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The woman who started this challenge Leslie Saeta, suggested we make a collage of our work and here is it.  I used Picmonkey... such an easy place to do this, I had NO idea!  so.... You guys all have been so supportive and I have enjoyed this journey tremendously.  I hope to do a challenge like this again soon!  Keep your eyes open!

Last night I went to bed expecting rain in the morning.  I awoke to cloudy skies, but it was still pretty dark.  As I got going, I noticed the sky was parting a tad and the sun was trying to rise and peek out.  I thought, no, I'm staying in, it's cold, I want some hot tea, no no no... but the more I looked out the window with that beautiful navy blue and gray and slate and cream and orange sky, the more I was arguing with myself.  so about 7:05 I threw on about 5 layers of sweaters and jackets and headed out.  I got to a point where I could see that sky and the shine on the clouds just blew me away!  And I painted fast!!  It's a great incentive to work fast when you can't feel your fingers!

WOW... almost done!  Only one more day.... but I think I will do a couple more because it's just too soon to quit!  I want to remind you all that the special pricing for the 30 paintings will end this weekend.  On February 1, the prices will go to my regular pricing schedule.  Please send me an email or comment on this blog to reserve your painting!

     I found these daffodils or jonquils (known by several names) last Saturday, with all 7 of the blooms in green bud stage.  As they opened one at a time, I realized I had to paint them.  Yesterday, I did the drawing for the composition and photographed the flowers in the full sun this morning.  The colors deepened and became warmer and really vibrant!  As I painted this evening, the photos and the flowers both gave me information to use... I love yellow... thus the name!

So... I cheated just a tiny bit... I actually did TWO paintings on day 27, and today I am posting the second one.... but I DID actually start a painting today... just need to get it done, then I will post it tomorrow!

     At the same ranch in Medina, Tx, from yesterday, I painted another painting while I was waiting on my other companions to return from a sight-seeing adventure... they returned to find in in a totally different locale than when they left.  I still managed to find shade and a lovely viewpoint on the same lane I painted in the morning.  This time looking UP the hill...

Today I was on the road before sunup for a 2 hour drive to paint at a private ranch.  It was a LONG way!  The place was gently developed property where the owners have restored the native Texas Hill Country flora and as a result, the water table has come up and their population of fauna has increased!  I had time to paint two views while listening to birds singing and the rustle of small critters on the hillsides!  It was actually QUIET out there.  I didn't even hear that constant hum from traffic we nearly never get away from!!  Perfect day to paint, wonderful day all together!

I could have gone out to paint plein air today, but I let my paperwork and housework get in the way.  When looking for something to paint this afternoon, my eye lit on one of the glass bunnies in my collection, and I built this still life around it.  Glass and Hare!  Get it?

I was feeling the need to hone my skills on values and drawing so the exercise of working with ellipses and transparencies really gave me some stretching!  Enjoy...

I knew today would be amazing... I got to sleep late!  Then go to the museum!  Then decided to paint the gorgeous sunset down the street from me!  First ever plein air sunset!  Jeez, it goes FAST!  Lucky I got in place early-ish and got the drawing and color notes in before the REAL show started!  WHAT FUN!!!

I love New Mexico, and have long wanted to live there.  There is a spot along state highway 360 near Carrizozo called the Valley of Fires.  Black volcanic rock lines that valley running north to south leaving a swath of darkness for many miles.  Native desert plants and scrub have sprung up in small crevices where the rock cracks giving an otherworldly feeling to the land.  Birds and wildlife abound here in spite of the rough conditions.  It is wildly beautiful, strangely attractive, and seductive.  I love going there, each time seeing more beauty.  This painting is from a composite of several trips thru the valley, almost always in the early morning with the cold morning sun creeping up over the Sacramento Mountains.

Hello friends....  there are just 7 more days and 7 more paintings to go during my 30 days challenge and I wanted to take this opportunity to say THANKS!!! for all the kind words and support you have given me.  This experience has been one of the greatest growth experiences of my career, and certainly one of the most prolific time periods.

For the remainder of the time, and until the end of the month, January 31... these 'Challenge' paintings will remain at the current special price point and on February 1st, they will be removed from this category and assembled as a physical show.  I will send notice when and where the show will be held and I invite everyone to come if you are able!

Also, I will establish an album of the paintings on my Facebook page for you to be able to see them all in a group.  To date, 2 have sold, and others may sell, but the album will contain them all..

