<![CDATA[Karen Oliver's Fine Art

<![CDATA[Karen Oliver's Fine Art - Blog]]>Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:19:50 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Opus Daily Practice Challenge February #20 - 28 2026]]>Sun, 01 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/opus-daily-practice-challenge-february-20-28-2026These are the final 3" x 3" squares in my sketchbook. They are things in my daily life that the prompts elicited. I used inks, water colour, mixed media, magazine pages and pencil, whatever was inspired by the prompt. I really enjoyed this process and it helped that I made it work for me, especially with travelling. I would highly encourage you to put it on your calendar for next year and do it whatever way works for you. Thank you Opus!

@opusartsupplies, #opusdailypractice, #artchallenge, #canadianartist, @karenoliversfineart

]]><![CDATA[Opus Daily Practice challenge February 10 - 19 2026]]>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/opus-daily-practice-challenge-february-10-19-2026I have enjoyed working on the Opus Daily Practice Challenge for the month of February. This month has travelling in it so I made it easy on myself and did 3" x 3" squares in my working sketchbook, listed the dates and the word prompts and filled them in (trying daily) with things in my world. I did not worry about the date and focused on the word prompt instead. I am on target for finishing this challenge by the end of the month, yay!!

@opusartsupplies, #opusdailypractice, @karenoliversfineart, @canadianartist, @travelsketching

]]><![CDATA[Opus Daily Practice Challenge February 1 - 9 2026]]>Sun, 22 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/opus-daily-practice-challenge-february-1-9-2026Once again I have taken on this challenge put out by Opus Art Supplies for the month of February. I set up 3" x 3" squares in my working sketchbook with the word prompt and day #. Instead of doing the days in order, I fill whatever box I have an idea for (way less pressure for me) and try to do one a day. I did travel to visit our lovely daughter, husband and 2 grandchildren to get my heart fix for 10 days so did a few ahead and then caught up when I came back.. I've made this challenge small so I can do it and enjoy without to much pressure.

@Opusartsupply, #opusdailypractice, #canadianartist, #artchallenge

]]><![CDATA[Saturday Plein Air Art group at Villas Las Palmas]]>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/saturday-plein-air-art-group-at-villas-las-palmasA gathering of 13 artists were invited again this year to plein air paint at the lovely grounds of the Las Palmas property. We were to find whatever inspired us and tuck ourselves into a shady spot. We had a pool view, casas, fountain area, 2nd floor balcony and beach to choose from. You can tell by the group "works in progress" paintings that there was a lot to choose from. Three of us were painting in oil and the rest in water colour. When the first person had to leave, we gathered our paintings and took a photo. There are always a lot of oohs and ahhhs and questions about techniques and supplies, such a generous and fun group! Oh and did I mention the laughter and conversation at coffee/drinks after?

Villas Las Palmas
12" x 16" plein air oil on canvas pad, # (SOLD off the easel, thank you Lorry for initiating and Elizabeth for purchasing!!)

]]><![CDATA[Playa Paint Pals #3]]>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/playa-paint-pals-37102107More fun sketching at Bistro Escondido, this time with the Monday Playa Paint Pals. I brought along a piece of handmade paper with bits of flower petals in it to try to sketch with. I am not sure what the paper was made from but the water colour and ink just soaked through and did not move or blend. It was also bumpy to ink on. Lesson learned, very pretty but not useful for anything in a sketchbook other than to glue something on (which will be it's use).

The second sketch I did was on precut sketching paper, not water colour so was not able to blend as I preferred but happy with the result. I did not realize I had not brought actual water colour paper with me that morning. I have precut my variety of papers for my handmade sketch book that I will sew and make covers for when I am home from Mexico.

