Seeking the Destination

5"x7" oil

I can't help but wonder what makes couples attracted to each other.  Beautiful looking people often pair with beautiful people and their attraction, which could be much deeper, may also just be based on that, but what attracts people who seem so different from each other?  What made me want to paint this one was the interesting texture of  their hair.  Both of them had big hair that was kind of fuzzy.  I wonder if that was their first point of attraction?  Could be.

Loosley Geraniums

5"x7" oil on archival paper

This painting came from a challenge the art group I am in decided to do.  We voted on a group of photos and the geraniums were the winner (I didn't vote for geraniums).  So I decided to do it abstractly, experiment with shapes and tools and to do it on a surface I have been wondering about, archival watercolor paper.  I prepped the front of the paper with acrylic medium and later decided to do the back side too, then painted with oils on it.  I love the results.  I used a variety of mixed reds that don't show their subtle differences so well in the photo I took, but it is rich and fun. 

Feeding the Deer

6"x6" oil

I passed this guy picking apples for the deer and immediately saw a painting.  The background was originally a cool blue of a house, but it just didn't work so I warmed it up with yellow and really liked that.

Everything Happens In 3's

12"x12" oil

These are huge, but they look great framed!

Alexander, Graham and Bell

 6"x6" oil

I loved painting this...and then eating them!

Heart of the Matter

6"x6" oil

It kind of looks like an orange heart....even has the heart symbol shape...and it is good for your heart too if you eat it...which I did!

Leaf Showers

11"x14" oil

We had a spectacular fall in the NE and then had a huge wind storm.  One day I looked out the window and saw the leaves blowing across the back yard and wanted to capture what I saw from memory.  I spend a few moments studying the big pieces of composition and note the values and colors.  The blue of the sky and water are much less colorful in the painting...more of a whitish gray with a tint of blue.

Top Hat and His Tomato

6"x6"  oil

OK the title probably isn't very P.C. but I couldn't help myself.  Forgive me.

Bottles and Balls

6"x6" oil

3 Pears of Wishes For All that You Want

8"x10"  oil 

 "3 Pears of Wishes For All that You Want"
I named it after lyrics in a Dwight Yoakum song.

Good Health

6"x6" oil

Roses are given meanings by their colors.  Yellow roses stand for friendship and good health.  I am trying to stack the cards on the side of good health so I decided to add a yellow rose to my bouquet.

Falling Lemons

8"x10" oil

You know that phrase about "when life gives you lemons make lemonade"?  Well I have been given lemons this year so this painting is about lemons falling.  When my lemon situation corrects itself I will paint a glass of lemonade!

Little Cabin In the Woods

8"x12"  oil

Three Barns and a View

6"x6" oil

I tried this for a 3 color challenge for Daily Paintworks.  I used blue, yellow and red.  It really was a challenge for me and I so wanted to throw in some other colors or even more shades of the three I chose.  You could also use white and black and I did use white but not black.  I like it better after coming back to it.  There is a lot of texture.  It is a grouping of barns near where I live  A couple of years ago they painted the traditional red barn a deep yellow.  Actually it is more of an ochre color but I chose cad. yellow light, so it is a brighter tone than the real barn.  I love that you can make up your own world when painting and sincee we can't compete with the real one, we might as well!

The Visitor

6"x6" oil 

In the summer I frequently have visitors that are not of the human species because mu studio has garage doors I open.  Hummingbirds have made numerous visits and chipmunks seems to love my work as well!

Facing the Stage

7"x7" oil

Nature plays out her drama in vivid colors in this early fall foliage pageant.  I was going to call it "Dressed In Red" but really this is one of those perfectly staged scenes put together by naturally occurring elements plus a few chairs!

Washed Up

8"x10" oil 

First some complaining...I had a really hard time getting good photos today as everything has a glare.  I am re-doing, fixing up, or repainting some things I have previously done.  Although I don't necessarily solve all the problems, I am learning a ton from the exercise and am much happier with the results.  Some artists just stop when it isn't working and start a new painting, but I tend to prefer to work on it until I apply enough of what I know to make it work out satisfactorily, at least to my current standards.  Hopefully the bar will go up in my expectations over time.  This is from one of our gorgeous lakes in a state park and now I don't think it is all washed up! 

Mia Loves Maizie

This is a watercolor sketch for an illustration for a children's book.

My art group went to Peter Huntoon's studio today for a demo.  It was so much fun to see how he loosely begins his work and turns a scene which may not be particularly exciting into an athletic and stunning work of art.  Peter has recently added oil painting to his repertoire of watermedia and he approaches it very similarly as he would a watercolor painting, with lots of drips and splashes and interesting tools.  He is one of the quintessential Vermont painters.

Autumn Crossroads

7"x7" oil

This was a challenge for our art group for this month.  We are having a meeting later this month and will share our results.  It is from the center of the crossroads in Chittendon, VT.  Like so many Vermont towns, it is a lovely community made up of crossroads and various  roads winding through the mountains.  One of the coolest PK-8 community schools is located here.  It is an old school built in 1933 that has been added to in an architecturally consistent way, maintaining its charm.  It has a fabulous playground that has a premier view of the surrounding mountains.  I think the kids must adore playing in this environment. 

Lost and Found

11"x11"  oil 

I called this one "Lost and Found" because it is another resurrected painting from my box of failures.  I do think that failures or wipe-outs are good educational tools but it is also fun when I can salvage them.  I originally painted this plein air but it didn't have any punch which was so disappointing because it was such a lovely place to paint on a cool, but sunny day.  This has a nice play of tight and loose which is nice.  I am not very good at painting architectural features accurately and also with a fresh looseness mainly because I can't draw a straight line.  Have you ever heard that phrase?