Thursday, December 11, 2014

Want To Go Skiing

Available for Purchase


For the third year, one of my snowmen have posed for a painting.   This joyful fella is the newest addition to my collection.   A snowman dressed in holiday cheer brings a smile to my face and fond memories of winters past.

Winter's playing hockey, sledding, skating, skiing and hiking along with Hot Dam.  More recently Fireball Whiskey has been added for warmth and courage, oh ....it doesn't have to be winter.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Bowled Over

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It must have been a great raspberry season some where the fruit was spectacular recently.  They were getting gobbled up so fast almost forgot to stop and paint them.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Line Up

Available for Purchase

Drawn to the peaches for the color, shapes and shadows, oh and they taste good.

Lately my paintings have been 16 x 20 and up in size,  Selecting this small composition was more difficult.

Some artist's work is always recognizable they may use the same pallet, subject or size, mixing things up is part of my artistic process and keeps me challenged .... or maybe it's A.D.D.?


Monday, December 1, 2014

Hat With Lace

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20 x 24 inches oil on hardboard.   Loved the lace cascading down onto the dress the shapes and angles created from this pose.

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Believe

Nearing completion on a still life and working on another figure painting then an opportunity to bring this idea to fruition presented itself.  The intent gaze of a father and the wink of a child.

Once the paint dry's I am going to try a technique that will tone down the whites and give the painting an aged look.

Thursday, October 9, 2014




NATIONAL JURIED EXHIBIT

Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center
In Association with the Smithsonian Institution
13480 Dowell Rd.
Dowell, MD 20629

www.annmariegarden.org

Two of my paintings are in this exhibit.  My brother is getting married at the Outer Banks, NC Oct.17th,, I will be stopping by the exhibit on my way home to Michigan.   Luck is with me.... every time we stop for gas I am buying a lotto ticket.




If your in the area stop by and see this exhibit, 4 of my daily paintings are in the show.

Riverside Arts Center
76 North Huron Street
Ypsilanti, MI 48197

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Look Out


Available for Purchase


This is a 11 x 14 oil painting on hardboard.  A view from Clingsmans Dome in the the Smoky Mountains.   Clouds drifting, land and sky converging.   The highest elevation in the park.    Each year for the last five we have made a trip to the park to enjoy the beauty and history.


Monday, September 29, 2014

Flower keeper

Available


This flower is a new addition to my garden this year and the name escapes me, they were planted from a seed package.  If you know please comment.  They grow 3-4 feet tall and produce lots of blooms.    This vase was a great keeper for the flowers and added complementing shapes.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

From the Garden

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The garden seemed to take forever this year.  Once it started producing it has been a great crop.  Our cucumbers are 18 inches long, no kidding.  There are two tomatoes plants .  When they started ripening there were so many tomatoes it made 8 quarts of spaghetti sauce.   We have been so busy eating everything this is the first painting of my vegetables.  

Friday, September 19, 2014

Cracked Eggs


Available

While making breakfast here it was ...right in front of me.  My little egg beater who roams around the kitchen happened to catch the scene.   What a character...he pops up in my paintings every now and then.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Crooked Tree Arts Center 

Petoskey, Michigan

September 20 - November 15, 2014

OPENING RECEPTION: 2014 JURIED FINE ART EXHIBITION AND GLPAPA EXHIBIT

September 20, 4-6 pm.

I

WHITE RIVER LIGHTHOUSE IS IN THE EXHIBIT, HOPE YOU CAN STOP BY AND SEE ALL THE GREAT PAINTINGS.

Friday, September 5, 2014

Red beauty

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The simple beauty of an object brought to life by the paint.   This depth of color is amazing and why I paint with oil colors.  

August

Spent most of this month traveling to the Smoky Mountains and up-north Michigan.   Although this was a time of fun and family as an artist you are always gathering insight for your work.

The Smoky Mountains has captivated me for the last five years.   Recently I started a landscape which is a view from Clingmans Dome the highest point in the park at 6,643 feet and crosses the Appalachian trail.  Learning the history of the area keeps me going back for the beauty of the mountains and the valleys where the settlers lived.  There are a lot of historical places to visit in the park.




Deck and I with our granddaughter Kaylee stopping on the Blue Ridge Parkway after our rafting trip.

