My Self Prtrait

8" x 8"    oil on canvas     $49.00

I belong to Arati Artists Gallery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  We are challenged to a Self Portrait show this month. All of us are making portraits of ourselves for the window.  It is much more difficult than painting someone else, but the show is delightful with glass portraits, clay portraits, watercolor portraits, etc.  I painted my portrait, without wrinkles.   Ha!  I think it is pretty true anyway since I am a happy colorful person who has always loved life and people.  I am a natural encourager and I love getting a good likeness, but more than that I love painting the character of a person or animal. 

Bread for the World

14" x 19"    watercolor   $450.00 unframed   $575.00 framed

This adorable child lives in Kenya and  is helping the family by selling bread.  I was given permission to use a photo by a pastor in Kenya, and I changed the story by adding the bread, the baskets, and the huts.  The beautiful intelligent face and gentle eyes would have been enough, but the clothing is also so lovely and decorative.  I was immediately hooked.  Thank you Karen Michaelle and Paul Odari.  10% of the sale will go to Upendo children's home.

1940 Posing For the New Camera

15" x15"  watercolor unframed   $250.00

I found this old black and white photo of my aunt and cousin. It is so lovely.I wondered what color the clothing was and what the hair looked like. The photo was rather dark so I lightened it up in my mind and had a lot of fun creating an old fashioned look. I am enamored with babies and moms. Dads too. I have never figured out why, but they are my utmost favorite.

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The Biggest Sunflower

9" x 12"  watercolor  $150.00

I set up a demo for my students, and am certain that I enjoyedd it as much or more than they did.  After they left, I decided that the bottomwas too plain, so I added some lace.  The flower was enormous and I probably should have given it a larger vase.

Drifter...plum and citrus

6" x 6"   oil on canvas board   SOLD


At the rock show, this rockhound was busily chattering to the young and old, helping them examine, touch and understand the beautiful stones in his collection.  He was quite knowledgeable and kind, even giving discounts to those who asked.  I hope he doesn't drift too far away.

Campfire Days Indigo and Flame Day 7 of the 30 day challenge

6" x 6"    watercolor and colored pencil    $35.00

Light swarms the face and shadows hide in the crevices.    I well remember the campfire nights huddled in a blanket next to my best friend, listening to stories of faith, honor, and duty that others carved out from past experience.  I pray that all young people have an opportunity to encounter the divine and take it into their hearts, through the goodness of those who are willing to share.

Furniture Climber

11" x 14"   watercolor and colored pencil     SOLD

Furniture Climber Day 3 of the 30 day challenge
Remind me to never paint this small again as I cannot see properly to do it. Took longer than necessary for sure!
 I photographed this with indoor lighting. It is not as yellow as this. I could not resist the climbers liveliness. Everything about her said sweetness. She was back lit, so the shadows on her face were pretty dark.

Lights and Stars Wabi Sabi

17 x 24   watercolor baatik on rice paper with gold thread $125.00 unmounted

This is  a technique I am learning from Carol Naylor.  Carol is an excellent teacher who stays with you to the very end, and also feeds you delicious fare and drink. 

 I mentioned that the figures weren't very perfect.  My friend, Becky said that is called "Wabi Sabi"

I took a lot of wrong turns on this one, but with Carol's guidance it came out.    

I love this painting and hope to do many more in the near future.  It took all day to pull off this effect of the dancers and stage lighting because of the many layers!

All the paintings created  in the class were fabulous!

Foxey

11" x 15"  watercolor  $50.00

This little Mama lives under our driveway.  She feeds her pups mice and birds and every once in a while we are lucky to see her scampering through the trees.  She doesn't stop often, so we are lucky to catch a glimpse of her.

Betsy's Sunflower

7" x 10.5"   watercolor    SOLD   

Betsy came to my class today and we both painted her beautiful sunflower.  I loved the lyrical intensity of this flower.  Thank you Betsy!  My own sunflowers are taking their sweet time, but at least there are succulent evenly designed buds on top of the giant stalks and leaves.  I can be patient.  Of course that is the good thing about nature. We have no choice but to be patient, for the fruit comes when it decides to come.  Now if I could learn this with other parts of my life.  Buy at auction on daily paintworks.com

Prize Rooster

12" x 20"  watercolor   $125.00

When we lived in Scotland, one of my neighbors was showing me her prize roosters and chickens.  I cannot remember the type this one was, but he was gorgeous, and when she told him to "get up there" in her wonderful brogue, he just hopped up on the bench!  I was really surprised, but delighted to have such a "cocky" bird to photograph.

