New Art to See!

Turning to the Sun
6 x 6

Radishes
6 x 6

Flying High
9 x 12

Trees & Shadows
16 x 20

Paintings and Memories

Magnolia Memories
9 x 12
Oil on Linen Panel

Sometimes a memory creates a painting and sometimes the painting creates a memory.    These magnolias were painted as I remembered lazy days spent in the South.  The Peony brings back the pleasure of a special bouquet delivered just at the right moment.  Magnolia Memoires is traveling to Texas today.   Cheers to Memories!

Peony Memories
6 x 6
Oil on Board

New Paintings .... Greens and Blues

One of the most important things to learn and understand when painting landscapes outdoors is accurately mixing greens & blues.    A hillside covered with brush is one of the hardest images to capture when painting on-site.    The intensity of the sun can trick you into painting the greens (& blues!) more vividly than they are.    The first two paintings below were painted outdoors onsite in one sitting.   I was happy I didn't intensify the saturation beyond reality.   Keeping the greens muted and subtle was a challenge but I accomplished it here.   The last Waterlilly was painted in my studio with controlled lighting so I dove into the intense blues!  These new paintings will be at the OffTrack Gallery in Encinitas just in time for the Reception Saturday, June 1, from 4 until 9. 

Murhpy's Hills
8 x 10

Waterlily I
8 x 10

Waterlily II
16 x 20

Anemone
Oil on Canvas
12 x 16

This week we welcomed spring!    These colorful anemone got me ready for sunshine, blue skies and cut flowers.   I am not surprised to learn these flowers are related to ranunculus which grow so abundantly in Southern California.    Their feather light petals dance!   Are you ready for spring?  These will be heading down to the Off Track Gallery here in Encinitas next week - so take some time to go and see them.   They may just get you dancing.

Sunflowers are one of my favorite subjects .... and this painting is a favorite among my Sunflower paintings.   I never tire of their happy faces looking up and saying "Come out and play"!  Hope you enjoy it. 

Oil on Canvas
9 x 12

Off Track Gallery Paintings

I will be showing these paintings at Off Track Gallery in the Encinitas Lumberyard until Wednesday of next week.  By Thursday at least half of them will rotate out to make room for more art.   Stop in and take one home!

La Jolla Cove
16 x 20

Up At the Tower
12 x 16

Grapes & Pomegranates
8 x 10

Pomegranate & Spoon
8 x 10

Off Track Gallery 

Copper Kettle Roses

Painting roses is always fun.   Usually I paint them in either glass or silver.   This time the roses are in a copper kettle which creates a wonderful warm glow!

This painting is now on display at the OffTrack Gallery in the Encinitas Lumberyard.   Come by and check it out!

Copper Kettle Roses

Oil on Canvas

9 x 12

The San Dieguito Art Guild is hosting a Mother's Day Art & Garden Tour over the weekend.   These new paintings are packed up for the show and ready to delight our guests.  The florals will make a perfect Mother's Day gift .... flowers that last forever!

Thinking of Van Gogh
16 x 20
Original Oil Painting

Amalia's Roses
11 x 14
Original Oil Painting

Lifeguard Station
8 x 8
Original Oil Painting

Some Like it Hot!
9 x 12
Original Oil Painting

Golden Pear
8 x 10
Original Oil Painting

Garlic ... makes life more interesting!

8 x 8
Oil on Board

Farm to Easel

I have always tinkered with the idea of combining art, food and gardening.   When cooking, my mom taught us to gather all of your ingredients on the counter before starting.   This gives me the chance to indulge the artistic side of my brain by arranging my ingredients into a pleasing still life which is often photographed and sent to those who might be jealous of what is up for dinner.

This painting represents one of the times when you have gotten things from the garden, gathered them in the kitchen and are getting ready to chop them into something delicious.   But wait .... the green onions look better in front of the purple .... the garlic pod might be more pleasing broken apart.... back to dinner!

Oil Painting
12 x 24
"Farm to Easel"

Sunflower Study

Sunflowers are some of my favorite flowers as well as my favorite things to paint.   I started this study with a thumb nail sketch including values.  Next I tried it in watercolor then oil.  All in good fun!

Sunflower Studies

Pomegranate at Carole's

Pomegranate
9 x 12
Oil on Canvas

I attended a workshop given by local artist Carole Mayne last month.  We started by photographing a colorful still life.   We edited the photo into a black and white image  -which we used to create a thumbnail value sketch using black paper, a white pencil and a black sharpie pen.   It really cemented the values of the painting well in advance of picking up a brush.   "If the values are correct the color doesn't matter"!   So true!   I hope you enjoy the painting and seeing the photos we used.  

Nancy Medina Flower Painting Workshop

11 x 14
Oil on Canvas
Nancy Medina Workshop One

I attended a fabulous flower painting workshop here in San Diego given by Nancy Medina.   She has a very technical, methodical painting process that I found easy to understand.   She uses transparent colors for an underpainting and then punches up the colors with opaque on top - keeping cool and warm colors in mind.   As a class we painted these first two together.

11 x 14
Oil on Canvas
Nancy Medina Workshop Two



6 x 6
Oil on Panel
Dyed Zinnias
 



Since Nancy was flying home to Texas she asked us San Diegans to help ourselves to the flowers from the workshop.    I chose stunning pink zinnias (dyed!) and some blue larkspur.    I painted these using her method.  

Linda's Roses

9 x 12"
Oil on Canvas

My friend Linda let me know she had some fabulous roses on her dining room table waiting to be painted!   And was she right!   They were vibrant and reflecting against a white linen cloth and silver pitcher.

As fall marches toward us most of these beautiful roses are spent.    However, just as in our lives, the memories live on!   Enjoy.

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!

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

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!