Sunflowers and Goldfinches always remind me of summer. I painted this is the middle of winter when it was below zero outside. This painting brought back my feelings of a beautiful summer day and warmed me up!

Lori McNee © 2010

You might enjoy this video of how I painted the sunflowers:

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This still life painting is one of my all time favorites, so I decided to share it with you. The old Indian canteen is one of my prized still life vessels that I own. Believe it or not, I bought it off of eBay! I found myself in a huge bidding war over this piece, but the late 1800’s antique canteen has been worth the big purchase price.

I was inspired by the warm patina on the pottery and wanted to repeat that earthy feeling with the appropriate bird. Like Acoma pottery, the Canyon Wren is from the South West. Wrens are lively little creatures, so I chose a dynamic pose to add a sense of energy to the painting.

Available at Kneeland Gallery

I was inspired by the iridescent blues of the Blue Jay and same beautiful colors repeated in the Chinese vase. Blues have a calming effect on people and are easy to look at and live with.

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The colorful plummage of this parrot inspired me. To me they are colorful like a rainbow. The pose also reminded me of the bend of a rainbow, hence the name!

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Butterflies are mystical and symbolic creatures. I love the way they float softly on the breeze and are able to stay ’just out of reach’. These butterflies are freely lifting from the confines of the box and into the blue.

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Orchid’s Glow is a graceful but minimalistic painting. The rich brownish purples of the antique Satsuma vase harmonize with the warm yellows of the background and little Golden Crowned Kinglet.

This painting is framed in an extra special black and gold custom frame.

AVAILABLE at Kneeland Gallery

This large still life painting displays a regal sense of elegance. The cockatoo is a graceful bird repeats the curves of the vase and the colors of the lilies. It is framed in a beautiful custom soft black frame with gold fillet and gold sgraffito painted gold in the built out corners.

AVAILABLE at Kneeland Gallery

This rustic still life painting was painted during the time of the 2010 Superbowl when the New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts. “Who Dat?” was popularized by the Saints as a chant of team support by the fans. My friend, a big football fan, was visisting my studio and named this painting for me!

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I am inspired by the master Dutch painters who added nests, birds, butterflies and bugs to many of their compositions. Most of you know that birds are used in the majority of my still life paintings, but a monkey was a stretch for me!  

I have always been a firm believer in taking calculated ‘risks’ in life and art. It was time for me to step outside of my own artistic comfort zone and I am pleased with the results. In fact, now I have many other new ideas swirling around in my head - and that’s how it all works! We can’t help but grow from our challenges and discomfort.

Available at Kneeland Gallery: Sun Valley, Idaho

Orchids and hummingbirds are some of my favorite things. I chose to paint this still life scene as if the birds stopped in for a short respite.

I like the contrast between the graceful orchid blossoms and  dainty hummingbirds with the rustic antique Chinese flask atop an altar table.

In nature though, hummingbirds do not pollinate the scentless orchids. Nineteenth century artist, Martin Johnson Heade popularized painting hummingbirds and orchids together in tropical environments.