Post 353: Lincoln Memorial in the Fall, a DC Season Series

Painting Name: Lincoln Memorial in the Fall, a DC Season Series

A new commission for a new painting for a client is so exciting. Especially when the client is a repeat customer! We have a series of Washington DC artwork going, and so far we have spring and winter. This painting will be the Lincoln Memorial set in the fall. Watch the painting as it progresses here.

SKU: 08AJ24ACGC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 12x16 Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

Edition Year: 2024

Framed?: No

Commissioned? Yes

What Brought About this Painting?

I was contacted one day a couple of years ago on Etsy from a fellow that lives in Washington DC. At that time, he had seen one of my Washington Monument paintings with the spring cherry blossoms and he wanted one in a certain size. We agreed and I painted it for him. Some time after that, he wanted another painting. This time, he was thinking Washington DC in the winter, so I painted Christmas at the White House for him. Hence, this is how my Washington DC Seasons Series got started.

Spring in Washington DC

"Cherry Blossoms, an Annual DC Event" by Donna Liguria 12x16 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas 

Winter in Washington DC

"White House Having a White Christmas" by Donna Liguria 12x16 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Now is time for Washington DC in the fall, so the Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool are up. I'm thinking DC in the summer should have fireworks next, but we'll see. 

Painting in Progress Images…

Watch the painting as it progresses! I'll add pictures as the painting moves along so keep an eye out here. The canvas preparation kicks off the painting and that isn't too thrilling to see, so give me some time to get this baby viewable...

Thursday, August 15, 2024 8:50am Filling in the shapes and laying down a base.

Thursday, August 15, 2024 4:35pm Laying down color in layers, deepening and putting in some outlines and shadows.

Friday, August 16, 2024 3:23pm. Steadily sharpening up the lines and colors. Water reflection is always interesting.

Sunday, August 18, 2024 5pm Detailing

Tuesday, August 20, 2024 3:23pm It's almost there. When the signature goes on it, its very close.

Monday, September 2, 2024 6:32pm

Fall in Washington DC

After speaking with the client, he wanted it to be MORE fall colors so I added more orangey, yellowy, and orange-reds, and some leaves already down. The finished painting (maybe) (minus varnishing)!

What do you think?

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 338: Virginia and DC Local Paintings by Donna Liguria

Collection of Local Paintings by Donna Liguria - VA, DC 

Painting my favorite local spots and where I have lived and visited has been a walk down memory lane at times. I've painted Monticello in Charlottesville; Virginia Beach, the Governor's Mansion in Richmond up to Gunston Hall in Lorton and Mount Vernon in Alexandria. From Rosemont in Berryville and Great Falls in McLean, and the ArtFactory and Train Station in Manassas, then on to see the sites in Washington DC, my paint brushes have captured some favorite places. Then living in Blue Ridge Shores in Louisa, Virginia brings forth its own memories of growing up there.

Local Art

Here is a look at most of my Virginia and Washington DC paintings. Some were sold and/or commissioned and prints are available, while some sold at various art shows or on my Etsy shop. There is usually a story behind each one.

"Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores" (SOLD)- 15x30 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Blue Ridge Shores, Louisa, Virginia. I did several versions of this painting, with version 3 being a Commission.

Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores 2

Local art includes the local teams too! I've done a few variations of this mini 3x4 Capitals Hockey paintings on stretched canvas with mini easel, including Ovi

"Cherry Blossoms, An Annual DC Event" (SOLD) - 12x16 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Washington DC. Commissioned painting. Prints are available on Etsy

"Great Falls National Park in McLean, Virginia" (SOLD) - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; McLean, Virginia. Prints are available on Etsy

"Washington DC Cherry Blossom Explosion" (SOLD) - 11x14 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas; Washington DC

"White House Having a White Christmas" (SOLD) - 12x16 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Washington DC. This was a Commissioned painting but Prints are available on Etsy

"Main Beach at Blue Ridge Shores" (SOLD) - 16x20 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas. This painting is where I grew up in Louisa, Virginia. Prints are available on Etsy. See blog post  Blue Ridge Shores as it Once Was for some more 3x4 minis. See also the post, Growing Up Blue Ridge Shores

"A Day at Blue Ridge Shores" - 24x24 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Blue Ridge Shores, Louisa, Virginia. There was an old stairway coming down a steep hill on one side of the lake that was falling apart from age and I wanted to capture that rickety walk down to the pier with a blue heron flying by. 

