" Vintage Glass Insulators "

Oil

6" x 6"

Well, Christmas is over, I can now refocus on my daily paintings. I thought I would be able to continue my commitment painting each day. However, my son is home on college break and I found myself cooking and too busy with all the things I love doing for my family at this time of year.

Here's today's painting of 3 old glass insulators. I loved looking for all the little patches of color. Just received 3 clear insulators as a Christmas present, so will do painting of them soon.

SOLD

" Tea Time "

Oil

6" x 6"

A little old Fiesta ware teapot. To get the feeling of transparency of the tea I painted all the shapes I saw a bit lighter in value. When dry I then applied a glaze of ultramarine and alizarin until I got the illusion I was after. You paint the shapes of value/color that you see, the illusion will follow. Value first, color second! The value of bright color is tricky as it sometimes seems lighter in value than it is. Like reds, an intense red is quite dark in value. Try squinting at an American flag to see the correct values of the red and blue.

SOLD

" Still Life with Apples "

Oil

6" x 8"

Available

With little paintings like this it is hard to remember to get up off my seat and back up to see how the values are reading. When I do it what ever is giving me trouble is obvious, and its clear what needs to be corrected, too. I should stand up and paint all the time!

" Jacks "

Oil

6" x 6"

Available

I bought this vintage 1950's Ball and Jacks set last week on eBay. It came in the original box with a $.25 price tag! So many memories playing Jacks with my cousin Karen (she always won) and other games like 7-UP, Hop Scotch,

Four Square, Tag, Hide & Seek. Sure beats video games!

" Aussie Oranges II "

Oil

6" x 6"

This little Buffalo China bowl has been in many of my still life paintings. I love its simple shape. Today's set-up was a challenge to keep the bowl standing out from the bold stripes of the dish towel, arranging the stripes and folds to lead the eye.

SOLD

" Pomegranates "

Oil on gesso board

8" x 10"

Available

I just learned this nifty way to peel a pomegranate: Fill a large bowl with water. Cut top off pomegranate and hold under water to peel. Seeds will sink, pulp/skin floats. So easy, fast and no red juice everywhere!

" Red Yellow Blue "

Oil

8" x 8"

I skied today with an old friend so didn't have time or energy left to paint. I painted this study last winter with a focus on primary colors. Bold and bright!

Available: $425 framed

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" Oranges & Antique Heinz Jar "

Oil

6" x 8"

Two very orange oranges separated by an antique Heinz jar, tall and octagonal in shape. Maybe it held pickles? We have a good friend visiting so I will be doing some skiing this week with him...hope to get my paintings done, too.

SOLD

Shiny Brite Christmas Ornaments

" Shiny Brite "

Oil

6" x 6"

I painted this set-up with natural light coming through my studio windows. I guess it could be considered a self-portrait as I painted what I saw reflected.... so that's me in the center.

NFS

" Meyer Lemons III "

Oil

7" x 7"

I was going for some drama in this composition using a black table top. I began the painting yesterday so it would be dry enough today to glaze over the underpainting colors adding depth and richness to the background.

SOLD

" Red & Yellow Apples on Rooster Plate "

Oil

6" x 6"

I spent some time arranging the fabric folds to lead the eye through the composition. I like how the roosters on the plate edge create motion, too.

SOLD

Antique Japanese Demitasse, Teacup

" Japanese Teacup "

Oil on gesso board

9" x 9"

This week is a busy one, seems my daily paintings will be more like a day and a half paintings. So I will fill in with a few paintings like this one. My goal with this painting was to have a bold simple composition to set off the detailed cup & saucer. This old teacup is small, more of a demitasse style. The cup is very translucent and I hope I achieved an impression of that.

Private Collection

" Bartlett Pears "

Oil

6" x 6"

This was a study in how much light from the right could I bounce into the shadow side of the pears and still have enough of a value change to render the pears. I used orange paper on the right wall to warm up the shadow side of the pears and they in turn reflected their yellow light onto the bright turquoise paper creating green in the cast shadows.

SOLD

" Eggplant & Lemon "

Oil

5.5" x 6.75"

I struggled getting the stem end to read correctly. And the edge of the eggplant that is in shadow..I tried a "lost" edge but somehow it needed the contrast, so I just kept darkening the shadow until it seemed right. Nothing like a challenge, but then each painting is that.

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" Little Limes "

Oil

6" x 6"

I have quite a collection of fabrics which makes arranging a still life set-up most enjoyable. In fact the arranging part is sometimes my favorite part of the painting process. I'm a designer art heart. Adding this or that, moving items around until they feel right, adjusting the angle of the light until the shadow shapes are strong. It's important that some of the fruit sit so you can see their profile and are easily identifiable.

