"Expressive" -Sold

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" -Sold

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

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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

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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

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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" -Sold

3"x2" acrylic on an itty bitty canvas

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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

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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

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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" -Sold

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

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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

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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)

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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

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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" -Sold

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

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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

"Ahhh Nutcracker" revisited -Sold

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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The season is here! Just around the corner is Thanksgiving in the USA and then Christmas!

A show at the StutzArtSpace is opening the first Friday in December and it is titled "Small Treasures".
I thought this little painting would be perfect for the show! I did add a few touches of highlights to spruce it up, so that indeed makes it a new updated painting!

On another seasonal note, how about snow! Below are three of my young artists from last Saturday's Cookies and Canvas painting class showing me their masterpieces!

Young Painters from Cookies & Canvas.

Silly me, I forgot to get their names!! Oh, they had a great time.  Oh, so did I!
Did I tell you they have the best Auntie in the world? She brought them to Cookies & Canvas!

-jM

"It's What's Inside That Counts"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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It's What's Inside That Counts... yes, usually. Maybe I need a coffee now. I know it's late, but...
it just sounds good to me right now!

Mmm, mmm good!

Have a beautiful weekend everyone!

-jM

PS: This is the ninth of the Myra coffee cups!

"The Yellow Cup"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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Thee Yellow Cup.... I had to google the title to make sure I had not used this title before. "That Yellow Cup" came up, so I'm okay! So did just "Yellow Cup", thank goodness! Here we are then "The Yellow Cup"!

I must say thank you to Bonnie Fillenwarth my art buddy across the court yard for helping find the problem I was having with this one. You know, sometimes an extra pair of eyes come in handy! I think the painting is better now! I know, it had to do with the handle.... but it wasn't the handle, it was the side of the cup!!

Shoot.... Hopefully I'll have a cup tomorrow! It's Friday tomorrow, I'll need to have fun!

Gotta love a full moon! Did you notice?

-jM

"4AM Coffee"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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Now this is some black coffee! At 4AM through the sleepy red eyes, does a white coffee cup look red?

Maybe it just looks red because the eyes are not open yet!

Good Morning!

-jM

"4PM Coffee"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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Coffee or tea? Maybe 4PM coffee needs to be a light coffee, not as strong as what I would need in the morning at 6AM or 4AM.....

This is like number 3 of the Myra's coffee cup sub-series, some where in the shuffle I missed it. Yesterday about 4PM I discovered that I hadn't posted this one, thus the title!

-jM

"Pink Cup"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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This is Joanie's cup! I think Joanie is right handed or the cup is turned so the heart is just right! All that makes this cup just right!

Below is the photo that Joanie sent to me. I think I'll put more hearts in the cups! This is too cool!

Joanie's original cup

More tomorrow!

-jM

"From Deep Within"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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Ooo, it's a heart in the bottom of this cup! Thanks Joanie!

Joanie Springer sent a photo of a cup that her daughter gave to her. This painting is a combination of Myra's cup and Joanie's cup. I have a Joanie cup on the painting table, just about finished, at least the first one of the Joanie cups!

Am I having too much fun with these cups?
Just enough! Like I tell my young artist painters, "have fun when you paint!"

Here is a group of my young painters! Yes, they are having fun!

-jM

"Plum Dive"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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Happy Friday! Looking at this painting, I'm thinking, it's hard to believe this is a result from doing one little painting inspired by the "Last Cup of Coffee" icon!

Thanks again Myra!

Transformers!

-jM

"More Coffee for Myra"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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Another Myra coffee cup. Maybe this is orange coffee. Do they make orange coffee?

Myra said she found this cup in her cupboard, it says "#1 Mom"... can you see it? Use your imagination now...

I'm going to let this little oil painting dry a bit more then tomorrow, I may add a glaze to get more of a shadow effect on the front side of this cup.

The handle is on the left side of this painting. Myra, are you left handed? I've noticed when I set up my coffee sup models the handle tends to be on the right, I'm right handed. Inquiring minds.....

-jM

"Myra's Coffee"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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It's Monday. This is the first of ten, yes, ten of Myra's coffee cups. This one I did looking at a small printed out copy of Last Cup of Coffee's icon place holder doodad. As I sit here at my computer, I noticed that I printed a bigger copy and I can read the little cup napkin better. Looks like the next one will definitely have a slightly different look, of course.

After I had this little painting about half finished, I distracted myself by taking out 9 more 6"x6" panels and drawing the same view of this coffee cup on the other nine. At about number 5, I thought, maybe I'll just do six total, repetition, repetition for automation. After the sixth was drawn, I decided that I started with a goal of ten, so continue to ten, so ten I did.

I also changed the Christmas Coffee painting a little bit... here is the revised version...

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

Looking forward to Tuesday!

-jM

"Christmas Coffee"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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Mmmm.... I imagine this coffee has peppermint in it! Mmmm... candy canes.

Okay, it's okay, to be thinking about Christmas. Everyone likes Christmas... cookies! Oh, cookies, yeah.

Here's to cookies!

-jM

"Really?"

8"x6" oil on canvas panel

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"Really?" This is what the vase is asking the Gerber Daisy.

