Painting

Tenley Ohnemus “Loki”

8”x10”, acrylic on canvas, 2026 

This painting is based on a photo that I had been wanting to paint for a long time, and this project gave me the perfect reason to do it. I love this picture of Loki because he looks so peaceful and cute. I wanted to capture that calm, comforting moment and turn it into a painting that feels warm and familiar.

I started by painting the base colors on the canvas. After that, I used tracing paper to trace the photo so I could get the proportions right. Once the outline was transferred, I added details and continued building up the colors and shading to make Loki look more realistic.

When people see pictures of kittens, they often get that “awww” feeling, and I wanted this painting to create that same reaction. The image is meant to remind viewers of a pet from their past and bring back happy or comforting memories. The peaceful pose helps communicate a sense of safety and love.

The most difficult part of this painting was creating the different shades and folds of the blanket. If I were to redo this piece, I would start with the cat details first instead of the blanket. This experience helped me learn how important planning and layering are in realistic painting.

This artwork is realistic in style. What makes it unique to me is my focus on small details, especially in Loki’s face. My favorite parts are his nose and ears because I think they look the most realistic and really capture his personality.

Tenley Ohnemus “A Glimpse of Christmas”
3”x3” , acrylic on canvas, 2026

I started this painting over Christmas break because I love having our Christmas tree up during the holidays. I wanted to focus on a close-up view of a single ornament to challenge myself with painting a round shape. The idea was to capture a small moment from the season rather than the entire tree.

I began with a base layer and then traced a circle where I wanted the ornament to be. I painted the tree branches first since they are part of the background. After that, I added the small circular dots to represent the lights on the tree. I saved the ornament for last so it would stand out as the main focus of the painting.

As the title suggests, this painting represents a simple glimpse of Christmas. The ornament and lights are meant to remind viewers of their own Christmas trees and holiday traditions. I want this piece to bring back feelings of warmth, celebration, and family memories.

The most difficult part of this painting was shading the ornament and mixing the paint correctly to make it look round. Placing the small light circles was also challenging because I often had to add more after painting the branches. If I were to redo this piece, I would change the ornament color to red to make it stand out more.

This artwork is realistic in style. I really like the shading on the ornament because it gives it depth and dimension. I also love the tree branches and how the bright green paint, which was leftover from another project, helped make the painting feel more vibrant and alive.

Tenley Ohnemus “Tulip Fields”
4”x6”, acrylic on canvas, 2026

I got the idea for this painting from a picture I found on Pinterest and wanted to try a perspective-style landscape. I was interested in how rows of flowers could lead the viewer’s eye into the distance. The goal was to create a colorful tulip field on a nice day with a clear blue sky.

I started by painting the sky and then added the green areas at the bottom that separate the rows of flowers. After that, I created a point at the top of the painting to help guide the rows and show perspective. I painted each row using different colors to represent the tulips and blended them as I went.

The rows of tulips represent a peaceful outdoor scene. The bright colors and blue sky are meant to make the viewer think about walking through a tulip field on a warm, clear day. The painting focuses more on the feeling of the place rather than small details.

The most difficult part of this painting was creating the rows evenly and making them look like they were moving into the distance. I had trouble with the perspective and blending and had to ask for help. Some of the finished rows have texture, which helped add interest. If I were to start over, I would use lighter colors for the flowers.

This artwork fits into a realistic landscape style. I feel like the sky shows my personal style because my skies often turn out similar in all of my paintings. My favorite part is the pink flowers and the texture they have, which helps them stand out.