Us girls were in the front the best place for the ride.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Peach slices

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The peach was packed full of sweetness and amazing color.  It began with slicing the peaches for the painting now I always cut my fruit.  When the fruit is really juicy it's easier to eat.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Strawberries II


Available

A family tradition of picking fruits beginning with strawberries then blueberries and sometimes apples.  One of these days were going to try cherries they aren't grown in the immediate area.   My strawberries were made into compote for crepe's my new fun food.  The fruit is displayed in clear glass which allowed for the shadows to ad some additional shapes and color.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Peony and copper pot underpainting

The under painting is close to being done the bottom half is giving me a nice cozy feeling and I want the top half to do the same thing, so almost done with the value study.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Work in progress

Painting this still life 16x20 and there is another portrait off to the left in the background that is 20x24 in progress.  Another painting  24x48 is also on an easel.  There haven't been any daily paintings lately this rotation is keeping me pretty busy.

Anyway hope you all are having a great summer get outside. and do some fun stuff.

Monday, June 30, 2014

Reds of summer


Available


It has been warm and sunny the month of June and raining during the week which is great for the weekend.   Everything is green and lush from mother nature no watering required from the hose.  Sounding pretty good... yet these conditions weren't the best for ripening strawberry's a little moist on the ground and rotting some fruit.  Still managed to pick some good berries. This year froze compote so that we can enjoy it on crepes whenever out sweet tooth needs a fix.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

White River Lighthouse


Available


Another painting started while I was plein air painting with friends.  This lighthouse is tucked snugly between the channel on the north, the nearby Lake Michigan shore on the West.  Inside you can stroll through a fine nautical museum, which includes the Fourth Order Fresnel lens originally used at this location.  You  can also climb a beautiful iron staircase into the light tower for a sprawling view of Lake Michigan.and bordering sand dunes.

I painted the lighthouse from across the river and didn't get the tour so next time I will have to visit the museum.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Lake Michigan Wandering


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Recently my travels took me to a friends house near Lake Michigan.  We spent a few days together painting the area.   This morning started out with thunder and lightening and turned into a beautiful hot afternoon.   The waves were rather choppy from the earlier storms and those that came again overnight.  Summer hasn't officially begun it was rather quiet give it another week the summer season will start.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Apple blues

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Is it abstract or real?  Watercolor or oil ?

It is an oil painting with some colorful shadows and shapes.  It is a painting that grows on you at least it has me.  Fruit is a daily snack my bowl always has something in it, as the seasons change so does my fruit.  It use to be available locally grown in season now it comes from all over the world.  We have so many more choices.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

U of M Peony Garden


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This is a beautiful peony garden tucked away on campus. Met up with a local art group to paint the scene.   Many families came for a stroll and loved the kids who walked right up and wanted to see the painting on my easel.  The parents would apologized for the intrusion as the kids dragged them over to have a look.  How wonderful to be an artist and encouraging children.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Kaylee II work in progress



The beginning of the second portrait in my series.  In this pose Kaylee is wearing the hat and a dress from sometime between 1930-1940.  Her face, hat and dress create great gentle flowing shapes complimenting her serenity.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Marsh marigold



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These came from the wetlands in my yard they are drinking from a shot glass.   It is amazing to go hiking for wild flowers they are everywhere and often missed if your not looking.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Fruit bowl

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What a happy surprise to get home from the grocery store and pull this beautiful cluster of grapes out of the bag.  Quickly they were hidden in the frig for later. 

This composition works really well with the roundness of the bowl and the curving cluster of grapes to keep your eye in the painting, this is one colorful painting.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Rose challenge

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Could not pass up a pretty rose this is a DPW Challenge painting.  After losing my studio for 10 days for some wall work then running out of hard board my first attempt was on a linen panel that was purchased to try ...hmmm, didn't like it so after painting on it for two days it went in the garbage.   Located one 8 x 8 inch gessoed hardboard to start over on.  Originally the background was part of the painting it seemed to busy and distracting from the rose for my liking.

