Posts

Garden Fresh Green Peppers

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Garden Green Peppers , oil, 5x7" available I grew these peppers in my garden last summer. I painted them from life and enjoyed their presence in my kitchen hanging on my wall. Its time now, to release them out into the world.

Summer Oasis

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Summer Oasis , oil, 11x14",  Available It was a perfect summer day, low humidity and the most gorgeous blue sky imaginable. This idyllic scene is not far from our home in Manchester, MI on a farm down the road.

Feline Repose

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Feline Repose , 10x8" Ebony pencil on paper, SOLD What can I say? I just love kitty cats and they will always have a special place in my heart.

There Is Love

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There Is Love , Acrylic, 8x10" SOLD John 3:16 King James Version For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. "For whenever two or more of you are gathered in His name There is Love, there is Love." Paul Stookey

Paper Peter Cottontail

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Paper Peter Cottontail , Oil, 7x5" SOLD This week at Daily Paintworks is 'The Crumpled Paper Challenge' from Kim Rempel. "Take a piece of paper, crunch it up, put it in a well-lit setting and paint! It's a great exercise to study shapes and relative values." Well, I consider my entry as 'strategically' crumbled  paper and that's my story and I'm sticking to it! ;)

Peek-a-Boo Farm

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Peek-a-Boo Farm, Oil, 5x7", available This scene from our living room window was on a humid and rather overcast afternoon, with no direct sunlight. We are situated on a very large hill of many acres and the farm is about a half mile away as the crow flies. Through the thick foliage, the farm is barely discernible as it peeks through the trees.

Donuts Make My Brown Eyes Blue

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Donuts Make My Brown Eyes Blue, Oil, 5x7", SOLD This week's Daily Paintworks Challenge by Kelley MacDonald is a real fun one! Donuts, yum, let me count the ways I love you! Neither I, nor my husband, can be trusted around them, so I downloaded an image off the internet that I cropped and made revisions to make my own. I almost downloaded a virus in the process and had to shut down my computer real fast! Just another reason for me to avoid donuts like the plague. :(

Evening Glow

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Evening Glow, Oil, 6x8" SOLD This big guy was all awash in the evening glow of light as my husband and I scoured the hills of northern California. I couldn't resist photographing him and using him in a painting, or two.

Touched by the Spirit

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Touched by the Spirit, Oil, 6x8" available This is 'A Study of Values' over painted with color. I love how the warm under painting makes the colors sing!

At Rest

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At Rest, Oil, 12x9", SOLD I have two centers of interest in this painting; the bicycle and the light on the middle ground tree. My intent is to capture a moment of peace while having an interesting play of shadow and light.

Grazing In The Grass

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Grazing In The Grass, Oil, 6x8" SOLD As a child I was in love with horses. I drew them constantly and learned all that I could about them. That passion is how I learned to develop my skills as an artist.

I Have a Hammer

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I Have A Hammer, Oil, 8x6", available This was an interesting study for the Daily Paintworks Challenge. I almost did not submit, as I do not have a fondness for painting tools. However, I came up with a concept that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Mise en Place

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Mise En Place, Oil, 6x8" SOLD "Everything in place" is the definition of mise en place. I find it works well in the studio as well as the kitchen. I detest wasting time searching for something I cannot find readily!

Three Little Tomatoes Sitting in a Tray

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Three Little Tomatoes Sitting in a Tray , Oil, 5x7", SOLD I really, really like what I did with this painting. OK, first came the influence from the Carol Marine workshop. I don't think I would of thought to do a still life from a bird's eye view. But more importantly, what I garnered was how the shapes and angles make an interesting design, rather than painting the objects for themselves. I love how the diagonals lend motion, the strong light and shadows add drama, as well as, the intense reds playing off the cool blues of the shadows. The hard linear qualities of the tray in juxtaposition to the organic shapes of the tomatoes also add contrast and excitement.

Gracias Rosa

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Gracias Rosa , Oil, 7x5" SOLD On Valentine's Day, my sweet husband took me to Casa Bonita for lunch. Upon leaving, I was given this red rose from the staff to take as a 'thank you' for our patronage. I took it home to my studio and here is the result!

Stand Out

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Stand Out, Oil, 6x8",  Available I love color. I started this painting on the last day of the Carol Marine workshop in Aurora, IL last December. I just had a sketchy underpainting going, when I petered out. It was a fantastic and intensive five days. I wasn't sure if I was going to finish it, but I liked the concept and I had taken photos. You may even notice that these are the same flowers as in 'Something Borrowed, Something Blue'. So, here is the finished product and I love it!

Shadow Play

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Shadow Play , Oil, 6x8", available I did not think of bananas as difficult to paint. Even though these went quickly, they took sometime before they came together. Funny how expectations can play with your mind. I ended up loving the outcome despite it looking like a jumbled mess for the first half.

Red Pepper Salute

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Red Pepper Salute , Oil, 5x7" SOLD This is my first painting in my new studio with my new shadow box. I want to thank Carol Marine for providing the detailed instructions to make it, and my dear hubby, Rich, for building it. By the way, my pepper was delicious on my salad and in my spaghetti sauce!