Plein Air sketch in alley of Bistro Escondido with Playa Paint Pals

]]><![CDATA[Collage Breakthrough with Catherine Rains lesson 4]]>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/collage-breakthrough-with-catherine-raines-lesson-4Travelling again to see family, I thought I would post Lesson 4 in this free online course on collage (it is over now). It has all the parameters listed in the first photo of my sketchbook. These pieces are even larger, now a 5" x 5" square format. The first one is with my painted "found" papers and the photo below it is completed with the "inflight" magazine on our last flight (permission to take one was granted).

Again, I really enjoyed this exercise and made 8 wooden heart ornaments using the same process and papers. The ones on the left are made with magazine pieces and the ones in the right row are made with recycled painted papers. Loved these!!

Catherine (Cat) Rains has a free 5 day workshop on her website: https://catherinerains.com/
@karenoliversfineart, #funwithcollage, #canadianartist, #collageclass

]]><![CDATA[Saturday Plein Air Art group at Las Hamacas]]>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/saturday-plein-air-art-group-at-las-hamacasNine artists met around 8:30 a.m. at this hotel and beach restaurant. As always my first choice is to look for shade that hopefully will last the paint out. I tucked myself beside the building on the sand and had a wonderful time watching the fishermen and all the birds coming to feast, food for all! I painted on an 8" x 10" gallery wrapped canvas my friend Peg gave me before she left (a wonderful gift!!). The canvas depth was to deep to sit on my easel so I had to prop it up on a stick. It is interesting to paint when your canvas is not straight!

I had arrived a little early as I have a hard time deciding on what to paint and my procrastination then includes chatting to the other artists. I had more time to just focus on what interested me. At first it was the view of the calm ocean through the hammock, then the 3 men fishing.

"Vista Azul"
10" x 8" on 1 1/2" gallery wrap canvas, plein air, oil, #20009226
@karenoliversffineart, #canadianartisttraveling, #pleinairpainting, #artgroup

]]><![CDATA[Playa Paint Pals #3]]>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/playa-paint-pals-3Monday morning, 10 of us gathered at Viva Maria and headed to whatever interested us. I sat down under a beach umbrella and began to sketch the beached fishing boat. Pelicans and all kinds of birds flocked near the shore to engorge themselves in a fish boil. A lovely husband and wife were getting their fill as well. They filled a large bucket with fish they called "Jorel". In my VERY limited Spanish, we conversed and shared in the delight of watching the fish being caught by both the fishermen and birds!! The sketch below was drawn and painted on location.

I was so enamored with the whole event that I sketched the ones below from photos when I got home!.

I found it interesting as well that they buried the fish in the sand to keep the flies off and rinsed them off in the ocean when it was time to leave (top left you can see the tails by the bucket). The bottom right is the smaller fish their partner caught (waist deep in the ocean with a throwable net) - large bait catches large fish. I would of been happy to catch one of these, as you can tell the size of them by the large bucket lid they are sitting on!

]]><![CDATA[Saturday Plein Air Art group at Quinta Julia]]>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/saturday-plein-air-art-group-at-quinta-juliaEleven artists arrived at Quinta Julia apartments and basically took over the property. We were welcomed with interest and allowed to paint wherever we were inspired. Some people painted on the second floor, others on the ground floor walkway, in the yard etc. It was a lovely morning! I always find it inspiring to see what the artists chose and how they rendered it. When someone is leaving, we do a "throw down" or "slap down" (on the tiles) and take a photo of the works in progress. Rarely is someone finished but it is always inspiring to take a photo of all participants work! Very interesting how two artists captured the same yellow umbrella with the same lean (notice the door is closed in 1 and open in the other).

"Quinta Julia"
12" x 16" plein air oil on canvas pad, #20031126

]]><![CDATA[Collage Breakthrough with Catherine Raines lesson 3]]>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/collage-breakthrough-with-catherine-raines-lesson-3I have really been enjoying this free online workshop on collage. As I am travelling and not in my studio, I had to improvise. Instead of having nice papers to paint on, I had to use til receipts, found paper, toilet paper roll wrapper, well you get the idea. The second way she showed was to use bought decorative papers. I did not have any way of purchasing any so I used the inflight magazine from the flight we travelled on (with permission). Both worked well enough for these exercises in my sketchbook.

