Amphibious Collection
I love frogs and toads, they are just adorable... so when I first started altering paintings, the ideas that first came to mind were amphibious! This collection of art was in the making over the last three years... starting with an Ode to a Toad, I slowly added paintings and studies... finishing up this summer with a couple friendly faces.
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“Frog on a Log in a Bog” This sweet little painting was collected from a local thrift store… and once this song started running through my head, I knew exactly who needed to be added to it! For me, this little piece stirs up feelings of summer and childhood. My daughter asked me if we can keep this one… so this wee little painting is staying with us. Vintage Painting by L. Vandenbrink collected from Encore Thrift Store
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“Snack Time" Watch the Reel of this being painted Grogu has mastered the force to his advantage, floating Sorgan frogs towards his open mouth and growling stomach. This one was a challenge… Grogu’s face is thumbnail size! I don’t know if I’ve ever spent so long painting one square inch of a canvas!
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What I love about this piece is it is quite small, so at a glance what you first see is the landscape. You have to stand close to see the story within the painting… and getting in close also draws your attention to the textures and colours of the original artist’s work. Vintage Painting by unknown artist. This little piece has a lot of nice texture, which I worked around with the floating Sorgan frogs. The canvas itself was loose and saggy in one area, probably where it had been leaned against… but I fixed that by spritzing the back with water, and it shrunk the canvas back to fit the frame. The original has found a home but this piece is still available as digital downloads and prints. The hires scan has perfectly lit and captured every detail of this small painting… so if you have Level 43 eyesight like me, you may prefer a print which is larger than actual size of the artwork to better see it! |
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Bathing Beauty
10x14 inches mixed media on vintage canvas
Original : My own collection
Watch the reel of this being painted
Prints | Digital Downloads
I have a soft spot for toads, and how they shift their colours to match their surroundings. I saw one with colours like this last summer, with fine white details to blend in with the reindeer moss. She was so pretty!
Vintage Painting by E. Jalava : The Jalava family immigrated to Canada in the 1950’s, and they all were skilled painters. I’ve ended up collecting a few of their pieces, probably because they were popular locally so the pieces are easier to find, but I choose them because their vast blank spaces in the composition are perfect for adding in something fun. This is a really pretty little painting just as is, with no damage to the art or frame. Usually I wouldn’t upcycle something so pretty, but I purchased it knowing I wanted to do this with it for my own enjoyment.
Ode to a Toad
10 inches mixed media on vintage canvas
Original : My own collection
Watch the reel of this being painted
Prints | Digital Downloads
One of my very first upcycled pieces and still a fav in my collection. I found this little oil painting in a Brampton thrift store, and had intended to brighten up the colours, because in autumn, evergreens should stay green! However, once this giant toad was happily soaking in the lake, I decided to leave everything else as the colours just worked.
This painting is displayed in my studio beside another, and together they are my Romeo & Juliet! I love that this rustic guy looks lovingly up all day at his beloved, who is bathing serenely in her softly coloured landscape.
Vintage Painting by C. Peter, collected at a thrift shop. This artist has done similar landscapes in larger sizes… very much that style of art that gets discarded because it is a little too brown, or too old looking. So I enjoyed adding a bit of fun, and now it can be appreciated again.
Evening Soak
3.5 x 2.5 feet including original frame
Original - SOLD
Watch the reel of this being painted
I really love the idea of giant toads the size of hippos, wallowing in lakes and enjoying the warm afternoon rays of sun. This large painting is a very commanding piece, full of warmth and texture.
Vintage Painting by G. Witman, Michigan artist prolific in the 70’s with landscapes for sale in department stores. This textured, very brown style of landscape was very popular in the 70’s… but not so popular now! I gave this painting a bit of fun by adding an oversized toad having a soak enjoying the amber sunset.
And last but not least...
A Handsome Toad
original watercolour study
Original : My own collection
Watch the reel of this being painted
Prints | Digital Downloads