Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Sporty/outdoorsy mom, foodie mom, or artsy mom… We have gift ideas for all the wonderful moms!

Sporty Mom

To help her stay active, and to spend more time in the glorious outdoors, consider these gifts.

This portable camping hammock to help her relax.

This Pickleball Set to get her started playing the fastest-growing sport in the world!

These binoculars to help her spot birds, and other wildlife.

Foodie Mom

This set of bougie truffle hot sauces for next taco night.

A NutriBullet for making smoothies to-go.

An AeroGarden to grow fresh herbs year-round, right in the kitchen.

Artsy Mom

This print of Sleeping Lady, a.k.a. Susitna Mountain.

This Beer Art Coloring Book to help her relax with a beer.

Or a gift-certificate to Real Art Is Better, so she can commission an oil painting of anything she wants.

No matter how you do it, make sure you make mom’s day special — she deserves every bit of effort!

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Commissioned Paintings for Holiday Gifts

Every holiday season I get a lot of requests for commissions, so this year we decided to cap the number of paintings to only 10.  Somehow that list filled up quickly, and as I finished them one by one, more orders came in.  In total I ended up painting 25 commissioned paintings.  Each one was approved and accepted by the patron (sometimes after minor changes), and arrived in time for the holidays.  We mailed paintings to many places around the country like Texas, Virginia, Oregon, and a couple were even mailed to Belgium.  They were commissioned as gifts for spouses, co-workers, significant others, parents, and close friends.  Each painting had a special story behind it, and I loved being in on the surprise.  My favorite painting was the portrait my brother commissioned of his wife.  I suggested a parody of the Mona Lisa with personal touches that symbolized important parts of my sister-in-law’s life.  Her reaction was priceless, and we got it on video (see below).  We take a picture of every painting that leaves the studio, so here is a slideshow of the paintings I made this holiday season (click on the pictures to view a slideshow).  They are all oil paint on wood panel, framed in a natural ash wood frame.  If you’d like to commission one, just let me know.

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #43, October 22, 2015

Whistler’s Mother, or Arrangement in Gray and Black was originally painted by James McNeill Whistler in 1871. The original painting is quite large at 56 x 64 inches. My parody with beer is 11 x 14 inches. The original painting is considered one of the best examples of American Victorian paintings done outside the USA. Whistler’s original painting is displayed and held in the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, France where it has lived since its purchase in 1891. This painting has been described as an American icon, as well as a Victorian Mona Lisa.

Whistler describes it as a composition of grays and form. He mentioned, of course, that since it is a painting of his mother, he has different emotions about it considering the content, but due to his formalist outlook on his painting he figured that other people would only be able to view it as a painting of grays and shapes. Ironically this image is looked at as an important icon for the adoration of parents, which is far from what the artist expected. It is such a strong icon that Americans have recreated it hundreds of times. It has been in three Simpsons episodes, as well as made into a postage stamp, and is also a larger than life sculpture at the Mother’s Memorial in Ashland, PA. I hope you find it humorous to see Whistler’s mother enjoying a pint while she rests. Obviously she is a huge fan of beer in my interpretation, as she also is the proud owner of a beer painting hanging on her wall.

Cheers to mothers everywhere! I think she’s drinking a glass of Mother Ale from Denali Brewing, or perhaps Mama’s Little Yella Pils from Oscar Blues. Or you can imagine it to be your mother’s favorite brew.

The original oil painting, and limited-edition prints are available for sale at my Etsy shop.

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #43 by Scott Clendaniel. October 22, 2015. Whistler’s Mother with Beer. 11″x14″, oil on panel.

Year of Beer Paintings – Day 99!

Aloha!  Today is day 99 of my Year of Beer Paintings project!  Wow!  Every day from now on I will be setting a new record for the largest beer painting series of mine!  My last series had 99 beer paintings (99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall in 2011).  They were totally different, but every beer painting series is.

A year ago I was right here in Hawaii!  I was sad because I had to return to Alaska and I had heard that it was snowing in Anchorage.  Well, now I am back for three whole weeks and the fun has just begun!  Today’s daily beer painting is of Mama’s Little Yella Pils from Oskar Blues Brewery in Colorado!  I have really started to like this brewery, so as a litmus test I tried the Pilsner in a can.  Nothing wrong here, just a highly drinkable yellow pilsner in the Czech style, although it tastes like a craft American pils to me.  I believe there is American malt in this one.  Using my “beer force” I sensed Noble hops, tasted like Saaz to me.

So I was looking into the backstory on the name.  I think Oskar Blues is referring to Valium, which is a little yellow pill.  It must be an analogy to the beer being yellow and also relaxing to drink.  My mom usually sips on instant coffee, never beer, which just doesn’t have the same effect.  Maybe I will buy her a sixer and see how long it sits in the fridge (at least I will have something tasty to drink when I stop by to visit).

Here’s to beer!  Oskar Blues, I honor you by making Mama’s Little Yella Pils the 99th beer in my series!  I wish I had another right now here in Hawaii!  Cheers!

You can purchase this painting, or a limited-edition print at my Etsy Shop.

View the complete Year of Beer Paintings gallery.

Year of Beer 04.09. Mama’s Little Yella Pils by Oskar Blues Brewery. Oil on panel, 8″x10″.