Author Archives: janellmithani

Birds and Fairies…Finished Painting!

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WOO HOO!  I finished my bird and fairy painting today!  I have had a lot of fun painting this piece. I giggled a lot when I painted the fairy and the birds next to her.  After much deliberation with a few girlfriends, mom and sis, I decided on a title:  “Morning Chit Chat”

Moring Chit Chat bird and fairy painting by Janell Mithani

We had quite a few really good titles texting back and forth, so it was pretty hard to decide.  Here are a few other names I considered: “Night out on the branch,” “Rumor has it…,” “Got any gossip?,” and “Any news from the fairy realm?”

Some were pretty funny, like “I thought we owned this branch, is she paying rent?”  or my mom remembered a line from a song “May the bluebird of happiness fly up your nose!” (I have to say that one gave me a whole new idea for another painting. ) 🙂

My second choice was “Birds of a feather flock together.”

Here is a picture of me finishing up the details on the fairy. Note the paint on my middle finger…it’s my “other brush” that I love to use.

Janell Mithani working on painting Morning Chit chat

Here is the painting on my easel. (Please ignore the messy studio surrounding it!)

Morning Chit Chat painting in studio of Janell Mithani

And another view…

Photo of Painting morning chit chat by Janell Mithani on her easel in studio

And here is another picture of the finished painting…

Moring Chit Chat bird and fairy painting by Janell Mithani

Morning Chit Chat, Acrylic on canvas, 18″ x 36.”

I would love to hear what you think of this painting and other title ideas. I finished it just in time to put in a group art show on Saturday. I also think I will make art prints since I love it so much.

Have a wonderful, creative, day, Janell

 

Birds and a Fairy In Process

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“Excuse me, but this is our branch!”  I still have quite a bit to do on this painting, but I thought I would share my progress.  I have had a lot of fun with this piece and find myself giggling every time I look at the bird next to the fairy.

Painting in process of birds and fairy by Janell mithani

Life was being much too serious lately, so I decided my art needed to lighten things up.  🙂

This painting evolved from combining a group of sketches and then I drew in the branch.  Once I started painting, I decided the birds should all be the same kind.   I think the little fairy was thinking she would blend in with her blue hair and they wouldn’t notice her!  🙂

sketch of bird and fairy painting by Janell MithaniI was hoping to have it finished last weekend,  but I have been distracted by “stuff” that has to get done!   Hopefully, I will get time to finish it this weekend.

Have a wonderful, creative, day, Janell

MOSS Painting

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This is my first painting for 2015.  Can you tell I’m already thinking of spring?  🙂

Moss by Janell Mithani

Moss, acrylic on canvas, 24″ x 24″

I’ve been thinking a lot about the “WHY” I paint what I paint lately.  I’ve always loved fairies and nature.  I grew up out in the country and spent a good share of my childhood, hiking in the woods.  In my paintings, I reflect on those moments and feel that my feminine characters draw strength from the trees, wind, and nature that surrounds them.   One of the things that inspires me the most, is the strong stillness I feel when I am alone and surrounded by nature.

“Moss is a feminine character who draws her strength from the moss-covered trees that surround her. She came to me in my dreams, found her way into my sketchbook and inspired me to paint her with one of her beloved trees.”

Have a wonderful, creative day, Janell

My Week Flew By…

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We had a great time at our art gallery reception last week and time has flown by so fast, I forgot to do my weekly post!  I am still working on getting the pictures downloaded and posted to my blog, and I will share them soon.  Since I don’t have any new art this week, I thought I would share a funny story that happened to me a few weeks ago while I was putting away all my art and supplies after exhibiting in a Saturday art walk…

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I was pretty tired when I returned home, so I waited until Sunday morning to unpack my van.

I left one of the french doors open (as I often do when I am painting) while I was loading everything back into my studio that is in our back garden.  About half way through unloading,  I walked into the studio with an arm-load full and found a little bird had flown in and was flying in circles around my studio.

I immediately dropped everything and started frantically running around the studio opening the windows and popping out the screens as I was so worried he would fly into a window or screen and hurt himself.  I tried everything to help him find the door!  I quickly opened the other french door so he would have a large open area to fly out, but he seemed to have forgetten how he came in.  I tried shooing him, going outside and calling him (Like he was going to come to me like a dog! HA!.)  I pointed at the door a hundred times, but he just didn’t seem to listen!  I am sure he was as panicked as I was and I was so afraid he was going to hurt himself before I could help him get outside.  I even had to duck a couple of times as he flew straight at me. (Could be my bright red hair was an attraction?)  He was so clever, I got him to land on the end of my ruler, my hand, a paintbrush, the end of a broom, but then he would fly back into the studio every time I got close to an open door or window.

After about thirty LONG minutes,  he decided to hide between a blanket that was draped over a chair and we both calmed down a bit.  After I caught my breath, I gently scooped him into the bottom of my shirt and headed towards the open french doors.  When I got close to the door, he flew off and landed on the door frame and then hopped out onto the porch.  A second later, he turned his head to look at me (I swear he raised his eyebrow) and then flew off into our lemon tree.  I watched him for a few minutes to make sure he was OK, he seemed to be fine, and then he flew off to the telephone wire to hang out with his buddies.

Whew! What a bizarre, worry-some few moments!

OK… I am laughing about it now and thinking how funny I must have looked running around while this little bird was flying around the top of my studio.  And I probably made it worse by running around to open all the doors and windows.  I am not sure what kind of bird it was. (Where were all my bird watching friends when I needed them!)  But I think it was a wren.  Possibly a house wren?  Because he flew into my “house”? 🙂

Have a wonderful,  creative day!

Janell