"Field of Dreams" dahlias at The Gorge White House

4"x10.25"

Oil on Panel
Sold

This was so much fun!--what's not to like about painting red, pink and orange, especially if it's got lots of green!  It was challenge, too, to try to get the feeling of the intense sunshine reflecting off the flowers and the field.  As mentioned in the post title, this is a "field" of dahlias at The Gorge White House just south of Hood River, OR.  It's a great place!  A century-old farm, there are orchards, grapes and flowers surrounding the original home where they have wine-tasting and a gallery.  I will be exhibiting paintings there in September.

"Oliver" portrait of a Sheltie

6"x6"

Oil on Panel

Sold

What a joy it was to paint this handsome Sheltie, Oliver!  He's just over a year old, but appears older to me because he looks so regal--just a stunning dog!  Shelties are formally known as Shetland Sheepdogs and are small to medium-size, hardworking little guys.

"Huck"

6"x6"

Oil on Panel

sold

I've been working on some paintings of dogs for a show in August and this is one of the little guys I see at the dog park--he's a couple of years old and we're not sure about his "pedigree", but I think he has a terminal case of cuteness!  Too much fun to paint!!

"A Place in the Sun" (sold)

6"x8"

Oil on Panel

A moment in the sun is a special thing on a winter's day in Portland, Oregon!  This is at Moonstruck Chocolates on a day in February. . . yum.  Excellent candies!

"Chickens for Liz"

6"x6"

Oil on Panel

Sold

A painting to barter for two wonderful handmade felted wool scarves--what a deal!!

"Time for Pictures"

12"x16"

Oil on Gessoboard

Contact me for purchase information

The moms were trying to get their kids (my great-nephews and niece) all lined up for photographs before Easter Sunday dinner and I took some shots myself.  I love getting those unposed moments!

"Found Treasures II"

Image:  4.5"x5"

Watercolor on 140# Arches

"Found Treasures"

Image Size:  5.5"x7.5

Watercolor on 140# Arches

$90 includes s/h

Contact me to purchase this painting through Paypal

I found this butterfly at the end of the summer on the ground in a parking lot.  At first I thought it was still living, but as I approached it there was no movement, so now it sits with the other "found treasures" in our house.

I took a little watercolor "boot-camp" a couple of Saturdays ago put on by Sondra Holtzman and loved it!  Watercolor, for me. has mainly been the medium I use for making quick sketches out of doors or roughs for more finished oil paintings, rarely as an end in themselves.  I've always been a bit intimidated by them!  Painting something like this, though, to me is like a meditation.  I love the simplicity of the subject, the playing with muted tones and using natural light.

"Harvest Day at the Lavender Farm"

12"x12"

Oil on Panel

Contact me for purchase information

I've been painting, just not posting!  I'm getting the last of the paintings done for a show a Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River, OR.  Here we have a grey day, verging on rain, but the lavender was cut before the downpour.  I love this place--there's nothing like being surrounded by the scent of it!  By the way, the name of it is Hood River Lavender Farms.  Check it out!!!

Before Plucking

20"x10"

Oil on Panel

Contact me for purchase information

Here's the latest painting for the project::  "An Uncommon Beauty--Paintings of Life and Land East of the Cascades".  Visit this link to read more about it http://anuncommonbeautyproject.blogspot.com

"Mary and Her Cat" (sold)

16"x16"

Oil on Panel

Once again, a painting for the project:  AN UNCOMMON BEAUTY--Paintings of Life and Land East of the Cascades.

 This is Mary, a woman from the Willamette Valley (Oregon) who, over 60 years ago, fell in love with a cowboy from eastern Oregon, left her more urban lifestyle and spent the rest of her life farming, ranching and raising her children in a place that could accurately be called "out in the middle of nowhere"!  Here, she is sharing stories of her life with us. She is still more active on her ranch than most nearly-90 year olds are at anything!

