Z is for Zebra - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"Zebra, Stripes and All" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

This is the last day of the A to Z Challenge, and I feel a little sad. It's been fun and actually stimulating to finally attempt a Painting a Day.

Many thanks to A to Z Hosts: founder Arlee Bird at Tossing It Out, Damyanti Biswas at Amlokiblogs, Alex J. Cavanaugh, Tina Downey at Life is Good, DL Hammons at Cruising Altitude 2.0, Jeremy Hawkins at Retro-Zombie, Shannon Lawrence at The Warrior Muse, Matthew MacNish at The QQQE, Konstanz Silverbow at No Thought 2 Small, Stephen Tremp at Breakthrough Blogs, Livia Peterson at Leave it to Livia, L. Diane Wolfe at Spunk on a Stick, and Nicole at The Madlab Post. Having 1656 participants must have been a challenge all by itself!

Here is my last painting of the series. "Z" is for Zebra.

I now have a studio lined with new paintings, except for "C" is for Casey Cat which I gave to our daughter, Amy. Now, I'll have the challenge of painting another "C". I have an interesting bonus from this project. For several years, a fairly large painting sketched out on canvas has rested against a wall in the studio. It's been only a sketch. Until now. Because I hate to waste any of my very expensive paints, I started using the leftovers from the A to Z Challenge on that canvas. I now have a new painting well under way. Perhaps I'll share it here when it's finished!

Today's painting, "Zebra, Stripes and All" is 14" x 11" acrylic on stretched, deep gallery-wrapped canvas.

Goodbye to the Challenge.

Y is for Yellowstone Buffalo - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"Yellowstone Buffalo" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

Today's painting is "Y" is for Yellowstone Buffalo. Several years ago, we spent almost two weeks exploring Yellowstone National Park. Wild buffalo roamed everywhere. They often stopped traffic through the park as they lumbered across the roads--sometimes pausing for a while there. Although there were warnings to be cautious because of the danger of being gored by these animals, people still jumped from their cars to take photos. I took the reference photo for this painting through the car window of a buffalo lying by the side of the road.

There are approximately 4200 wild buffalo in Yellowstone National Park. Compare that to the tens of millions that once roamed free across the plains of our country. Imagine people shooting these animals from trains long ago and decimating the buffalo population. Stampeding buffalo herds were a big danger to wagon trains in the mid-1800s.

"Yellowstone Buffalo" is 8" x 10" acrylic on stretched canvas. It is the next to last art work in my Painting a Day for the A to Z Challenge.

X is for X-Ray Tetra - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

The A to Z Challenge is nearing the end. I've been creating a new animal painting each day. This week has been a special challenge for me because every day I've also been taking an amazing art workshop that was especially intense. At the end of each workshop day, I've painted a new artwork and needed to photograph it and post my blog prior to leaving the art facility before 6 p.m. For that reason, I've kept all the blog posts short. I also have been unable to go visit other bloggers in the Challenge. I'll try to make up for that when I return home.

"X-Ray Tetra" - acrylic painting copyright Mary Montague Sikes

"X" is for X-Ray Tetra, an exotic transparent fish native to the Amazon River in South America. This colorful fish is popular for home aquariums.

"X-Ray Tetra" is 10" x 8" acrylic on stretched canvas. This is the 24th painting in the Painting a Day series for the A to Z Challenge.

W is for Wallaby - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"Wallaby" acrylic painting - Mary Montague Sikes

For "W" I've chosen another animal, the Wallaby, a marsupial that inhabits Australia and Tasmania. My daughter, Amy, provided me with a photograph that she took in Tasmania that I used as my resource image. Since these animals actually live among rocks, I took some liberties with the terrain.

This painting is 11" x 14" acrylic on stretched canvas. We are nearing the end of A Painting a Day for the A to Z Challenge.

V is for Virginia Deer - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"Virginia Deer" - acrylic painting  Mary Montague Sikes

Today "V" is for Virginia Deer and the many we have seen in our woods over the years. The deer were there long before we came, and I enjoy watching them. They are a nuisance when they eat the vegetables and flowers from the garden. Still, I am glad they are there.

Today's painting is 14" x 11" acrylic on stretched canvas.

U is for Unicorn - A Painting a Day

"Unicorn" acrylic painting Mary Montague Sikes

A to Z Challenge

For today, "U" is for Unicorn in A Painting a Day for the A to Z Challenge. Unicorn isn't a real animal, I've been told. Still, it's a fascinating one, and one that fills the imagination.

I created this art using a photo I took in Colorado for my resource. This is 14" x 11" acrylic on stretched canvas.

Hope everyone is continuing to enjoy the Challenge.

