Morning on the Lake original painting by Jen Kalz

This morning I had this urge to paint. I had been trying different mediums the past week with pencil and oils. However this morning I wanted to accomplish something. I had a picture saved from a Facebook post a former co-worker and friend posted a few weeks back.

Morning on the Lake

Thank you for posting this beautiful view from your lake house Lori Cross-Schotten 😊

Hooting on a Branch painting by Jen Kalz

Over the last couple of days I was challenged to paint an animal. The last animal I painted was on New Years, my dad's birthday present, with penguins. Owls have been a popular animal recently; you can't walk into a store right now without seeing something with an owl on it.

Hooting on a Branch

After looking various pictures of owls I found a type with long fluffy feathers. This owl looked so cute and cuddly, reminded me of The quote from Despicable Me "He's so fluffy!"

The Vineyard painting by Jen Kalz

After a week on hiatus I was able to sit down and paint again. Today I felt ambitious and worked on a large 18x24 canvas.

Those who have been in my house know gat my kitchen is decorated in a wine theme. That theme served as today's inspiration, a vineyard in its early years.

The Vineyard

This not only combines my love of the vineyard and wine theme but also my love of castles. The old castle wall at the top of the hill just adds an old world charm.

A View of Paris painting by Jen Kalz

Date night at home with the hubby drinking wine and painting themes about Paris. I've never had the chance to visit this amazing city (another bucket item on my list) but I am always mesmerized at some the photographs I see. Tonight's painting was inspired by one of the photographs I saw.

A View of Paris

As I spent the night painting this scene I kept thinking of the Gertrude Stein's quote "America is my country but Paris is my hometown". I think when I do get the chance to visit Paris that I will probably feel the same way.

African Sunrise painting by Jen Kalz

I have always had a fascination with  Africa and its wildlife. The images you find on the web of the bright orange or red sunrises and sunsets are just amazingly beautiful to me. Those images served as last nights inspiration.

African Sunrise

I love the idea of a tree in the middle of nowhere providing protection to wildlife. I imagine a pack of lions lounging under the tree relaxing.

Street Fountain painting by Jen Kalz

I recently was in Tulsa, OK on a business trip. While there over a weekend I had the chance to walk around downtown on my way to meet some co-workers for drinks and dinner. On my way to the restaurant I passed a roundabout intersection with a fountain in the middle. The site of it was so unique and unexpected that of course I took a picture. That fountain was the inspiration for the following painting.

Street Fountain

I completed this painting a couple of nights ago. The building in the background is unique as downtown Tulsa has more office buildings and not a lot of greenery.

Bromeliads painting by Jen Kalz

Today I thought I would do something different from my usual genre. My husband bought a plant for my art studio when he put it together hoping it would be inspiration for a piece at some point. I am not usually one to paint still life images but today I guess I took a walk on the wild side...

Bromeliads

It's not my favorite piece but for a first time painting something like this I think it turned out pretty well.