SOLD

" Gold Reflections"

Oil

8" x 8"

Second in my tea cup series. This one is a vintage cup marked "Made in Occupied Japan". I found it on eBay and knew it would be fun to paint the reflections on the gold glaze, very unusual tea cup I think. Just had a thought. I will try to find a black and white striped fabric to set this on and paint those reflections.....

SOLD

Wallace Rose Point Flatware, English Porcelain Teacup

" Tea Time "

8" x 10"

Oil on board

This is one of several English porcelain teacups from my family treasures. My grandmothers collected them when they traveled. You probably have some in your family. Get them out and make a really good cup of tea. Nothing improves the taste of tea like a fine porcelain cup. Don't forget the lemon and milk. and while your at it, why not a cookie or two?

I will be posting a few of my larger "small" oils here and there.

Available $575

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I've Been Tagged.............. by my friend Carol Marine. My art blog is new and I only have Carol and Justin Clayton's blogs linked so far. I am going to wing it and tag 5 other artists whose work I admire for this little game of Carol's.

Here are the rules: 1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog. 2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird. 3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs. 4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here goes. 1. Born in Spokane, WA , making art since I was 4. 2. Married my ski instructor, Gary, 35 years ago 3. I love Cheetos, oh, and peanut butter & dill pickle sandwiches 4. I have one son, Corey, who is one terrific young man 5. I'm a recovering perfectionist

I'm tagging you: Heidi Malott, Michael Naples, Karin Jurick, Matt Miller , Sally Shisler Have fun!
I will add your links to my favorite Artist's blogs soon.

"Still Life with Limes"

Oil

6" x 8"

These Riviera ware dishes, made by Homer Laughlin, Co. were originally premiums in boxes of soap in the 1940's. I have my great grandmother's set and have many fond memories of family dinners served on these colorful dishes.

SOLD

" Still Life with Meyer Lemons II "

Oil

6" x 6"

I worked at applying the paint thickly from the start to the finish for a change using only bristle bright brushes. It's fun to set a task for each painting and get myself out of my old ways of doing things. It feels good!SOLD

"Still Life with Meyer Lemon"

Oil
6" x 8"
This "simple" set-up was a reminder to me that simple doesn't necessarily mean easy. A single lemon on striped dish towel seemed straight forward enough. It wasn't until I was nearly done that I decided to suggest the waffle texture of the cloth. When I started I wanted to ignore the texture thinking it too detailed and fussy to consider. I think it adds just the right amount of detailed interest.
SOLD

"Holbein Cadmium Red Deep"

Oil

5"x7"

One of many old tubes of oil colors in my stash. I use a limited palette of 7-9 colors plus white, so many colors I have purchased over the years are gathering dust. I like the old label and crinkled tube caused from using a tube wringer.

Available $425

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"Answer on the Third Ring"

Oil

6.5" x 6.5"

This is the third painting of this phone in a close up view. I wanted to give the feeling of how heavy and chunky it is. I think I'm ready to tackle a cell phone now.

SOLD

"Still Life with Seckle Pears"

Oil

6" x 6"

Little tiny Seckle pears, about the size of a large lime in a clear glass bowl. I think I will do this same composition in a large format. I love yellow green red and purple together.

SOLD

" It's for You "

Oil

6" x 6"

I think this old phone will be a series, it's a very fun object to paint. I can't imagine a cell phone being as interesting...but then maybe I'll give it some thought, too, try to keep an open mind and all that!

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"Buckie"

Oil

6" x 8"

Buckie, the little Corgi. What a smart dog! Good thing he lives on a ranch and has a real job herding anything that moves.

N.F.S.

Commissions accepted

"AT Water 4044"

Oil

6" x 8"

I found this vintage phone at a garage sale years ago. I think it's from the 1930's; it has a cloth covered cord and leather feet. Yesterday I cleaned off the sticker that someone had put over the original number. If anyone knows where the At Water exchange is/was please email me, I'd love to know. I have another view of the phone that I will paint tomorrow.

SOLD

"Honey Crisp Apple"

Oil

6" x 6"

Painting #20

Apple cut and ready to eat! Yummy!

SOLD

"Granny Smith's"

Oil

6" x 8"

Little green apples on rooster checked plate. I set the lighting low to catch the reflection of checks on the apples skin.

SOLD

"Hot Lips"

6" x 6"

Oil

Sometimes I don't paint well under pressure...I tried to get this done for yesterday's post and had to leave it to finish today. Glad I did. It always helps to have a fresh look. I stop looking at the set-up and just consider the painting and what it needs to make it work. The background was too plain so I added a simple design.

