"Morning Study"

14"x10.5"  w/c  $175.00

This painting is now at auction for the Hurricane Sandy Fundraiser which gives  100% of profit.

Beginning with the top right tulip, and no pre drawing, I worked my way down to the leaves atop the pitcher, leaving the whites for the bottom right gardenia.  Next I worked out the curve of the pitcher on the right and added the handle.  I added the shadows for the left gardenia and began the downward flow of the composition on the left.  At this point everything seemed bottom heavy so the top gardenia was added, along with spatters, palette knife, and darker values.  Soon it began to come together marvelously.  Layers were added in the whites, and a yellowish center.  I usually do not like smooth hot press, but happily found this technique to be satisfying.

"Red Hot Ruffled Tulip"

8" x 10"  watercolor matted and framed  $125.00

One Easter tulip so beautiful and crisp and satin.  I viewed this from the top and was smitten.  Have you ever been smitten?  Did I drool?  Yes.  Did I swoon?  Yes.  Was I fickle?  Yes.  As the blossom faded and fell, I became less enamored in it, yet each petal still had something velvet about it.  I cut the stem back several times in order to allow the stem to drink.  I thoroughly enjoyed it until the end.

At days end:

“People are like grass;
    their beauty is like a flower in the field.
The grass withers and the flower fades.
²⁵     But the word of the Lord remains forever.”^[f]