This lesson's "rules" are in the photo below with the two 4" x 4" boxed examples that I did. The photo below that was of the inflight magazine pieces using the same "rules". I enjoyed both!

]]><![CDATA[Collage Breakthrough with Catherine Raines lesson 1 and 2]]>Sun, 25 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/collage-breakthrough-with-catherine-raines-lesson-1-and-2This is a free online class that Cat offers before her Collage extended course. I enjoyed doing this free course last year (similar but different). Last year the course included decorating papers, both patterned and what she calls "quiet" using only 2 colours plus black and white. This year she sent emails with You tube videos on decorating these papers prior to the course starting.. I was helping with my new grand daughter June and travelling so was not able to prepare. I did enjoy the videos though.

The upper right is Lesson 1, on 9 squares (2" x 2") in my sketchbook, using 2 pieces of collage papers using one piece of patterned paper and one "quiet", using different values, shapes and orientations. These also had to be different from the boxes next door. I had to make "papers" out of anything I could find (receipts, dryer sheets, delivery papers etc.). For the one on the right, I used an inflight magazine I read on my flight. I also changed the orientation of my sketchbook.

Above is lesson 2 (left) on 6 larger squares (3" x 3") using the same found decorated papers, this time using 3 papers (2 pattern and 1 plain or 2 plain and 1 pattern) with the same rules (different orientation, values and sizes). The one on the right is a different orientation of my sketchbook and again using magazine pieces. These all took a lot more thinking than I expected.
@catrains.artist, Catherine Rains, @karenoliversfineart #collageartclass

]]><![CDATA[Plein Air Art Group]]>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/plein-air-art-groupThere were only 4 of us and we tucked ourselves in close to a building in an alley way that led to restaurants on the beach. Amy, Shauna and Linda focused on the restaurant on the side of my photo. I had a wonderful small canvas from Peggy that worked perfect for the sign. A few people stopped to chat and before we knew it, time was for a coffee or cold juice. I forgot to take a photo of the works in progress.

"Senales De Playa"
9" x 3", plein air oil on canvas, #20021126

@karenoliversfineart, #karenoliversfineart, #canadianartist, #pleinairoilpainting, #smalltreasure

]]><![CDATA[Plein Air painting at Bistro Escondido]]>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/plein-air-painting-at-bistro-esconditoThe invite was out for the Saturday morning paint out at the lovely Bistro Escondido. Artists arrived around 8:30 a,m, For some, the priority was shade and others a table and shade. 14 artists found their muse, although most of us were in the alley painting various parts of the Bistro. We all stayed for a cod and tasty drink after while planning out next outing next week. A lovely way to spend a morning.

Top photo: Artist's Works In Progress We take a photo of all the works in progress when someone has to leave so most of the art is not finished but very inspiring.

"Bistro Escondido"
16" x 12" Oil plein air, on canvas pad, #20015126

]]><![CDATA[Playa Paint Pals #2]]>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/playa-paint-pals-2This was an interesting area to paint. The first priority was to find some shade, then check out whatever interested each person in the group. We all painted whatever we wanted with no instruction, wonderful. I love seeing what inspired each person considering we were all in the same area! Fun to have a group of 8 this time. Delicious breakfast/lunch was enjoyed after by those able to attend.

Below is some of the groups "works in progress" of the artwork when the first person had to leave. It is so great to see what others find interesting, love that!

]]><![CDATA[Playa Paint Pals #1]]>Sat, 10 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/playa-paint-palsA wonderful loose group of plein air sketchers meet at a different place each Monday. Everyone is welcome, meet at a designated spot with all your materials and sketch or paint whatever you like, what fun! Below was my first adventure out. I went early and painted in the town square then met up with everyone and sat on the raised sidewalk and painted the street scene ahead of me. Lots of interested looks but generally we were left alone.