"Bottling the Juice--Columbia Gorge Organics"

12"x12"

Oil on Panel

Contact me for purchase information

Here's one more painting for our Uncommon Beauty project. The subject here is a fellow working at Columbia Gorge Organics which raises organic fruit and makes organic juices and bars--very delicious!!  Here, he is bottling the day's juice.  Visit http://anuncommonbeautyproject.blogspot.com to see all the work for this project and to read about it.

ANNOUNCING--NEW BLOG

Please visit my new blog "An Uncommon Beauty--Painting Life and Land East of the Cascades" that details the on-going progress of our documenting the people and the land that shapes their lives through our artwork.  It has a complete description of what we're doing, how we're doing it, photos of all the paintings to date by both myself and Janice Druian, collaborator in this effort.  You can see the blog by visiting

 http://anuncommonbeautyproject.blogspot.com

Follow us!!

"Saturday at Cascade Alpacas & Foothills Yarn Shop" (sold)p"

12"x12"

Oil on Panel

The latest in the series of paintings for "An Uncommon Beauty--Paintings of Life and Land East of the Cascades"!  Visit my NEW BLOG about this extensive undertaking by clicking on the above link.

This painting is of one of the owners, Thomas, at Cascade Alpacas and Foothills Yarn in the gorgeous Hood River Valley. They raise the alpacas, shear their yarn, spin it, sell it, etc. along with other types of yarn in their shop.  Their meticulous care of their award-winning animals keeps it all going strong.

"Have a Taste!"

12"x18"

Oil on Panel

Contact me for purchase information

Donna, one of the owners of Cody Orchards in the Hood River Valley is depicted here as she slices off a bit of apple for us to taste.  Their fruitstand is an old packing shed and full of pumpkins, squash, and all sorts of good things that they harvest in the fall--particularly apples and pears. This is another painting for the rural life project I'm working on--which has undergone a change of title!  It is now "An Uncommon Beauty--Paintings of Life and Land East of the Cascades".

"Sorting Pears, Lage Packing Shed" (sold)

Oil on Panel

8"x24"

Another painting in our "An Uncommon Beauty" series.  It depicts a group of women as they inspect the pears coming in for packing.  I was struck by the brilliant green of the pears and the intensely bright light shining over them contrasted with the browns and greys of the surroundings.  You can see more of my paintings for this series by clicking on the page in the upper right corner of this blog.

"Jesse, the Man and His Machine"

Image size:  13"x11"

Linoleum Block Print

Contact Me for Purchase Information and Information on the Edition

Here's the next installment of the artwork for "An Uncommon Beauty", a depiction of a foreman on a farm that raises horseradish in the Klamath Basin.  Behind him is the machinery he uses to dig with.  He was so great to talk to, explaining alot to me about growing the crop and also freely discussing his life and the good fortune he's found.  He may have found good fortune, but it's clear he's worked hard for it too!

ANNOUNCING A NEW PAGE "An Uncommon Beauty--Paintings of Life and Land East of the Cascades"

Visit this new page in my blog (see upper right) to see the paintings I am creating for this project on rural life and for a description of the project!  New work will be added as the paintings are finished. Feel free to comment!

"Thinning Pear Trees, Lage Farms", 16"x12", oil on panel

"Two Pies of 3500!" (sold)

9"x12"

Oil on Panel

This is another painting for an upcoming show depicting the land and people in different parts of rural Oregon and northern California.  The subject here is the "Pie-Lady" at Apple Valley Store in the Hood River Valley as she makes some apple/berry pies.  She said that she probably made 3500 pies in 2010!  Wow!  The store is wonderful!  They sell jellies, jams and other condiments they produce along with amazing pear dumplings and a big variety of pies from locally grown fruit. 

"Packing Up Apples"

16"x12"

Oil on Panel

contact me for purchase information

Holidays are past and life is getting a bit back to normal and for me that means getting back to painting! This is another painting for our "An Uncommon Beauty" project. The setting is a packing house in the Hood River Valley that is owned by one of the larger orchardists in the area.  I asked and found out that a big farm as far as orchards go is 500 acres.  That was interesting to me, as a big ranch in SE Oregon could be 25,000 acres, and a big farm in the Klamath Basin could be a couple of thousand. . .everything is relative!