Commission--Papa and Pup

6"x8"

Oil on Board

NFS

I was asked to paint this for a Christmas gift--it was so fun! The Papa looks like such a jolly guy and I LOVE anyone who obviously loves their dog!

"Little Britta"

6"x6"

OIl on Board

Sold

One of the framers I work with has generously offered to trade frames for paintings of her daughters as little girls and this is one of them. The children are beautiful. Painting from the older photos is a learning experience for me, though--working with pretty small images and wanting to get enough information in the painting so that Kari will "see" her children in them is a challenge! It brings me back to trying to see the value shapes in the faces, depending on them to give me a foundation to build on. It shows me how important contrast is in a case like this. The painting's so small, that when I try to do a detailed face, it looks very strange! I find I do best with getting the impression.

"Santa Monica Pier #2"

6"x6"

Oil on Board

contact me for purchase information

I am getting together a group of 30 6x6 paintings for a special show over the holidays and this is one of them. Besides painting new subjects, I'm going back through images I've enjoyed working with and want to do again in a different size. This one was first posted as a 5"x6"painting in May. Click here to see it. I love the subject, the light and the colors.

Study For "Wedding Day"

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$140 plus $10 domestic s/h

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I've been wanting to do a larger painting of this image (my niece the day of her wedding), and was only thinking of her as the subject with no background. I looked at the photos, though, and liked the story that it suggested. She was at her childhood home, looking out the window after she had put on her wedding dress. Maybe she was just conscious of the fact that pictures were being taken of her, but, then again, maybe she was thinking about what lay before her that day.

"Cleaning Up"

6"x6"

Oil on Board

contact Tumalo Art Company for purchase information

Anyone who waits tables (or has, like me!) knows this moment when all of a sudden the customers have left as fast as they rushed in earlier and you are faced with the daunting task of cleaning up everything and getting it ready for the next rush. This painting shows a waitress at the J&M Cafe in Portland, OR who is setting up the tables for lunch after the breakfast crowd has left. I have painted this image before a few years ago and have wanted to do so again, just to see if it would be different. This painting is a little looser than those that came before, the paintings in the background softer. I think it reads better.

"Decisions, Decisions!"

6"x6"

Oil on Canvas-covered Board

$115 plus $10 domestic s/h

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The setting of this little painting is the "Sage Cafe" here in Bend. Their cases were full of yummy pastries--a dangerous place!

I found some canvas stashed away yesterday and decided to mount it on some of my boards and prep it with gesso to see how it would be to paint on. It feels very different from my prepared masonite! I am used to using soft brushes alot and they definitely seem to be better for the smoother surface of a board. Brushstrokes are different on this canvas. I normally prep my boards with two coats of gesso, then a coat of Golden pastel ground to give it some tooth and then another coat of gesso. I think it's still my favorite support.

"Purple Boots" (sold)

20"x10"

Oil on Board

 

I have been totally immersed in an illustration job the past couple of weeks and just got back to painting! I have missed it so much! I had "purple boots" laid out to paint 6 weeks ago, but like my roughing in so much that I was intimidated to finish it! Yesterday, I just figured what"s to lose?!!! I needed to just paint and let be what will be. I am reserving judgement on this one as I don't feel like I'm seeing it very objectively right now! What I CAN say, is that it was just very satisfying to be putting paint down!

"Looking Seaward"

6"x8"

Oil on Board

$115 plus $10 domestic s/h

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This golden was at the beach when I was there a couple of weeks ago and I enjoyed watching him running in the water and just doing what dogs seem to be so good at--being alive!

"Late in the Day Shadows"

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$115 plus $10 domestic s/h

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I loved the dramatic shadows and the warm light of this scene. My goal with the painting was to get my statement down quickly and not overwork it. I maybe should have softened the edges of the shadows a bit. . .

"Doggie Meet & Greet" (sold)

6"x8"

Oil on Board

Mazzerati, Ace and Tobey are doing their thing at a local dog park. One of the highlights of my life this year has been meeting a group of people that faithfully bring their pups to play at a beautiful park where off-leash play is the norm. I just wonder if those dogs have a clue about how smitten we are with them! Awwww, sure they do!

"Just Looking" (sold)

12"x12"

Oil on Board

This painting was created at the suggestion of someone who saw "White Winter Coat". He thought it would be fun to have the viewer be looking at MY paintings rather than someone elses! I liked his idea, and here it is. It was really fun to do. I loved working with those whites!

""Better Without the Glasses" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Board

These ladies are looking at paintings (mine, actually!) at a First Friday Artwork here in Bend. I really like the body language of the two of them and their interaction with the work. I've painted them once before but decided to do it again as I am curious about revisiting some of my past subjects since I was at the Kim English workshop. I'm trying to approach my work a little differently--more spontaneous, getting the shapes down and trying not to get into the rendering for some time. It is a challenge!

"Kaitlin Texting"

10"x8"

Oil on Board

$275 plus $10 domestic s/h

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Here's the larger version of Kaitlin texting. My past few paintings have been experiments with a different color palette--adding different reds, blues, pthalo green and alot more white than I am accustomed to. By the time I finished this painting, I was missing my regular palette of colors alot! I do like the softness of the pastel colors on this painting. I also have another view of Kaitlin walking down the street that I've begun with my traditional palette, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it will be different.

"Study of Kaitlin Texting"

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$115 plus $10 domestic s/h

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We were on our way back to our painting class when Kaitlin stopped to text and sip at her soda. As I look at this painting, I'm thinking about what could be done differently like letting the dark underpainting form the tone for the chairs on the left, the overhang above them and the cars on the right. I started another painting of this subject when this was finished, but ran out of time. Tune in tomorrow for version #2!

"In the Study Lounge"

10"x8"

Oil on Board

$250 plus $10 domestic s/h

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I have painted this subject before but was curious to see how I would handle it after the Kim English workshop. Kim really stressed value masses and getting the statement down quickly. It is a personal challenge for myself not to get too bogged down in detail and rendering right away and I feel like I succeeded pretty well in avoiding that. I have used different color palettes when I've painted this subject which it so red! This is my favorite of the red-toned paintings. The colors, though neutralized, have retained a fresh feel.