"Packing Up Apples"

16"x12"

Oil on Panel

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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!

"Quiet Presence--European Sculpture Garden at the Met" (sold)

8"x8"

Oil on Panel

The scene of this little painting is at the Met in NYC.  I was so struck by the light in this space--absolutely beautiful, lots of shadows and contrast.  Too, I really noticed the contrast of the sculptures perched unmoving on their pedastals with the people walking through the place.  Quite a juxtaposition of energies!  I used a different palette of colors for this painting:  yellow ochre, raw sienna, Indian red, burnt umber, ivory black, chromatic black and white.  It's amazing the beautiful array of colors you can get out of that and almost ideal for this subject.  I'm afraid my photo isn't picking up the warming tones of the painting--the lights have alot of warmth to them.

"Swans in Winter Light" framed painting (sold)

Painting size:  5"x5", Framed size:  7.5"x7.5"

Oil on Panel

One of the things I love abouty Bend is the swans that live here. Everytime I see them on a walk, it just does something to bring the specialness of the day up a notch. This painting is in a lovely wood frame that looks like hammered copper.  It was difficult to capture it in a photo, but I think this gives the idea. 

"Scratchin'!" (sold)

5.375"x5.375"

Oil on Panel

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Another sunny day in chickenland. . .

"Rooster" framed painting (sold)

Painting dimensions:  3.25"x3.25", Framed size:  9"x9"

Oil on Panel

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I've been doing little--REALLY little--paintings to fit into frames that I've accumulated and this is one of them--a version of the rooster, Stewey.  Even so little, he has a way of coming across as big!  This painting is framed.  Email me if you'd like a price for the unframed painting.

"Running Like the Wind" (sold)

6"x12"

Oil on Panel

This is one of my favorites when it comes to my animal paintings--it was so much fun capturing the joy and the energy of this little guy chasing and being chased!

"Little Westie" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Panel

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This little Westie is one of the dogs we have all enjoyed at one of our local dog parks--he's quite the guy, loves to run and always up for chasing or being chased.

"Drumming Man"--Cleaning-Out-My-Studio Sale!

6"x8"

Oil on Panel

$40 includes domestic s/h

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This little painting is of a drummer with Obo Adi who was playing here in Bend on a hot summer day at a local farmer's market.  Quite the treat!

"Santa Monica Pier"

5"x6"

Oil on Panel

$115 plus $10 domestic s/h

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Is it hot yet?!  I love the light in this--same time of year as "Cannery Row", my previous post (early November) on the California coast.  It is so easy to see why it's a draw for artists! 



Untitled #1 and #2

2 panels, each measuring 20"x11"

Oil on 1.5" cradled board

$300 each plus s/h

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I am getting ready for a show in June and these two paintings are the first of 5 I am doing that are focusing on the figure, keeping a plain background that will unify them all and that will hang together.  I've been wanting to try this for awhile.  I did a drawing awhile back , "Walk" pictured below, that increased my interest in isolating the figure and not including the background.  I want to see what this looks like!  I want to just zero in on the person and ask the viewer to do the same.  In my mind's eye, I see a series of these paintings hanging together--I'd love it if I end up having time to do more than five for the show!  I haven't figured out a title yet. I'm searching for a word or phrase that describes the idea.

"Walk"  graphite on bristol board, $225 plus s/h, click here to ask about purchasing this drawing through Paypal

"Study For Three Graces" (sold)

8"x6" unframed, 14"x12" framed

Oil on Panel

These 3 little girls are playing in a fountain at Portland (Oregon's) Waterfront Park.  I am getting ready to do a 30"x22" painting of them so decided to try it small first!  What fun to paint!  What a subject!

"Amber Clearing Tables at the Riverside Market"

6"x6"

Oil on panel

$140 plus $10 domestic s/h

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The Riverside Market is a great little spot here that I've been spending alot of time at lately.  I was one of 13 artists selected to create a painting for a show that celebrates this town we live in, Bend, OR.  To keep it short, my task was to find a way to interpret the idea of a strong community and I chose the Riverside Market for a number of reasons.  It's old, it's been a neighborhood staple since 1935 whether in the form of a gas station or a market or a coffee shop or all three.  I'll be doing a larger painting about the place, but this was a little warm-up for me of Amber working--she is also an artist and her watercolors fill the walls. 

