"At the Riverside Market" final version

16"x20"

Oil on Panel

Framed:  $1350

Contact me for photo of framed painting and/or to purchase

It's been brought to my attention that I didn't post a photo of this painting after I finished it--thank you Stephanie!  I love this painting and, even more, I love the experience of doing it!  Spending time at the Riverside Market, sketching, taking photos and speaking with the people who work there and hang out there has been an absolute delight.  It's made me realize that creating art about subjects I get some sort of involvement with is so much more satisfiying than what I've been experiencing for awhile.  I know that there will always be the paintings I do of people I don't know, but I am promising myself that I am going to take more time to create connections with my subjects before I put them into paint!

So, along those lines. . .

another artist, Janice Druian, and myself are beginning a joint project documenting changes going on in three different agricultural areas here in Oregon and northern California.  We are interviewing people who live in these areas and doing paintings of them and the land they live in.  The paintings will first be shown next April at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River, Oregon.  Stay tuned as this project develops!!

Guest Artist--Susan Luckey Higdon

"Mirror Pond Idyll"

8"x8", Acrylic

$195 framed

for purchase information contact Susan Luckey Higdon

Fellow artist and friend, Susan has been a huge inspiration to me with my own work for the past 10-15 years. First off, she is passionate about her subjects which range from the Central Oregon landscape to fly fishermen to red-winged blackbirds to vibrant steelhead--and so much else that shows the richness of the region we live in. She does beautiful work with both pastels and acrylics. Too, Susan is a founding member and partner of Tumalo Art Company, a collective gallery here in Bend that brings the idea of a "c0-0p" to a high level. Visit Susan's website for more of her work and the site of Tumalo Art Company to see more of the fine work that comes from our small area.

"At the Bend Summer Festival"

NFS

10"x20"

Oil on Board

Well, I am calling this finished! There are passages in this painting that I really like, but it still is not the painting I was hoping to do! This is one that shows me that I have much to learn! I have signed up to take a workshop in September with Kim English. Maybe I'll paint the subject again after that! I love how he works with color and value to create a cohesive composition. That is more what I was hoping for with this, but didn't quite get there. I think the subject has alot of potential, though, so will have to work with it some more. I think I get too distracted by the "bits and pieces" and lose sight of the whole. . .but, hey, I painted!! Hooray to all of us that go back to the easel time and time again!

"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?

"At Townshend's Teahouse in Bend, Oregon" sold

5"x7"

Oil on Gessoboard

I can already see that I am not going to get to do any artwork today--going to go to my husband's class reunion where I expect to get some inspiration for more paintings! Anyway, I decided to bring out this little painting which is one of my favorites. It is a scene from a teahouse downtown here in Bend. I loved the backlighting and effect of the women and objects silouetted against the window. Also, this is the first painting I did with alizaron yellow and a limited palette. It was quite an eye-opener for me!

This painting is also available framed for $180. If you are interested in that, email me and I can send you a photo of it in its frame.

"At Townsend's for Tea" (sold)

11"x14" image size

Oil on Board

Finished!! This was so fun to do and I really thank you people who commented on the painting in process--it encouraged me! I used a limited palette on this one, too, though I haven't yet got that alizaron yellow that I used in the first version of it. Sara Winter does beautiful work with a limited paletted and that inspired me to keep trying it. I used alizaron crimson, ultramarine blue, cad lemon and cad yellow light and raw sienna and white. It is so nice the way it keeps the colors working with each other and simplifies the process so much!

"Breakfast at Chow"

7"x5"

Oil on Canvasboard

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

click here to ask about purchasing this painting through Paypal

I had breakfast at a restaurant named Chow this morning--very tasty! A blend of sauteed grains, spinach and spices topped with an egg--not that you needed to know that! Anyway, Megan, the wait-person, was great about my taking photos so I made the most of it. The restaurant is in a little old house and is filled with natural light--love that!

"Downtown Maupin"

6"x8"

Oil on Board

This is of a little town in eastern Oregon which is a well-known place for river rats to put into the Deschutes River. It was so quiet and I felt so conspicuous as I was going around taking pictures! I liked the tension between the light and dark shapes. While I was painting it, every once in awhile I'd be seeing this great abstract composition happening and I hoped to keep that flavor, too. I'd like to do this again and explore those aspects more, exaggerate them. I find it quite a challenge to not put in too much information! My intention is to spend alot of time this summer (in spite of the gas prices!) going around rural Oregon and painting what, to me, feels "rural". Visiting Maupin is a start!

"Old Malone Elevator"

6"x8"

Oil on Board

(framed painting currently available through Tumalo Art Company)

This past weekend, I took a little trip to where I grew up (Merrill, OR) to visit and get some inspiration for painting--little did I expect so much snow and such cold! One of the benefits of that, though, is the crystal blue sky that absolutely sparkles. The Klamath Basin is an agricultural area and quite beautiful. I have always been drawn to the grain elevators standing starkly against the sky. This area is also on the flight path of many birds and I was thrilled to see bald eagles and flocks of snow geese and swans. What a treat!

"Which Way Now?"

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 includes domestic s/h

I was looking at H. Malott's blog the other day--I've admired her work, among others, for a long time. Her paintings from Italy inspired me to try this and to keep it loose. She's so good at letting the brushstroke suggest what's happening rather than having to "get all the details just right". I find that it's almost harder for me to let it be than to have to define everything. This might not seem all that loose, but if you could see the painting of the same subject I did 6 months ago, you'd see a huge difference! I like this much better. . .

Click here to ask me about purchase information

NEW SITE ON MY "Take a Look" LIST:

I found Jeffrey Boron's work from his comments on mine and really enjoy it! His landscapes glow with the way he uses color. They remind me of the Canadian artist, Tommy Thompson. Jeffrey is as good at depicting the clear cold light-filled air as Thompson was. His paintings make me feel that atmosphere. I hope you will click on his name and visit his website!

"Morning Ritual" sold

6"x6"

Oil on Board

Just a lovely sight, watching the swans groom themselves in the morning light. . . .

To ask about purchase info, click here