Hibiscus SOLD

oil on canvas panel 8x6 inches

It was SO good to get back to painting this morning! When I started to tone my canvas an unexpected glee hit me...kinda like a drink of water when you're really thirsty. Know what I mean? This is a flower off my backyard hibiscus which is finally blooming its heart out. It took a lot of patience and fertilizer to get this to happen, so I decided to celebrate with paint.

Lazy-Eyed Egg-sold

oil on canvas panel 6x6 inches

sold

Lots of daily painters paint cracked eggs. I've always thought it was an odd subject, but it was fun to paint. I did this one just before we left on our trip. Maybe it's just me, but I almost always see a face in them...hence the title.

We had a wonderful trip, but it's good to be home and tomorrow I'll get back to my painting routine. Hooray!

Megan's View

My daughter's friend, Megan and her family overlook this beautiful valley outside Salt Lake City. It was just before sunset, and the light was perfect for a painting. I knew that by the time I set up my paints it would be too late, so I snapped some photos instead.


Here is the result painted from my laptop a few days later while in Idaho. There are some aspects of the painting I like, but I didn't capture the afternoon light the way I would have liked. Maybe I'll paint it again sometime from a photo. Sure wish I had had a few hours on site with my oils! Tomorrow morning we leave for the drive home.

Butterfly SOLD

watercolor on paper 7x7 inches

I'm posting today from Meridian, Idaho while visiting family. Finding a wireless connection has been the main challenge while traveling. I found a bit of painting time today and worked from a photo I had taken in Utah projected on my laptop screen. I'll post it the next chance I get. In the meantime, the painting above is a recent class demonstration. We worked from a good friend's photograph, and took a very realistic approach at my students' request.

Succulent Western Beef SOLD

oil on canvas panel 12x9 inches

Tonight I'm posting from Sprindale, Utah, just outside beautiful Zion National Park. We drove most of the day, but late in the afternoon my grandsons and I enjoyed a fabulous hike. No time to paint today so this is one I did last summer when I began small almost daily paintings.

Brush Washer SOLD

oil on canvas panel 8x6 inches

Brush washers are fairly common subjects for daily painters. I can see why. I loved trying to capture both the metallic feel and oily grunge on the surface. The subtle rainbow of muted colors along with the reflected greens are the most interesting aspects.
Monday morning I leave for Idaho. I'm taking my watercolors and hope to paint. This will be my first attempt at posting while traveling...I'm really excited to give it a try!

Roses SOLD

watercolor on Arches 11x15 inches

Here's something I painted last year. While visiting our son and his family in Idaho, I took some pictures of their beautiful roses out front. Three of those photos were references for this painting. Next week we'll head out for another visit...I can't wait to see them! (The family, not the roses!)

Oranges & Cherries SOLD

oil on canvas panel 6x8 inches

This one gave me trouble. Not the oranges or cherries, but that dastardly background! The cutting board surface was a blah color that looked fleshy in the painting. The foreground worked, but not the back....so I painted it black! That made for some nice contrast with the oranges, but upon a fresh look this morning...a Halloween look! Ugh! I painted it over--whew! I think it works well.

On another note: For those of you watching my figure painting studies, a week ago tonight was our last class. Over the ten weeks I started out strong and thought I would just do better each week. It seems logical, but last week was a struggle and I wiped it out! It was frustrating and humbling. Over the long haul we daily painters get better and better, but over the short haul we still have ups and downs...a lesson I have to learn and re-learn.
"PAINT A LOT OF PAINTINGS AND SOME OF THEM WILL BE GOOD." Unknown

Silver With Green Grapes -sold

oil on canvas panel 6x6 inches
click here to bid
Wanting to paint green and violet again, I placed the grapes and silver baby cup on a lavender cloth. I toned my canvas with yellow-green (you can see peeking through slightly). The undertone grayed the lavender which worked nicely with the silver. The cup had a "bump" around it which reflected my orange shirt and painting arm. I'm really happy with this one.

Plein Air Chino Hills

oil on canvas panel 8x10 inches

This view is off English road overlooking one of the many horse properties. The bright green grass and violet blooms of Jacaranda trees caught my eye. I finished fairly quickly (for me) and it's a good thing...just about then it was brought to my attention that I was standing on private property. Oops! Next time he said I have to check in at the equine hospital...something about vandalism. I found out when I got in my car that it was 92 degrees. No wonder I was too hot to do any vandalizing, only a quick painting.

Nile Queen In A Jar SOLD

oil on linen panel 8x6 inches

My little furball and I went scavenging the neighborhood landscaping and came up with these Queen Of The Nile lillies. At least I think that's what they are!!! I don't classify 'em--just paint 'em. They were just starting to open. The subtle grays make for a calm feel overall.

Hummingbird SOLD

oil on linen panel 6x6 inches
sold
This little hummer was painted at the request of a friend. I used my own lantana in a jar, and a photo reference for the bird.

Old Window-sold

oil on canvas panel 6x6 inches
click here to bid
This old window was perhaps part of a cabinet of some sort. Purchased to give me a reflective surface, I wound up instead loving the glass knob and tag! The objects are on black velvet. I like the old soft feel of the wood, tag and string.

Paint Like A Girl

watercolor on Arches 12 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches

And now for a bit of whimsy...one of my brush holders poses for her portrait.

Black Velvet Apples SOLD

oil on canvas panel 6x6 inches

Still on my red and black kick, I decided to really push the idea of a tiny bit of light in a predominantly dark painting, hence the black velvet. The apples were super (I mean super) shiny. What do they put on those things in the store? Anyway, thought that would work nicely with reflections on glass. My biggest problem was that the apples were so shiny they reflected the white sides of my shadow box!! I had to eliminate those large reflections (didn't read right) and then invent what I couldn't see. The stems are my favorite part.

Cherries & Chilies SOLD

oil on canvas panel 6x6 inches
sold
I don't usually post on Sundays, but I am so pleased with the painting from last night I just had to share! With the day's chores done, hubby happily snoring upstairs and no ringing phone, late at night is probably my most enjoyable time to paint. The color scheme is strong, so I carefully considered placement for a strong pattern of lights and darks. I wasn't sure I could get the reflections in black glass, but "it's just value and shape" I told myself---it worked!

It's fitting especially today that I sincerely thank Carol Marine for her encouragement and instruction. I attended her workshop in February, which gave me the tools to start my blog. She mentioned my blog on hers recently, and I'm so grateful for her continued support. Her influence is visible in the above painting! Check out her blog---especially if you are a painter!

Flower In Amber Bottle-sold

oil on linen panel 8x6 inches
click here to bid
This little amber bottle is a thrift store gem. To keep the flower in the limelight, I purposely included just part of the bottle, and yet it steals the show!!!

Pretty In Pink

oil on linen panel 6x6 inches

not for sale
After a few days of plein air painting it was nice to go back to still life.

Plein Air At Graber Olive House SOLD

oil on canvas panel 6x8 inches

Not too far from our home, Graber Olive House produces the most delicious tree ripened olives and has been doing so since 1894. They graciously welcomed our fairly large group of painters onto their property today. The mosaic is so representative of the company, I wanted to include it in the painting in a suggestive way, allowing the open door to remain the focal point. The crooked doormat contrasted nicely with all the rectangles.

Plein Air At La Verne Heritage Park

"Back Porch Laundry"

oil on canvas panel 9x12 inches

sold

This little nostalgic scene captured my interest right away. My grandmother had a washtub and ringer on her back porch in Arkansas. When I was little I watched my mother pull clothespins out of a bag and hang all our laundry on a line. The laundry days of the past were so different! I really enjoyed painting this scene.