Spring Coastline

10 X 8 inch oil painting on panel.
$250 (plus $12 shipping in the U.S.)

Today I decided to take a break from birds and paint a landscape. Normally, I would paint this en plein air (actually at the beach) but, since I’m half way through my pregnancy I’m finding that being comfortable is a high priority now so, I painted this in my studio (also know as my dining room).

It was a beautiful spring day when I snapped the shots that I used of Laguna Beach. This view is looking south towards Dana Point. Of course I had to run down to the sand, kick off my shoes and get my feet wet for a little while too.

To purchase this painting and see more of my work log onto www.KimVanDerHoek.com

Keeping an Eye Out

5 X 7 inch oil painting on canvas panel.
$25 (plus $12 shipping in the U.S.)

This cardinal is keeping watch. I wonder if he’s protecting a nest nearby or if he’s looking for food?

I’m sorry I haven’t been around visiting everyone’s blogs! We’ve started a large home improvement project and with my son out of preschool for the summer I don’t have a lot of time to paint or to blog. Seeing everyone’s work always inspires me to paint and I’ve really missed getting around the blog-o-sphere. Thanks for each and every comment, I do read them and they always brighten my day!

To purchase this painting and see more of my work log onto www.KimVanDerHoek.com

Portrait of an Eastern Bluebird

5 X 7 inch oil painting on canvas panel.
S O L D

This Eastern Bluebird looks like he is enjoying a nice quiet moment up in a tree.

To purchase this painting and see more of my work log onto www.KimVanDerHoek.com

Hunting

5 X 7 inch oil painting on canvas panel.
$25 (plus $12 shipping in the U.S.)

This chickadee is definitely hunting and it looks like she might have her prey in sight.

To purchase this painting and see more of my work log onto www.KimVanDerHoek.com

Ready to Fly

5 X 7 inch oil painting on canvas panel.
S O L D

This colorful chickadee looks poised for flight. Is he off to gather nesting material or food?

When I paint these small birds I love how the bristles of the brush imitate their feathers. All I have to do is lay down a bold stroke or two and then keep myself from working over it (that’s the hard part). This series has forced me to be really committed to each brush stroke. I’ve notice that if I play around with these too much they become overworked very quickly.

Also, if you haven’t been to Greg LaRock’s blog yet, you should stop over there. He’s an excellent teacher and each of his blog posts has very useful tips for painting.

To purchase this painting and see more of my work log onto www.KimVanDerHoek.com

Taking A Breather

6 X 4 inch oil painting on canvas panel.
S O L D

Here’s another in the bird series. The dark mask and all the colors on this Cedar Waxwing caught my attention. Doesn’t he look like he’s about to fly off and hunt?

On of my goals in painting this series is to loosen up my brushwork. I’ve been getting tighter and tighter in my landscapes. After going through a bunch of paintings from a couple of years ago I realized that I was loosing the bold brushwork that I started out with. I’ve been trying to keep the number of brush strokes to a minimum with these birds, to be lay down the paint with confidence and leave it there. Honestly, these are a blast to paint! They might just become a regular subject.

To purchase this painting and see more of my work log onto www.KimVanDerHoek.com

Perched

7 X 5 inch oil painting on canvas panel.
S O L D

For about two and a half years I’ve been selling my paintings on Etsy. Since I’ve been around for a while now I’m getting a feel for what Etsy shoppers like in terms of subject matter. Many times it’s the administrators of the web site that choose which items will be featured in highly prized promotional areas of the site. And I’ve noticed that Etsy admins. love birds. Here is my attempt to be noticed by the administrators of the site and hopefully, get some free promotion.

I’ve been spending more time painting in the studio because with this pregnancy my comfort has become a high priority. Birds have been a subject I’ve wanted to paint for over a year and now that I’m inside a lot more I thought I’d give them a try. This was so much fun I’ve decided to do a series of them.

Thank you to everyone who has wished me well! I am happy to report that my morning sickness is finally gone. Aside from a few minor discomforts that are a normal part of this process I’m on to the fun part of being pregnant.

To purchase this painting and see more of my work log onto www.KimVanDerHoek.com