T is for Tasmania Devil - A Painting a Day

"Tasmanian Devil" acrylic painting Mary Montague Sikes

Challenge A to Z

Today's painting is a Tasmanian Devil created from photos taken by my daughter, Amy, on a trip to Tasmania. This is 14 x 11 acrylic on stretched canvas.

Hope everyone is enjoying the Blog Challenge. I'm painting this at the end of an art workshop day.

S is for Seal - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"Seal Howling" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

For today, "S" is for Seal. I don't know much about seals. We saw a lot of them one day on a beach near La Jolla, California. They make a lot of noise. I guess you call it barking, but it seems more like howling to me.

I used photos taken by my daughter, Amy, on a trip to Tasmania for my reference material. This painting is 14" x11" acrylic on stretched canvas.

Hope everyone is enjoying the A to Z Blog Challenge. I'm learning a lot creating a Painting a Day for the Challenge.

R is for Raccoon - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"On the Prowl" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

Here we are at the end of the third week of the A to Z Challenge. For the letter "R", I've chosen raccoon.

Years ago, raccoon families would climb up our steps and peer through the glass of our living room sliding door. One time, I found three baby raccoons clawing at the door trying to get in. The mother was there as well. When I appeared, they all ran away.

I thought the family was cute until I realized the danger of rabies, and then I heard of a young boy being chased by one. Like anything in nature, we need to be respectful and cautious as well.

While doing this Painting a Day Challenge, I have discovered maybe it's a good thing not to keep going back into the work to make changes. Last night, we had a lot of storms come through, so I left my painting until this morning to post. I planned to work on it some more today. However, when I arrived in my studio, I decided not to make any changes. The Challenge is leading me to work faster.

Today's painting is 11" x 14" acrylic on stretched canvas.

Q is for Quail - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

Q was an especially hard letter for me to make a painting. But then I remembered the quail we used to have. I would look out the sliding glass door in the living room and see a mother quail leading about a dozen little spotted babies. That was when our children were small, and I could point the birds out to them. Unfortunately, it's been years since I saw our last quail. They have gone the way of the cute little rabbits that used to gobble up vegetables and flowers. That was before so many deer graced the gardens and began to eat the most treasured plants.

"Quail on the Lookout" - acrylic ©Mary Montague Sikes

I think the many cats that cross through our woods have frightened away the rabbits and the quail. The cats just sit and look at the deer, and the deer don't seem to mind.

Today's painting, "Quail on the Lookout", is 8" x 8" acrylic on stretched canvas.

Thank you, folks, who are visiting from A to Z Challenge, and thanks, friends, who are following the progress of my painting trip through the alphabet.

P is for Possum - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"Possum" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

 

I planned to paint an opossum for "O" but discovered I wanted instead to paint the osprey because of its connection to our little town. That left me wondering what to do for "P". Why not paint a possum and pretend I'm in Australia where there are 70 species of marsupials that are native to that continent and its surrounding islands? We have more than 100 species of the opossum marsupials that live in our Western Hemisphere. Actually, when I speak of our Virginia opossums, I always refer to them as "possums".

Possums are nocturnal creatures. We have come home many a night to discover a possum hanging around literally. Several years ago, one died beneath our deck.

Do you have possums or opossums where you live?

Today's painting is 11" x 14" acrylic on stretched canvas. My studio has become an animal and bird hangout!

O is for Osprey - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"Osprey Landing" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

I am continuing with my Painting a Day theme for the A to Z Challenge. Today is "O" for Osprey.

For as long as I can remember, up until our new modern bridges opened on both sides of our peninsula town, we had draw bridges with a bridge tender house situated on each bridge. Every year a family of osprey nested atop the Mattaponi River Bridge. Today, the new bridge that spans the river has no metal framework for nesting, so I wonder where the ospreys are raising their young. Perhaps on another bridge farther up the river...

Today's painting is 11" x 14" acrylic on stretched canvas. Where have the birds of prey gone?

N is for Night Owl - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"Night Owl" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

 For the A to Z Challenge, I chose to create a painting each day for the 26 letters of the alphabet. Today my subject is "N" is for Night Owl. I was surprised to learn that "Night Owl" stands for a person who likes to stay up late at night more than for an actual owl. My mother used to complain that I was a night owl.

Owls are unusual creatures in that they are able to rotate their heads and their necks up to 270 degrees. Quite a feat, and one I don't want to accomplish.

This is my smallest image yet--6" x 6" acrylic on stretched canvas. I don't usually like to work this small, but I want to use as much of what I have in the studio as I can. I did order six more 14" x 11" stretched canvases, so I'll have more larger paintings later.

M is for Macaw, a South American Parrot - Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"Macaw Bright and Bold" acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

Since my love affair with the tropics began years ago, I've been compelled to photograph and paint parrots. The Macaw is a bright and very colorful parrot native to South America. A Florida resort that we visit annually has several of these birds scattered in cages throughout the pool side area. Besides being beautiful, they possess an awful squawk. The birds can be heard from far away. It is quite disconcerting to be next to a cage when the Macaw cries out.

