"Proud Lady Benton"

40"x30" mixed media on canvas

This painting may look small here, but it is actually a little larger than most. It measures 40 inches tall and 30 inches wide. The title comes from the fact that this house built in 1873, it is located in historic Irvington neighborhood of Indianapolis, Indiana and is called the "Benton House".

Here is a photo I took of it.

A little note about the house that I found on the internet:

BENTON HOUSE 312 S. DOWNEY (NW CORNER, DOWNEYAND OHMER): French Second Empire, 1873. Restored by the Irvington Historic Landmarks Foundation in 1966, this unusual one and one-half story structure was built by Nicholas Ohmer as a speculative property. Dr. Allen Benton and his wife Silence resided in the home during his tenure as Butler's president from 1886-91. Now the home of the Benton House Association, it is a meeting site for various Irvington organizations.


Well, that may be a little more than you want to know, but why the title "Proud Lady Benton"?

My artist friend Leigh is knowledgeable about historic stuff told me that Victorian houses in San Francisco painted with three or more colors are referred to as "Painted Ladies". This house has three colors for sure and is painted. We decided that she is a proud lady, thus "Proud Lady Benton"! Ahh, but she is not a Victorian, she is a French Second Empire, she is French, like Martine!

Hmm, French press coffee.... mmmm...

Have a wonderful weekend! I get to paint with the kids tomorrow!

-jM

"Who is She?"

8"x6" mixed media on paper mounted on canvas

Can you just imagine these two talking to each other wondering, who is that other person over there?
Maybe they are thinking about inviting her to coffee with them!

This little abstract figurative came about when I was working on the commission piece "Beth". What a nice surprise to get another painting out of the deal. I love the subconscious!

: )

-jM

"Quick Cup of Joe"

7.5" x 5.5" mixed media on paper 

Very abstract... sometimes in the morning this is what I am... abstract, like this coffee cup... whew.

Good morning!

-jM

"Beth"

8"x6" mixed media on paper mounted to canvas

Here is "Beth", she is Clara's sister. This little painting is a commissioned piece that I finished Friday and boy did I clean my studio a bit before I could get this painting to come alive! A sure sign that I'm distracting myself from doing something or meeting a deadline, is the cleaning the studio syndrome!

I had an ah ha moment on Thursday night and found myself able to finish Beth on Friday...  whew, that will make my client very happy!

A coffee cup? Yes, I have one tomorrow morning!

-jM

"Blue Mug"

9"x6.5" mixed media on paper

A coffee drinking flower! I'm not sure what is on the side there, but I am sure that it needs coffee too!

This is number 54....

-jM

"Good Morning"

9"x6.5" mixed media on paper

A little bit bigger painting today. A big 9 inches by 6.5 inches, whoo hoo!

This little flower is sitting happy in this cup just waving good morning to everyone! Now this is how I drink my coffee. With a big good morning smile on my face!

This is number 53 and counting down (or up)!

-jM

"Crazy Cup"

3"x2" acrylic on itty bitty canvas

Number 52, "Crazy Cup". The background of this painting is a hot pink color, not easily recorded with a digital camera, but really eye catching in person! Whew!

Dare I say I'm on the home stretch yet? With only 48 more to go... hmmm, better not say it yet, maybe over the hump is better.  : )

-jM

"Coffee at Large"

8"x6" oil on canvas panel

This painting, I just kept looking at it and looking at it and decided that I should just stop here and go on and do another! I've been looking at this baby for about two weeks! Or so it seems... now I can get on with these paintings... this is number 51..... 49 to go! Watch out March 30th, here I come!

Happy day from rainy Indy...   : )

-jM

Need a title--number 50!

22"x30" mixed media on paper

Number 50. This is not the best photo, but I just had to take one so I could let you all know that I didn't just quit painting on December 31st.

This painting was still wet when I shot this picture, but this will give you an idea what it looks like. Hmm... what to name it....

See the area on the bottom left, that big stain of brown color? That is coffee. Yes, I'm learning how to use coffee as a painting medium, such fun!

Hmm.... I have more cups in progress.... I'll be in touch Friday for sure!

Aaa... what is today/ Oh yes! Happy Birthday Kimbo!  : )

-jM

Kimbo's Coffee? Hmm....

"Expressive"

3"x3" Mixed media on itty bitty canvas

Okay, really, this is the last painting for the year. It's small, yes, and I actually finished the last two (this one and number 48) at the same time. This is the second time this has happened to me, but this time, I accepted it better. I didn't freak out trying to figure out which one was finished first... who would know anyway? Yes, only the Muse knows...

Gotta go... the ball drops in 3 hours!

