It's Halloween & a Winner has been selected!

Happy Halloween!  The winner of my painting give away is Jacki Newell.  Yay!!  Jacki is a talented painter, check out her daily blog and paintings:  here.  I'm thrilled to give Pear Boat to a fellow artist.  Congratulations, Jacki.

Thanks so much to everyone who subscribed for the give away and those of you who have been longtime subscribers too.  I have so much fun with these give aways-- and this won't be the last one.  As long as you are subscribed, you will always be entered to win!

In related news:  All those tidy little emails in a pottery jug, who can resist!  We picked five more.  Additional winners will receive a small original floral (or vintage Pinocchio) painting on canvas panel.  Congratulations!  (You've been notified via email!)

Lily on Gold 16x20 white flower original painting

Lily on Gold   Oil & acrylic on stretched canvas   16" x 20"   SOLD
Click image to see bigger.
Diane@DianeHoeptner.com

A little while back I raved about wanting to paint bigger...but I had made the decision to stick with "what I do best" i.e. smalls between now and the end of the year.  Yeah, no.  I couldn't wait...  I'm really enjoying the bigger work.  The painting above has GOLD acrylic in the background, too much fun.     
In other news:  If you haven't already, please subscribe to this blog.  Sign up in the box at the top of the right sidebar!  You will be entered to win my painting, Pear Boat.  I will pick at random a lucky subscriber on Halloween.  If you are already reading this post in your email?  Great.  Thanks and don't forget to check your email on Halloween!

Full Moon Trio +a GIVE AWAY you should enter.

Full Moon Trio   Oil & Acrylic on stretched canvas   20" x 20"  NFS
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Diane@DianeHoeptner.com

This painting employs "broken paint" a term I learned from gallery owner Rich Cihlar--  The bottom layer is acrylic and the daisies are oil...  Broken paint brushwork lets the bottom layer show through with not a lot of blending.  It's usually kinda hard to pull off.  I don't know maybe the stars lined up for me today.  The golden yellow petals have sparkly turquoise showing through and it looks very cool up close.  Says me.  If you can't tell, I'm really happy with this painting!

Only a few days left to enter and win "Pear Boat!"  Subscribe to receive my blog posts--and you WILL be entered to win on Halloween.

The Joy of the Interwebs

Ya never know what you'll find on the interwebs:  Case in point, a perfect stranger from Russia named Alexander Smolyaninov made a video of my paintings and he posted it on YouTube.  Apparently, he does this as a goodwill gesture to promote artists of his choosing.  He showcased some of my best paintings...  and for that I am grateful! 

In other interweb news:  I was the featured artist on Emptyeasel.com recently! Lisa Orgler wrote a remarkable review.  She said my floral still lifes feel "solid" and "stable."  ...and that makes me really happy.  Both my website and blog had increases in traffic, thanks to these posts! 

As my art reaches more people, I feel both excited and humbled.  The internet is an amazing thing.

On the Ropes daisy painting still life

On the Ropes   Oil on wood  6" x 8"
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Linus Pauling said "The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas."  The same goes for painting.  If you want to make a good painting, make lots of paintings!  The book Art & Fear by David Bayles & Ted Orland talks about that too:  A ceramics teacher suggests that one half of the class will be graded based on "quantity" and the other on "quality."  At the end of the semester, the students who were to be graded per pound had made many quality pieces.  The students assigned to "quality" spent too much time theorizing about perfection and had "little more to show for their efforts than grandiose theories and a pile of dead clay."  I love that!  When my paintings aren't nearly as good as I intended, I try to move on quickly and not FRET.  In this sort of situation, more really is better.

My painting "Pear Boat" will be awarded to a random subscriber on Sunday!  If you haven't already done so, please subscribe to this blog to enter.

Yellow Bundle floral still life painting

Yellow Bundle Oil on wood 6" x 8"
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New paint brushes are good.  Today's (new!) brush of choice was a round #4, perfect for this 6x8 painting.  I wear brushes out pretty quickly and I put off throwing them out.  When I finally do get around to re-stocking I'm always so delighted with the difference.

Holly Berry christmas illustration

Holly Berry Branch Oil on wood 8" x 10" N/A
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Diane@ DianeHoeptner.com

A little while back I wanted to paint Christmas holly for a project.  I shopped several places for plastic holly thinking I'd fake it...  Well, the only stuff I could find was so cheesy, I knew there would be no faking it so I gave up.  Fast forward to yesterday, we're at my Mother in Law's house and she had the most perfect holly bush right in the front yard!  Who knew they grew in Ohio?!  Truth be told, I didn't know if holly grew on bushes or trees or what.  So, happy, happy, joy.  I snipped a few branches and voila!  Maybe I'll use this painting on Christmas cards this year. 

If you are receiving this post in your email box for the first time, welcome and thanks ever so much for subscribing to my blog!  I value your readership and I'll try to keep things entertaining.