Krystal and the Carousel

11" x 14'     acrylic       SOLD

Krystal was little and just about 4 years old when she was riding this carousel with white horses and glittering lights and up and down music.

My grandkids are adventurous, talented, and beautiful inside and out, but as you can see this small one was a little bit afraid.  Her huge brown eyes were twice as big as usual and she was holding tightly to the brass pole.  

It was at once a thrilling ride and and a gripping ride.  When she was finished she wanted to know which horse won, and if she could ride again.  Ahhh the first thrills and chills.

And Light Came In On Wings of Love

20" x 20"  acrylic on canvas, framed  $200.00

Inside the temple was a huge thick veil which was torn in two from the top down at Jesus' death.  Did you know that it was a sign of the new covenant?  Does the ancient priest look confused, in awe, and blinded by the light?  He is!  Butterflies are a sign of new life and I portrayed them  bounding through the tear in the curtain, blessing everyone and opening their eyes to the wonder of Christ's love.  This was a painting for an Easter show that is a different style for me, but I had a lot of fun painting the bright and colorful scene.  It is kind of like a window of hope.  I hope you like it!

Stars. Sails and Sea

8" x 10"  watercolor, acrylic, and rice paper on 140 # Arches

On a failed painting, I attached some Japanese rice paper and began adding color a little at a time until something clicked.  First I thought this would make a fluffy kind of bird, but quickly decided it was a stormy sea with a sailboat confronting the waves and water.   It is not exactly the type of painting I usually do but I like it.  I like the colors, the shapes, the texture and the illusive thought that it is pretty non representational.  The conception came with the doing....kind of backwards from planning a carefully thought out composition. It will be available tomorrow June 15, 2013, at the demo at Dale Street Cafe

Daisies Among the Tongues and Cactus

11" x 14"  watercolor  $100.00

An all day still life class project in October 2012. My students were amazing! Although I did not get photos of their work, I was so happy with their outcomes. So were they! Our subject was an odd combination of mother-in-laws tongues, Christmas cactus and gerbera daisies. Ann had not ever used watercolor before, yet her composition and blending were perfect. Beth had never done a wet in wet before, and her painting was like music.

Memories #1

8.5" x 10.5"   watercolor  SOLD

My daughter sent me these tulips during Christmas and they so brightened my day!  I decided that I have enough beautiful photos of arrangements that I must get busy and see if I can paint them all.  Some are from making bouquets at church from my friend Elaines's garden.  We would go pick them on Sat. morning for nearly 8 years.  The pleasure of being with a master gardener in the dewy morning, cutting dozens of tall flowers, and quickly putting them into fresh pails of water is heady. Their fragrances were astonishing!  What a gift!  I savor these amazingly beautiful experiences with a great woman of honor, delight, humor, and care.  

Tulips and Apples in April

14.5" x 14.5"   watercolor and gouach  SOLD

My students and I set up a still life with vase, flowers, small bowl with a handle, some apples and a cloth on a table.  I try to show them how to get the composition right by making several thumbnails of various views and then choose the one we each like best.  Next we layer washes, letting each one dry so that the colors stay bright.  We punch the darks as necessary and let the painting tell us where we need to express some freedom of strokes and splatters.  We step back often from our work making sure that some of the colors marry together .

"Poppy Shower"

12" x 12"  oil on deep canvas SOLD

I really love the rain and way sunshine comes through the clouds onto the landscape and touches the leaves and petals of some flowers and letting the clouds mist out the other foliage.  Just the mere fragrance of rain makes me happy.  To me rain is a metaphor for baptism...refreshing our ground, renewing the heart, and giving new strength  to our roots.

" Yellow Slicker, Yellow Lab"

  40" x 27"  watercolor and collage   $1100.00

Side by side, together in rain and sleet, two best friends are out for a morning stroll.  Nevermind the weather, the day is brighter just because they are together.    Remember that whoever your best friend is, a companion helps guide you to goodness, compassion, stress relief and breaking tensions.

Flowers of London Town

10" x 8"  oil on canvas  $55.00

HI everyone!  It's Holy Thursday.  This is the night Jesus fed his 12 apostles, washed their feet and was betrayed by Judas.  William Blake's poem of "Holy Thursday" from the mid 1700's  indicates that throngs of people, especially fresh faced children, and white haired ladies, raised their voices in honor of Christ.  They were the flowers of london town. Please stop for a moment today to remember loved ones who have died and all others who we don't know, but have given their lives for us.