-jM

"Two For Me"

3"x3" Mixed media on itty bitty canvas

Earlier this month, I believe Angela ask for two lumps of sugar in her coffee...
okay, I got a little carried away... these lumps are huge!!

Number 48...

-jM

"Coffee Break"

2"x3" Mixed media on itty bitty canvas

Just a little coffee break on New Year's Eve, getting ready for the transition from 2011 to 2012.

Okay, I'm ready, I've had my coffee.... bring on the champagne!

Counting down!!

-jM

"Coffee No Cookie"

3"x3" Mixed media on itty bitty canvas

It's an itty bitty for the series of 100 Coffee Cup paintings. I finished this little guy last night but had a blurry image and decided this one needed to go to sleep.

I've actually photographed this with my iPhone, yes, I just got an iPhone about two months ago. I actually really like the camera on this phone, it's like an 8 mega pixel quality. Just right for a blog photo!

Going into the archives of this blog, I think this little painting is number 46 of the series. Wow, last year at this time I had just finished 40 apple paintings. I'm just a little ahead of last years pace!

Hmmm.... can I get to fifty before tonight at midnight...... that would be four more, hmmmm.....

Oh, and the reason this painting has no cookie... I ate it for breakfast!

-jM

"Itty Bitty Yellow"

2"x3" Mixed media on itty bitty canvas

An itty bitty yellow cup... worked on a few of these today. A little something rather than nothing.

Hope to have a couple more tomorrow...

-jM

"Outa Square"

3"x3" Mixed media on itty bitty canvas

A good cup of coffee will almost always get you back on square.

After I finished this little painting I noticed that one of the itty bitty stretcher bars is shorter that the rest. Thus, "Outa Square" a perfect title for this itty bitty painting!

The mixed media portion of this painting is coffee (a little bit), ink, acrylic and oil paint that is really shiny!
Guess you would have to see that effect in person, it has a certain attraction of its own!

-jM

"Morning Jolt"

22"x30" Mixed media on paper

Here it is, one big cup of coffee! Not an itty bitty or little painting, but a bigger painting although not huge, it is bigger.

Two more are on the easel and should be coming along soon hopefully, before the end of this year!

Mmm.... coffee....

-jM

"Venti for You"

3"x2" mixed media on itty bitty canvas

Click Here to Bid

Venti is 20 ounces of coffee for you! Okay, so there is really just a splatter of coffee in, I mean on this cup!
The mixed media of this painting is coffee, acrylic and ink!
Whoo hoo!

Just waiting for the New Year to bring its self in!

A big cup painting tomorrow....

-jM

"Boxing Day Coffee"

2"x3" acrylic & ink on itty bitty canvas

Click Here to Bid

What a day! We've already put away the Christmas tree, I can't believe it! It feels like we just put it up!

Boxing Day for us today was boxing all the Christmas decorations and putting them away. At least we still have the wreath up outside and tomorrow night, it may have some snow on it! Oooo......

Happy Boxing Day!

-jM

"Pajama Claus Up Close"

8"x6" oil on canvas panel

Click Here to Bid

Merry Christmas!! Ho, ho, ho! I just couldn't wait until Christmas day to post this Santa. I've had him painted since November, but that was too early. Now seems to be just right!

Happy happy Christmas! This includes Merry!

Ho, ho, ho!

-jM

"Parrot Head Cocktail"

3"x2" acrylic on an itty bitty canvas

Click Here to Bid

Well, it is late and it is time to celebrate the holiday's now isn't it?

The colors in this itty bitty just made me think of the Jimmy Buffet fans... Parrot Heads... it is all about the colors isn't it?

Happy, happy, holiday's!

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

-jM

"A Small Splash"

3"x2" Acrylic on itty bitty canvas

Click Here to Bid

Good Morning! An itty bitty splash of coffee to get us all started!

Yesterday, I was so busy painting with the kids and painting with the adult-kid painters that by the time I made it home, I was too tired to post any coffee cups! It was a great day all in all, even the Colts had a good day with a last home game of the season win. Oh, and of course the IU basketball team won too! Indiana may be a little chilly and rainy, but that doesn't keep us from having fun!

More later!

-jM

"Fill 'Er Up!"

3"x2" acrylic on an itty bitty canvas

Click Here to Bid

This is a full cup. We need a full cup this time of year, with all of the parties and late night shopping. And early morning shopping and gathering with friends and family... yes, we'll need a big full cup of coffee!

It may be small, but it's mighty!

Today, I worked on my paintings that are 1000 times larger than this one. I'm working on translating a smaller painting into a larger painting. I hope I can pull it off!

Talk with you tomorrow!

