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. 

Refreshing, Sparkling Waterfall

18" x 18"    watercolor      $10000.00 framed and matted

I have entered 3 waterfalls into the PPWS international Watermedia today.
They are all from the Rocky Mountains from photos I have taken and converted into paintings .  Yet when I look at the paintings from children's imaginations, I feel stilted and uncreative.  My work comes from seeing something and more or less copying it.  Children's work is freeing and delightful, colorful and imaginative.Their work comes totally from the heart.  Can I attain to that?  I sure hope so.  Hmmm....think like a child, think like a child.

All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Hands

10" x 14"  watercolor, collage, ink    $150.00

As often happens, one idea gets squelched and another emerges when painting.  When this painting looked sad and 

wimpy, I added the collage with used, shredded dryer sheets and glued them onto the lower part of my painting.  After it dried I added more color everywhere, brightening and darkening, introducing colored pencil.  This painting took on a whimsical life, so gold and silver specks and scripture were added.

 When I relax on my porch in the autumn evenings and the aspen tree leaves are quaking, they sound like thousands of little hands clapping.  I love that sound.  Often scripture from Isaiah 55:11 -12  comes to mind

…11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. 12"For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands

Breakthrough

10.5" x 14"  watercolor   SOLD

There is so much blue in the sky and so much light in the sunlit clouds that I can never decide where to stop and start.  I love our world and sort of imagine the mysteriousness. 

This was a late evening shot from my back deck. Now it looks like an early evening shot from somewhere else.

I really enjoyed making the clouds and mountains float and disappear against the sky horizon.

Bright Forest

4" x 12" each on deep canvas    oil    $99.00 each or al three for $250.00

A happy salute to all my friends!  Stand tall and raise your arms in the air and breathe the freshness of fall, floating leaves and kids jumping in crunchy piles of earthy gold.  

This year my tulips are planted and covered with chicken wire so that they don't become squirrel food and I am hopeful that they will bring Springtime joy in 2014.  Can you believe it?  

 These happy paintings are covered with heavy oil paint and slightly abstract because you cannot really decipher a leaf!  However you get the idea of warmth at the end of October.  I love my aspen trees so much with their gorgeous paper bark, scarred,  as of someone came by with a charcoal stick and scribbled on them.  Do you think it was the mysterious"Banksy"?  

A Winding Stream on Colorado Highway 131

16" x 20"  oil on canvas  $600.00

While returning from a fun camping trip at Trapper's Lake, we had a blowout!  Yikes!  This beautiful scene was beside us where we stopped and the man who lived directly across the road on a 17,0000 acre ranch came over to help us.  He was really strong and sooo kind.!  He took the spare tire from our car and replaced the blow out in no time.  I do think I saw some wings on his back! 

We followed him to his football field sized "garage" to put air in the spare tire and that was another adventure.  He was one of those gentle and interesting characters that you only read about in books.  In the huge garage were stalls  for horses and cows, a huge wood workshop, several vehicles and a float.  How could we thank him?  

He did not want money.  He was just a good Samaritan and we were fortunate to meet him.

I may have to send him a painting of the ranch, eh?

"The Old Tire Swing"

18" x 21"  watercolor   $1200.00 unframed

The tire swing hangs over the shallow water near an old turquoise bridge, (which I decided not to put in), down in Cheyenne Canyon.  I couln't resist adding a couple of children to round out the painting and give it more life.  The trees were already bare and the golden leaves floated on the top of the water on a crisp, but not cold afternoon.

"Farmhouse Road"

15" x 30"  oil  $450.00 framed

In Pevina, Italy at a generational Italian farmhouse, we were priveleged to stay for 2 nights in the original home.  It was hot and sunny, but the owners were filled with grand hospitality.  Their vineyards supplied the wine, their hogs the meat.  The spaghetti, olive oil, and sauce were all home made.  They invited all their relatives, children, the locals, the police chief and the pregnant family dog.  We spoke no Italian.  They spoke no English, but we can never forget the joy of the meals and the beauty of the land shared.

"Snowflakes in the Aspen Forest"

22" x 30"  original acrylic on canvas, framed   $350.00

Visit the aspen forests of Colorado in the winter and you will see drifts of snow packed around stark naked trees like frosting.  The contrast is stunning.  The absence of sound except for the crackle of ice in the air and the feeling of freshness inspire a God moment.

  I have added a bit of fine sparkle, but it does not show up in this painting.