"Beneath the Mural" NYC Public Library, McGraw Rotunda (sold)

12"x8"

Oil on Panel

This is one of those paintings I've been wanting to do for awhile!   They are sitting on a bench under one of the murals created by Edward Laning in the McGraw Rotunda of the NYC Public Library.  I hope to do this again in a larger format, though totally enjoyed this one!

"Study for the Pie Lady at Apple Valley Store"

8"x6'

Oil on Panel

$125 plus $10 domestic s/h

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As part of the Reflections on Rural Life project, we are visiting people, businesses and orchards in the Hood River Valley in north-central Oregon.  Such a beautiful spot!  Marcia, the pie-maker at Apple Valley Store, graciously agreed to let us photograph and paint her.  She made 3500 pies last year!  Visit their site for a look at a great family-run business and delicious foods to order.

"Janie at Heart-to-Heart Quilters"

18"x18"

Oil on Panel

NFS at this time

This painting represents a part of a project that I am working on with Janice Druian.  We are putting together an exhibit that focuses on people and places in selected rural areas of Oregon and northern California.  We are interviewing people who live in these areas asking them to talk to us about changes they have seen or are currently experiencing as the times and economics change.  I am doing the paintings of the people.  Janice is painting the geographic areas, farms and/or businesses.  We are including the words of those pictured as part of the exhibit.  This will be shown at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River, OR next April.

Janie is a woman I grew up with in southern Oregon.  In fact we were born just days apart, probably in the same hospital!  I know that Jane studied music in college and has taught and continues to teach kindergarten in schools where there are alot of children from migrant families.  Along with a partner, she owns a business in Merrill called "Heart to Heart Quilters".  They have 4 long-arm quilting machines that they use and rent out to others to use.  She is pictured here working on a quilt for a client.

"Opening NIght Conversation"

10" x 8"

Oil on Panel

$225 plus $10 domestic s/h

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This painting is of a scene at Tumalo Art Company one opening night.  I enjoyed the interaction of these figures and the stances of the two in front.  I just wonder what they were talking about!

"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.

"Dressing the Bride" #2

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$125 plus $10 domestic s/h

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Another painting of Becky on her wedding day. . .I'm enjoying the subject immensely!

"Dressing the Bride" #1

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

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Trying to get the pieces of this subject to form a whole, as the way pieces of a puzzle fit together, was the thought in my mind as I painted this today.  It made me concentrate on seeing the value and color shapes and to be aware of how the modeling affected that whole idea.  It was fun to do!  I'm looking forward to working more like this.  What is funny thinking about it, though, is that that idea wouldn't even have crossed my mind a couple of years ago, maybe even a year ago.  It's one of those things that when you see it in another painting, it attracts you, but you can't even quite name it.  It feels good to realize that we constantly learn to see more and more. 

"First Friday Gallery Walk at River Bend Fine Art Gallery"

12"x12"

Oil on Board

$400 plus $10 domestic s/h

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This was so much fun to paint!  I worked to "mass" in the composition, but then because I've been wanting to explore the use of line more in my work, I started drawing with my brush.  After that, I played with filling out the form with color, leaving line where it seemed to work.  It was a good way to break out of the rut I feel I've been in, wanting to model everything so carefully.  I'm pleased with the freshness this painting kept and at the fact that I don't think I overworked it--an achievement!!

The color in the photo isn't great and I will be replacing it with a different photo tomorrow.

"Oceanside Office"

8"x8"

Oil on board

$150 plus $10 domestic s/h

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This grey day at the coast was warm and pleasant enough to be able to take out the paperwork and get busy--what a great spot for it!  This scene is of one of the participants in the Kim English workshop in September while we were taking a lunch break.  The rest of the day went from cloudy to pouring rain as it can.do on the Oregon coast.  We tried very hard to keep painting, standing under a big tree, putting up umbrellas as we could, placing the model in a comfortably dry spot, but the weather finally got the best of us!  The workshop was sponsored by Art in the Mountains and they had put together a great meal for us that afternoon of fresh-caught salmon, crab and cod (I think!).  A great feast which took our minds off the soaking we got!

This is my 600th post--how did that happen?

"Balboa Park Trolley Stop" Study (sold)

6"x8"

Oil on Board

$125 plus $10 domestic s/h

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This was too much fun!  In the oil painting class I'm teaching, we have been working with split-complementary color schemes, so I decided to go with that.  Also, I was looking at the notes and pics I took at Kim English's workshop in September and was inspired to try to see my subject in a simpler way.  I look forward to working like this more.  Even though I've painted and drawn seriously for all of my adult life, sometimes I feel like I am just beginning to see!  It is one of the beauties of doing artwork, I think!

"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. . .

"Simpatico"

16"x12" unframed, 22"x18" framed

Oil on Board
contact River Bend Fine Art Gallery for purchase information

I did a little 8x6 of this subject a couple of years ago and have wanted to go larger with it ever since. I love the solid feel of the two of them together, taking care of each other. The scene is at a rodeo. Maybe you'll recognize the cowgirl in the boots, hat and dress from another painting.

"At the Cafe Counter"

12"x16"

Oil on Board

sold

I just finished this commission of a painting I've done just a few times before! It is still a pleasure to work with this subject. This couple is at a cafe in Portland, OR called the Byways Cafe. It's a great little place with an Americana travel theme going on and looks like a diner out of the 50's. Good food, too!

I'm taking a couple of month's break from being in the Daily Painters Gallery (www.dailypainters.com). I need to be putting my energies towards painting for an upcoming show, illustration work and marketing and it's difficult for me to do that and try to do small paintings regularly, too--if you've been following, I'm sure you've noticed!! I'll be posting whatever I'm painting on my blog, though, so keep on following, or become a follower! I appreciate you all!

"At the Wedding Reception"

8"x12"

Oil on Board

Contact me for purchase information or for commissions

I've been working on this painting the last couple of days which is of a couple from a wedding I attended last month. Besides the subjects, I was attracted to this scene because of the lighting and the challenge of the skin tones. The table was sparkling with the light coming from behind as the bride and groom were listening to toasts being offered to them. The wedding was at a vineyard outside of Livermore, CA. A beautiful setting and evening!

Painting in Process--At the Diner

12"x16"

Oil on Board

Commission--NFS

This is a commissioned painting and if you have followed my blog, you'll have seen the subject before a few times! I have always thought of myself as not liking to revisit subjects, but this year I'm finding out it isn't necessarily true. There are a few that I just don't get tired of exploring--the mothers/children and this one are two of them.

Painting in Process #2--"Babe in Arms"

18"x12"

Oil on Board

Unfinished

I was able to spend some more time on this today. There's really not much to say about it except that what you see today may be different tomorrow! One thing I'm thinking is that mom's face may have to fade out somewhat--the painting really is about the little guy. Mom is holding a cell phone. I want to keep it, but also want to make sure it's "readable". It doesn't look as much like the actual people as it did when I started. I'm not sure if I'm going to worry about that or not. I may just go ahead and let it be more of an "interpretive portrait". I like the freedom of that, but have a huge strain of "get it right" running through my veins!

"Helping With the Ribbon" (sold)

16"x12"

Oil on Board

Whew!! Finished! This is one of those paintings that I was SO excited about because I love the image so much, and, experienced the equivalent anxiety of whether or not I would be able to paint it! I like it. I am very pleased. It was a learning experience as I mentioned in my last post--all those whites!

"At the TBD Loft"

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$125 includes domestic s/h

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I did a little reworking on this older painting and am now happy with it! I feel like it has a good feeling of the natural light coming into the room on a mid-winter afternoon.