Gotta work on the lighting of my set-up's. Just felt like a struggle tonight, don't know if it's just a phase or what. Gonna work through it, hope you all can tolerate me! Listening to me complain... I should apologize right now. Sorry, we can get through this..... maybe it's the weather, yes, that's it! I'll blame the weather.
Whew, I feel better all ready!!

This is cup number 23! Thanks Myra for giving me a count. I didn't count the little drawing on paper, but I did count the pieces I did on book pages. I'm thinking about tearing them out of the book. I've had a couple stick together and well, now they look a little different than what I posted this summer... oops.

Okay, I'll try again tomorrow. I think since tomorrow is Friday, I'm gonna have to go crazy, this tighter painting is making me tense!

-jM

"Martha's BB Cup"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

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Not sure I'm getting the dramatic effect I'm looking for in these last few paintings. So! I'm gonna keep trying!

How many cups is this Myra? I'll count them and come back with a number tomorrow!

-jM

"Mushroom's Cup"

8"x6" acrylic on paper mounted to canvas

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What color cup would a yellow mushroom have? Randy said red, so red it is here!

This little painting I did for the "Shoot and Paint Art Challenge" for October. It's such a cute crazy looking mushroom, it was hard to resist! Of course, I added a cup!

A still life of a cup Martha lent to me, tomorrow.... what is "BB" again? It's on the bottom of the cup.

I think I'll stop and get a fresh flower to go with the cup before I get to the studio in the morning too!

Good night!

-jM

"Small World" -Sold

8"x6" oil on canvas panel

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Do I laugh or do I cry? Well, I laughed, a little. Today working on this painting for Myra, I was trying to put the paint down thicker than the last few oils I've done lately. I've been reading the book "Alla Prima" that Richard  Schmid wrote, and he says that you should try to put the paint on the canvas without making any noise with the brush. That was easy, but he also talks about not letting the texture of the canvas show through. So I have this painting with really thick oil paint on it and I'm getting ready to photograph it. I dropped it face down into my hands... oops and yuck, you should have seen my hands!

I photographed it anyway, I can see where it hit my hands, maybe it helped.

Martha was on her way out and I caught her in time to share my story. She didn't mind the smudges too much and was drawn to the cup right away, "Oh, it's my cup!" Thanks Martha, I have several of your cups and I need to get them back to you.... maybe one at a time will be okay. Heck, she even lent me another cup earlier today!

One thing that did bother Martha was the dark shadow behind the baby sunflower.... she also made a point that if it bothered me too much (the shadow and the smudges) I can always go back into it!

The blue marble on the bottom right, ....that is the small world.

Myra, sorry I dropped your painting, I guess I'll have to just paint another!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone....   : )

-jM

Flower spent...

Poor little flower!

Sorry no painting today, but I did get the arrangement figured out for tomorrows painting. Sometimes I think it takes longer to put the "set" together than it does to paint the painting!

I briefly thought about doing the same set up again today, but like I told you yesterday, I didn't think the little flower would make it another day. As you can see in the above photo, she's not looking too good. The painting may have been a little too weird with a dying flower... hmmmm... dying love... hmmm... no, let's keep this upbeat!

I'll report back tomorrow with Myra's painting request!

-jM

"Save a Spot" -Sold

8" x 6" oil on canvas panel

It is a cup, it's actually an expresso cup. This painting I think may be too high key at this point so I think I will try this little white cup (well, off white) and plate again. The flower will not make it another day, my lighting was a little too much for it. I was lucky I captured the flower first and the cup and small vase last.
Hmm... who is the star of this painting? The cup?

Thanks Angela for asking for a painting today!

: )

-jM

"Group Hug" -Sold

8"x6" Aquamedia on paper mounted on canvas

Group Hug! Everyone gather 'round, what would we do if we didn't have each other?

This piece is another made with the "peels" of acrylic and will be in the SAS show for October.

Check us out at http://www.stutzartists.com/skin.html

-jM

"Sent From Heaven" -Sold

8"x6" Aquamedia on paper mounted on canvas

Absolutely all my friends are sent from heaven...

This is aquamedia on paper mounted on canvas. I call this mixed media aquamedia because there are pieces of acrylic paint that was dried on my palette, that I peeled it off and used in this painting! Robert Burridge calls the pieces of dry acrylic  "skins"....

-jM

"Come Along Little Sister"

6"x6" mixed media on canvas panel

A lot can be read into this little painting, so I'll let you the viewer do the reading.

This painting is acrylic and oil paint stick and more acrylic. An abstract with a bit of attitude!

See you tomorrow!

-jM

"Cathedral Mug"

8"x6" mixed media on paper mounted on canvas

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My artist buddy Martha observed that most of the coffee cups I've painted so far have been coffee mugs!
Guess that is because I tend to drink my coffee out of a mug? Watch out you coffee mugs, some cups will be coming on the scene!

This little painting has a few acrylic "skins" on it. Playing with those skins again. Speaking of skins, if you have a minute, check out the project that some of the lady artists (me included) from the Stutz have been putting together!

Women of a Certain Age: The Artist Revealed 2012 Calendar

and Leigh's famous now she was on TV! Her interview on WISH-TV. 

Oh my goodness, what will we do next?!

-jM