"Horses for Molly" (sold)

6"x8"

Oil on Board

This little painting is a commission for a dear friend. I love the image, though, and think I may paint a large version of it. There a so many subtleties that I couldn't put in because of the size of this one.

"Winter Morning on Minnesota Street" #2

10"x8"

Oil on Board

for purchase information contact River Bend Fine Art Gallery

I've been working on this larger version of the painting I posted Sunday. It still shows "our cold winter light" that we have here in Oregon, but I just didn't want it to be so full of grays. Though there are lots of neutrals in this painting, I am definitely happier with the color. After photographing the painting, I saw a change I want to make--softening up the two women in the distance--well, maybe! Any thoughts?

"Winter Morning on Minnesota Street"

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$125 plus $10 domestic s/h
click here to ask about purchasing this painting through Paypal

This is another painting of downtown Bend from the photos I took yesterday morning. I've been trying to be more aware of the ratio of the three main values to each other in my compositions and to how they are arranged throughout the painting. This subject felt like a great one to consciously work with that. In her book on watercolor painting, Mary Whyte suggests that having the equivalent of "one gallon of one value, a quart of another and a pint of the third main value" will best create an interesting composition. So, in that respect I'm pretty pleased with this! And the colors really do reflect what the winter light does here--lots of "weak" color! For some reason I just can't get too excited about all these greys no matter how accurate they may be! I hope to paint this subject again with more intense color.


My genuine thanks to Julie Hill and Mitzi Easley for sending me the "Sunshine Award" that has been awarded to quite a few daily painters recently. It is a wonderful reminder that people are looking, reading and enjoying and giving their time to each other's work. I appreciate it so much! Part of receiving it, though, is quite a process of nominating others for the award. I would love to send one to each person on my list to the right, plus others that I haven't put on there yet! The thing is, I just barely manage to get my paintings painted and posted and, unfortunately just don't have spare time for extras these days. Please go see Julie's and Mitzi's blogs, though. Besides love and strong work, their posts are a joy to read!

"A Quick Smoke" NA

6"x6"

Oil on board

I took a walk this morning downtown (Bend), glanced across the street and caught this fellow, Chris, taking out the garbage from a local restaurant and grabbing a quick smoke in the process. Thanks, Chris, for being inspiration for today's painting!

"Sunset on Robson Street, Vancouver BC" (sold)

6"x6"

OIl on Gessoboard

$150 plus $10 domestic s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this painting through Paypal

This little painting is from our trip up to Vancouver at Christmas-time. We went downtown to visit the Vancouver Art Gallery--always such a treat! The winter sun was setting early on this beautiful cold and crisp day and I got quite a few shots of this area--just haven't really had time to go through them until today. I love this kind of lighting!

"Antonia"

7"x4"

Watercolor on Arches Paper

$65 includes domestic s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this ainting through Paypal

Today I just had to work on something besides the last post's painting! I've been playing around with watercolors more and thought I'd see what I could do with this subject. Love the idea, but am afraid it's "trying to hard"! Anything but loose! Oh well. . .it takes practice!

Detail of a Painting in Process

10"x20"

Oil on Board

Unfinished/NFS

There is a group here in Bend working on developing a local currency and they have asked five artists to create a piece reflective of Bend that will go on the back of the bills. Each of us have very different styles. I am painting a scene from our Summer Festival. I did a small version of this a couple of years ago and it's always interesting to me to revisit a subject after a long time and to see how I do it now. I've been working all day on this, working with color schemes and the composition. Can't say that I am that thrilled with the results!! That said, I do like this figure! We'll see what happens tomorrow!

"The New Moon Beckons"

app. 15"x20"

prismacolor and pastel on bristol board

$425 includes US s/h

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I've been working on illustrations the past two days, so haven't really done anything to post--and then I remembered this drawing! It was done about 4 1/2 years ago in a style I have worked in off and on for many years. I really like drawing like this, love the shading, love getting nuances. This drawing is a reflection of the mystery that nighttime, outside and alone, holds for me. Did you notice the figure in the upper left? (Alot of people miss that!)

"My Guy, Tobey"

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

NFS

Oh what a day!!! I worked on a painting I'd started yesterday--scraped it off more times that I remember and finally decided to paint my next to favorite male in my household--my little dog, Tobey!! I took some pics of him yesterday right after he'd been groomed and was playing with some other dogs. Such a great little creature!!! I'm blessed. I decided I'd give it to my absolutely favorite male in the household for Valentine's Day.

Cleaning Out My Studio Sale! "Along Tumalo Creek (sold)"

20"x16"

Acrylic on Board

$75 includes domestic s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this painting through Paypal

I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted here!! I have been working hard finishing up the "Luna the Tuna" illustrations and once I was done, just decided to dive into cleaning out my studio and a couple of other areas of the house--so no painting! The thing is, I live in a home with another artist (my husband) and for some reason, the space we have doesn't seem to expand at the same rate that we pile up artwork!

I have decided to rid myself of everything I can that does not support where I am and want to be as an artist. Over the years, I've kept work that is more sentimental than anything, nothing I really will show much. Some of it will end up here on my blog, like tonight's post. Some of it is being "shown the door" in different ways. It feels good--mostly. It is also difficult to let go of what was very meaningful to me at different points in time. I keep going back, though, to how much I love what I am doing now and that I need to do everything I can to honor my hopes and dreams. Right now, that means having more space to work with and letting go of the past. . .

This painting was done a few years ago when I was trying hard to work with acrylics. It is of a spot in a place called Shevlin Park along the Tumalo River. I remember what a bright, hot and sunny day it was--absolutely gorgeous! This was painted in my studio from a pastel painting I did on site.

study for illustration

6"x5"

watercolor on illustration board

NFS

Today I needed to work on some studies for a possible illustration job. I thought about doing it in oils but the client wants more detail than I usually put into my oil paintings. So my thought is to go with watercolor. Not being "a watercolorist", I am trying to find a way to work with the medium to get the kind of detail they are after and that looks good! I was pleased with this study. I did another one on watercolor paper rather than the illustration board and definitely was NOT impressed! I will explore this more tomorrow!

"Bagel For Breakfast" #2

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$125 plus $10 domestic s/h

click here to ask about purchsasing this paintng through Paypal

I painted this subject last summer (July 17th, 09 post) and have always wanted ot try it again and warm up the palette a little bit. I like the feel of this one as far as the color goes, and the information in the first one. Hmmmmm. . .