Thanks again!!

Today I frittered away time when I should have driven 80 miles to go paint in the snow!  but I did accomplish some things that needed doing... then while watching the sun break thru late afternoon, my red oak tree in the back yard just burst into a crimson glow!  Of course I needed to paint that, but since it was pretty cold I decided to bring in a cluster of the leaves.  My little Franciscan creamer seemed to fit with them perfectly!

Two hours ago I could hardly keep my eyes open, but I just couldn't let the day end without doing this painting.  The photo I used has been sitting in the MUST PAINT file for months, but tonight I couldn't ignore it!  I just love the sky... and the reflections in the wet rutted road.  We just had a good rain in San Antonio after a long dry spell and this painting comes just at the right moment!

Casting about for a subject, my eyes fell on the cluster of Roma tomatoes destined for spaghetti sauce for tomorrow's dinner.  Hmmm, wouldn't they make a delicious painting!  Voila!  For this one, I pulled out all the stops, using more paint than I ever have, just slathering it on!  SO much fun!  I used fewer brush strokes, I didn't try to blend it to death.  In short,  I tried to take all the advice I give my students!

Well, today was quite an interesting day.  I flew off later than I should have to go painting at the Marina in Canyon Lake, but nothing there seemed to beckon me.  Finally, I settled on a beautiful area of boats in slips with their reflections... but failed miserably!  I couldn't draw the boats, I couldn't mix the colors, I just made a big mess! Twice.  Two paintings scraped!  So..... I decided of course that I needed to paint a boat!  In my photo files I have dozens of boats, ferries, barges, and skiffs.  The painting I did tonight is my penance!  It was actually fun to do, I didn't feel punished at all.  Maybe boats aren't my 'waterloo' after all!

The failure.

Just up the road from yesterday's painting was a small city park showcasing a gorgeous bridge and natural creek, Walnut Branch, in Seguin, Tx.  Getting this view involved scrambling down onto the rocky bank of the creek and balancing precariously on the concrete block edge!  I never did get a good look at the painting as I was working on it, couldn't step back to see!  Luckily, two friends were nearby in case I fell in!

I was enthralled with the light seen under the bridge in the shadows of the arches... mysterious and delicate!

Some days are just more perfect than others... Like today!  Painting on the Guadalupe River in Seguin, Tx with friends, listening to yellow-rumped warblers and belted kindfishers calling, shedding layers as the day warmed to near 75 degrees!  What could be better!  The old power station in Seguin had been turned into a restaurant with gorgeous views of the river and waterfalls... perfect for painting!

Also included here is the 'long view'....

Today was a beaut...  the sun was shining, the humidity was low, the breeze was just right, and the temperature was a balmy 71 degrees!  Amazing January weather!  It was a PERFECT day to paint, so out I went to a local farmer's market.  I had seen this vendor's table many times and admired the blanket table cover with the colorful vegetables as a good candidate for a painting.  Now was my chance.  The vendor paid me no mind as I set up about 15' away and worked for about 2 hours on the painting.  Most of the OTHER vendors came to have a look, but 'Ralph' didn't even glance at me.   I'm not that excited about this painting as a whole, but I LOVE the blanket!  I'm definitely finding out what I need to work on!

A couple of weeks ago, just before a freeze, I cut a bunch of my antique roses since I feared they would die.  (The ones left on the bush lived just fine!)  I couldn't resist starting this painting, but other pursuits kept me from continuing work on it until now.  I'm not convinced that it is finished, but it's close!  The softness of the tapestry throw and the loose form of the antique roses in the crystal vase speaks of another time.   The orange of the tangerines finishes out the whole color palette!   This piece seems very romantic to me!  I deliberately kept my brushwork open and free. 

This is the second in the series of paintings I am hoping to do on a small tributary of the Comal River in New Braunfels, Tx.  This area in Landa Park is soon to be "improved" with walled in banks and native vegetation removed.  I hate to see this done, as this area is one of the prettiest areas around, accessible to all sorts of foot, golf cart, and car traffic without being so busy as to be commercial.  I hope to do at least 5 paintings in the immediate area so stay tuned!