SOLD

"Barney"

Oil

6" x 6"

I spent a very special day with my friends Melinda and Dick on their ranch photographing their geese, horses, chickens, ducks, dogs and beautiful red cabbages! The six moose seen the day before were not to be found today. Darn, Dick, I forgot to go see the new baby chicks!Thanks for the great lunch Melinda.

You two are the best!

Available $425 framed

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"Persimmons & Old Colander"

Oil

6" x 6"

This old graniteware colander has been one of my favorite props. I love planning how the light comes through the holes. I added just a few white specks to give the feeling of graniteware, wondering if I was getting too detailed, then I softened them and called it good. I think it works without being too fussy.

SOLD

"In the Shadows"

Oil

6" x 6"

I have painted my neighbor's dog, Sage, several times. One day he showed up with a package of ham, the next day cheese and the third day a fresh loaf of French bread...what a dog!

Available $425 framed

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"Persimmons on Check Plate"

Oil

6" x 6"

I have been looking for persimmons for a while, they've been over ripe until I saw these yesterday, such intense coloring. If they are still in good shape tomorrow I'll attempt another view. Now to try a recipe, Joy of Cooking has a Persimmon pudding that sounds devine. I have never eaten a persimmon!

SOLD

"Lucy"

Oil

6" x 6"

Here's little Lucy, isn't she adorable? I didn't finish the persimmons that I intended to post tonight, it needs to dry a bit before final touches are added and I'll post it Sunday evening. I do commission portraits of animals. If you are interested in having your favorite pet painted email me for details. Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Available $425 framed

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"Aussie Oranges in Glass Bowl"

Oil

6" x 8"

This was a challenging set up. I used a bright pink wall on the right to bounce light into the shadows. It kept the shadow side of the oranges very bright. I think I captured the translucence as light passed through the flesh of the orange sections. I hope you like the results, too.

SOLD

"Hot Avocado"

6" x 6"

Oil

What could be more opposite than a dull colored avocado leaning against a hot pink wall? I loved mixing the hot pinks and yellows and the avocado now sizzles!

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"Pomegranate"

Oil

6" x 6"

When my son was a little guy I loved watching him eat pomegranate seeds, with the red juice running everywhere. Now he's in college so I paint pomegranates. This is the first time I have painted a cut one. Looking for all the little bits of color in the seeds was crucial to making them shine like rubies.

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"Lemons on Stripe Cloth II"

Oil

6" x 8"

Painting #9...I am really enjoying this whole daily painting process. I had set up this still life with just the one lemon in the middle and didn't like how it was looking, so I cut out a lemon shape and moved it around til I found where it worked, painted it in and now I like it a lot.

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"Early Morning Aspens"

Oil

6" x 6"

I started this landscape during my Plein Air workshop in late August but didn't get to finish it as students needed me, by then the light had changed too much. Now finishing it from memory I enjoyed the simplification and abstract design without getting hung up on details. What I recalled especially was the strong contrast of the dark fir trees with the sunlit field in the distant. The aspens were in shadow.

NFS

"Idaho Peaches"

Oil

6" x 8"

People always ask how I paint peaches to look fuzzy.

It's the color you mix, very grayed. You don't mix fuzz, you mix the color that you see and it will look like fuzz provided you also mix all the other colors correctly that you see and put them in their proper places, too.

Painting is about "seeing shapes of color".

SOLD

"Boulder Mountain View"

Oil

3.75" x 11"

This view is looking south from the Boulder Mountains, 18 miles north of Sun Valley, Idaho. We live in a high mountain desert, timber on the north side and sage on the south exposures. I return many times during good weather to paint this area, its gorgeous in all seasons.

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"Lemons"

Oil

6" x 6"

A very feminine floral fabric, lots of lovely blues to compliment the vibrant lemons.

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"Lemons & Check Cloth"

Oil

6" x 6"

This is the first in a series of lemons that I will be posting. I find their bumpy skins a challenge and that keeps me wanting to do more. If you love lemons I have several very large paintings of lemons on my website that you might enjoy seeing.

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Sugarplums

"Sugarplums"

Oil

6" x 8"

Available

Lovely colors, purple and yellow green. These were the first sugarplums I had ever seen and so sweet and delicious. The joy of painting edibles , you paint them and then you get to eat them. I think I'd better stay away from painting slices of pie and other decadent sweets, otherwise....

Idaho Apricots still life

"Idaho Apricots"

Oil

6"x8"

These were the most colorful little apricots I have ever

seen, grown locally, too. I love the contrast of the stripes with the rounded fruit. Blue and orange, warm and cool!

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Chilie Pepper still life

"Hot Peppers"

Oil

6" x 6"

Available

I was attracted to the rich red of these peppers and their slim profiles. I painted them outdoors in direct sunlight. Plein air painting is good for me...I can't take my sweet time, the light is changing too fast.