This little acrylic painting is 8" x 8". It is the thirteenth work of art I've created in my Painting a Day challenge for A to Z.

Hope everyone is having fun and doing a lot of blog hopping. Unfortunately, the painting is claiming more time than I expected, so I haven't hopped a lot. However, I'm truly enjoying the new menagerie inside my studio!

L Is For Lion - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"Lion King" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

"L" is for lion. My original plan was to create a painting of a lion sculpture at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, using a photo I took there. As I started the project, I realized the image would not fit in with the rest of the series I've started for A to Z Challenge.

Today's painting is 14" x 11" acrylic on stretched canvas. For me, "Lion King" is the most intimidating of the creatures so far.

I am late posting it because yesterday I went to Petersburg to install a small art show in the Oak Antique Mall. For those interested in history, the store is located in the Old Town area where the Lincoln movie was filmed last summer. It's three blocks from the Petersburg Regional Art Center where I have two gallery spaces to display some of my artwork.

Monday's post in the A to Z Challenge will be the halfway point. Congratulations to everyone involved! Thanks to those who came up with the idea and followed through on it.

K is for Koala - A Painting a Day

"Koala Sleeping" - Acrylic Painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

A to Z Challenge

Here we are on the 11th day of the A to Z Challenge. I've chosen a koala for today's animal and am
using for reference a photograph that our daughter Amy took in Tasmania last November. I've never actually seen a koala and have been cautioned not to use the word bear with it because it is not a bear.

Someone asked how long it takes to paint one of these creations. I'm not sure because I prime several canvases with color a couple of days ahead of making a painting. For today's painting, I primed the canvas on Tuesday. Thursday morning I sketched in a basic drawing with my pencil on the canvas. That took just a few minutes. Thursday afternoon, I spent an hour working on the painting, then another hour that night. I am aiming to put each new painting and the post on schedule for midnight PDT. Since I live in Virginia, I have no idea why I'm on Pacific time with my blog, but I am.

Today's painting is acrylic on 11" x 14" gallery wrapped 1 and 1/2" deep canvas. I'm loving creating the paintings but am having a hard time going to the blogs of other Challenge participants. I hope to visit more this weekend.

Thanks to everyone who is following this project. It helps make it worthwhile!

Happy A to Z Challenge!

J is for Jaguar - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

Deciding an animal for the letter "J" was easy. Jaguar. In my last "Passenger to Paradise" novel, a jaguar suddenly appeared in my story. It was completely unplanned. Billy was a black jaguar and became a character in Jungle Jeopardy, an adventure story Indiana Jones-style! I loved this animal. My creation for today is not black, but he reminds me of Billy.

"On the Hunt" -acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

This painting is 11" x 14" acrylic on gallery-wrapped stretched canvas. This canvas is          1 1/2" deep, giving it more presence than the 3/4" normal depth.

Hope everyone is enjoying the A to Z Challenge.

I is for Iguana - Painting a Day

"Iguana Night" acylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

A to Z Challenge

For today, "I" is for iguana. I've never really wanted to run into these creatures that thrive in a different climate from where I live in Virginia. I considered doing an iris painting for this letter because I'm quite familiar with that subject. Instead I created a real challenge for myself.

This little painting is 8" x 10" acrylic on stretched canvas. I find I prefer to work on a larger canvas, but that takes more time and painting supplies. For now, I am using materials I already have in my studio. When I run out of canvases, I will go to my watercolor paper supply.

This is a fun challenge. Thanks to all of you who organized it!

H is for Horse - Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

The Painting A to Z continues and is challenging for certain. Today, "H" is for Horse. I've always wanted to paint a horse of many colors. Today I discovered, that is easier said than done.

"Wild and Free" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

Last summer, when we were vacationing in Avon, Colorado, I fell in love with the horse sculpture that greets visitors to the town. A photograph I took of it inspired this painting, "Wild and Free" which is abstract and a just for fun image. The painting is 14" x 11" acrylic on stretched canvas.

I have always admired horses but never learned to ride one. My only previous experience with creating horse image art was using pastels.


Please check out my interview today at Terry Odell's blog.

G is for Giraffe - A Painting A Day

A to Z Challenge

"Looking High" acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

I've always wanted to paint a giraffe but never have. I've always wondered about creating a painting a day and never accomplished doing it. I don't know if I can keep it up, but I'm going to try.

"Looking High" is a 16" x 12" acrylic painting on stretched canvas.

Wonder how much longer wild animals like the giraffe will remain in their natural habitats? As people move deeper into the wilderness, the animals are pushed away. I complain about the white tail deer that eat our bushes and flowers throughout the year, but they were here long before I was.

Who really belongs?

