Danny On the Beach

I know I haven't posted in a while, but it's not because I'm not working! I was thrown off a little by an amazing vacation to Santa Fe and a wedding and increased hours at work! On top of that, our wireless internet died and I have to go up to the attic to get online! Anyway, I was so inspired by Santa Fe and Taos though and feel invigorated to continue to explore painting and doing what I love! So I have picked up watercolors and I really have had fun in a different medium! It is so different from working in oils, but I love it just the same! This is from an old vacation photo of my uncle Dan. I believe at least two others in my family have done their own version of it. It's just such a great image! It really captures the joy of vacation! Keep posted to see more watercolor work! I plan on doing a lot of it!

Camilla

Camilla
(detail)
Oil

This is one of my personal favorites. I love the simplicity of painting in black and white. She is a little Costa Rican girl that has the most adorable cheeks!

Hillary at the Lake

Hillary at the Lake
4' x 5'
Oil

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This painting was a lot of fun! I love painting water with all of its unusual shapes and reflections. I am hoping to do more "water" paintings in the near future! Currently I am working on a boat painting... hope to be showing you soon!

Jesse Cat

Jesse
11 x 13
Oil

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This is my beautiful tortie Jesse. She is a great subject, but it is hard to get a great shot of her. I was so happy to get this one! I love painting my pets and I hope to branch out and paint all kinds of animals in the future!

Riley

Riley
11 x 13
Oil

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This is my adorable dog Riley. This one actually sold so I need to do some more of him! My cat sells paintings too... they are pretty cute! I really enjoy painting my animals. I am available to do pet portraits. They make a great gift and keepsake for any animal lover! Check out my website www.leiabrown.com if you are interested in commissioning a portrait or painting of any kind!

Sweet Smile

Sweet Smile
18 x 24
oil

This painting will be in an auction at the Mosaic in downtown Omaha, this weekend Sept 19th and 20th. It benefits Mosaic Community Development which helps fight poverty in Omaha. The show is called "Neighborhood" and will directly benefit the revitalization of Park Avenue. I am looking forward to it and hope it is a success!

A Charcoal Sketch of Gracy

Gracy at the Lake
14 x 17
Charcoal

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I love how raw a sketch can be. It is so different from painting in that way. With painting, I can go back and fix something, hide something and continue to layer until the final product looks nothing like the initial brush strokes. A sketch, on the other hand, must be carefully and meticulously planned and yet some of my favorite qualities in a sketch are the raw and imperfect smudges and lines that give it character. It is in finding this balance between raw energetic strokes and careful planning and measuring that keeps me sketching!

Art Studio Inspiration

I am always wanting my art studio to be more functional, beautiful and inspirational. Organizing my studio is forever on my to-do list. Here are a couple photos to inspire me to work on it.

Both images from decor8's flickrstream

Hillary Sleeping

Hillary Sleeping
5 x 7
Oil

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Top Ten things to "say no" to when you need to paint:

1. people. they want your time and they can't have it.
2. the dishes. the laundry. organizing your closet. It can wait.
3. Decorating. Although my house could use some primping... I need to keep painting!
4. facebooking. blogging. emailing.
5. plucking your eyebrows.
6. watching a "what not to wear" rerun.
7. pulling weeds. (this one is sometimes helpful when you need a break from painting though).
8. staring out the window... tempting, but won't help you.
9. flipping through that sur la table catalog you just got in the mail.
10. that voice in your head that tells you that you may fail, you're no good, it's not worth it, and that all of the above are more important than your painting.

I realize that we all need to do the dishes and blog and hang out with our friends, but it sure seems like all of these things can steal our time away from our painting so easily! I know I need to be careful and "say no" to many different temptations everyday. Sometimes I have to say no to something I don't want to and sometimes it's something ridiculous like flipping through a catalog... whatever it is, I have to guard my painting time!

To whom much is given, from him much will be required." Luke 12:48
Use those gifts artists!

Emmylou Harris Painting

Emmylou Harris
8 x 10
Oil

For purchase information click here.

Ok, so I don't normally do celebrity portraits, but she is such a beautiful performer... I couldn't resist! Sometimes I can get so caught up in subject matter and whether or not something is an appropriate subject, but lately I've been thinking I should just paint whatever inspires me. I don't want to be all over the place, but I figure I'll always be drawn to similar subjects and the important thing is just to paint!

Figures in a Landscape

On the Lake
18 x 24
Oil on Canvas

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This painting was one of my first "figure in landscape" paintings. I really enjoy painting people within a landscape painting. I think it is interesting that as viewers we immediately relate somehow to a painting. With a landscape painting, one remembers a place or a time that may be similar to the image he or she is viewing. A figure in a landscape is an additional element that invites the viewer to create a story or interpret the emotion of the moment. I would love to continue to do paintings that invite the viewer step into the moment in front of them.

Saturday Sketch

Persistence
14 x 17
charcoal

Available for purchase at my etsy shop!

Sketching is really important for a painter. I find that it really helps me to develop ideas and decide if I want to actually paint an image. I will admit I don't always sketch before I start a painting, probably to my own detriment, but it is something that always helps me when I do decide to do it. Funny... I never painted this guy, maybe because I was happy with how the sketch turned out. I really enjoy sketching and it helps me focus on values... which is really helpful when painting.

New York Street Dancer

Street Dancer
9 x 12
Oil on Canvas

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This painting is a little different for me, but I loved doing it! We, as artists, can get stuck in a rut painting the same thing under the guise that we are maintaining continuity. There is something to be said for trying something new and being open to new directions. For a long time now I've been painting portraits and I am branching out! I will continue with my portraits, of course, but why not paint anything that inspires me?! This guy was dancing in the street when I was in NYC a few years back. He was amazingly talented and entertaining. I love watching all kinds of dancing... break dancing is especially fun! It is a challenge to actually capture a great image, but it is possible!

Gray Day

Fisherman's Boat
5 x 7
Oil on Canvas Board

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The days are getting cooler and I know the gray days are on their way. I love sunny weather, but there is something about a gray day that is so peaceful and makes me think of college, new textbooks and warm coffee and scarves... I could go on! Plus, gray days are perfect for painting or taking pictures. I am going to enjoy the last days of summer and sunny weather, but I will look forward to the gray days to come! (Ask me on the 150th gray day how I'm feeling about it though!)

Welcome!

Hello, welcome to my new blog, liquid birdsong. I decided on that name because I consider painting to be like a birdsong. It's my way of celebrating creation, the way a bird does when she sings. I have a favorite quote by Georgia O'Keeffe, "Singing to me has always seemed the most perfect means of expression. It is so spontaneous. And after singing, I think the violin. Since I cannot sing, I paint." I will be using this blog to keep track of how my paintings evolve and to make note of inspirations, new artists, anything that pertains to my daily art making! I don't know where this blog will take me, but it will be a fun adventure and hopefully it will spur me on to work hard, paint a lot and generate new ideas.

I just got back from Costa Rica a few weeks ago, so I have been inspired to paint beachy scenes even though I am a landlocked Nebraska girl. I love the ocean though! So here is my first posted painting!

Punta Uva
11 x 14

Oil on Canvas

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