Autumn Pieces

 

Autumn Pieces   oil 9x12 inches

Purchase info here.

Of the various pomegranate paintings I did last fall, this is my favorite. I enjoy putting a bit of debris, (like little fallen crumbs) in a botanical like this. Debris gives it a natural, not perfect look.  These are pomegranates from my backyard tree, but an apple from the grocery store.  Here in So Cal last winter was too warm for our apple tree,  It refuses to make apples unless it gets a certain number of cold days and nights.  This painting is so much better in person!   

The Season's First Poms -SOLD

 

The Season's First Poms    oil 8x16

Vanessa Rothe Fine Art Gallery

About 3 years ago one of our avocado trees blew down in a windstorm.  A blessing in disguise, I now had room to plant a pomegranate tree.  These are the variety from which grenadine is made.  I won't be making any grenadine, but they have the color I want for painting.  I wish you could see this in person, because the deep reds in shadow don't photograph well.  There is no black in this painting!  You can see it in person at Vanessa Rothe Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA.  If you're interested in purchasing this custom framed work, call  949-280-1555.  She does ship.  

"Toast & Jam" Made The Cut! -SOLD

 

Toast & Jam   oil 12x12 inches

Available through Reinert Fine Art, 

Charleston, SC April 1-30

I'm thrilled to announce that my backyard plein air piece has been juried into the American Impressionist Society's 5th Annual National Small Works Showcase in Charleston, SC April 1-30.  This is my sixth consecutive acceptance into an AIS National Show.  I'm truly grateful to be included again.  There were 1,357 entries, and 154 were chosen.  

Dock O' The Bay -SOLD

 

Dock O' The Bay    oil 11x14 inches  

Purchase info here. 

While visiting Moro Bay I did a field study of this exact scene.  It was my favorite scene in the whole place.  I loved the glassy water and the vibrant reds of this small fishing boat and dinghy.  A few nice folks came and talked with me as I painted and my husband brought me a cup of clam chowder.  A big fat seal was sleeping next to the dinghy and everyone wanted to know if I'd include it in my painting.  It was a bit hazy, but you can still see Morro Rock in the upper right.  My field study was quite rough and unfinished, so I decided to use as refernce for this studio piece.  

Boats In The Bay -a plein air painting from Morro Bay

 

Boats In The Bay  oil 8x10 inches

Purchase info here.  

In August we had an RV camping trip planned for Pismo Beach and Hearst/San Simeon. The night before we left I found out that the state campground in San Simeon had closed due to Covid.  We scrambled to find another spot and fortunately booked a space in Morro Bay.  What a blessing in disguise!  We enjoyed biking through town, eating fresh fish, and clam chowder.  I managed to squeeze in a couple of paintings.  For this one I positioned myself on an elevated boardwalk.  Morro Rock and the boats posed nicely for me, my husband helped carry my gear, and read a book patiently nearby.  It seems like so long ago now.  I've been housebound too long and I'm itching to travel and paint again.  I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that feels this way.  In the next post, a studio painting based on a plein air study from Morro Bay.  

No School Today!

 

No School Today!  oil 10x10 inches  

Purchase info here.

I still remember the freedom of having a no school day and taking off into the neighborhood on my bicycle.   These Balboa Island kids have a pretty cool neighborhood!  Mom, young friends and even baby in the baby seat were headed out for a little adventure.  This photo is a bit blurry.  On the contrary, the painting is full of crisp brushwork and happy color.  

Capistrano Cottage -SOLD

 

Capistrano Cottage   oil  10x10 inches

Purchase info here.

I used my photo reference from the historic Los Rios District of San Juan Capistrano to paint this one.    It's all about the shadow patterns.

Alley Ride -SOLD

 

Alley Ride 14x11x1 1/2   oil   

Purchase info here.

And now for a change of pace!  Summertime on Balboa Island.  The alleys are one of my favorite spots to paint.  Biking through the alleys is the best way to navigate this often crowded little island.  For a painter, you can't beat the shadows and tunnel view that leads the eye right down the alley.  I painted this from my photo reference on a gallery wrapped canvas.  Ready to hang with just a hanging wire, or frame as you like.  

For another change of pace, here is a portrait of our granddaugher and her cat, a Christmas gift to our daughter.  It's not a great photo, but I've been working on a bit of portraiture lately, and I think this one shows progress.  

Hello, Pear

 

Hello, Pear  oil 8x8 inches

Purchase info here.

Pears will really challenge a painter with their subtle color shifts and delicate shape.  When I first started painting these small oil paintings over 10 years ago, I struggled to get the pear shape right, often ended up overworking the color shifts and wiped off many a pear.  I painted this as a demo for a friend who had never worked in oils and wanted to see my process.  It's demo priced, so click through the purchase link if you've wanted one of my paintings but are looking for a deal.  

The One Green Shoe

 

The One Green Shoe    oil, 10x10 inches

Purchase info here.

Have you heard of the phenomena of "the one shoe?"  You're driving around town, or even on a road trip, and you see one shoe by the side of the road.  What happened to the other one?  This has always amused me, and my painting brings it to mind. 