]]><![CDATA[First oil painting of 2026]]>Fri, 02 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/first-oil-painting-of-2026This sweet little oil painting (3" x 9") is of the setting sun on New Year's Eve from a photo I took on our friends' balcony. The view is stunning and so fun to see all the people below enjoying themselves. I really wanted to capture the moment and how much I was enjoying it.

More good news to this painting. I had asked in my plein air group where people bought canvases and Peg replied that she had some little ones that I could have (oh happy dance!). I am not used to painting this small so it was a challenge with my chunky brushes but I loved painting in oils again. Happy New Years to all!

@karenoliversfineart

]]><![CDATA[Recapping my ARTful year]]>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/recapping-my-artful-yearAs I look at the year ending art wise. I realized I focused on painting in a sketchbook rather than on canvases. We had a real travelling year so this worked perfectly (including helping our daughter and family for a month after welcoming our beautiful grand daughter June). I used different sized handmade sketchbooks for travelling and bought sketchbooks for working in or learning on. I took a couple of online classes just to keep myself painting and accountable, below is one I forgot to post. Most of my unposted work is in sketchbooks, which I did for me.

I am also grateful for the wonderful art groups I have had the heartful time with it's members: The Eagle Valley Brush and Palette Club in Sicamous B.C., The Courtyard Gallery in Enderby B.C. (which shows and sells my art and cards), and The Plein Air Group in Mexico.

Jed Dorsey of Acrylic University put out a challenge over the summer to complete 7 acrylic paintings that he did a demo of. I worked in my sketchbook painting 7"x7" square. I really enjoyed this as it was fun to follow his demo but using my own colours, sense of placement and stopping when I felt it was completed. I loved his use of different base colours and even one that he made up in his head!

I wish you a creative and fun 2026. Hopefully you will be able to try new creative challenges!!

Top Row: "Small Flowers, Big Dreams", "Chasing Daylight",
Second Row: "Discovering Beauty", "The Colourful Alley"
Third Row: "Porch Party", "Always My Heart"
Bottom Row: I forgot to write down the name this one Jed made up with no reference

]]><![CDATA[#49, 50, 51 and 52 of Dianna Shyne's year long weekly acrylic paintings]]>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/49-50-51-and-52-of-dianna-shynes-year-long-weekly-acrylic-paintingsI knew I had a busy travelling year ahead so decided to sign up for this painting challenge. Dianna did a 30 minute demo (with a timer) on small 6" x 6" wooden panels. I painted along but used the paint and colours that I had (not the same) and worked in my sketchbook rather than on board. I gesso'd my sketchbook in white or black gesso as she did on her panel. It was a challenge using a different paint surface and colours. I knew that I could take a sketchbook with me and as these are her references, they were for the joy of painting, learning and playing, not for sale. I certainly enjoyed this challenge and was very happy I was able to complete it!!

Top left: #49 Blueberries In Winter , Top right: #50 Stack Too , Bottom left: #51 Truck Stack, Bottom right: #52 Wed Wace Car https://www.diannashyne.com/

]]><![CDATA[Month 12 of Dianna Shyne's weekly minature painting challenge - #45, 46, 47, 48]]>Sat, 27 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/month-12-of-dianna-shynes-weekly-minature-painting-challenge-45-46-47-48Love the variety of small 6" x 6" paintings in this year long weekly demo. Dianna paints for a total of 30 minutes and stops when the timer goes off, leaving little time for fiddling, my kind of painting! Fun to play in acrylic but the drying time is quick and I don't have retarder. Dianna premixes her colours by mine are dried out very quickly if I do that so I mix as I go.

