Tracy Haines Fine Art Oil paintings wall art daily paintings Lily Pond quotes and tips

Lily won 3rd place in a recent CFAI art contest.  I entered very last minute on a whim and didn't think much more about it .  What a nice surprise!


Studio quote of the Day:

If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each mans heart sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.  - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Studio tip of the Day:

Murphy oil soap is a less expensive and great way to clean oil painting brushes.  It cleans them well and also conditions them.

I am following the advice of  artist, writer and businessman Jack White and selling select small studies on eBay.  It's a bit of a risky venture for me; some pieces sell for very little.  I begin the bidding usually at a dollar, and sometimes the bids go way up, sometimes I lose a painting for a dollar.  The idea is that over time, you develop a following and bids begin to consistently rise.  I was seeing this happen, when suddenly sales stopped.  eBay is changing policy and many sellers are finding inconsistent results now.  Not sure I will be able to continue this for much longer.

If you would like a chance to win a painting for a whole lot less than it sells for anywhere else, check out my stuff currently on eBay:    eBay Paintings

Field of Poppies

8x10 Oil on masonite

$ 35.00

I have a poppy plant in my garden. Just one. I would love a field of poppies to call my own.

Tracy Haines affordable original art acrylic paintings modern contemporary small art miniature art colorado skye blue

The drive back to Colorado from Nebraska is relaxing and actually very pretty in places. I had to pull over for this scene.  The light hit just right, and the water reflected the sky color in such a paintable way.
This is acrylic on watercolor paper. A 5x7 image with a margin of white paper for framing.

Tracy Haines fine art original daily painting oil on canvas affordable wall art Carmel California seascape

After a fun vacation with Ted and Nick in San Fransisco,  Fern and I took the kids to Carmel.  What a quaint, lovely town.  We hit galleries, played at the beach, just had a great time.  I was inspired by an artist named SC Juan, who painted around the area using a grayed down palette and thick, juicy paint.
I painted this scene from Carmel thinking about his style.

Tracy Haines fine art original oil painting on canvas Colorado rocks trees colorful plain air daily impressionism

Fernando and I used to motorcycle at Rampart Range!  The paths are narrow, deep, steep and very tricky.  I can't believe I ever had the nerve.  Last time we went, we took our ATVs.  I got scared, frozen scared, immobilized, and Fern had to get me unstuck.  I took my jeep back last summer and painted this wonderful rock, doing a balancing act, like I had to do on the motorcycle.  I much prefer to paint at Rampart Range.

Tracy haines Original fine art for sale affordable pastel oil acrylic paintings on canvas wall art impressionism expressionism colorful colorado trees flowers floral red green blue purple mountains streams skies sunsets

I ventured on a solo painting trip last fall.  Packed paints, dog and headed out in jeep.  I got up at dawn, drove from the cabin towards Buena Vista, then to a campsite on the Arkansas river.  I loved the first light.  Renoir ( Rennie) had a great time chasing off the cows that kept coming to see what I was painting.  This was the first of many paintings this day.  Great day!!!

Tracy haines Original fine art for sale affordable pastel oil acrylic paintings on canvas wall art impressionism expressionism colorful colorado trees flowers floral red green blue purple mountains streams skies sunsets

Deer Creek Rhythm is a 5x7 mixed media painting using acrylic, marker, ink and pencil on 140lb watercolor paper.  There is a small margin around the image to allow for  framing with a matt, if desired. This piece is up for auction on eBay and through Daily Paintworks ( link to your right) and starts at 99 cents.

Driving along Deer Creek one evening, while driving my son Nick's friend home, I was forced to a screeching halt by this scene. The play of cool blues against warm willows just arrests me everytime!

Oh, the beauty of this earth!

Note to artists: Did you notice what I just noticed? The composition sort of slides the eye right down and off the left side of the painting, doesn't it? Don't you hate it when you inadvertently break a rule you are well aware of? I  bet lifting the tree on the left up and over the mountain, or sloping the mountain on the left up and to the left, instead of down would help. I will sit on this for the time being, and just try to remember the rules next time.