"Marina at Belmont Bay, Occoquan, Virginia" - 16x20 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

"Governor's Mansion, Richmond Historic VA Home Series" - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Richmond, Virginia. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

"Gunston Hall Historic VA Home Series" - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Lorton, Virginia. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

"Sunrise at Historic Manassas ArtFactory" - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Manassas, Virginia. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

"Monticello Charlottesville Historic VA Home Series" - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Charlottesville, Virginia. The wonderful home of Thomas Jefferson that sits above what I call the big little town of Charlottesville, Virginia. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

"Mount Vernon Historic VA Home Series" - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Alexandria, Virginia. The home of our nation's first president, George Washington. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

A mini 3x4 painting of the gazebo in Occoquan, Virginia

A mini 3x4 painting of the museum in Occoquan, Virginia

"Rosemont Historic VA Home Series" (Not Available) - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Berryville, Virginia. Make note of the tray on the wall with champagne glasses, a bucket of ice and a champagne bottle. Prints are available on Etsy

"Spring in Occoquan, Virginia" - 12x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

"The Fish Aren't Biting at the Lake" - 16x20 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Blue Ridge Shores, Louisa, Virginia. Note the fish at the bottom left next to the pier...they are looking at the guy in the boat - perhaps giggling.

"Sunrise at Historic Manassas Train Station" - 16x20 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Manassas, Virginia. This painting won first place in the 2022 P-Art-Ners Paint! Manassas contest. The painting and prints are available on Etsy See also Paint! Manassas

"Washington Monument Amongst the Cherry Blossoms" - 12x24 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Washington DC

"Virginia Beach" - 11x14 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas

I just posted a collection of paintings based on Harkers Island, North Carolina including Shackleford Banks, the ponies, Cape Lookout Lighthouse and more. Be sure and check out that series too. See https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/2024/01/post-337-harkers-island-cape-lookout.html 

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 334: White House Having a White Christmas

Painting Name: White House Having a White Christmas

A commissioned painting of the White House in the snow at Christmas. Wow, this one will be a challenge. Then it was a choice of which entrance? And oh, and can I finish it before Christmas!? Think about that, a white house on white snow...what time of day so that we can really see the Christmas decorations? Light for thought. Artistic license may be what is needed here.

SKU: 11EN23ACGC

Medium: Acrylic, Acrylic Marker

Size: 12x16 Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

Edition Year: 2023

Framed?: No

Commissioned? Yes

What Brought About this Painting?

One of the best things in the world is when a former client contacts you to do another painting! And the possibility to do something in Washington DC in all 4 seasons. See Cherry Blossoms An Annual DC Event hmmm what will be next? So many great options!

Painting in Progress Images…

Watch the painting as it progresses!

Friday, November 10 6:49am FINALLY decided on the angle and went with the front entrance. Sketching begins! Nothing to look at as yet, but once committed to canvas, color is coming.

8:21am - First things first is to get your painting blocked in. Then a rough idea of where things are and for me, whatever is the farthest away should then come in. For instance, if the sun or the moon is in the picture, THAT is the farthest away. Then comes in the sky and clouds. Those pretty much MUST be in place before the foreground gets very detailed. 

Then I can detail the Monument, then the White House itself. Then the snow and absolutely, the Christmas decorations are last. Here is the beginning...

Of course, as an artist, I can and do break the rules - even my own. Layers and more layers, let's see where we go.

This one was from Friday afternoon (November 10, 2023)

Saturday, November 11, 2023 9:14am, in the process of toning down the "yellow" but I needed it as a base to work up from...Again, layers, layers...white is a funny color anyway. Not many things are always pure white, depending on the light. If you have ever looked at paint samples in a store for your walls or wall trim - you know.

Saturday, November 11, 2023 1:16pm...Now we're talking I think. Made some major adjustments

6:40pm Much progress accomplished, yet so many details left to do!

Sunday, November 12, 2023 8:20am. I do believe the painting is done! Rock and Roll!. I'll look at it for a bit of course first. And I am a firm believer in turning the painting upside down and viewing it for awhile too. That helps to "see" oddities, believe it or not. Still has to be varnished and dry but right on the verge of done. What do you think?

Drop a comment below and let me know!