-jM

"One for You & One for Me"

2"x3" acrylic & ink on an itty bitty canvas

Click Here to Bid

Two more red cups to take to Bonnie's house for coffee. It's really cold up there so she said she would make hot  chocolate with marshmallows also. I think for Myra and others that don't really drink coffee. I guess they pass it up for the sweet taste of chocolate!

It's Christmas week, I hope everyone is doing splendid! I am..... I started three new paintings today. Coffee cups of course and they measure 22" by 30".... yes, it's 1000 times bigger than this one!!!

Page asked how I can paint so small.... well, smaller brushes and many canvases at once, to keep me busy.
On the flip side when painting bigger.... yes, larger brushes and many canvases at once, to keep me busy!

No, I'm not kidding! Remember this image? 

Nine six inch by six inch canvas panels

Have a great evening... Happy Hanukkah!

-jM

PS: Does any one know where Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada is located! Okay, I'll google it!

"Northern Exposure" -Sold

8"x6" Oil on canvas panel

Click Here to Bid

Let it snow! It is the season for snow, but the temperature reached 50 degrees here today! Just a little fair weather tease, I'm sure.

I finished four itty bitty's today. I was going to post one tonight, but I didn't get the images into my "dropbox" correctly this evening, so.... tomorrow, there's always tomorrow!

Happy Birthday to my sister Suzie today!!

-jM

"Cup for the Road"

2"x3" acrylic on canvas (itty bitty)

Click Here to Bid

Oh, my day got away from me today! I went to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and spent time in the library checking out a book I'm curious about. I got to the museum at 11AM when they opened but the library didn't open until 2PM! Oh, I couldn't just leave, so I wandered and wondered around the general exhibit. I think I may have accidentally gotten into one that you're suppose to pay for, but I didn't know until I tried another room and was asked for a ticket... oops! All good.

About 1PM I decided I better get to the studio and get a cup painted, but before I left the museum I decided to get the library hours so I could look at the book another time. I took out my camera phone and was photographing the hours that were posted on the glass door, when I had a couple people ask if they could help me. My guess is it had something to do with security, what do you think? Well, the best thing happened! The librarian let me in early and got the book for me to look at! Wow! I love that place. When I open the cover, inside was a sticker that said the book belongs to the Herron School of Art Library. Wow again, I went to art school at Herron and I loved that library so full of art books. I could spend hours there and at the time I could check out the books. Now the library is no longer there, but now I know where the books are! Even if I can't check them out of the library, at least I can still read and enjoy them! Life really is good.

Enjoy your coffee!

-jM

"Three Different"

8"x6" oil on canvas panel

Click Here to Bid

Here we go three cups. Three different but yet, the same. I may tweak this one a little more too, I'm still looking at it... a few touches here and there....

It certainly does help to look at these as a photo, I get a little different perspective on life, I mean the cups!

Bonnie, here are three cups so far, I know we will need more. I'll see what I can find tomorrow!

-jM

"Planning the Future"

8"x6" acrylic on paper mounted on canvas

Which cups shall I take to Bonnie's coffee gathering? I have an idea and I will bring several because we may have more than the expected number of participants!

This little painting is mostly acrylic, but I do have two little dabs of enamel from Mike Swolsky's work table that Leigh acquired for me. It is metallic copper I believe and I have a bit of Acrylic Artists Ink, but that is acrylic, but it is ink. Oh, there I go... thinking again! Yes, this is a mixed media piece no matter how small the mix!

Bonnie, the cups are coming, hope you have a huge coffee pot!

-jM

"The Journey Begins"

8"x6" acrylic on paper

We have the cups and Bonnie has the coffee pot. She lives in Canada so that's her house way up North in the distance with the snow. It is December!

We should be there in no time, we believe in the magic of the season!

There is an itty bitty coffee cup in this painting. I'm not sure if the painting is finished quite yet, but I wanted to give you a sneak preview!

Have a wonderful day!

-jM

"Red Returns"

6"x8" acrylic on canvas

A little red cup for now. Just to let you know I am  painting a little... I'll have more next week, I'll be home and I'll have paintings to share!

This is a cup with a big handle! Can you imagine if that handle was one of two big ears! Whew!

Have a great weekend!

-jM

"True-Blue"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

Click Here to Bid

Here it is the last, the number ten of the Myra Coffee Cup series. This cup has the handle on the right side, I guess I've been drinking from this cup! I'm right handed!

Sorry I haven't taken the time to post this sooner, but as we all know, life happens! Yes, I have been busy with other stuff and now I want to take this time to tell you that I'm gonna take about two weeks away (maybe) and let some more life happen.

Let me say... "Happy Thanksgiving!" and I will be back in touch around December 8th or so!

-jM