"EUCALYPTUS GROVE" 6" X 8" Oil on board

                                                                        
I struggle with painting trees. I love them (grew up in Washington state and you can't go far without a tree being right beside you), I miss them (I live in the southestern desert of Arizona which truly is evergreen-tree deficient although it has its perks), but, I have trouble painting them. Trying to get the shape of the tree overall as well as the shapes of the leaf or branch clusters without overdoing it is definitely a challenge at times. I look at trees painted by Laurel Daniel, Jean Ranstrom and Terri Ford and others, and I am so inspired, but on occasion the results of my efforts don't quite look like the vision I had at the beginning. However, I keep at it and I hope one day it will come easier.

"GOOS-TAV #2" 5" X 7" Oil on panel SOLD

                                                                 
Woodland Lake in Pinetop, AZ is a small, family-friendly lake with lots of ducks, geese, ospreys, etc. This goose was one of a pair who were inseparable. They'd walk together, swim together and sleep right next to each other. And when we would bring out the bread pieces both would make their way right over.

"THE SPECKLED CUPBIRD" 6" X 8" oil on panel

I have enjoyed the focus in recent years on informal still lifes. Several current painters have shown that interesting and challenging still lifes can be set up using most anything from children's toys to glass objects to a single piece of fruit. One thing they all seem to recognize is the importance and impact of lighting on the subject. Contrast showcases the colors, shapes and subject. To that end I have been working with lighting via different lamps and set ups. I'm not there yet, but, hopefully, more experimentation will help me find what I'm looking for.


  

                                                                

"CHRISTOPHER ROBIN" 6" X 12" Pastel Sold

  One of the great qualities of pastel as a medium is its versatility in "mark-making." One of my favorite ways to use it is to brush the side of the pastel stick over the surface of the ground - in particular, a sanded ground. This not only gives a quick and complete covering of the area if you wish that effect, but when the stick is gently glided over existing color, it can also "texture-ize" (marble-ize, scumble-ize (?)) the colors leaving a mottled look. I love this effect and it's fun to do.                                                      

"GRAPE STUDY" 9" X 12" Pastel

Grapes make wonderful subjects for painting. There are so many skills to be practiced in rendering them. Shadows, lights,  reflected lights, transparency, warm/cool colors, value, shapes, edges, and many others - a whole painting course in one small bunch.                                 

"REFLECTIONS TIMES THREE" 6" X 7" Pastel

This week's DailyPaintworks Challenge was to choose a white ceramic piece and place it on a printed fabric or similar ground. The idea is to paint the reflecting colors and patterns in the correct VALUES. The hard part is that the value shifts are not necessarily dramatic, but very subtle making seeing them in the first place very...well...challenging! To me, value is what makes a successful painting. or not, so this was such a great exercise to practice this crucial skill. I need to do this type of thing more often to train my eyes to really "see" what's there.

"THE CHORUS LINE" 12" X 16" Oil

One thing I constantly struggle with as an artist is "loosening up." My paintings, whether oil or pastel, for the most part seem to have more detail in them than is needed or wanted by me. I don't start out that way. As each painting begins I try to prepare myself to be "loose." I block in with large shapes.  But after this step I seem to retreat into the need for more preciseness. I have studied the work of artists whom I feel have that loose quality I like - Jennifer McChristian - for one, and I've watched videos or DVDs of art demos where the artists have this free quality, and I just can't pinpoint (at this time) the "trick" or method to it all. I've used larger brushes and tried to use fewer strokes to say what I want to say, but it just hasn't come yet on a consistent basis.

This painting, "The Chorus Line," I feel is the closest to this quality that I've ever been. Thin background paint, loose edges, and thick and thin paint areas - maybe if I can persevere in this direction - just maybe - I can come closer to the painting style I'd like to master.

                                                                             

"CARNIES" 5" X 7" Pastel

I love carnations. They are one tough flower! When they are in bouquets with other flowers (which is the way I usually get them) , it is they who are the last to survive. These were the last flowers of a "thank you" bouquet from a neighbor, and I drained every day of life I could from them taking photo after photo for my resource files. This painting was done on Pastelbord again, my go-to surface of choice at the moment.                                                                       

"HIGH RISE" 7" X 13" Pastel

                                                                     
This painting was my entry for the week in the DailyPaintworks Challenge. The "challenge" concept was to paint by laying down, one at a time, one stroke with one color. For each stroke a new color is mixed and laid down. The effect will be similar to a mosaic as edges are not to be fussed with by blending, etc. The emphasis is on making each stroke count and not overworking a piece. I think the challenge was primarily for those who paint in oils, but I found the same goal holds for pastel painters as well. One stroke - one color - let the "divisions" show. Interesting effects.