F is for Fish -- A Painting A Day

A to Z Blog Challenge

Today marks the end of the first week of the A to Z Blog Challenge. Thanks to all the organizers
and hosts. They are: founder Arlee Bird at Tossing It Out, Damyanti Biswas at Amlokiblogs, Alex J. Cavanaugh, Tina Downey at Life is Good, DL Hammons at Cruising Altitude 2.0, Jeremy Hawkins at Retro-Zombie, Shannon Lawrence at The Warrior Muse, Matthew MacNish at The QQQE, Konstanz Silverbow at No Thought 2 Small, Stephen Tremp at Breakthrough Blogs, Livia Peterson at Leave it to Livia, L. Diane Wolfe at Spunk on a Stick, and Nicole at The Madlab Post.

For today, my painting is of fish I saw and photographed at the Butterfly Conservatory in Key West, Florida. Although I think fish are especially beautiful when painted with watercolors, I used acrylic paints on canvas for this creation. This is a gallery wrap style canvas that does not require framing. It's my smallest yet--10" x 8".

"Key West Fish" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

Eagle Rising - Painting A Day

A to Z Challenge

Today the Blog Challenge is the letter "E". I chose an eagle for my Painting of the Day subject. Using photos I took in Sedona, Arizona while I was working on my novel Eagle Rising, I created my painting for today. The beauty and serenity of the Red Rock Country inspires me every time I see it. This painting is smaller than the last two, 14" x 11" and is acrylic on stretched canvas.

"Eagle Rising" acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

Since I was taking an all-day printmaking workshop on Thursday, I did not have time to catch up with my A to Z blogger friends. I promise to make up for it today. Thank you everyone who has visited my blog. A painting a day is a challenge, but it's fun as well!

Mary Montague Sikes

D is for Daffodils and Dragonfly - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

For today's challenge I selected daffodils and dragonflies. I love daffodils and have used them many times in drawing demonstrations. While I was writing my novel, Night Watch, I discovered dragonflies and found out many good things connected to them, including that it is a symbol of change. I also learned that dragonfly colors come from reflected and refracted light, so the pretty little flying creatures might get associated with color magic and illusion.

"Daffodils and Dragonfly" - pastel painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

I decided to work in pastel on Canson paper for this piece. Although pastels are a favorite medium of mine, I discovered it was difficult to work fast with them for this project. The painting I created is 18" x 12" and unlike the acrylic pieces on gallery wrapped canvas, it must have a frame for proper display.

The painting a day project for this challenge is fun, but it's taking much more time than writing a blog. So far, I haven't gotten to visit many of the participants. I'm sorry and hope to do better. Maybe on Sunday...

A Tribute to Casey Cat - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"In the Box" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

 

 

    

This is the third day of the A to Z Blog Challenge and my personal "A Painting a Day Challenge". My painting today is in tribute to Casey Cat, our daughter Amy's special kitty for almost 20 years. Casey crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in February. My painting cannot possibly do justice to this beautiful feline, so it is not of her but for her.

This is a 20" x 20" acrylic painting on stretched canvas. I probably will not do another canvas painting this large for the challenge because larger paintings take more time. This is nearly four times the size of the Bunny and Gator paintings which were each 11" x 14". I'll probably do some paintings soon using pastels on paper.

Thank all of you who are visiting my blog. I appreciate the founders of the Blog Challenge and am enjoying the opportunity to participate.

--Mary Montague Sikes

B is for Bunny - Easter Bunny

A to Z Challenge

Well, I decided to do a painting a day for the A to Z Challenge. When life gets in the way, it becomes harder than I thought it might be. That happened today, but I created a painting anyway.

In keeping with the Easter season, I thought "B" for Bunny was most appropriate. I fished out some photos I took several years ago in Colonial Williamsburg. While watching re-en-actors make bricks out of clay like they did in the days of the first colonists, I noticed a small brown bunny nearby. Excited at the closeup potential, I pulled out my digital camera and took several shots before it shied away. I was happy to have these photos for reference material today.

The painting is 11" x 14" acrylic on stretched canvas.

"Williamsburg Bunny" acrylic on canvas ©Mary Montague Sikes

 

A is for Alligator - Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

For my Blogging Challenge, I've decided to create a painting a day--something I've long wanted to try. My subjects for this challenge will be mostly animals and flowers. Flowers are a subject I like. Animals are not a subject I often tackle.

For "A" I've chosen alligator because it is an image associated with the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia. The hotel gift shop is called Gator's because of the alligators that once lived inside the hotel lobby. My 11" x 14" acrylic painting on canvas was inspired by the bronze sculpture of "Old Pompey" that guards the hotel's entrance to the lobby. He was the last of the alligators and died in 1948.

"Old Pompey" Acrylic Painting ©Mary Montague Sikes