4 x 4
Heading Home

4x4
Tree in Truck



4x4
Holiday Cocoa
 

I had a lot of fun painting some whimsical holiday miniatures. They evoke the kind of holiday memories we dream of!

These will all be for sale at the Encinitas Holiday Art Sale at the Encinitas Library this weekend.

Peonies for Christmas
Oil on Canvas
8 x 12"

I attended a workshop on painting with grayed colors yesterday at Carole Mayne's Studio in Leucadia.   It was a wonderful day helping me to focus on handling warm and cool colors according to light source.   In this painting the light was warm and the shadows were cool.

It will be available at the Encinitas Holiday Artist Sale at the Encinitas Library on Cornish Avenue beginning Saturday at 8:30 until 5 and also on Sunday.  Stop by and say hello!

Let the holidays begin!

Petrus
Oil on Canvas  9 x 12"

I liked the "moody" dark background of this photo from a wine magazine.   The red on the label and tops gave it just enough punch to be interesting.    Perspectives has interested me over the last year -- painting bottles in different positions is always a lot of fun!

Flowery Bouquet

Some wines just seem to have that "flowery bouquet" or is it a flowery nose?    Wonder why?

Flowery Bouquet
5" x 5"  Oil on  Canvas

Beginning Again

Sunflower Beginning I
6 x 6 Oil on Board

What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.
T. S. Eliot

I have been on a painting break over the last couple of months but I am beginning again!

Sunflower Beginning II
6 x 6 Oil on Board
 

Succulents

San Diego Botanic Gardens is hosting "Art Expressions" this weekend.   Our Daily Painters Project Artist Collective painted botanical themed paintings and are displaying them in the Paul Ecke Building in the gardens.  The show will be up until the first week of September.  These succulent paintings are my new pieces for the show.

Succulent I

 

Unfortunately the lighting on this appears different from the first painting ... in reality it isn't!    I need a little work on my camera skills.

Succulent II

Catching up with Summer ....

This summer has flown by and although I have been painting I have not been posting!  
It is now time to play catch up.  As you scroll down you can see I have been painting outside, plein air, doing still lifes as well as painting in anticipation of a trip to Italy this fall.    Enjoy!

The Fair in Plein Air
11" x 14
Oil on Canvas

Moonlight Secret -- SOLD
8" x 10
Oil on Canvas

Tuscan  Gift
11" x 14
Oil on Canvas

Geranium
6" x 6
Oil on Panel

Favorite Things

What more can you ask for?   

Favorite Things  8 x 8" Oil on Panel

Lily in Living Color

The Daily Painters will be on the San Dieguito Art Guild's Mother's Day Art & Garden Tour this Saturday and Sunday at Cris Weatherby's studio.   This flower was painted for the tour - it is a close up of a beautiful flower arrangement a friend gave me.  Thank you for inspiring me!

Lily in Living Color!  8 x 8" Oil on Panel

Wine and Flowers   Oil on Canvas   11 x 14"

It has been quite a while since I have painted in a format other than 6 or 8 inch square.   However, my subject matter has not drifted far from my favorites ... glass and sunflowers.   Sometimes the comfort of the familiar is just what you need!   I set up this still life but also took a photo with my Ipad.   It was fun using both painting from life and technology tricks at the same time.   This will be on display at the art show on May 6 at MartinFine Art as well the San Dieguito Art Guild's Mothers Day Tour and then on to the Off Track Gallery in June if no one has decided to adopt it!  Cheers!

Mom's Taos

I am painting for the San Dieguito Art Guild's Mother's Day Art and Garden Tour.  I think of Taos when I think of my Mother. She often said her most precious moments were the summer days in Taos spent watching and listening to her children play.   I think we become a part of every person and place we love.  My brother took this photo of me and my sister in Taos a year after losing my Mom.  She was truly with us that day!

8" x 8" Oil on Panel

Rose & Rose

Rose 

Rose Again

I have been trying to get focused and work on one thing at a time.   This week I painted the same rose from 2 different angles and two different backgrounds.   While I still am not completely happy with the outcome I am happy with the process.   I found myself learning more about what not to do that what to do.    Sometimes making mistakes is the best way to learn!

6" x 6   Oil on Panel

Pink Rose

The Daily Painters Project (DPP) will be part of the San Dieguito Art Guild's Mother's Day Artist Studio Tour this year.    This still life is the perfect Mother's Day gift - a rose that will last and last.

Pink Rose 6" x 6" Oil on Board

Clipped Freesias

This painting is in a higher key than I normally paint but reflects the colors in my world this week which has been blue skies and sunshine.   It is telling us to get ready and don't forget to spring forward this Saturday night!

ps the lighting for this set up was coming from all directions .... thus creating this floating effect.   I attemped to "correct it" but decided my failed attempts meant to leave it be - spring has sprung!

8" x 8" Clipped Freesias Oil on Board

Beignet Break

If you have ever been to Cafe du Monde in New Orleans you'll recognize the distinctive white and green hat this woman is wearing.  This brings back memories of good times!

8 x 8" Oil on Panel

Sunny Days!

I painted these sunflowers yesterday when the sky was cloudy but that's all it took to brighten up my day.  I used a transparent under layer then came over the top with opaque colors.   Keeping with Carol Mayne's theory of segregating warm and cool colors - see her book "What Color is the Light?" I was satisfied with the bright feeling the painting has.

Valentine Rose

My Valintine gave me this rose and it lasted long enough for me to paint it!

I was tempted to paint the baby's breathe and greenery but I resisted in able to focus on the flower.  Quiang Huang did a similar view on a rose bud which was my inspiration.    He is the master of roses!

Valentine Rose   6 x 6 " Oil on panel

I don't think I will ever tire of painting sunflowers.   They seem to call out "join us in this day ... life is sunny, bright, light hearted and long lasting!"  Hopefully, this painting captures a little of that attitude.

Sunflowers 6" x 6" Oil on panel



Morning Paper

This is my attempt at the "The Seated Figure Challenge" Posted by Dana Cooper on DPW Painting Challenge January 21, 2012. I started this painting - got distracted but came back to it today. Faces are difficult - even with just the slightest bit of information they are a challenge!

Grand Central Reader

Grand Central Reader is the January Painting Challenge for Lee A. Brown's A Day Not Wasted website.  There was a lot of information in the background of this photograph which I decided to downplay.   I like this gentleman ... not letting a moment go wasted while waiting for what?   The train?  A friend? 
Grand Central Reader 8 x 10" Oil on panel

Still Life .... Still Painting

The holidays have taken a toll on my painting time.   Yesterday was the first time since before Christmas that I painted.   I wasn't sure about starting and I procrastinted a bit.   However, it was a Still Life and I am Still Painting!    This is a stretched canvas using transparent paint and medium.   I can see now it was a bit too thin with too much of the canvas showing through.   Once more thing to consider when using medium and transparent paint!

8 x 8"  Oil on Canvas