Apricot Half

oil 8x8 inches magnify/purchase Third in the series: "three things on a ledge."

Colman's Mustard

oil 8x8 inches magnify/purchase Motivation is high. I have a partial answer to the relentless question, "What am I going to paint today?" Answer: three things on a ledge. This is the second in the series.

Apricot & Blue On A Ledge

oil 8x8 inches magnify/purchase This strong design really appeals to me. Might be a series coming up: three things on a ledge. This big apricot is from the little fruit stand on Balboa Island. I couldn't believe how big they were. Beautiful color, and yummy too.

Orange & Blue, Palette Knifed

oil 6x8 inches magnify/purchase That space between the crock and the orange had been bugging me. For some time I'd wanted to try painting with a palette knife. So with a bit of time on my hands I took the dry painting just above and smeared the paint on. A lot like frosting a cake. Purely experimental. For some really great palette knife paintings, check out David Boyd Jr.'s work.

Here's a trick I've been using for a while. It enables me to paint right off the edges of my panel. I use several loops of wide painter's tape on the back of my panel to stick it onto a larger piece of MDF board from Home Depot. It stays on for painting, for carrying it around to photograph it, or laying it under a warm lamp to dry. Works for larger panels too. Just use more tape loops.

Here's my display at the Balboa Art Walk. What a blast! Twenty linear feet of space, perfect weather, a friendly crowd and great sales. Special thanks to the friends who visited and kind folks who purchased my work. Thanks for supporting my habit!

Still Life With Crimson Ribbon -sold

oil 12x12 inches magnify/purchase Reds and violets with greens seem to be one of my favorite color schemes. This one was kind of "gaggy" until I added the earthy vintage photo and especially the lemons. The lemons provide happy relief from all the reds and greens. The main players in this piece belonged to my mother; the photo of her as a young child, the iridescent tea cup and the flower pot. Think I should keep the painting? No, because I have the objects themselves. It's the act of painting them that's the real joy for me. The BALBOA ART WALK IS THIS SUNDAY! I'm really looking forward to the cool temps, the music and the happy crowd! If you're in So Cal I hope you'll come and say hi. I'll be pretty close to where the ferry lands on the island. Turn left as you walk off the ferry and walk along the sea wall to Pearl Street. I'll have 20 feet of display space. Wooo-hooo!!!

Pink Gerbera

oil 8x10 magnify/purchase Saturday's Chino Art Festival was a hot one! 95 degrees. Even so, I met some really nice folks, had good sales and managed to get some paint on canvas. I made s few changes to this once I got it home. Thanks to all who stopped by. Looking forward to the BALBOA ART WALK ON MAY 18th. Sunshine and cool ocean breezes!

Light & Shadow, Oak Glen

oil 8x10 inches magnify/purchase On a fall visit to Snowline Orchards in Oak Glen, I set up to paint these lovely shadows. I should have brought a jacket, I thought while I set up. The light lasted about 5 minutes, then dark clouds came in and made everything go flat. I wimped out and went home. I took my good pictures home with me, along with a little bag of hot mini apple donuts. UPCOMING EVENTS: Tomorrow I'll be at the Chino Arts Festival, 10-4:00. BALBOA ART WALK, SUNDAY, MAY 18, 9-5:00. Over 100 Artist Booths and 4 musical groups. On the island promenade, along the seawall. To find me, walk left off the ferry and along the seawall to Pearl Street. Same location as last year! I hope you'll come by and say hi.