__________________________________________________________________________________

Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 308: Cherry Blossoms, an Annual DC Event

Painting Name: Cherry Blossoms, an Annual DC Event

A commissioned painting of the Washington DC Spring Cherry Blossoms with a morning sky, and the Washington Monument. At least it will be as the painting progresses! 

SKU: 05AI23ACG

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 12x16 Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

Edition Year: 2023

Framed?: No

Commissioned? Yes

SOLD

What Brought About this Painting?

I LOVE it when someone contacts me because they have seen some of my artwork or a particular painting they love...then ask if they can have something created for themselves.  The size, the orientation or other variables might be in the person's request which makes each painting of a similar location its own special piece.

Painting in Progress Images…

Watch the painting as it progresses!

At least for me, paintings don't tend to start off looking like much when they begin. Blocking in color can be a one tone thing to give a base on a plain white canvas and it looks really blah. I have thrown down a few layers so far to build up the sky and water base already for this painting, so here is my starting point if you want to follow the painting as it develops. 

Often, I begin top down or the thing that is farthest away, in this case, the sky, then the clouds as the painting builds. Artists have various versions of starting points - perhaps based on what they are painting as well. How about you?

Friday, May 19, 2023 12:57 pm. A base of the blues gets sky and water started.

Saturday, May 20, 2023 7:07 am. A line of pink cherry trees are starting to grow. I'll need to finalize the sky and get the monument in there this morning too. Tis my destiny.

Saturday, May 20, 2023 11:42 am. Good progress I think. The Monument has put in an appearance and the trees are starting to bloom.

Saturday, May 20, 2023 7:30 pm. Still much more to do! The water with the reflections, the trees, details-details-details...

Sunday, May 21, 2023 11:50 am. Tweaking away. Debating the addition of a branch slightly hanging down on top left side (close up blossom). I will be tweaking the water quite a lot going forward. Have to work on the bridge to the right.

Tuesday, May 23, 2023 7:01 am. Hoping to get some more done on this painting today, a lot going on the next week. 

Friday, June 2, 2023 9:06 am. Back from vacation and tweaking the painting. An art show this weekend: Occoquan RiverFest Saturday and Sunday June 3-4, 2023. An art show booth with the Prince William Art Society at U16.

Tuesday, June 6, 2023 8:37pm. The final painting prior to varnish. This has been a fun painting to do - I LOVE the colors! Let me know what you think too.

Another commission in its final stages prior to going to the client. I can hardly wait - its like those TV home renovation shows when they "show" the final results and reveal it to the home owner. I can hardly wait to meet the client and have him see his painting.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 40: Washington Monument Amongst the Cherry Blossoms 12 x 24 Acrylic Stretched Canvas Painting

Painting Name: Washington Monument Amongst the Cherry Blossoms

SKU: 01A21AC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 12x24 Stretched Canvas

Edition Year: 2021

How to Shop and Follow, Like and do all the social things for my painting artworks: 

Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt

"Behind the Canvas" Blog: https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com 

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/donnaliguriaart

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnaliguriaart/

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I am only about 26 miles from DC these days, but get there so rarely. Especially this year in this "don't go anywhere atmosphere". The odd part now is that the traffic would have been so much lighter! Never did know where to park either. 

Miss those museums and hope to get back there soon to wander them. A few years back, my mom, aunt, and I got to go to DC with my cousins who were visiting at Thanksgiving - and boy, has the Smithsonian changed! You bet I found that Hope Diamond again which is displayed totally different from years ago.

So very much to see and to do in DC and my worry is that it is all different now...

Anyway, a fond memory of Washington DC is the Washington Monument in early spring.

Go to the post Washington Monument with Cherry Blossoms In Progress Painting 12 x 24 Acrylic on Canvas (donnascavepainting.blogspot.com) to see the in progress pictures

Post 39: A Painting In Progress: Washington Monument with Cherry Blossoms 12 x 24 Acrylic on Canvas

Painting Name: Washington Monument Amongst the Cherry Blossoms

SKU: 01A21AC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 12 x 24 Stretched Canvas

Price: Pending

Edition Year: 2021

How to Shop and Follow, Like and do all the social things for my painting artworks: 

Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt

Blog: https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/donnaliguriaart

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnaliguriaart/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/donnaliguria/_created/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonnaLiguria

Painting Progress Images so far: 

Not quite where I want it to be yet but getting there...If you are an artist, what makes you say, "STOP!! It's done"? Is it more a feeling or a combo of emotions and head knowledge?