Rising Like the Sun

Rising Like the Sun

9" x 6"

September 30, 2008

Oil on Board

I seem to paint flowers when they are on their are about to wither away. Maybe I am a procrastinator. I like the way it gives the petals more character. I like the color in this one and the texture. It reminds me of a landscape with the sun rising on a clear blue sky. I must say shadows really make this painting.

A Pair of Pears

A Pair of Pears

12" x 9"

September 30, 2008

Oil on Board

The more I look at this painting the more I like it. It really frustrated me for a while. I have tried some new things with my painting surface and I am not quite sure I like it. So during this painting I really felt like I was struggling against the surface. In the end I just said to heck with it and took a bigger brush ( because if there is ever a problem I usually just say use a bigger brush and give'r) and I just made a few strokes and told my self this is as good as it is going to get. So I set it aside and did a new painting and when I came back to it it didn't look so bad as I thought it was. In fact it is looking pretty damn good, if I may say so myself.

Sexy Pear

Sexy Pear

5 1/2" x 7"

September 29, 2008

Oil on Board

This is a Demo I did for the class I taught on Monday. We went though composition and focused on tone to create dramatic paintings. This pear reminds me of someone on stage giving a dramatic monologue where a self centred actor is really getting off on the attention. I always seem to personify pears. They are so shapely and seem to have such personality and character. They like to pose for me too.

Day Dreaming

Day Dreaming

4 1/2" x 12"

September 28, 2008

Oil on Board

On Sunday, everyone was asleep, even my husband. The sun was brightly shinning and it was hot compared to previous days. The sky was perfect and the light was perfect. I snuck out onto my front porch and did this painting. I look at this view everyday and dream about painting it but painting with two small children in the midst of toys is never a good idea no matter what the light or view is like. Well, I must have done something right because I was given my chance.

Here is my theory on the fall sky, in case you might be wondering. It was brought up by a friend who asked what makes the sky so different in the fall? Well, I think it is because the color of the leaves in the fall and the different direction of the sun makes the contrast of the clear blue sky vibrate against the color of the orange tinged trees. The combination makes the trees and sky pop against each other.

Early Fall Rising

Fall Rising

September 21, 2008

12" x 9"

Oil on board
Sold

Early Rising

September 21, 2008

9" x 6"

Oil on Board

I have just finished getting over a really bad head cold, so I am sorry for the delay in posting. I went out on a really chilly morning with a good friend of mine and we painted together on one of the back roads close to where I live. The sun was coming up, mist was rising, the light was fantastic, my fingers were freezing, and my nose was running. It was a good day of painting.

Lemon Interrogation

Lemon Interrogation

September 22, 2008

9" x 6"

Oil on Board

This is my demo painting that I did during the oil painting class I am teaching on Monday nights. I was sniffling the whole time and I am quite sure I made no sense whatsoever. I was sick and didn't want to take anything because I was worried I would get drowsy, and I needed to drive myself. Now looking back at that night my recollection of it seems quite hazy as if I conducted it in a drunken stupor. But my wonderful class stuck by and continued on. I really put them to the test. I have a feeling it is going to be a great bunch, and I am so excited for the next class as I am no longer in a snotty trance.

Sneakers

Sneakers

September 18, 2008

14" x 11"

Oil on Board

I could hardly wait to get to these shoes. I promised myself I could paint them after I did the paintings of the flowers. These shoes are my reward for painting the flowers before they passed on. I loved painting my daughters tiny red shoes. I like how over sized the laces are. I had to really hold back from getting too intense on the details. I did this by using larger brushes so I couldn't get too finicky.

I have been posting my work usually the day after the work is completed because I need the drying time so I can put my signature on without it turning into an unsightly, illegible, blob of paint. So, I go through my day anxious to post my newest work. I love posting my work and sending it out there to the abyss to see what will happen or if anything will happen at all. I love it.

Thinking of Amber and Autumn

Thinking of Amber and Autumn

September 16, 2008

12" x 9"

Oil on Board

I had a vase full of these flowers and they have such a life to them. I cut them from my garden and they have kept for weeks now. I finally noticed some of the flowers had passed on so I quickly grabbed this one that was still quite vibrant to paint it.

This flower reminded me of my sister-in-law who loves the fall especially fall colors. I was so intrigued by the colors in the petals, they reminded me of her hair, the colors at her wedding, the colors in her home, and I always seem to spend the most time with her in the fall. So here is a painting that I would consider to be almost a portrait because it came into being through thoughts of a wonderful woman and what her husband would probably call, her weird obsession lately with orange.

Better Together

Better Together

completed September 8, 2008

approx. 4' x 3'

Oil on Canvas

This is a painting I did as a commemorative piece, which is something I rarely do. I almost always refuse to do commissioned work. In this painting I tried to capture the emotional pull between this couple. He really can't keep his hands off her it is very heartwarming to see a couple so in love. I wasn't going to post it at first because I didn't want people to think that I would do commissioned pieces but when I showed it to my mother she cried, so I thought it must be good or she is hormonal. So, I am posting it. Throughout much of my University days I did mostly figurative work, so this is nothing new to me.

I am putting this work out there so that it may raise some interest or some discussion between people.

A Gift of Herbs

A Gift of Herbs

September 10, 2008

24" x 18"

Oil on Canvas
Sold

I don't think that I will paint while my kids are around for a long time! This was a nightmare to complete. My kids were running around and causing havoc it forced me to paint extremely quickly without paying much attention to what I was doing, which also helped me to catch the morning light. I was constantly keeping an ear open to make sure bad things weren't happening, which they were anyways. I learned some good things through the process. Sometimes you need to think about what you are painting and other times you need to lose yourself to it and not question what you are doing. There has to be a happy balance. I do have to thank my friend Deltra for such an inspiring gift. I came home to find this lovely gift of herbs on my step. I woke the next morning to see the morning sun light making the box and herbs glisten. I brought my painting equipment into my kitchen and painted it as it was. It still makes me smile when I see it sitting on my kitchen table.

I have been spending quite a bit of my time lately working on a larger painting that I will soon post. I have been very fortunate to get more time than normal to paint. It is a special painting that I can't wait to post.

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Fading Sun

Fading Sun

September 4, 2008

12" x 9"

Oil on Board

I have recently been kid swaping with an artist friend of mine. Not only are we friends but luckly our son's like eachother and are great friends as well. What more could two artists hope for, especially when they have two year olds. So today my son is at her house, he has a playdate and I have painting time.

I don't quite know what my latest obsession is with oranges and blues. It isn't intentional. I didn't realize this trend till today. I wonder if it will change once winter hits?