Fiesta de los Muertos

Fiesta de los Muertos

(Dead Party)
6"x8" transparent watercolor

I am totally thrilled to be one of the invited artists to join organizers Chris Beck and Pablo Villicana Lara for a Halloween Painting Challenge. Chris and Pablo (with whom I share a birthday, by the way) have been doing fabulously whimsical challenges for Easter, which showcase their famous "peeps" and I have been big fans of both of their work. These two amazing artists have now extended their fun challenges to a small group of artists for this ghoulish season.... and here is my entry. Living in Corpus Christi with such a huge Hispanic influence, Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is a big deal. Everywhere one can find skeleton cuchinas in bright colors. Even my wooden art mannequin had to get in on the act.

To view the other artists's works, please check out both Chris and Pablo's blogs where they will be showcasing all of the paintings for All Hallow's Eve...
Chris Beck: http://chrisbeckstudio.blogspot.com/
Pablo Villicana Lara: http://www.mylittlepaintbox.blogspot.com/

An Arwenian Christmas

Finally, home from winding through the U.S. up to Minnesota and back, then finished teaching a workshop, then another travel jaunt to pick up a show... and somewhere in there I was able to paint just ONE daily painting! I've finished this little Holiday painting of my studio mate, Arwen, and cards have been ordered for this season, ready to package and sell. One more trip on Monday, and I hope to stay home for a little while. I'm really dying to spend some time in the studio!

I See Fields of Green

I See Fields of Green

3"x3" (unfr) fluid acrylic on paper

by Debbie Cannatella

$60

Today's tiny tidbit was done using fluid acrylics on watercolor paper. I am still playing with this medium to see how well I like it, or how often I may use this new medium. The composition was made up, but clouds were painted as I looked out my studio and enjoyed a bright blue sky filled with fluffy clouds. They kept moving and changing fast, so I could only paint an impression of them.

Red Landscape

Red Landscape

6"x3.5" (unfr) fluid acrylic on paper

by Debbie Cannatella

$75

Today my Golden Fluid Acrylics arrived. I only bought a red, blue, and yellow plus a white... and decided to play with them and see how I liked the feel of them used in a watercolor manner on paper. I really enjoyed this medium! It was smooth and creamy and mixed beautifully with water. The feel was just like watercolor thinned out... and then subsequent layers produced a thicker, more intense result. I will certainly be experimenting with this more often.

Lobster Claw

Lobster Claw

3.25"x5" (unfr) watercolor on paper

by Debbie Cannatella

$60

Here's the first painting while I recover... Carpal Tunnel surgery on my right had was about 2 1/2 weeks ago. The wound is still a bit tight and it feels somewhat awkward to hold a paintbrush, but I just couldn't wait to start my normal routine, though I have to be careful and take it slow. This Heliconia Bihai (Lobster Claw Plant) was in the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago when I was there in June.

Carpal Tunnel Surgery

Here's the result of the surgery... the right hand is just a week out of surgery and the left a month ago. It has been a fairly painless ordeal. The difficulty is in learning how to live life with one hand. Props to people who do this all of the time, because I sure bumbled around a lot. The pain was minimal - mainly at night... good drugs made sure I didn't lose sleep. As I type this (about 10 days later than the photo) I can honestly say I am amazed at what it is like painting (or holding a fork, or a steering wheel) without my hand constantly going numb. If I knew it would be this drastic, I would have had this surgery done twenty years ago when they first diagnosed me! I'm still a bit awkward with my right hand, and the wound feels a little tight, but healing is going well. I recommend the more "invasive" surgery over the orthoscopic type. Patients average much better results.

Yu-Gi-Oh Player's Mat

My stepsons came for the month of July to visit, as they do each year. And, although my Carpal Tunnel Surgery was scheduled, I decided to take on one last project before surgery. This is a Yu-Gi-Oh Players mat that my stepson, Chris, was begging me for. He selected two of his favorite cards and he designed what he wanted and I spent the week painting it. The left hand had already been operated on. I completed this the day before I went under the knife for the right hand.