"Young Jumper" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Board

I loved the confidence these kids showed on the horses and kind of envied their experience! This little painting was a challenge--spent alot of time on proportion and the feel of the movement. Sometimes it's really difficult to get these things right on such a small scale, and, for me, when I'm working with the figure or another live creature, it's important to do that.

"Warming Up"

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

Another painting from the High Desert Classics. It's such a treat to visit out there. The horses are such strong, beautiful creatures. The competitors range from young girls--haven't seen any boys out there--to "seasoned" pros.

"Washington Square Reflections" (sold)

12"x9"

Oil on Board

$300 plus $10 domestic s/h

click here to ask to purchase this painting through Paypay

I was looking forward to trying this subject larger than the 8"x6" (7/15's post "Day at the Mall") and am trying to get up some work for a show in October, so have spent the last couple of days working on this version. I enjoyed using different brushes--actually used a size 10 somewhere in there! I also tried to apply thicker paint--I can't believe how hard that can be! With the brights I love to use, I find I put the paint on pretty thin. I found it easiest to carry more paint with the filberts. But then, I love the marks the brights make--no reason not to use them all, right? At any rate, it sure feels good to paint something not quite so tiny!!

"Morning Ride" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

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This little painting is from a jumper and horse show event called the High Desert Classics which is a benefit for a local youth organization and goes for a couple of weeks. Riders and competitors come from all over the States and, though, I am not a "horse-person", it's just beautiful to watch.

This is Tobey. He's an 8 1/2 week old bichon that joined our family last Friday. He is so much fun!!! Needless to say, it's been a little hard to keep my mind on painting the past few days!

"The Poet's Corner" (final)

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

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I ended up working some more on yesterday's painting and am glad I did. I am happier with the values and colors. I think I still may try another version of it at some point. It just feels like there is some way I want to treat the painting of this image, but still haven't quite figured out what it is! The Poet's Corner is a relatively new art-space in my hometown of Bend that offers inexpensive space for young/unestablished artists of all stripes to work and show. It has that fresh feeling of exploration, anything being possible--reminds me of college days. . .

"The Poet's Corner" . . .maybe

8"x6"

Oil on Board

Today was not a great day to paint--just plain tired! I had a hard time really paying attention to what I was doing, just kind of kept mixing and putting on paint without thinking enough about it! So. I am going to look at it again tomorrow and see what to change, or maybe even start from scratch. I really like the subject and want to do it justice!

"Nikki" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

Another painting of my sister-in-law's horse, Nikki. Actually, this one looks much more like her to me than the first one I did. I'm glad about that, but mostly I was hoping to get the feel of the horse, the place and the time of day. At any rate, I thoroughly enjoyed doing this!

"Day at the Mall" (sold)

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

Well I wanted to do something today that I didn't get so tight with, could try to let the brushstrokes BE more than I have been lately. This was really fun. I would be a happy camper if I could do the same thingon a larger scale!

"At Pasture" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

I admire the single-mindedness of animals--they are just so into the moment. I wish I spent more time like that! But that is one thing I love about painting--it focuses my energy and thoughts often just drift away. It's a welcome rest from my self!

"Day's End"

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

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This little painting is from a visit earlier this week to the farm I grew up on. The sun was about down and it was so quiet. Some of the sounds you hear are the horses snorting or their tails swishing, a hawk calling and the sprinklers watering the fields. The light is beautiful as it stretches over the fields. I'd like to spend more time learning to capture that!

"Bull-Dogger"

8"x8"

Acrylic on 1" Cradled Board, No Frame Necessary

$130 includes domestic s/h

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Well this was another go with the acrylics--so different than the oils! I like the energetic look and the bright colors that I end up with, but it is very hard to get used to how quickly they dry. It seems like you really have to learn to make quick color decisions--maybe that would be a good thing!

"Over the Top" (sold)

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

Another pup at the dog show--they make me smile to paint them. Where I don't smile is trying to figure out all that green--I've always thought green was a hard color to paint--is it too bright? too dull? too blue? too just green!

"Simpatico"

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

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I saw these kids at the rodeo a couple of weeks ago and in going through my photos, I was so struck by their seeming independence from everyone else. They just seemed so mature, like they've had a whole lot of experience packed into their few years. I enjoyed the challenge of the limited palette in this painting.

"PLE-E-E-EASE Sit" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$110 plus $10 domestic s/h

Awhile into the agility competition at last weekend's dog show, some of these pups would suddenly be distracted in the middle of what they were supposed to be doing--hey! someone else was here before me!! who was it? sniff. . .sniff--it was so funny and wonderful to see how the animal was just so present to his world and how it didn't care a bit about "winning" and all that. Meanwhile, the judge looks on. . .

painting in process

Well, the morning is going too fast and I am fiddling too much on this painting, so it won't be finished today! Oh well--it IS a holiday!! The other day, I found some new brights that I had stashed away and have been using them. I can't believe how much more I tighten up when I paint with them, but I do love the marks they make!

Happy 4th of July!