Art by Mary Rochelle Burnham

Bust of Benjamin Franklin , oil, 7x5" SOLD Jean-Antoine Houdon French, 1741-1828 Tinted plaster after 1778 Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH Benjamin Franklin (1705-1790) went to Europe in 1776 to negotiate a treaty of alliance between France and the United States, and remained as the new nation's Minister to France until 1785. Through their fraternal and social activities, he became acquainted with the sculptor Houdon, who recorded in this portrait the statesman's thinning hair, sagging chin, and expression of wisdom and humor. Eight years later, on Franklin's recommendation, Houdon came to the United States to model a sculpture of George Washington.

Path To Fay Canyon, 6x8", oil, SOLD I recently went out with a "meetup" group to Fay Canyon for plein air painting in the Sedona and Verde Valley area that was organized by Michael Chesley Johnson . This is the painting I worked on outside and completed in the studio.

Eve of The Raven , Oil, 7x5", SOLD "Native North American tribes saw the raven as the bringer of light. In fact, southwestern tribes (Hopi, Navajo, Zuni) felt the raven flew out from the dark womb of the cosmos, and with it brought the light of the sun (dawning of understanding). Consequently, the raven is considered a venerated bird of creation, for without the raven, humans would forever live in darkness."

Whip Cream Evening Clouds , Oil, 5x7" NFS I am having fun with painting skies and in particular clouds. I love the dramatic formations of clouds building before a storm. To be given away at Daily Paintworks.

October Nightscape , Oil, 5x7", SOLD My first night painting. My aim was to capture the mystery of the full moon rising on an October eve.

Summer Sky , Oil, 5x7" This scene is from our property in Manchester, MI. Last summer a storm was building as the sun was getting low in the sky. I must of taken a hundred photos. I love cloud formations and we had some beauties here in Arizona. Be watching for more from me!

A Cry for Freedom , Oil 7x5", available Inspired by the Daily Paintworks Challenge, "A Cry for Freedom" is my small painting, that reflects my deeply held personal conviction. I thank God every day that I am blessed to have been born in our great nation, with our multitude of freedoms. I am proud to be an American.

Seaside Seagull , Oil, 5x7", available I took a loose impressionistic approach with my gull. I learn a little more with each painting I do. I have been busy with commission work lately, and its nice to find the time to try out ideas and new methods.

Broken Egg II , Oil, 5x7", SOLD I don't know why I decided to use a different technique to paint this egg. I tend to be an intuitive artist, allowing my unconscious to direct me. I was very happy with yesterday's direct approach and I am equally happy with today's result using layers. Following are photos I took of my process: Stage One: I toned the panel with a combination of cadmium red light and yellow ochre. I added a small amount of indian red to draw with and to add shadows. I lifted color using my brush and mineral spirits for the lights. Stage Two: Here I added darks with ultramarine blue, manganese violet and Van dyke brown Stage Three: I begin the mid-tones of the background scumbling with ultramarine blue, manganese violet, prussian blue, white, naples yellow and alizarin crimson. Stage Four: I add cadmium red light, cadmium yellow light and zinc yellow primarily in the yolk of the egg. I combined these colors with yellow

Broken Egg, Oil, 5x7", available It has been awhile since I have done a DPW Challenge. This was engaging for me on so many levels. I look forward to doing another.

Eggs , oil, 5x7" available This is my submission for the Shadow Challenge by Laurie Miller. The rules are simple;  Shadows can be really fun to paint. Find a subject with a dramatic shadow and be sure to make the shadow an important part of your composition.

The Bluest Eyes , oil, 7x5" SOLD This is my entry for Daily Paintworks, "The Up Close Animal Challenge". The challenge is to paint a close-up of an animal's face and to use the edges of the panel to crop or frame the face with a minimal amount of background space. Taryn Day is the challenge's author, a painter I adore.

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.

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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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.