Sunday, November 27, 2011

My Wall of Santa Paintings!


While I have yet to bring down all the decorations from the attic - I DID begin hanging my Santa paintings a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving.


Every year I add at least one new painting. This year I am doing two.
Actually THREE - two of the same one - so I have one to give at our family's
Chinese Christmas Tree.
Just between you and me - I am hoping my brother in law gets it since the Santa is painting a toy train. And my BIL LOVES and COLLECTS toy trains!


Can you see little Maggie asleep on the love seat?
Talk about having a GOOD life! She is adored and knows it!


This is a 'work in progress' which I sincerely hope to finish within the next two weeks!
Paintings do not HAVE to be finished to get a place on the wall around here!
It's as good a place as any to let them dry!


The Santa for 2010 was painted in July of last year!
It is USUALLY a tradition to paint 'Christmas in July!'
That didn't happen this time with all the work of redoing our bedroom.
I won an award for this one and it hung in North Park Mall last fall.


While NOT a Santa this does look Christmas COLD!


This is Louis Dean's favorite and the one that took the LONGEST to paint!


Painted in 2007 this was the EASIEST!
It was super simple.
Some years I need that!


Another of my all time favorites - and one of the LARGEST!


My LEAST favorite......but once painted the canvas becomes a part of me.
I love it anyway!


I painted this as an 8 X 10 and still regret I did not paint it larger.


Another small 8 X 10.
While not my favorite size to paint - the smaller ones do help fill in the wall arrangement!


While not Santa - it IS a Christmas painting!


Everyone needs a Christmas raccoon!
Or at least I do!
I painted one just like this LONG years ago.
I lost it in the house fire in 1983 so I painted another one last year.
I painted a LOT in 2010!
Not so much in 2011...
Perhaps I will start the 2012 Santa in JANUARY!
I already know which one it will be.....


You see, I CHEATED a bit in my gallery wall.
The 'painting' in the upper right -
next to the very FIRST Old World Santa I painted in 1994 -
and remains my most cherished one -
is a gift bag I found at the Dollar General Store.
I SO want to paint this next year and since I wanted to finish up a totally 'Santa' wall....
I simply framed it.

So my den wall is done!
I am happy with it.
Louis Dean is grateful I haven't hauled all the Christmas 'debris' down yet.
He has enjoyed a quiet day pf playing music and watching football.


I have cleaned house and walked around like I was looking at a blank canvas!


I hung some larger lights around the front door.
My white lights outside stay up year round.

The house is clean.
The stage is set!
Tomorrow morning.......

Let the decorating BEGIN!!

14 comments:

Kelly said...

Wow! You're an excellent painter! Those Santa's are so nice all hanging together on your wall like that. I would've never guessed that one of them was actually a gift bag! Ha! I am looking forward to getting our tree put up tomorrow. We're all little busy beavers this time of year!

Elaine said...

Your paintings are awesome works. How nice they are diplayed for Christmas ..your own art gallery for family and friends to admire,

Warm wishes Elaine

Amber said...

You really do have a full wall now! I loooove the santa painting in the sleigh. That's amazing. You are very talented mom!

Unknown said...

Love it! Now if that wall doesn't put someone in the Christmas mood, I don't know what will!

Blondie's Journal said...

You are such an accomplished painter, Linda...the beauty of your work amazes me! Your wall of Santa's is beautiful! And I LOVE your front door...right out of a Dicken's novel!

XO,
Jane

Bev said...

Wow they look wonderful!!

Judy said...

Oh my goodness! What a beautiful gallery of Santa paintings.

Love the front door. So inviting!

darlin said...

Oh my goodness, you have a gift! I love your paintings, they're amazing. I can't pick out one favorite, there's a few that I love equally and the rest are all astounding. It's awesome to see you have the spirit of Christmas going on, mine is on hold for a bit longer.

I hope you have a fantastic week and have fun finishing decorating!

Lynne said...

Linda,
I'm so glad that you posted a story about your Santa gallery. Your paintings are beautiful. The wall has been transformed into the heart of your Christmas home!

Your front door is looking quite magical!
~Lynne
[w/L]

Carla said...

Wow love the Santa Wall. I like the 3 santa's the best. The one to the right of the Tree. Working on some decorations tomorrow. The front door looks so inviting.

Nita said...

Linda, the den looks gorgeous, so cozy and inviting. The Santa wall is outstanding not to mention unique.
I would love it if your brother in-law ended up with your painting this year.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

YOu are just so amazing. Both your painting, and your holiday decorating.

We started some today, but you look almost all done. And you say you are only beginning.

Do you have fun, My Dear??????? :-) I think you do!!!

Your Joy of Life just vibrates from you... In your blog, through cyber. And we can feel it, where ever we are reading.

Gentle hugs,
"There are so many good shops here. ... One can step out of doors and get a thing in five minutes."
"Northanger Abbey," by Jane Austin

Deb said...

Linda your paintings are awesome..love how you hang them all up for the holidays...

Pondside said...

My goodness, Linda, those are beautiful. Each one is a Christmas treasure!