Victorian Engagement

This young couple posed for a painting group a few days ago. They are engaged, and one of their common interests is the Victorian era. They dressed in Victorian costume - which was beautiful and enjoyable to paint. The real challenge was doing two people in under four hours and have them look at least a little like who they really are.

Rains House

6x6 oil on Raymar panel

$70.00 plus s&h

I enjoy plein air but am fairly new to it. Wow - it's a whole different game out there! The bugs! The changing light! Forgeting your turpentine!

This house, the John Rains historic home in Rancho Cucamonga, California, was built in the 1840's. It is the oldest house in our area, and was built with handmade bricks. It's a beautiful home with an interior courtyard. John Rains and his wife, Dona Merced, owned much of the area where we live, until his murder, which is unsolved even today. The house, abandoned and dilapidated, was set for demolition in the early 1970's, when a school teacher and her students (my husband was one of them) stood in front of the bulldozer that would start the demolition, and stopped it in it's tracks. It was saved, restored, and is now a county museum.

Tryin To Fit In - SOLD

6x6 oil on Raymar panel

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I posted - I really miss painting when I don't - and I know you've all heard the "too busy" excuse. Well - I'm making every effort in this new year to paint more regularly. It feeds the soul, and makes everything else in life easier to deal with.

In this new painting, it seems the smallish apple is just trying to fit in, and there seems to be some question whether he will or not. This painting was so rewarding for me - such a simple subject, but so complicated in it's lights and shadows.

Orange Tea

6x6 oil on Raymar panel

$70.00 plus s&h

I finished this one this morning, after starting it last night. I love the idea of high contrast - hence the light mug on a dark background, and the use of complements. The reflections on the mug, as well as on the surface, were fun - and I think I pulled it off.

Persimmons X 4

6x6 oil on Raymar panel

$70.00 plus s&h

To me, persimmons are the most beautiful fruit there is. There's just something about the rich warm colors that get more intense with time. When they are in season, I just can't wait to capture them. The blue napkin seems to bring everything together. I'm thrilled with this one!

Reflection City - SOLD

6x6 oil on Raymar panel

Well, as I got involved in this one, it seemed like one reflection after another just kept popping up! That's what I get for putting glass and metal in the same painting. It was fun, though!

Tiny Vase - SOLD

6x6 oil on Raymar panel

This is actually a little green bottle that looks so cute as a vase with impatients in it. I wanted to emphasize the bottle, hence the composition. I'm having a little trouble getting accurate photos of my work - all I can come up with is the change in outside lighting because of the time of year. Does anyone have any ideas?

Confederate Officer

11x14 oil on Raymar panel

This model was definitely in a time warp - I think he really believed he was in the Civil War!

And he was so still - never moved. His costume was truly authentic. He was great fun to paint.

Stan Cook - SOLD

11x14 oil on Raymar panel

This model is an aquaintance of mine, and he posed at a painting workshop I go to once a month. He has such interesting features, and considers himself a "hippie', hence the beaded headband. It was really enjoyable painting him!

Gather 'Round for Storytime - SOLD

8x6 oil on Raymar panel

1. This little coffee pot is flexing her "wings" and controlling her little pupils so as to tell them a story. Kinda far fetched? I don't know - it's what came to my mind as I finished painting it. She is just so intimidating! I found this little pot in Sisters, Oregon last summer. I loved the color and couldn't wait to paint it! About this painting - I had so much fun with the many reds in the pot, and I love the complementary green bits showing through from the ground.

Umbrellas

24x18 oil on stretched canvas

On a trip to the UK several years ago, we went to Dublin and stood in line to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College. I was more interested in the visual of people standing in the rain waiting. So I did a small watercolor sketch of this, then photographed it and did this studio painting later.

Cowboy

10x14 oil on stretched canvas

I belong to a painting group who meets once a month to paint from the live, costumed model.

Some of these models really believe they are who they are dressed as! This guy was no exception. He really lived the part.

The painting was challenging, but rewarding. I like how I was able to keep it loose.

Sunflowers2 - SOLD

6x8 oil on Raymar panel

This one was really enjoyable to do - and I'm not one to do too may florals. I have more fun with the transparent glass, and I like the little pink bits that come through. But there's something about sunflowers that attract me - (there's that yellow again), and maybe it's the fact that they were VanGogh's fave.

Anticipation

8x10 oil on stretched canvas

There's that yellow again. Sometimes, it's a great exercise to just paint with the pure, unmixed colors on my palette, paying attention only to the value of the color. I like how this one addresses "heat" and "excitement" just with color. Arbitrary color, but definitely not arbitrary value.

Sunflower 1 - SOLD

6x6 oil on Raymar panel

There's something about intense yellow that I am always attracted to, probably because it's daring to break the rules and use paint right out of the tube. I like the composition in this one - the fact that the sunflower is a small part of the canvas and is still the most important element is cool.