Diane Hoeptner Free Painting GIVE AWAY

It's a painting give-away!  "Pear Boat" is an original oil painting by yours truly and measures 8" x 10."  It is on cradled wood with painted sides and it is ready to hang as-is.  Utrecht Cleveland awarded Pear Boat an Honorable Mention in this year's Your Show exhibit, yes indeedy! 


All you have to do is enter your email address in the subscription box at the top of the right sidebar.  Follow the instructions.  Not only will you be entered to win this painting, you'll receive my blog posts in your email!  If you already receive my blog updates you are already entered to win! 


Last time I did a give-away the response was so exciting.  With dreadful winter just around the corner, a give-away is just what the doctor ordered!  Now, unlike last time leaving a comment will not enter you in the give away, nor will emailing me.  Smoke signals will be ignored. Special consideration may be given to entrants sending fresh flowers from exotic locations.  (Kidding) You must subscribe!!


Subscribe now!  An email address will be randomly chosen and notified (via email) on Halloween.  Good luck!  

Monday's Muse oil painting cat cleveland ohio

Monday's Muse   Oil on wood   SOLD
Click image to see bigger. Diane@DianeHoeptner.com

Something different today...  my Layla kitty.

A little birdie told me my paintings will be featured on emptyeasel.com this week...  Perhaps that will bring new blog visitors which is always fun.  Yay!

Pinks oil painting of red pink tulips

Pinks Oil on wood 12" x 12"
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Diane@DianeHoeptner.com

Can't believe how fast winter is approaching here in Northern Ohio!  Some of the trees are already bare...  Hoping to score some good flowers at Trader Joe's this week, need fresh inspiration!  

I love how this painting turned out, I've painted variations on this composition before, this one is my favorite so far.  To see more tulip paintings, click here.

Tangerine Medley

Tangerine Medley   Oil on wood   8" x 8"   SOLD
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Diane@DianeHoeptner.com

This painting, Tangerine Medley was one of the first times I combined fruit with flowers, I LOVE this painting. First time around, I posted a crappy photo of it.  Regular readers to this blog know I frequently vow to "re-photograph this when the paint dries."  It's a challenge!  Even with a photo tent dark paint doesn't photograph well, wet paint will show streaks & spots of white where the light hits the wet ridges-- Anyway, here's a new photo of Tangerine Medley.  I am thrilled with the quality and accuracy of this photo and of course now I'm tempted to grab a bunch more and re-photograph those too.  To see the original posting of this painting, click here.



My Sister and me at my opening at the Shoreby Club last Thursday.

Shoreby Club Reception

Last night was the reception for my exhibit at the Shoreby Club.  The club provided a wonderful selection of wines, crackers, nuts and cheese--  all from a luxurious lake view room.  There was valet parking for the guests and it was all much like a dream.  Can't say enough nice things about the staff there:  Thank you for a wonderful evening!!  ...and a special thanks to everybody who took the time to come and see my new work!!   (I won't ever post a person's picture without their permission.  Above, my dear Mom and me in the middle, husband shot this photo.)  

Later that night, we hopped over to the Cleveland Utrecht store just in time to catch the awards ceremony.  I got an honorable mention for "Pear Boat."  Quite a bit of excitement, really.  Fun was had by all.  Nights like this are a reminder that I don't get out nearly enough.

Three another fruit still life

Three  Oil on wood   8" x 8"  N/A
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Diane@DianeHoeptner.com

More pears.  You'd think I'd grow tired of pears, but you'd be wrong.  I was going to say something incredibly deep & interesting today, but I'm afraid the time got away from me (again.)  It was about my goals for painting vs. my every day reality of painting...  Will have to save those ramblings for another day.  (:  
On a side note:  The picture of the painting above is horrible, I'll take another later when it dries.  Sorry about that.  The sun is starting to disappear faster and I'm always racing to get a shot...

Shameless Self Promotion

Like most artists, I am forever sending paintings out to exhibits and other venues...and later receiving some or all back.  (Hopefully, not all every time right?)  These nine paintings recently came back to me and until they go out again, they are available directly from me.  Find a newly added Buy Now button on each! 

This batch includes an "Honorable Mention," a potential greeting card cover (image of painting sold to card company,) a $95 6"x8" painting and one of my ALL time personal favorites.  To see all nine, click here. 


In other news, I've added "testimonials" to this blog.  Reading what collectors have to say about their Diane Hoeptner paintings puts a smile in my heart. 

If you haven't already, sign up to receive my new blog posts in your email, sign up is in the upper right corner! 

Saturday Still Life oil painting by Diane Hoeptner

Saturday Still Life  Oil on wood   8" x 8"   N/A

Painting busy patterns behind fruit & flowers is a great challenge.  You want the pattern to compliment the focal point but not distract or compete.  I think this is the closest I've come to that, I'm pretty happy with this painting.