Top left: #45 Three Doughnuts, Top Right: #46 Oregon Coast Sunset, Bottom left: #47 Pub Door, Bottom right: #48 Sitting Duck

]]><![CDATA[Santa's List]]>Thu, 25 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/santas-listMerry Christmas to you and those you hold dear, in this realm and those that have passed over.! This season is celebrated in so many ways, but family is key in all of it, the family you are born into and the family you make and surround yourself with.

Hopefully Papa Noel enjoyed a visit at your home. This was a fun class to paint! I signed up for Ali Kay's class and happily painted along using her style of painting. I like chunky brush marks and layers when I paint in acrylic so this was familiar to me. She painted in a square format but I painted mine on gesso'd watercolour paper to fit a 16" x 12" gold frame I had. This is an early Christmas present for my daughter and family that will hopefully be put up Christmases to come.

]]><![CDATA[Month 11 of Dianna Shyne's weekly minature painting challenge - #41, 42, 43, 44]]>Sun, 07 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/month-11-of-dianna-shynes-weekly-minature-painting-challenge-41-42-43-44I am enjoying these small 6" x 6" paintings in my sketchbook. It is interesting working on thinner paper (gesso'd) instead of a board or canvas. They are the perfect size to catch up on when I have been away, not the pressure of a larger painting. The sketchbook gives me the freedom to explore and not worry about a "finished" painting. This has been a very busy year and this challenge has kept me painting at least once a week or catching up with multiple paintings.

Top left, #41 End Of The Season, top right: #42 October Sunflowers, Bottom Left, #43 Late Harvest, Bottom Right, #44 Three Pumpkins @karenoliversfineart

]]><![CDATA[Month 10 of Dianna Shyne's weekly minature painting challenge - #37, 38, 39, 40]]>Sun, 30 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/month-10-of-dianna-shynes-weekly-minature-painting-challenge-37-38-39-40Again these 6" x 6" acrylic paintings in my sketchbook have been very enjoyable to paint. I don't have the same paint colours so that adds an interesting challenge. I do enjoy the variety of subjects.

#37 Bosc Pears, #38 Orchard House, #39 Forest Stream, #40 Summer Wheat Field
@karenoliversfineart, #canadianartist, #acrylicpainting

]]><![CDATA[Updated my suitcases]]>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 17:34:20 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/updated-my-suitcasesWe have been travelling a lot this year and found waiting for black suitcases (with tags on the handle) so similar to everyone else's that I finally did something about it. I figured they are my suitcases, no one else uses them so here they are. I usually travel with only the carry on but decided as I was going to be using the big one in the near future, I painted it as well. I used fabric paint so other than scratches, it should stay on. Now Happy Travels!!

]]><![CDATA[Month 9 of Dianna Shyne's weekly minature painting challenge - #33, 34, 35, 36]]>Mon, 03 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/month-9-of-dianna-shynes-weekly-minature-painting-challenge-33-34-35-36Still enjoying these small weekly paintings. The 6" x 6" size is perfect for my sketchbook with room to put Dianna's colours and notes around it. The page is gesso'd first with either white or black so the paint has something to sit on and moves.

#33 Sunflowers and Fence Post (summer time and the internet was to slow to play the video so I painted this one from the final photo), #34, White Kitten, #35 Columbia Gorge Sunset, #36 Peacock Portrait

]]><![CDATA["Sunny" an acrylic experiment]]>Thu, 30 Oct 2025 06:00:00 GMThttps://www.karenoliversfineart.com/blog/sunny-an-acrylic-experimentThis small painting was a mental challenge and something different for me. I painted it (in reverse - top layer first, bottom layer last) on the inside of the glass in the frame. I certainly enjoyed the physicality of "smearing" paint on glass! I would like to try a few more like this and may do so later in the fall. This painting is currently in the Courtyard Gallery in Enderby, B.C.

"Sunny"
Painted on the inside of the glass (in reverse) with acrylic paint. 7" x 7" in a black lacquer frame.
#20130025

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