Cosmic Tea Dragon

Title: Cosmic Tea Dragon
Size: 8x10
Medium: Acrylic
Genre: Fantasy

It's always wonderful when a new idea comes along. And this one is Cosmic. Accordingly, I have learned how to do splatter painting, so that the stars will look all right. What's the story? If you drink this tea, your mind will have the strength and firey resolve of a dragon, and the brilliance of a star!

Who Will Win the Golden Key?

Title: Who Will Win the Golden Key?
Medium: Acrylic
Genre: Animals, Fantasy
Size: 5x7 inches

The fish thinks he's got a good chance to take the key...but here comes the octopus. Now, what?

Fish Temple Redux

Title: Fish Temple Redux
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Genre: Fantasy, Animals
Size: 8x10 inches

This is one I started three years ago, and finally finished. Decided it was too barren, so I added some corals and some extra fish. If you search this blog for "fish temple," you can see the original.

The Hatchling

Title: "The Hatchling"
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Genre: Figure, fantasy
Size: 8x10 inches

This is part of a series of the model in the same pose, holding something. In this one, she's embracing a young dragon, just hatched. Her hair, the dragon's tail, and the tree form a triad symbol. There are also triad symbols on her robe. The triad means different things in different cultures, such as mind, body, spirit; thought, feeling, emotion; creation, preservation, destruction; power, intellect, love. In my own thinking, a Dragon symbolizes creativity, power, and wisdom.

Sleeping Mermaid

Title: "Sleeping Mermaid"
Medium: Acrylic on panel
Size: 8x8 inches
Genre: Fantasy

Done from a live model at an art group session, and her dress just said "Mermaid!" to me, so I went with it.

Take a Sip

Title: "Take a Sip"

Genre: Fantasy, Fun Art

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 6x6 inches

Another exploration into an underwater still life, with a fill cup of wine. Bubbles added just for fun.

Happy Dragon

Title: Happy Dragon

Medium: Acrylic

Genre: Fantasy

Size: 6x8 inches

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Miniature acrylic painting on wood panel. Whimsical, cute, happy dragon sitting on a stone, with a cat, a bird, and a butterfly. Also a column and an anthropomorphic tree. Signature in upper left, on column.

Wilderness Teacup

"Wilderness Teacup"
Size: 18x18 inches
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Genre: Fantasy, Imaginative realism, Surrealism, Magical realism

This is about how we modern people relate to wilderness. For many of us, it's a road trip. It's also about the contrast between nature and the amenities of civilization. Both are fragile, yet both have an iconic strength.

Fish Temple

Title: "Fish Temple"
Size:8x10
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Genre: Fantasy

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This painting is a continuation of my exploration of underwater ambiguities. Maybe it's underwater, or maybe these fish have lungs and can fly. I'll let the viewer decide.

References: Dover's "Animals" book, which features over a thousand copyright free images for artists and designers. The Ionic columns are from a photo I took at Symphony Square in Austin, Texas. The seashell is one that hangs out at our house.

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2nd Underwater Teacup

"2nd Underwater Teacup"
5x5 inches
Acrylic on wood panel
Genre: Fantasy, Still Life

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This conveys the idea of an ambiguous envirnment. Is it on land, or underwater? It also conveys the idea of delicacy, a porcelain teacup, and soft sea creatures. Strong, yet vulnerable.

Underwater Teacup

"Underwater Teacup"
Genre: Still Life, Fantasy
Size: 6x6 inches
Medium: Acrylic on wood

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I'm fascinated with the idea of artifacts in a wild or natural setting. I love painting underwater scenes, and I love painting still life objects, and somehow, the two just go together for me.

Space Cafe Merchants

Title: Space Cafe Merchants
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Size: 10 x 8 inches
Genre: Fantasy or SciFi

This character is sitting in his favorite outdoor cafe on a balmy night. He's joined by a fluttery friend, who is really the more powerful and intelligent of the two. The following day they will embark on a uniquely dangerous business venture. At present they are just soaking in the relaxing vibes of an innocuous and fashionable venue.

Ghost with Kingfisher and Orbs

Title: "Ghost with Kingfisher and Orbs"
Size: 6x4 inches
Medium: acrylic on wood
Genre: Fantasy

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This one is limited palette, with thalo blue, vermillion, cadmium red, black, white, and a tiny tiny touch of yellow ochre.  Photo credit for kingfisher: Russ Bridges. The figure is from one of my lifedrawings. And the orbs, well, they just show up on their own. Artist signature is on her belt.

Dude! I Toad You So

Title: "Dude! I Toad You So"

Size: 8x10

Medium: Acrylic on Gessobord panel

Genre: Fantasy

Credits : Frog photo, Richard William Haynes from Photos For Artists Facebook group; gnome, my obliging husband patiently sat on the floor for me; all the rest of it, my imagination.

This one started out with the Frog sitting in a tree, but it just didn't look right, so I put in the black background and the pebbly foreground and things popped. Black backgrounds are a new thing for me and I'm having fun exploring them.

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Wisdom Cometh

"Wisdom Cometh" 3rd in my Monster series. The Monster is the reptilian brain, which has its own charm but doesn't always make the right decisions. The Owl represents the coming of wisdom. The two have got to make friends with each other.

Acrylic on wood panel
5x5 inches  -- it's tiny!

What Shall I Be For Halloween?

"What Shall I Be for Halloween?" A monster contemplates his costume choices. Maybe he will go as Harry Potter. Maybe as an angel. Who knows? As for me, I love Halloween and wanted to get an early start on it this year. I also want to get back to my roots: fantasy and fun art. This is what I enjoy doing the most.

Genre: Fantasy
Medium: Acrylic on panel
Size: 10x8 inches.

Partial Knowledge

"Partial Knowledge"
Medium: Acrylic on stretched canvas
Size: 9x12

The Fish is curious about the key, but if he swallows it, it won't do him any good, and being metal he probably isn't interested in eating it. Meanwhile the Seahorse is studying the keyhole, but his snout isn't going to unlock it. Perhaps the Octopus will help them out.

I wasn't sure about the title, but this is good enough for the time being.

Watermark is NOT on the original painting. I've recently started putting subtle watermarks on my work, to help with marketing. And with other things.

Owl Be Your Friend

"Owl Be Your Friend"
11x14
Acrylic on panel

This was a different palette from what I'm accustomed to using with viridian, alizarin crimson, and napthol crimson taking prominence. It's produced a very cool looking ambience, and that's something else that's new to me. Usually I'm into the warm palettes

Encounter with a Magic Bird

"Encounter with a Magic Bird"
Acrylic on linen panel, 8x8 inches
Genre: Fantasy

©Theresa Taylor Bayer, 2015

I almost painted over this one, but the painting spoke to me and I revised it instead. In the previous version the Bird was decidedly unfriendly. I decided to make him friendlier, and he came out looking sort of neutral, and I really like that. I also redid the color to give it a more oldfashioned feel.

In the earlier version the Bird symbolized the Inner Critic, but he has morphed into the power of Creativity, which is neutral, and can be used for both constructive and destructive purposes. If the Bird is befriended, beautiful things can happen.

Witch Pumpkin

"Witch Pumpkin" 5x7 ink, colored pencil, and gouache, on ivory toned bristol paper (acid free, lignin free). 

Below is an older version from years ago in acrylic. I wanted to make the new version more lively and full of fun characters. 

Both versions ©Theresa Taylor Bayer

"Witch Pumpkin" ACEO acrylic on illustraiton board, sold.