I have a dairy allergy so a lot of really great treats are not available to me. A box of beautiful Belgian chocolates were on my Mother-In-Law's table as an after dinner treat. I loved looking at them and decided to draw them as they were so pretty. They were not on my paper until I photographed them so the angle and shadows are different. This is painted in an inexpensive sketch book that doesn't work as well as water colour paper. The small candy tins (on the upper part of photo) have a plastic gum insert put in to hold my water colour and gouache travel paints. It works perfect!. Quotes from Forrest Gump kept running through my head as I painted these, yup I am easily entertained!

PIPER
Oil on board, 12" x 12"  Unframed  #20027121 Not For Sale
​#dogportrait #petportrait #petpainting #oilpetpainting #KarenOliversFineArt

This is a commissioned dog portrait of Piper. I was given a series of photos to choose from. There were a lot of photos of this dog playing but I liked the front on resting face. A quiet time for this busy dog. The background colour started as a warm colour as most of Piper's colouring was in cool tones. Waiting to paint the eyes was different for me as they don't seem to have personality while painting until they are looking at you almost like you are having a conversation. The background was painted with very active brush strokes to show the normal busyness of this loved pup.

"Freedom Lies In Being Bold"
​12" x 12" Original acrylic painting on canvas with 1 1/2" painted sides (no framing required)
#20028118 To buy this painting on sale, click herewww.karenoliversfineart.com/painting-of-the-week.html

This painting is part of a 50's Fashion Series. Travelling together on one bike was both a skill and common. Dressed to be seen and having a blast with your best friend was the feeling I was presenting. A bike provides freedom, time, space and adventures ahead. The title is a quote by Robert Frost and is a reminder to keep that part of being young.
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This started as a series of abstract "play with new colours" mixed media. Starting with collage, marks and mixing the limited palette. Setting it aside and working on other pieces with the same colours, I left them to dry. I often see faces in my abstract work and this was no exception, a lady with a crown kept looking at me so I continued looking and saw a variety of people and objects from my past (won't spoil the view with listing them). You, the viewer will put your own experiences, views and relate in a different way to art...enjoy!

"The Queen's Court"
9" x 9" Mixed Media on watercolour paper,   #20020121

Picture 1 below - starting new mixed media pieces  2. photo in black and white to look at values, as I can't do the artist "squinty eye thing".  3. Work in progress

My friend Karen is helping to update my website and my inventory. Consequently I am looking at some of my favourite work and adding it. This is one of them, an encaustic abstracted landscape or weather view. I love the rich colours and the thick texture in this one!

​ "Winter Weather Coming In"
16" x 12" Framed in a 23" x 19" Burgundy frame, Original encaustic painting #20018121
  This week $300 including shipping in Canada and USA (Regular price $350 without shipping)      #paintingoftheweek #originalencausticpainting #karenoliversfineart #canadianart #abstractedlandscapepainting #winterpainting #originalartwork #paintingforsale #colourfulwinterpainting #canadianartist

I am so excited!!! I now have card sets on this website. My friend Karen has been helping with my website and now offer these beautiful printed cards of my paintings. They are in sets of 4 for $20 (shipping and handling included to Canada and U.S.A.) Please place order them here. 
Florals

Landscapes

From "My Happy Place"

"Beyond Habitat" 
​ Acrylic on water colour paper, max. size 29" x 21"  #20015121
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I took a 2 day workshop with Connie Geerts called "Loose and Large". This was the first painting we worked on, all using our own designs after Connie gave a demo. It felt like speed painting to me with large brushes on a full sheet of gesso'ed water colour paper (30" x 22") and we only had the morning (couple of hours) to work on it, whew!! The bottom left is in the stage I took it back to my studio, then a black and white photo to check for values. I am not sure if I am going to mount it on a canvas, or a board and frame so not sure of the final size.

"Canmore" 
16" x 20" oil on canvas, framed     #20006121  Not For Sale

This is the first painting that I did as a Christmas gift this year. I painted it in oil so it needed about 3 weeks to dry once completed. A friend posted a photo on Facebook of the Three Sisters Mountain range in Canmore Alberta after they did a wonderful river walk. I don't paint from anyone's photo without permission, but did to surprise them with it as a Christmas gift. Their family have created many wonderful memories here.  #paintingmakesmehappy #landscapepainting #canadianartist #originalartwork #giftedpainting #oillandscapepainting
#karenoliversfineart #joyfulpainting #thinkingoffriendswhilepainting