It has been gray and dreary and drizzly for 60 percent of the days since December 1.... according to our weather guy, and the lack of sunlight is making me nuts!  If it would just actually RAIN, or SNOW... then I could understand it!  So... back to the photo files and this one taken of a recent snowfall near Laguna NM at a friends house just spoke to me.  As my friends said, you can cover a lot of 'faults' with snow!  LOL...   Anyway, this is as close to snow as I can get anytime soon...

Yesterdays painting of the roses and white milk bottle reminded me how difficult painting white objects is.  Therefore, of course, I had to paint more white objects!  So... two white pitchers later I am exhausted... I do ask all my students to paint white eggs on white plates.  Poor students, such a mean teacher!   But... it certainly teaches you stuff!  Now to digest it!

Today was one of those days!  Several misadventures left me at the end of the day, still needing to paint something!  The day was supposed to be warmish and sunny but the norther moved in early and the cold wind sent me searching thru my photos.  I realized there were still roses on the bush because they thought it might be spring!  The delicate pink against the dark green foliage prompted me to get my clippers and round up a milk bottle!  VOILA!

Today was beautiful but other pursuits kept me from painting en plein air, so I thought I would use the photos I took from last trip to South Padre Island when there were amazing huge cloud formations and storms moving through.  It was magical light and thrilling to see these thunderheads forming and moving across the lagoons!

Day 10, 30 in 30... today I experimented with two photos, merging them into one landscape... both had the same lighting, different days, different locations, but each one had good 'bones' and I wanted to take advantage of that.. Last Light on the Fence, 8 x 10, Oil

Today I was casting about for something to paint that kept me indoors and out of the cold drizzle!  I have a tangerine tree in my front yard and a few days ago, I harvested the last of the tangerines.  Some of them, of course retain their leaves and the small twigs that hold a cluster.  I just couldn't resist and when I saw the lovely cast shadows from them against the wall I was convinced!

Another gray day and I needed some sunshine.. so the photo of this father and daughter taken at the beach last summer really helped!  I love to snap photos of families playing and interacting, especially on the beach.  It's a special place for almost everyone.  I plan to do a larger painting of this study.

One of my challenges is painting buildings.  I have a number of artist friends who excel at architecture so I thought today I would work from a favorite photo of a street in New Orleans.  Learning to like it!

Yay, another beautiful day... enough for a group of us to go painting in a nearby park.  This painting documents a gorgeous wild curve in a Comal River tributary which is slated for 'improvement' or walling up!  Wish I could prevent that!  Most of the wild areas nearby are being lost and it saddens me.  If I paint them, perhaps they will 'live' forever!

Queenie is my oldest cat.  She came to me as a feral kitten of 6 weeks old, frightened of everything.  It took her 16 years to grow out of that, and now, in her old age, she is a delight.  Cuddly, playful, sweet... so much time lost, and it saddens me but I am so happy I gave her a safe life and she is finally enjoying it.  This painting is from a photo of her in the sun about 10 years ago!  Queenie is 19 now.

Day 4... Here's the story... you know how when you're painting outside and people stop and say "paint me into it"... well, I like that, and sometimes I say... "Stand still, I'll paint you!" so.... these kids and their grandpa came by and were watching me paint, next thing I knew they were on the bridge waving at me, so I said, you guessed it... "I'll paint you!" and sure enough, next thing I knew, they were back down wanting to see how they looked in the painting! Ages 7 and 5, I imagine! so.... I gave them a card, made a big deal about painting them into the painting and I said good bye.

I love it when these serendipitous things happen when I'm out painting!

Finally a sunny day.  It had been gray and chilly for several days and Saturday, 1/3 dawned cold but bright!  A group of us went painting at the Japanese Tea Gardens in San Antonio, and this was one of my painting demos for my students.  The rock formations at this garden area were so attractive to me with all their elevations and mysterious stairways curving out of sight...

This second day painting was inspired by a good friends painting of her cat, and BJ sleeping was just begging to be painted!  He didn't wake up until about 10 minutes before I was finished! 

As winter gets a grip on South Texas, my plein air painting has slowed down, I just don't like the cold much!  We have an occasional sunny and warm day and you will find me outside painting, but for now, I have chosen to start a Challenge sponsored by painter Leslie Saeta.  I will post all of my paintings on my Facebook page, Maren Phillips' Artlines, and here on this blog, and they are posted each day on Leslie's blog, lesliesaeta.blogspot.com where you can also see what others have done.

I am offering these challenge paintings at a special pricing for the duration of the challenge, up until January 30th.  For more information, please contact me...