Friday, January 19, 2024

Post 337: Harkers Island, Cape Lookout, Shackleford Banks, Marshes and the Ponies of North Carolina

Paintings of Harkers Island, Cape Lookout, Shackleford Banks, Marshes and the Ponies of North Carolina

In 2023 and already in 2024, my canvases have recreated some views and inspiration of the coasts of North Carolina. Here is a collection of paintings with the 'inspired by' of the several visits to my friend's new home in Harkers Island, North Carolina.

Big Blue Skies, Blue Water, Sand and More

Snapping pictures all day, that is what I did and do while visiting my best friend. Pictures of ponies on Shackleford Banks and in Beaufort, North Carolina. Pictures of ghost trees and marshes, Cape Lookout and across the water. The wildlife, the birds flying, the fish jumping, the occasional dolphin...I love it all. The iPhone or my other camera a FULL of inspiration. Upon getting home, the pictures get turned into paintings. 

Here is some of my inspired by the North Carolina Coast artwork.


"Lighthouse and Shackleford NC Pony" - 9x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas. A lone Shackleford Banks pony looks across the water to Cape Lookout. Prints are available on Etsy


"Mom, I Don't Want to Take a Bath" - 9x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Cape Lookout Lighthouse and Shackleford Ponies


"Harkers Island NC" - 16x20 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; the view from Beaufort, NC with Harkers Island across the water to the right. Notice the new bridge?


"Ponies of Shackleford Island" - 12x16 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; also known as Shackleford Banks


"Wading Shackleford Pony" (SOLD) - 9x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas. Prints are available


"Harkers Island Magic" - 16x20 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas 


"Sandpiper Beach Bums" (SOLD) - 4x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas


"Beaufort, NC Marsh" - 8x8 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas


"Bottoms Up" - 4x4 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; is a swan doing a dive, butt up.


"Cygnet Fluff Baby" - 4x4 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; is a baby swan. I call these 4x4 paintings "bookcase art" because they make great small paintings that can sit on a table or shelf.


"Sea the Turtle" - 4x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas


"The Marshes of Harkers Island, North Carolina" - 16x20 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; with the ghost trees in the background. The view was toward the new bridge. The painting and Prints are available on Etsy


My Mini 3x4 stretched canvas in Acrylics mini paintings of the 7 (maybe) most popular NC Lighthouse Series - 
1. "Ocracoke Lighthouse
2. "Old Baldy Lighthouse" 
3. "Cape Lookout Lighthouse" (SOLD)
4. "Bodie Island Lighthouse" 
5. "Currituck Beach Lighthouse"
6. "Oak Island Lighthouse"
7. "Cape Hatteras Lighthouse"


"Last Light Lighthouse" - 24x24 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas is a side view of Cape Lookout with Shackleford Banks across the water and Harkers Island and a sunset off to the right.

I had some other "beach" mini paintings of beach inspiration and Harkers Island inspired. The annual Decoy Festival in early December brought on some mini duck decoy paintings.


Many of these are on Etsy and some do have prints available. I do have a lot of pictures to still review but I hope to get back to visit my friend - as soon as I can and the weather is warmer!

__________________________________________________________________________________

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!

Saturday, December 30, 2023

Post 336: Dixie for Christmas

Painting Name: Dixie

I painted Dixie in September/October 2023. As she is a Christmas present, this blog post on the painting can't be released until after Jesus' birthday for the (I hope) surprise it is supposed to be.


SKU: 09CU23ACG
Medium: Acrylic
Size: 12x12 Stretched Canvas
Edition Year: 2023
Framed?: No
Commissioned? Yes

What Brought About this Painting?

My aunt contacted me to do this painting as a gift for her granddaughter of her beloved "Dixie", who had unfortunately passed last year. 


Dixie in Progress




And the final picture is of my second cousin with her painting on Christmas day. I hope it brings a smile everyday of the memory of a loved family member.

__________________________________________________________________________________

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!

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Post 335: Christmas at the Core Sound Museum, Harkers Island, NC

Christmas at the Core Sound Museum, Harkers Island, NC 

Harkers Island, North Carolina is the home to the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center, which is within sight of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Beginning on November 17, 2023 and running through December 31, 2023 is the 2023 Gallery of Trees.

What is the Gallery of Trees?

I recently visited a friend that had moved to Harkers Island earlier this year and so enjoy my time spent with dear friends that are extended family there. We rode around the island and viewed the wonderful Christmas lights decorating the homes as well as the light show outside of the museum. And we visited the museum again, to see the 2023 Gallery of Trees - honoring local businesses, organizations, and families.

Museum - Harkers Island
1785 Island Road | PO Box 556
Harkers Island, NC 28531
(252) 728-1500

Here are the trees featured all around the museum. Each tree has a story and my friend and I enjoyed looking at each and every one of them. 




































Teresa standing next to her neighbor's "arts" tree.



__________________________________________________________________________________

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!

Thursday, November 9, 2023

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!