Moody Blues

"Moody Blues"

5" x 7"

Stretched Canvas

I was feeling like I wanted to paint something with a little drama or feeling to it.  I know, I know, a candle doesn't seem very dramatic all by itself, but this candle photo I found on my favorite photos-for-artists site had a mood about it.  I wish I could credit the photographer, but her name was not on the site. At any rate, it wasn't the Zen-like painting session I thought it would be--it was a relatively difficult painting.  Who would have thought something so simple would be so troublesome.  I thought the flame would be the worst part, but trying to show the glow through the actual candle body was a real bear! Hopefully, I managed it well enough.  I think I might be able to evaluate it better after I step away from it for a day or two!

Epiphany!

"The Epiphany"

8" x 10"

Artist's Gesso Board

I painted this abstract piece on a day when I was feeling inspired about painting on gesso boards! They have such a wonderfully smooth surface and the paint seems to have a mind of its own when the brush hits the surface. I suppose I could control it more, but then...why? We all have to be so controlled in life -- isn't it nice to let go once in awhile? Try it, and see!

A Fun Challenge

"Nebulous"

5 x 7

Artist's Gesso Board

This was a fun little challenge given to me by some artist friends.  I think I needed a little relaxing creativity time, so it came along at the right point in my month.  The challenge was to portray a female character as an adjective and there was a short list to choose from.  I chose "nebulous" because I thought it was the most interesting word to work with AND I had been looking at these beautiful acrylic paintings of celestial space that were so inspiring.  It was a match made in heaven - heh, heh! Quite a departure from my usual style, but here she is!

Happy Fourth of July!!

"Good Eatin'"

8" x 10"

Stretched Canvas

Happy Birthday, America!  And what can be more American than some luscious red home-grown tomatoes to slap on your backyard burger?  Thanks to my eagle-eyed friend, Anne Fleetwood, for supplying the absolute picture of yumminess!  Too bad these weren't "for real" -- I love nothing better than a tomato sandwich in the hot summertime and not those nasty grocery store tomatoes that taste like so much school paste -- real, red-blooded American tomatoes, warm from the garden sun, left on the window sill to ripen and sliced thickly and salted.  Yum!  Enjoy the party, America!

Painting White

"Ooey Gooey Chocolate Pie"

6" x 6" 

Stretched Canvas

Back to my comfort zone again with this slice of my friend Anne's birthday pie that she so thoughtfully photographed for me.  It was fun and interesting to paint since the plate and the meringue were both white.  It presented a challenge to represent the "white-ness" with color.  I ended up using dioxazine purple, cerulean blue and magenta to form the shadowed areas with a touch of naples yellow to warm up the meringue where the light was shining through.  Too bad I didn't have the original to eat afterwards, though!

Where Did the Mojo Go?

"Blue Vase of Roses"

5" x 5" 

stretched canvas

Yikes!  It is gone.  My ability to paint -- phffft.  Just like that.  I signed up to do a show in August, for which, of course, I need INVENTORY.  And it is very difficult to generate quality inventory when you are at home with three kids all summer -- all of them running in different directions.  I am panicking!  So today, I sat down, took paintbrush in hand and....nothing.  I painted three paintings, two of which are so bad I couldn't even post them.  This one is okay, but just that.  Just okay.  I honestly don't know what my problem is --- perhaps it is too-much-on-my-plate-itis.  Or maybe just plain old fear.  Ugh!  Either way, I need to shake it off and get going.  I will put on my best Scarlett O'Hara accent and chant "I will paint again tomorrah, for tomorrah is anothah day!"

Back to the Tropics!

"Texas Palms"

5" x 7"

Stretched Canvas

Well, after a short foray back into food, I hit the holiday road again with another tropical themed painting.  This wasn't my favorite, mostly because I am not so good at being a loosey-goosey painter.  I did like the color combo, though!  I am not sure where to go next -- I was lucky enough to cadge a whole bunch of wonderful tropical water/boats/communities photos from a friend who went on a cruise and I could use them to springboard into more tropical paintings.  But then, my attention span is short and my mind is wandering on to other things.  I really want to put more color onto my palette, but I am not sure what I want to paint.  Dilemma!  Any suggestions?

Where Did He Go?

"Where Did He Go?"

11" x 14"

Stretched Canvas

Look for me on Etsy soon!

I really got into painting this one.  Something about the color of the sand was really appealing to me.  I found when I was done, that the sand was too "empty", though -- it needed something.  I briefly thought about a beach chair (too close to the water), flip flops (too trite) and shells (too small) and then I thought about footprints, but footprints going IN to the water, instead of the usual walking-along-the-shoreline ones.  I mean, heck, when you go down to the surf to swim, you make footprints too!  So where is the swimmer?  Out of your sight line? Are these old footprints and the swimmer has returned home hours ago? Did he have a boat anchored in the shallows?  Or did some mysterious fate befall him?  The world may never know!

