cityscapes  have long been a painter’s delight.    I love to paint all of these and more.   My passion is painting people.   I am drawn to paint people -- I started out as a portrait painter and it was a great way to learn to paint people.

I love to paint everything and yet as I look back at most of my paintings --there are people in them!

What is your passion?

"Red Wine"

8 x 6 Oil on Raymar Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Painting Love

Painting with natural light is the only way to truly get those warm late afternoon colors to glow.  I watch the light as the seasons change and I fix places in my yard to capture that light. 

A mother’s love is a special love -- and painting that love is by far one of the greatest pleasures I have.  Mary Cassatt would use models for her mother and baby series and they were not necessarily related -- for me, I treasure the relationship that only a mother and baby share -- and that is what I am painting!

Love!  It’s a great feeling to paint.

"Love"  8 x 10 Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Painting Tenderness

There is something quite beautiful about a pregnant woman!  It is an honor to paint a woman who is about to have a baby -- she glows with love.  I only use natural light to paint.  The light coming through my living room window provides an incredible atmosphere for painting.

When my friend's daughter arrived, we placed her in front of my window, and voila!  The light coming in behind her brought out that "glow" that we always see on pregnant women!  All I had to do was to paint it.

"Thoughts of Love"

40 x 30 Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Thankful Thursday Creations with September McGee

"Conductor Carl St. Clair, Pacific Symphony Orchestra"

This is a lovely oil on Senso linen of Maestro Carl St. Clair

in honor of his 20th Anniversary with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra.

The music that emanates from this orchestra is like a visit to heaven.

It was such an honor to be able to capture Carl in this painting.

On this Thankful Thursday, I am most grateful for:

music

art

friends

family

magic and miracles

To see more works visit my website: http://www.septembermcgee.com/

or email me for more information: smcgeearts@ol.com

Blessings,

September McGee

Painting Children

Children bring such joy to us -- they are always finding ways to amuse themselves -- and even the smallest things bring them joy!

These two sisters are so close and they were looking for some special "creatures" in the water!  The beach is the best place to be whether you are "grown up" or still a "child" at heart!  There is always something to do, to see and it's a place where tiny creatures can amaze us.

As they walked along the water, I caught that special moment when they were "at the beach"!

"My Sister"

12 x 12 Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Painting Children

When you are commissioned to paint children, it is such an honor.  I had the privilege of meeting these four children while I was in Naples doing a One-Woman Show!  The sun wasn’t truly cooperating that day on the beach, and several times we had to wait for it to come out from behind the clouds.   These four children love the beach and I wanted to capture that special moment when they were playing together and were in their own “moment” on their favorite beach.  

I probably took over 500 photos that day, and after searching through the photos for hours and hours, I found the one that said it all.

My collectors loved the painting, and that is what it is all about -- making people happy.

"Family Time"

30 x 40 Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Diane Leonard Painting Children

I love to paint children -- they bring joy to my life and to my work.  Creating that magical moment when a child has joy on their face is the key ingredient!  

This little girl has been posing for me since her mother was pregnant with her!!!!  She is such a sweetheart, and I love my time with her and painting her beautiful and innocent face.  I take a lot of photos and use different angles until I find the “look” I am going after.

We used “The Magic Hat” -- it brings a glow behind her.  It is an antique hat that I have told all of my models is magical and you get a wish when you wear it!  All of the children love this hat and it definitely has been worn a lot!

This painting, entitled, “Little Flower Girl”, 20 x 16, Oil on Ampersand Board, has been shown in five U.S. national juried exhibitions, and also won Second Place in the Louisiana River Show this past year.  I love this painting.  It is now being shown at The Hearle Gallery in Chatham, Massachusetts.

"Little Flower Girl" 20 x 16

Oil on Board

DianeLeonard.com

Diane@DianeLeonard.com