I need to do a painting of a dog or cat for an upcoming show. If you have a really good digital photo of a pet you love, I will choose the best submission to paint and you will receive a free 12x16 limited edition print (no. 1) of the painting. I will keep the original and have it for sale at the show. This offer is good for this weekend only. 5/4/13 and 5/5/13. I can only choose one winner but this is a test promotion for possible future use. To submit a photo (or several of the same pet) use the form found at  Portraits by Jim Ziemer - Specials  and then email me the photo(s).  I will post the winning photo on Tuesday 5/7/13.

I just added an additional web page "Portraits by Jim Ziemer" . This is in addition to my Jim Ziemer Art page. Check them out and let me know what you think.

To create a good accurate painting is a lot of work. I usually learn to hate the painting before it is finished – it never comes as easy as I hope for. A portrait may take two or three months to complete, but when I am done, I know that person to their very soul. If I don’t, I have not done my job well. It is amazing what you can learn about someone by intensely studying their face.

I love to paint and create pictures. I try to do them as accurately as possible so the viewer feels what I feel and has no doubts about what the painting is all about or the mood it creates. I want to paint life as it is – not what I think it should be. 

This is a portrait in oils of my wife and dog at Drifted Beach on Jekyll Island, Ga.

 

I did this picture last fall of the beach at Jekyll Island, Ga. I was going thru the many, many photos I have taken there and the small (relative size in pic) bench caught my eye. I purposely did this in a panorama size (12x24) to emphasize the loneliness of the early morning beach. I placed the bench (against all the norms of "thirds")  in the right corner because that is what caught my eye in the original photo. Also, the title will make you look for the bench. The sunrise was also a modification because the original was taken after noon.

The Yellow Bench

Jim Ziemer Art

The original 16x20 acrylic on board, "Fishing the Buffalo" was sold this week. That always makes for a good week. Don't forget to stop by my display at "Art in the Park" in Darien, Ga next weekend. April 13th & 14th. Giclee prints are available in many sizes. See my Web Site for details

HOGC Art

   Finished the new hanging at Heritage Oaks Golf Club. Looks good and we have a lot of new photos and paintings for everyone to see (and buy). We also have the print rack back up, so there is a lot to choose from.Stop by and see the work of Oak Grove Island artists and don't forget the NGA tour starts Monday.
   Also, be sure and visit my web page and my Facebook Art Page . I would appreciate as many "likes" as I can get on the FB page.

Kelly's Doll

Kelly's Doll is a pencil drawing done on pastel board. It is 16x20 and was an experiment in using pencil on pastel board. It came out well and by spraying many coats of finish, it is framed without using glass. Why not use glass you may ask? I believe that the glass puts a small mental separation between the viewer and the picture. Try viewing one of each and see if you don't agree with me.
http://jmziemerart.com

Latest painting

Just finished this painting for the display at the  NGA tour at Heritage Oaks  Golf Club. It is titled Island Green - Heritage Oaks and is 20x16 acrylic on pastel board. It is for sale for $650 and can be purchased thru my web page. http://jimziemerart.com

Latest paintings. I have obviously not been keeping up

http://jimziemerart.com

Home Sweet Home show at Heritage Oaks G&CC

   The new set up at Heritage Oaks G&CC is now up and running. It's theme is Home Sweet Home - paintings and photos of where we spent most of our lives. Included is my latest painting Massanutten Memories which is a compilation of memories and feelings spent living in the Front Royal / Winchester area of Va.

 Prints of this and other paintings are available at Fine Art America. Click button in right column.

Leave My Rose Alone!

Just finished this small 9x12 painting of a favorite rose that was in our garden when we lived in Va. I decided to add the bee for interest and I always like some form of life in my paintings.It always takes longer to finish even a small painting than I think it will. Oh well, nothing else to do. I guess it keeps me going.

Watching The Boats Sail By

I guess I'm going to call this one finished for now. Still on the easel in case I change my mind. Going to take a painting break for a spell. Just sick of it for now. Have plenty of other things to catch up on.

16x20 acrylics on board. Bigger image on my web.

Nearly Done

Just about finished with my latest painting. This one has been a real pain to get finished. Trying to get the right compliment of sky and water to the pelican which is the main subject. I am either over working it or trying too hard to get the right feeling in the painting. Too much work for too little reward. Oh well, life goes on.

Prison of Our Love

This is a pencil drawing (above) I did many years ago when there was a serious problem with starvation in Africa - drought, tribal wars, stupidity, etc. I have never shown it before, except to friends. I believe similar problems are again (or still) happening there.

The title "The Prison Of Our Love" has the four bars which represent the ungodly amount of money that is wasted by governments and religions for unnecessary stupid things. Paying to not grow food, government waste, building fancy churches, useless benevolences, etc. each bar ends with " Yet People Starve". Sell the Churches - sell the Parks - stop government waste - a million things could be done but NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO STARVE.

Painting feathers

Working on a painting with the main subject a pelican. A water scene for background with a couple of sailboats. The tediousness of painting feathers on a bird is incredible. The trick is to first get the form of the bird, which is most important, and then detail the feathers without losing the form. I am using an early sunset background with splashes of color and light which further adds to the tediousness of this painting. I WILL FINISH IT. I f I don't die first.

Great Web Site

Just discovered a GREAT web site for artists. It is called Wet Canvas and is full of blogs and post of all kinds. You can publish your paintings and get comments and critiques from all level of artists. From the very best to beginners. There is also a complete gamut of educational and instructional blogs. If you get "stuck" in the middle of a painting, just start a thread and you will get all kinds of advice - all good. I suggest all you artist visit this site and you will benefit from it.

Painting water

Doing another painting with water and sky. Trying to master the reflective qualities of the water from a multi colored sky can be a real problem (PIA). I know the water is supposed to be a shade or so darker than the sky, but that does not always hold true. the complication arises because a single small wave or ripple will reflect light and color that is both on and off the canvass. This is also complicated by the color of the water (I know water is clear but algae, mud, runoff particles, etc can also influence reflection) that further complicates the situation. Sometimes I wonder why I ever do water scenes. I guess because I like to paint waterfowl - and guess what - they hang out around water;-) Don't forget to visit my web page.

Caylee

Many folks are very upset over the jury's decision on Caylee Anthony. This has nothing to do with art but if you go to Facebook's event "Porch lights on for Caylee Marie Anthony" you will find a bazillion pictures that have been posted. Some could strike emotional reactions and are very artistic. It is probably worth your time to check it out if you have interest in this sort of thing. https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=237189926299700

Published

Finally got my latest painting published on my web page - be sure to visit it at  http://jimziemerart.com.
The ship is entering the south fork of the Savannah River in Ga. on a calm, foggy morning. Two of the crew are watching for hazards at the front.

Finished

Finally calling "Tall Ship" painting done. Just have to coat it, post it to web (http://jimziemerart.com), frame it and hang it. I can think about next painting. I think it will be another boat or ship or something.