Get Back In Your Book

Get Back In Your Book, a set by Lissy Elle on Flickr.

Amazing photos - with a couple of characters you just might recognize from a book you have read.....Get back in your book!

Have fun,

Denise

Melissa, my daughter is graduating next Friday, May 14th!

Melissa Ann Hall

May 14, 20010

Doctorate of Pharmacy
and Clinical Research


HOORAYYYYYYYYYYY!

We are so happy for you
and are going to really
celebrate!!!

Mrs. Escalier, Janis Gallagher's Mother

This beautiful woman is the mother of Janis Gallagher. Her grandson, Andrew is the next painting down - so be sure to read the post concerning his painting. If you go through the archives you will also find the first of the Gallagher family portraits, sister Allison. I hope I am not finished with this fine family yet! They have all been truly a joy to work with as well as (and especially as) paint! If you note a sound of excitement in my typing - you are right. They have all been "easy" to paint - for some odd reason. I have trials and tribulations usually but the karma must be working for myself and the Gallaghers. We are even contemplating a family portrait since my luck or karma or whatever seems to be working so well so far!

Now to the grand painting of one of my favorite senior citizens - Janis' Mom. Janis wanted a tribute to her Mother at the age of 80 - a special birthday present. Her mother's smile comes from way down inside - she is a joy to be around, and of course her family adores her. The idea of a small portrait came to mind. We decided to look through some family pictures and paint her at a wee younger age - (mine to be almost exact) I usually take my own pictures and paint from those or life. The picture we found just happened to have great one source lighting and showed all of what I needed to see. The bonus is - I already had gotten to know her some through the painting of her two grandchildren, Allison and Andrew - so that helps me a lot.

I think it fell together nicely and it was presented to her at her birthday party - then returned to me for the varnishing months later. She was pleased as well as the family. I loved every minute of this painting - especially those electric eyes and warm, inviting smile. She is wonderful!!

Portrait of Andrew Gallagher

Andrew Gallagher's smile truly does light up a room. He could charm the socks off an NBA basketball player! I really didn't think there would be any way I could capture that feeling he conveys from others when you see him in person. I do think that the finished portrait is a close second. By now he has grown a foot and at least Janis and Ed will always remember that little boy who posed on the stool in their sitting room at the ripe old age of 5 everytime they walk by this portrait. I'm very proud of it and all I can say is the subject was totally inspiring!

Romeo so cute

Romeo so cute
Originally uploaded by denisedh

Romeo is watching me paint my newest portrait or Mrs. Escalier, so until I post the finished product - Romeo is all you get!

Romeo is one of my two black toy poodles and is 6 months old. His half sister, Coco lives with him too, along with Roxy our 9 year old shih-tzu.

Summer is over....memory

Portrait Exhibition Party at Anne Whitehurst's

Recently my paintings were gathered up from nearby customers and elegantly exhibited at the beautiful home of a good portrait friend and client, Anne Whitehurst. Her home is in Greenville, N.C. We had an open house atmosphere with great food and wine for potential clients and past ones as well. It was a wonderful evening and I think I enjoyed it more than anyone. Just seeing all the paintings I had worked on for years together in one place was overwhelming. Thanks goes to Anne for organizing everything and working so hard to make it a special day for me - and it truly was!! Enjoy all the pictures taken by my daughter, Camille.

Pictures from the exhibition

The Twins - 24x30 portraits

Twins Portraits Finished October, 2008

Portrait of Anna

This is a 10x12 painting of Anna Day.

It is very thin oilpaint. I had been studying the Bouguereau painting Venus with Doves, which is at the Ackland gallery in Chapel Hill. It is a very nice unfinished painting of his.

ARTIST
William BouguereauFrench, 1825-1905
MEDIUM
Oil on canvas
DATE
circa 1879
DIMENSIONS
Overall: 32 1/8 x 18 3/8 in. (81.6 x 46.7 cm)
CREDIT
Ackland Fund

Marsh Paintings

Two small paintings of marshland around Oak Island, NC. These are unfinished - oil on linen.