Mikkela's Art Portfolio

A Tree Icon

mikkela — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 23:17:26 +0000

An Icon of a Tree

Weddings are when I think of the tree of life. In preparation for each tree portrait, I focus my attention on the wedding couple. This wedding was in a Russian Orthodox church.

10,000 BC

mikkela — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 17:02:13 +0000

Sunset on a winter's day in New Mexico.

Here’s “North Mountain” in the San Pedros, New Mexico… as it would have appeared at sunset on a snowy winter day in 10,000 BC.

Proud 101

mikkela — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:30:36 +0000

Art is like knowledge. Let’s share, inspire, teach, and motivate! I’m proud to be an art mentor. Check out my friend’s blog: http://jasonandthegoldenpose.wordpress.com/2010/10/15/naked-networking/

A Lazy Afternoon

mikkela — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:16:10 +0000

Certain days remain intact as jewels in the memory. Years ago, I was invited out to a family farmstead in the Danish countryside. We, the younger city generation, lolled about in the garden, drinking rose hip tea and channeling the artsy in us. This is the drawing I produced that afternoon. The house is a traditional thatch roof farmhouse with two wings, or lengths. Many farms have four lengths surrounding a courtyard.

Danish Farmhouse, pen on paper, 8 x 10

Artwork for My Cookbook

mikkela — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:24:11 +0000

I was looking through my artwork and I found these to use for my soon to be written cookbook.

Eggplant and Green Onions, watercolor, 8 x 12

Mushrooms and an Onion, watercolor, 8 x 12

A Breakthrough in Color

mikkela — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:27:46 +0000

This friend is my cover girl and one of my biggest cheerleaders… making this a fun portrait to paint. This painting was done with only four tubes of paint. The warmth is created by the exclusion of blue.

Jacquette with Feather Earring, oil on canvas, 12 x 8

Enough Soul to Paint Abstract

mikkela — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:03:35 +0000

As a figurative and representational artist, it’s always been harder for me to paint what I cannot see. That said, if someone or something is in front of me, I can see so much more than what is evident. This painting called, “Under the Elms” is a wedding gift and a tribute to my grandparents who survived WWII. It is an abstract, of sorts, because the recipient likes abstract modernist art. I aim to please.

Under the Elms, acrylic on canvas, 10 x 8

Painting On Location

mikkela — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:08:50 +0000

Painting on location, or plein air, can be as uncomfortable as one can imagine. When I painted this charming scene on the River Deben in southern England, I was sick as a dog with extreme hay fever, and could barely see, let alone hold my brush. A nice group of water color painters allowed me to join them, and made sure that I didn’t fall into the river. All these years later, it’s nice to have the painting so I can see what I can’t recall about that afternoon.

The River Deben, oil on canvas, 10 x 8

Playing Dress Up

mikkela — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:50:16 +0000

With a ton of makeup on in a Geisha style and wearing a vintage silver dress, I modeled for a photographer friend… then I painted this persona from a resulting photo. It was fun day of dress up.

A la Geisha, oil on canvas, 12 x 8

I was happiest with how silky the cheek looks.

The Artist’s Muse

mikkela — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:41:43 +0000

One of my friends who was, and is, an excellent artist’s muse and model. The dress was vintage, from an imagined elegant era, and she was feeling pensive, like an Irish afternoon.

The Green Dress, oil on canvas, 20 x 16