Did It Again!

"Tropical View"

6" x 18"

Stretched Canvas

I am available on Etsy!

I am on a roll!  This is another one that just sort of jumped off of my brush and threw itself onto the canvas.  Truly, even my brushwork looks a little spontaneous and free -- just like I think I might actually be if I were on this island!  I have had a hard time breaking out of the blendy-blendy painting habit, but the clouds are really helping with that.  I love painting them and I think I am going to move slowly from an island vibe into a cloud- y one!  Maybe my brushwork will affect my personality a little and I might be able to chillax this weekend........nah!  Have a wonderful holiday, everyone!

Outta My Head

"Calm Before the Storm"

10" x 10"

Stretched Canvas

Look for me on Etsy soon!

I am so excited!  I was still on my tropical kick, groovin' on the clouds, in particular, and this painting kind of just happened.  No reference photos of sky or surf.  No inspiration but a paintbrush and a some yummy globs of color on the palette.  This is a BIG deal for me because until now, I have never painted "out of my head" -- I have always used a model and/or reference photos.   Gives me hope that there may be something in my head, after all!!

Summer!

 "Summer!"

5 x 7

Stretched canvas

Summer has not reached some of my northern friends yet, but it is already here in Houston and other points south!  The kids are looking forward to making a big splash next weekend and some of our neighborhood pools have already opened for the season.  Wish I had one in MY backyard, but instead I have a stupid house in Nashville.  Hmmmm.  How is that a benefit to me here, I am wondering?  Perhaps I should have painted a great big mortgage payoff check, but, in view of the fact that the world will be ending tomorrow anyway, I thought a pool scene would be more fitting.  Par-tay, everyone!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

"Apples for Sue"

8 x 10

Stretched Canvas

Look for me on Etsy soon!

Okay, it IS a day earlier, but I am going to take a mini-vacation from posting tomorrow to celebrate!  This painting is dedicated to my mother-in-law and my kids' favorite Grammy, Sue.  She loves painted lace, and I did this one with her in mind.  She has an earlier painting of mine of some hydrangeas in a vase with a lace tablecloth that I think it is just about the ugliest painting I have ever seen!  Just goes to show, when you look at something with eyes of love, it always shines!   We love you, Grammy Sue -- Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

PEAR MARTINI

Pear Martini

8 x 10

Stretched Canvas

Look for me on Etsy soon!

Well, I finished this painting, but I can't get the photography right. The background is shiny and the whole thing is a bit blurry. Tomorrow I am going to try and fix it by using a tripod - and by then the paint will have dried somewhat.  I did this one a little looser than my usual style because I couldn't sit at the canvas for too long--I just got back from running my first half marathon with a bad case of knee and foot pain and overall malaise. That all equals a good excuse for a little laziness, but it has been four days since I painted, so I didn't want to be too lame (no pun intended!)

When Life Gives You Lemons...

"Lemony Goodness"

5 x 7 

stretched canvas with sides painted

Available on Etsy soon

Well, in this case, I made iced tea.  And when I cut into the lemon for a slice of lemony goodness in my glass, they just looked so....uh...well...yellow...I just had to paint them!  Love yellow -- such a happy color -- it is hard to be a sourpuss looking at yellow, even if it is in the tart form of a lemon!  I am not sure if I am finished with these -- I am going to sleep on it and check it out in the morning!  Oooh!  Plus I figured out how to post these to Facebook AND how to ship a painting from home!  This goes to show that even an old dog CAN learn new code!!  Sorry about the glare on the painting -- photographing at night will do that!

Easter Flowers

Study of Chris Nesvadba's "Bold Still Life"

18 x 18

Stretched Canvas

Okay, this beautiful bouquet is a study I did of Chris Nesvadba's "Bold Still Life".  He was an extremely talented artist whose works are still widely available in galleries.  Mine is nowhere near as beautiful as the original, but I was so happy today that I wanted to paint something bright and spontaneous to reflect my mood.   There will be time tomorrow for more produce!

Getting a Buzz

"Buzzer"

8 x 6 stretched canvas 

40.00

SOLD

Well, anyone who knows me well knows I have a thing for bees.  I can even pet the fuzzy bumbles that ramble around the garden -- maybe one day I will be known as "the bee whisperer"!  This was my second attempt at a painting a bee.  The first was much more whimsical and abstract -- I'm not sure if I will get the  courage to post it.  I liked this one so much though, that I decided to use it on my Moo.com (shameless plug here) business cards!  Happy Easter, everyone!

Oh, and I want to let everyone know that my Etsy store is up and running so if you are interested in any of the paintings you can just purchase them there!