Locally Grown

8 X 10 inch oil painting on canvas panel.
Available through Copperwood Artware Gallery

This is the last painting from my recent oil derrick series and it is my favorite. It's very different from the photograph I was using as reference. Honestly, the photo was terrible and I think that helped me to focus on what I needed to add or change in order to achieve a successful painting. Because the reference was difficult to use I didn't get caught up in the details of what I was seeing in the photo, instead I was able to ask if each element was working for the painting. It was a great lesson!

Well, this is going to be my last post for a while. I'm being induced today. Wish us luck and a speedy return to my easel (I will miss it terribly). I'll also miss all of you and will miss being inspired by your work!

High Octane

16 X 12 inch oil painting on canvas panel.
Available through Copperwood Artware Gallery

This is the second in the oil derrick series. Many of you compared my last painting to William Wray's work which was incredibly sweet because he is an artist whose work I admire very much.

For me this painting was very much about arranging the elements in the composition, not painting what I was seeing in my reference photos. I feel a lot more confident working from photos now because I've painted plein air for the last few years. I feel like I've gotten better at adding in atmosphere that wouldn't normally be in a photograph.

I hope you enjoy it!

To see more of my work log onto www.KimVanDerHoek.com

Working Late

9 X 12 inch oil painting on canvas panel.
Available through Copperwood Artware Gallery

A few weeks ago my husband, son and I went out to visit the oil derricks at sunset so that I could snap a few reference photos for paintings. It’s a remote location and being a woman and pregnant I didn’t want to go there alone. My husband thought our son would be bored walking around these giant machines but for a young boy it was paradise. There were rocks to throw, miles of dirt, weird objects waiting to be dug up and tons of space to run. He also loved the giant derricks pumping away and asked thousands of questions about them. It was an odd family outing but one that all of us really enjoyed.

This painting is one of three I just recently finished in my studio. I’ll post the other two soon.

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

Circling Koi

6 X 6 inch oil painting on canvas panel.
$50 (plus $15 shipping within the U.S.)

When I pulled the reference photo for this painting I immediately thought it was the perfect composition for a square panel. I like how everything keeps my eye moving around and around inside of it.

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

Sailing On Choppy Waters

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

Capturing the atmosphere in this one was a fun challenge. Working with so many blues was hard though. I hope you like it!

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

Sailing Day

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

It’s been a while since I’ve been on a boat, years in fact. The feeling of freedom as the wind rushes by is something I’ll never forget though.

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

Lullaby

5 X 7 inch oil painting on canvas panel.
NFS

This is the companion painting to “Where Next,” the previous bird painting. Both of these are going to be hung in my daughter’s room.

I’m about 6 weeks away from my due date now (wow). My hands and feet have been swelling (which I didn’t experience when I was pregnant with my son). There are still so many little things I need to do but honestly, I just want to put my feet up and sit in front of a fan these days.

Now that my son is back in school I’m getting in as much painting as I can. I’ll keep posting but if I disappear for a long time, you’ll know why….

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