"Yellow Dog Morning" (sold)

12"x12" image size

Oil on Board

I painted a little 6x6 of this subject last summer and always wanted to do a larger version of it, so here it is. I had fun with the intense color--though I'm wondering if it's too much so! This was one of those paintings that seemed it could go on forever--the more I looked, the more I saw that I could put in. The temperature of the painting matches the temperature outside today, too--HOT!! I'll be hanging this in a show next week, so it will be available through Tumalo Art Company then or you can email me for information/selling price.

"Saturday in the Park"

9"x12" image size

Oil on board
unframed:  $300 plus $10 domestic s/h
click here to ask to purchase this painting through Paypal

Another painting for my show, and one that I'm pretty pleased with! After the last two days working on the cowgirl painting, I needed something that felt like it was working!!

"Cowgirl Cool #2" (sold)

12"x12"

Oil on Board

Well. . . . . . this painting was a learning experience! I wasn't too thrilled with it by the time I posted it yesterday, so decided to rework parts of it (sorry, Leslie!!). And, as things go, there's parts I think work better than the previous version and parts that don't. However, I've really had to ask myself what to do to make this work. I like the composition alot. I have decided that it would probably be better if it was backlit rather than the sun hitting the subjects full force from the direction it is now. The result of that is that I couldn't figure out how to show highlights without sacrificing enough contrast to make the foreground figures keep a dark enough value to really stand out. That sounds a little bit convoluted! Anyway, I think the figures in the foreground need to be much darker. I'd like to have more distinct layers of depth. Right now I've had enough of this subject, but when I'm over it I think I'll try different lighting.

"Cowgirl Cool"

12"x12"

Oil on Board
NFS at this time

I don't think this painting is finished. I was going into new territory today as I did it and feel like I need to sharpen up the three girls. What a challenge! I was trying NOT to have too much detail, too many sharp edges, etc. but I think I may have overdid it! Color was also a challenge. It's a complicated composition with lots going on in the background. I started with a full palette of colors--about 10 besides black and white-- and ended up simplifiying it more and more the more times I wiped the painting off and started over!

"To the Trains" (sold)

7"x5" image

Oil on Gessoboard

I loved the open spaces and reflections at Union Station in Portland, OR. This little painting shows little part of that.

"Teamwork" (sold)

12"x24" image size

Oil on Board

$1095 framed plus s/h

sold

Today I finished this painting of the team-ropers for next month's show. It was fun--but quite a challenge! Actually, it was WORK!! I think I get pretty spoiled by doing the little paintings. Anyway, I feel like I'm still finding my way when it comes to backgrounds on these rodeo paintings. They can be such a distraction from the subject, but I like the way they add to the story, so I really want to work it out. I'm very pleased with the movement and dynamism in this painting. This photo has somehow been unevenly lit; I'll switch it out when I take a new one!

"Mother Love #2" (sold)

12"x12" image size

Oil on Board

The last couple of days I've been working on paintings I've started for a show and trying to finish them. This one has been a challenge. I did a little 6x6 inch painting of this subject and loved it so much (posted May 25)! I decided to do a larger version for a show next month and have found that it sounds so much easier than it is! finally realized that each painting is its own and needs to be approached that way. I had to just let go of trying to make the same painting twice and allow it to be what it is!

"Flea Market Special" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

I saw this woman at a "French" flea market here in Bend a few weeks ago and was taken by her embroidered white dress, jeans and hat and thought she ought to be painted! (I don't know if she bought the chair!)

illustration for card

11"x8"

watercolor and color pencil

$110 US

email me to ask about the availability of this artwork

Today's painting time went to creating an illustration for a card for Heartbeats catalog. Heartbeats is a non-profit organization with a ministry that works to help disadvantaged people the world over through the sales of their crafts and artwork, much of it inspirational/spiritual. About 10 years ago, they invited me to have my work (in the forms of bookmarks, cards and prints) included in their offerings. I haven't had anything new to offer for a couple of years, so it is time!

"Buttering a Bagel" (sold)

8"x6" image size

Buttering her bagel at the Grand Central Bakery in Portland's Sellwood community on a rainy morning. I really like doing these backlit subjects and look forward to practicing them more and more! Though I like the muted tones in this painting, I'd like to try this subject again with some more intense color--we'll see!