"First One Here--Happy Hour at Gregg's Grill"

8"x6"

Oil on Panel

$140 plus $10 domestic s/h

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I was drawn by the repetition of the light reflecting off the chairs and tables and by the expectant and kind of day-dreamy look of the woman waiting for her friend.  I chose to use a limited palette of alizaron yellow, alizaron crimson permanent and ultramarine blue, along with radiant white. I am always amazed at the subtleties and quiet colors you can get from mixing just those few.

"On the Boardwalk at Santa Monica Pier"

11"x14"

Oil on Panel

$425 plus s/h

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What a busy time!  Can't believe I haven't posted anything for over a week! This has been a very fun and challenging subject to work with.  The scene is late afternoon on the Santa Monica Pier on an early November day, probably the last really beautiful day before the winter rains arrived.  People were everywhere!  It seemed like there was a big rush to get to the end of the walk to watch the sunset.  It was such a treat to be there having driven from a cold and snowy Oregon!

"Diesel, the Boxer"

6"x6"

Oil on Panel

$125 plus $10 domestic s/h

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I met this guy yesterday at the dog park.  He was so handsome!  I was impressed by the dignified and noble way he carried himself.  Animals seem to be able to carry that off so well without being self-conscious about it!!!

'What's Happening Over There?"

8"x10"

Oil on Board

$175 plus $10 domestic s/h

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I have lost count of how many paintings I have wiped off this week!  It seems to be a time of finding a new way and not alot is working right now.  I've often thought of the words of an art prof of mine many years ago--I had reached a plateau and drawing wasn't going as well as it usually had.  He told me not to worry, that it was because I was learning something new.  I don't know how many times I have passed that on to my own students over the years when they get discouraged, but I sure don't like having to deal with it myself--especially after so many drawings, paintings and so many years.  I guess there are two ways to look at it:  1.  I will never find a place to "rest" with my painting where things predictably work or, 2., I will never find a place to "rest" with my painting because there is always growth and change.  Ok, I know the answer. . .it just isn't always very pleasant!!  (:  Happy growth in painting to us all!

"Practice Pieces #2"

21"x14"

Oil on panel

NFS

Well, there are quite a few things about this painting that make it a practice piece!  First off, I have wiped off two nearly completed paintings before I decided to go ahead and call this one that I would photograph!  Then, I used a very limited palette:  cad red medium, yellow ochre, ivory black, radiant and titanium white, some raw sienna and burnt sienna.  I bagan the painting each time with a strong charcoal drawing I was very pleased with.  My challenge was to see if I could utilize more flat areas of color than I usually do--not so much modeling--and keep some of the line quality.  I'm not so sure I succeeded, but it has been a good exercise--each time I've painted it!   I will probably wipe this off. In the next one, I want to concentrate on trying to get some warm and glowing skin tones.  I have a difficult time finding the colors to use to get something that I like the looks of.  For this, it was OK.  I knew my limited palette had--well, had limitations!  We'll see what the next version brings!

"Winter Afternoon on Robson St." & ANNOUNCING NEW WEBSITE

12"x12"

Oil on Board

$400 plus s/h

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This is a painting I did this past winter.  It is one of my favorites:  we were in Vancouver, BC just having left the Vancouver Art Gallery on a cold, clear day not long after Christmas. 

Also, I have just got a new website up:  www.vickishuck.com.  I have been taking a class through our local community college on building a website using Wordpress.  It was great for someone like me who wants to have something they can easily update and who doesn't really know anything about html and all that!  The instructor, Matt Farrell, was great.  He hosts websites, designs them and teaches.  You can look into his work at www.levitationwebsitedesign.com.  Anyway, my site will be tweaked and changed, but for now it is functional and I am thrilled!  Hope you visit it!!

"Cleaning Up"

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$125 plus $10 domestic s/h

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Ok, I confess!  This painting was posted in October last year.  I've been working, but don't have anything I want to share with the world, so decided that I'd bring this little one back.  She is a waitress at the J&M Cafe in Portland, OR, cleaning up after the breakfast crowd left.  Ah, brings back memories!!

"The Belly Dancers' Break" #2 (sold)

8"x8"

Oil on Board

Here's the second version of the painting I posted earlier this week (scroll down a bit to see it.)   I like the first, but felt it got a little fussy with the brushstrokes and I wanted to try it again and see if I could be more direct.  This one feels much better to me!  I can't believe how hard it is to keep loose when there's a larger format.  I DO use larger brushes, but I think that part of it, too, is that I need to keep a feeling of urgency.  It's not that I want to just rush through a painting.  It's that I think it would be good to take an approach that feels like I'm on location and this scene is going to disappear any minute and I want to get the basics down NOW.  No time to noodle!