Arizona Portrait Demo

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Eldon , Oil, 14x11", SOLD I had the honor of doing a portrait demo for a small group of artists down in Casa Grande, AZ last week. Eldon was the willing subject and he did a wonderful job of modeling. This was a quick two hour sketch with a few short breaks. Here is a portion of the thank you note I received: "Just wanted to thank you again for the workshop you did for our Art Class here at Las Colinas.  Everyone including our instructor Cathy expressed how much they learned from you.  I have been asked several times to bring out the portrait you did so that they could examine it more closely.  After seeing it, other folks have now expressed interest in checking out our class on Thursdays.  Anyway, thanks again." 

A Study of Values

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Touched by the Spirit , Oil, 6 x 8" "Apple symbolizes wisdom, because in the Bible, it is the fruit of the tree "that gives the knowledge of what is good and what is evil"1(Genesis 2:9), which Adam and Eve are forbidden to eat. God had said "You may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, except the tree that gives the knowledge of what is good and what is evil..."2(Genesis 2:16-17). Nevertheless, being tempted by the evil serpent, Adam and Eve eat the apple. After they consume the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve "[are] given understanding"3(Genesis 3:7), and are thrown from paradise, the Garden of Eden. Therefore, the apple may also symbolize the beginning of an exile, or suffering." --Dominique Mao

Her Gaze

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Her Gaze, Oil, 10 x 8", available Adrienne is a petite young woman with the most compelling gaze. The shadows are painted very thin and the light values, especially in the face, are impasto. My intent was to show some interesting brush work in this 2.5 hour sketch from life.

Something Borrowed, Something Blue.

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Something Borrowed, Something Blue,  Oil, 7x5", SOLD I borrowed the blue glass from Judy Goral of Lemons, IL. The flowers were given to me from Carol Marine . This lesson was to use one color per one stroke. I groaned at first then decided that I loved the results! Got to do this more often.

Apple with Cup & Saucer

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Apple with Cup & Saucer, Oil, 7x5, available I set up this arrangement after our lesson on composition at Carol Marine's workshop . I borrowed the cup from  Cathe Hedgespeth of Henderson, KY. She is a sweetheart. I worked at the same table as her each day. I borrowed the background papers from Trish Lyons of Louisville, KY, who also shared my table. Trish is a wonderful gal, too, and I was happy to loan objects along with everyone else. We had a fantastic group of people, which included two great guys!

At the Carol Marine Workshop

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Three Amigos , Oil, 6x8", available If you ever get a chance to attend a Carol Marine workshop, your money will be well spent! Carol is a fabulous instructor and a teaches a wealth of information. Even an old dog like me can learn a new trick or two. This piece is one I did on my first day. I will be posting more and putting up on DPW.

Her Highness Holds Court

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Her Highness Holds Court , Oil, 7x5",  a vailable The Daily Paintworks Challenge is to paint man's best friend and his/her favorite things. This is Sasha and she looks so regal that she could be Queen!

Portrait of Marjorie

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Marjorie, Oil, 14x11", SOLD Marjorie had sat for us, again, and I did the usual oil sketch. I liked it, but it had a couple of issues that I decided I'd address at home. I bring a camera with me to the sessions and take a few photos of the models as reference. I rarely go back and alter a piece at home, as I either like what I did or I don't. Those I don't, I will use to paint over with something or someone else. Marjorie is special. She is someone that I admire, consider a friend and feel a special bond with her. I hope that my portrait of her shows the respect I feel for her.

Lost in Thought

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Lost in Thought , Oil on Panel, 12x9"   SOLD Heather was our model at Open Figure Studio. I was quite pleased with the outcome from the dramatic backlighting. I was working on a fairly dark toned panel. This piece just flowed without much pressure. I am not sure who was lost in thought more, myself or the model?

Gar's Shoes

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Gar's Shoes , Oil, 5x7" available A simple still life that I set up for my students. Gar provided the shoes. I did this as a demo.

Art Center Coffee Mug

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Art Center Coffee Mug , Oil on panel, 5x7, SOLD Last Thursday, I had some time in between classes to eat my dinner and set up this simple still life. I teach an oil class for beginners and I like to keep it simple. "what the hey", I thought, "I'll knock this puppy out myself before class". Well, I am very pleased with the results.

Open Figure Session, September 28, 2011

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Marjorie , Oil, 12 x 9" SOLD Marjorie was our wonderful model, yesterday. I was so happy with her choice of the red top as it reflected plenty of warmth into her skin. The walls of the art center are a very cool white and yesterday was overcast, adding additional coolness. Everyone kind of got a late start, so with breaks, I painted this in about two hours. Doesn't seem to matter how early I get there, time just seems to get the better of me. The upside is that I don't seem to be over thinking my approach. I had a warm reddish brown tone on this board and it seemed to really help to paint the portrait quickly. You can see it particularly in the blouse.