Kaylee

 
Finally some activity.  This is a 16 x 20 oil on hardboard that maybe coming of the easel.  Did some background work today and after it sits for a couple of days I'll know if it's done.  It is my first portrait in many years so excited to get this done and real pleased with it.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

First Lily

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 This is a left over plant from Easter that was purchased after returning from a trip up-north.  It was cold up there what was I thinking?   The Great Lakes were still frozen. Three ice breakers were out trying to get the shipping channel opened ... there was a boat jam at the Locks. Next year the direction will be South and hopefully warmer.

The plant is still blooming and doing very well.

Still Life 5

This painting is 20 x 24 inches.  The background behind the white cloth is a very dark purple almost black with some soft fabric folds that aren't visible here.  I am still messing around with my camera trying to eliminate issues like this so the photograph is a duplicate of the painting, just a little off here.


Monday, April 21, 2014

Tomato group

Available



Tomatoes on a vine look almost perfect each group is similar in size and shape.  Amazing how consistent these groupies can be.  The vine is so interesting creeping along touching each tomato.  What a  joy to paint and eat.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Drawing becomes a sketch for painting.



From the drawing this sketch was made on vellum.  Then all the lines were traced with graphite paper underneath so that the sketch was transferred to the primed hardboard.   The vellum sketch is pictured here taped to the hardboard to be traced.  This is my road-map for the painting.

Most of the painting will be done from a photograph and the drawing.   To finish the painting Kaylee will be able to sit for me again..

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Compliments

Available

Red and green, purple and yellow great compliments and smooth colors together.   Persimmons are great for a still life, wonder what they taste like?  Maybe next time I'll eat one.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Portrait of Kaylee

A.
B.
                   .
                                                                                 
    

C.
D.

                                                                                     .


E.
F.
 . 



Working on this drawing of Kaylee for a painting.  Above are some different sizes which change the composition.  The bottom is square.

Which do you like best?

A B C D E  or  F ?   

P.S. When I took this picture it wasn't exactly straight ..... it is tipped a bit.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Still life needed some more work


The background fabric was rather boring so spent some time making it more interesting.  Maybe this time it is done, will see.

The next still life is already in the planning stage.   The exciting part of starting a new painting is drawing again.   Need the practice, my granddaughter is going to make a great model so portraits are coming in the future.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Peppers



Painting smaller works has given me an opportunity to experiment with a variety of techniques and styles. This painting is based on a technique called Flemish Realism taught by my mentor David E.Weaver.  I will be using this technique and experimenting with some new mediums and surfaces. Now more than ever I appreciate what David taught me in the beginning of my oil painting journey.  R.I.P. David.

Friday, March 28, 2014

Wrapping up a still life


Lately this still life has demanded my attention.  This is a 20 x 24 oil on hardboard.  It is very wet and the photograph is showing some glare.    Now it needs to sit and dry for a week and then I will know if it is a finished painting.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Yellow pepper



Look what was in the vegetable drawer waiting to be painted.   Yellow and orange such warm colors.  We long for those warm days to return after this arctic winter.  Maybe next week?

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Crocus

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The first day of spring and no sign of crocus.  These were photographed last spring and never made it to the easel.   We rolled right into summer and lost the window of opportunity to paint them.   The lilac/blue flowers look great as they pop up through the leaves.   We can rejoice when they start appearing.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

What happened

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We were pretending that spring is on it's way and had a barbecue with yummy ribs.   My job was to make potato salad only the crime scene caught my eye and delayed the process.

This quote might have influenced me.

“A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.” Leonardo da Vinci.  

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Purple power

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The finished painting after my return.  

This plant has been living with me for about a decade without ever blooming. If the purple ceramic pot wasn't so cute the plant would have been garbage material long ago.  It must like all this snow and extreme cold.  It is so beautiful the colors are amazing.

 

Working color and value


More color variations and values are added.  I could have done more to this layer however something came up, my 7 day cruise.  So off I went.

Drawing with paint


This is the beginning of Purple Power.  I used the paint to draw and lay down some values.  This approach is useful for detail.  With flowers the colors look more intense with layers of oil paint.


Friday, February 21, 2014

Pink grapefruit

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Pink grapefruits are my favorite along with sausage links so when a challenge to paint citrus fruits came up it was just a matter of not eating it first.  On this day blackberries were a great addition.  Anyone play Free Cell Solitaire? It's a card game that I play while eating breakfast, then it's into the studio to paint.