"In the Union Station Lobby"

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

NFS

This is a painting from my trip to Portland. The woman's name is Liz--unfortunately I didn't think to ask anymore about her than her name! She came in off the train from Chicago and that's about all I know! One thing I learned this week is how much is added to the painting for me when I have a bit of conversation with the subjects rather than just take pictures and go. That was a good lesson! This painting had an unhappy accident after I photographed it--it accidentally was scraped down past the gesso, so there's no fixing it! I expect I'll do another version. She deserves it!

from my sketchbook

pen & watercolor

app. 4"x4"

NFS

I'm still in Portland, having a great time being a tourist and just taking lots and lots of pictures that I'm excited to see turn into paintings. It turned out to be a gorgeous sunny and hot day, perfect for people-watching as everyone was soaking it up. Too much fun! These little drawings are just a couple of rough sketches I did along with all the photos.

"City View, Portland, Oregon"

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

$75 includes domestic s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this painting through Paypal

Well, this has been an interesting experience!! I am staying at a friend's condo in Portland, OR and decided to try a painting of the view from one of her windows. What a challenge! I have a new respect for people who paint these kinds of subjects! It's been a fairy cloudy day so I was glad when the sun came out and there was some contrast to work with. I can see that it would be good to repeat the experience, but most likely with a different view. We'll see about that!

"Becoming Unsaddled"

Appliqued Seed Beads on Canvas

9.25"x5.25" beads; 18"x14" framed

NFS

I started a new painting today for my show and didn't really feel like posting it yet; and yesterday I was mentioning beadwork I'd done to a very dear longtime friend and it made me think to put up a picture of it for today's post. This piece was created for a show with the theme of "shoes". The first thought that came to mind when I began thinking of what to do for this show was a memory from childhood. You see, I always had pretty, cute, girlie stuff as a little girl and I remember when I was in 5th grade my mother bought me a pair of saddle shoes to wear. And NOT white saddle shoes or even tan and brown, but the ugliest things I'd ever worn---brown and black!! To say I disliked them is putting it mildly. So this beaded painting is my fantasy of letting go of ugliness!

I absolutely love beading like this. There is something about the weight of the piece as you hold it, something very tactile about the process, and the beads themselves shimmer in the light and just are a delight to look at. I used glass beads from size 20-11 for this piece and stitched them onto interfaced lightweight cotton canvas.

"Back To The Stables #2"

8"x8" image size

Oil on Board
$175 plus $10 domestic s/h

click here to ask to purchase this painting through paypal

I took another image that I did a drawing of a few weeks ago, posted on June 16, AND that I have done a smaller painting of posted June 27. Sometimes I come across an image I like so much I want to keep trying it. This is the most colorful of the three for sure. Again I used pthalo blue, alizaron crimson, alizaron yellow and white and a little bit of dioxazine purple as it was hard to get as bright a purple as I wanted. I intend to save this painting for a show I have in August.

"Cowgirl With a Soda" (sold)

12"x6" image size

This painting surprised me! I've been using a limited palette lately of ultramarine blue, alizaron crimson, alizaron yellow and white. Today I changed the blue to pthalo blue and got this great lime green that I just had to keep. It felt good to do something with some hot color! It seems like a fair amount of the color in this painting was a result of painting then wiping it off and working with what was left. That's fairly new to me and I hope to learn to really use that technique--today it was a happy accident.

"Friday's Child" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

click here to ask to purchase this painting through Paypal

I saw this little girl at a bluegrass festival last Friday and was quite taken with her! My little painting here doesn't do her justice. Maybe it will be a warm-up for something that does! I loved the reflected light on her face, but had quite a time with the skin tones. I really need to work on that.

"Music in the Park" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this painting through Paypal

This painting is inspired by cellist Daniel Sperry who I enjoyed listening to a couple of weeks ago in Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon. It was such a treat. He was playing alone and when I was there, so were about three couples, each intent upon themselves in the romantic atmosphere created by his music and the beauty of the setting. I purchased one of his CD's and listened to it while I was painting this--THAT was a treat! It really took me back to the moment!

"Golden Moment" (#2) (sold)

16"x16" image size

Oil on Board

This painting was inspired by a small one I posted not too long ago. I loved the colors in it. I have painted this subject a few times before in reds--which is what the scene is actually like--but was never happy with my large version of it, so decided to try this. I had a hard time getting the colors to be true to the painting in the photo, but they are much more pleasing to me than the red tones. I'm not sure if this is finished--I'm going to set it up and just look at it for the next couple of weeks before I frame it!