 I had a lot of fun painting this.  If you follow me on Instagram, you have probably seen the time lapse video.  In the video it's a bit hard to see, but at the end I showed the three tubes of paint I used to paint this: cad red light, cad yellow light and ultramarine blue (plus white of course).  No lime green or violet tubes of paint.  You can mix just about anything with the three primaries.  

Fall Demo

 

Fall Demo  6x8 inches  oil

Purchase info here.

I cautiously held in person workshops in September and October.  It seems so long ago now!  Time has seemed to drag on with staying home so much.  I have had more time to focus on painting, so I'm thankful for that, but like everyone else, I'm hoping for a better year ahead.  I'm very fond of this little demo I did for my September workshop.  It's the design and color palette that I love.  Can you see the acorn in the front?  The other little round shapes are tiny dried pomagranates given to me by my friend, Mary Jo.  They find their way into many of my paintings. 

 HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! 

 Thank you for following my work, and for purchasing. 

 I just shipped two paintings out today!

Below are some other little studies from my September workshop.

Lemon Juice

 

Lemon Juice  6x8 oil 

Purchase info here.

This is my next attempt at undermixing paint and imperfect brushwork using a scruffy hog bristle.  In the upper right background shape you can easily see the striations of color within a brush stroke.  This is what I'm after with this approach.  I see some energy and movement back there rather than just a monotonous plane of color.

Tomato Drama

 

Tomato Drama  oil 6x8 inches

Purchase info here.

I'm finally up to my September paintings with my posts!  Here we have home grown tomatos (and one brave lemon).  They posed under backlighting while I slathered on some undermixed paint with a scruffy hog bristle...not my usual modus operandi.  Experimentation is important to me.  Looking at this painting again brings to mind a statement I heard just today on a podcast: "A painting is not a drawing.  It's a mosaic of shapes."  Michael Chamberlain

Pistachio Pair -SOLD

 

Pistachio Pair   oil 9x12 inches

Purchase info here. 

From my series of Converse Allstars, I thank my friend Juli for loaning these from her converse collection.  

Gallery Arrangement

 

Gallery Arrangement  oil 12x12 inches

Purchase info here.

On a day when I was working at Mission Fine Art in San Juan Capistrano, I brought my paints and these still life elements with me.  The background color made for a nice harmonious color scheme, and the shadow shapes added interest.  I love this mustardy yellow or yellow ochre in a painting.  

Lumpy Lemons And Exciting News

 

Lumpy Lemons  oil 10x10  

Purchase info here.

What to do when life gives you not only lemons, but lumpy lemons?  Add a sunflower and paint a still life!  What a challenging year this has been to say the least.  I have family members and friends now with COVID, and thankfully they are managable cases.  I hope you're well and looking forward to a better year ahead.  

IN OTHER NEWS:  Recently I was granted Signature Membership of the American Impressionist Society.  This means I have been juried into 4 AIS National Juried Exhibitions.  My work has been included in AIS shows in Wisconsin, Michigan, New York City, Texas and Utah!  Signature Membership also means I can sign AIS with my name on my work.  I'm grateful to AIS for this honor.

Here's another lemon painting currently available at Vanessa Rothe Fine Art in Laguna Beach.  Call 949-280-1555 to inquire.  She does ship.   Lemon & Delft oil 10x8 inches

 

Summer Tomatoes

 

Summer Tomatoes   oil 10x10 inches

Purchase info here.

We had a nice crop of tomatoes last summer.  Our favorites are cherry tomatoes called "Sweet 100's."  One plant gives us enough to share with others.  The yellow fruit is a tiny lime.  Surprisingly,  when the limes ripen they turn yellow and fall off the tree.  Good thing, because the tree is so thorny, you'd tear your arm up trying to pick them.  We get hundreds for making limeade or margarita mix.  

Merry Marbles

 

Merry Marbles  oil 6x6

Purchase info here.

These are my Maine marbles.  My friend, Rachel grew up in Maine and brought them back for me after a visit.  Maine looks wonderful on the show Maine Cabin Masters.  I don't watch much TV, but I do enjoy that show.  I'd love to visit Maine one day.  I have included marbles in quite a few paintings over the years.  They add a pop of fun color, variety of size and always a little highlight.  For those of you who have heard about the design principle of unequal measures, this is a good example.  

Cherry In The Gap

 

Cherry In The Gap  oil 10x10 inches

Purchase info here.

What is it about backlighting that adds so much interest?  It could be the shadow shapes that get bigger as they come toward the viewer.  This painting was a lot of fun.  It's a strong design that I might use again with other objects.  

                                                                                     

Garden Decor -a plein air painting from my garden

 

Garden Decor  oil 14x11 inches

Purchase info here.

Another remembrance of Spring here.  "Garden Decor" is a little bit more civilized name for "yard crap", which is what a friend of mine calls this stuff!  lol.  Do you like this kind of stuff in your yard?  I do.