" Lemon with Salt & Pepper "

Oil

6" x 6"

I wanted to paint something metalllic and was attracted to my stove top salt and pepper shakers. Then I looked for color that would reflect, choosing my favorite dish towel and a single lemon. It took patience to really look and see all the little reflections that gave depth to the painting. I had green paper lining the right wall so that bounced some complimentary color into the set-up. I like the results. I purposely did very little blending, instead letting the eye do most of the work.

SOLD

" Pink Rose II "

Oil

6" x 6"

Available

I liked both of these rose in the jar compositions and it was fun to paint them one after the other making subtle changes to this one. I made the diagonal line on the right the same pink as in the rose, to repeat that color and it does draw the eye there, too. I will plant a few of my large containers with roses this spring, can't wait! They are hard to winter over here, we are a zone 3, even with protection. We've had a very mangy looking racoon in the yard this week. His tail looks like a rat's tail with little fur on it. I hope it isn't sick. Someone must be feeding it.

" Lemons on Blue Willow Plate "

Oil

6" x 6"

Available

My friend, Janie, has a large collection of Blue Willow dishes. I love the solid look of the bright lemons against the delicate pattern of the old Blue Willow plate.

" Pink Rose in Old Mason Jar "

Oil

6" x 6"

Available

Painting # 91! I can't believe it. While I haven't met my goal of one a day, this is huge for me...it feels great. Now, about the rose. Roses are not easy for me to paint..and I see that on the next one I will try a different attack. I think maybe what made this one difficult is the light pink. Next time I will try a rose that has less contrast, say a deep red. I loved painting the jar. I have a collection of these Ball Mason jars that I use for canisters lined up on an open shelf in my kitchen.

Available: Email Me

" Oranges for Dan "

Oil

6" x 6"

Another of the four little oils for Dan. They should bring some color into his long Alaskan winter. Speaking of which, it's snowing out here again. Twenty degrees and 4 " of powder so far. My husband will love it tomorrow morning..he's a ski instructor. Yes, I married my ski instuctor...35 years ago! Life is good here in Idaho.

Commission SOLD

" Apples for Dan "

Oil

6" x 6"

It was snowing hard this afternoon while I was painting these apples for my friend, Dan. I thought it was ironic as he lives in Fairbanks, AK. I can't complain about our long winter here in Idaho!

Hope you like these, Dan. They will look great with the other three.

Commission SOLD

" Pears for Mary "

Oil

8" x 10"

I painted these pears today for Mary, my friend in Boston who comes out here with her family from time to time. I waited until they turned from green to yellow and I love the rosey blush areas. Yellow just begged for a subdued blue violet background.

Commission

" Bartlett Pears II

Oil

6"x6"

Plump pears simply arranged.

Sold

" Little Bialetti Espresso Pot & Lemons "

Oil

6"x6"

I borrowed this little vintage stove top espresso maker from my friend, Patti, to see if I wanted to buy one. It's a 6 cup, so easy to use and makes great coffee. Too good...I will need to get a 2 cup one so I'm not tempted to drink so much. So retro looking sitting on my stove!

As for the painting of the pot I immediately knew the black striped dish towel was a must, the reflection of the stripes on the coffee maker very cool. Then I felt the green and pink added a nice retro touch and lastly, the lemons for a punch of color. I hope you like it. It was fun to paint the dull cast aluminum and subtle reflections.

SOLD

" Lemons & Lime I "

Oil

6" x 6"

This has been a very busy two weeks with a house guest and my son home for college break. Skiing is excellent and appetites huge. Guess who is chief cook and bottle washer? I do love it, but my studio kept calling to me. Anyway, that's the excellent reason I have for not posting many oils lately.

I so enjoyed painting these lemons and lime today. What is it about lemons, their sunny color or maybe how we use them for flavor in drinks, sweets, etc. A happy fruit! Hope you like the results. This happens to be my favorite dish towel, too.

SOLD

" Little Lemons with Fuji "

Oil

6" x 6"

Sold

I purchased these little organic lemons and liked that three would fit on this plate with room for a big old Fuji apple, too. The reflection of the lemons on the plate rim is more subtle in the actual painting. I couldn't get it toned down in my photo editing program without compromising the appearance of the rest of the painting.

" Little Limes II "

Oil

6" x 6"

Beautiful little limes in a vintage Buffalo China bowl. The fabric is a Peruvian woven stripe..I love these colorful stripes. I use it often in my still life paintings.

Commission SOLD

" Stacked "

Oil

6" x 6"

Available

Vintage Harlequin cups, colorful and stacked up.

I had this set up with a black background and painted it that way, couldn't stand the result and considered tossing it. Then I thought, Jennifer, don't be a weenie...do the mental work to see what it will take to make the painting work. So, I did and scraped off everything but the cups, rethought the color scheme and I'm now pleased with the results. I actually enjoyed scraping the paint off.

" Chiquita Bananas "

Oil

6" x 8"

My husband came home with this perfect bunch of bananas. There were six and I had to eat one because it was too perfect! Bananas are not easy to arrange, I liked this view the best. Next, I will take the bunch apart...bananas on the loose.

Available $550

Email me

" Lemons in Singapore Bird Bowl "

Oil

6" x 6"

It was nice to paint a simple background after the checks and stripes of earlier paintings this week. But, just had to have some pattern so here is a bowl from my favorite dishes.

SOLD

" Cup-of-Joe "

Oil

6" x 6"

Little old tea cup on vintage cloth.

SOLD

" Still Life with Red Spoon "

Oil

6" x 6"

Big challenge to get the effect of the egg whites. On a larger painting I would have used the same blue/whites in the checks, let it dry and glazed over the egg white area with an ochre or yellow glaze. I have been learning new tricks with the wet n' wet techniques used in these daily paintings.

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" Apples & Lemons "

Oil

6" x 8"

The angle of the light on the apple gave me fits...more back lit and it was hard to read the values. Guess I learned what not to do the next time, although I like the results. This angle was needed to get the cast shadows from the colander that I love to paint. Trade offs!

I will post this on eBay auction tomorrow...good night!

Available Framed: $550 Email me

The reason for such a late post...we were at a meat loaf cook-off. My husband and another guy have been bantering for a year about who makes the best meat loaf. The results were terrific (one had a red sauce the other mushroom sauce) and of course after a careful tally of the ballots it was a tie. Both were so different. Next year it will be a chili cook off.

Blue Teapot, Yellow Rivieraware cup & saucer

" Tea Time "

6" x 6"

Oil

This arrangement was about the three dark circles of the teapot, lid and tea cup. I was very sceptical while painting it whether it would work but nothing tried nothing gained. I do like the results but then these items have personal meaning to me.

One of my favorite quotes "You can't edit a blank page" Leonard Wolfe

SOLD

" Lemons III "

Oil

6" x 6"

I had fun arranging this still life...the challenge was the fabric. I love this fabric and wanted to include several of the rose colored blossoms. So, that meant that the entire plate needed to be in the composition. Now to balance it all. I didn't like 3 lemons, because of the 3 blossoms, so it was 2 lemons and a very prominent cast shadow on the plate to balance the two lemons. I think it works. Hope you like it, too.

SOLD

" Plantains "

Oil

6" x 6"

This was commissioned to go with the "Mangoes III" painting I did a few weeks ago. I am very excited to eat these now that they are done working as models. Susan gave me a couple of recipes as I have never eaten a plantain.

SOLD

" Bartlett Pear "

Oil

6" x 6"

We are so busy in February with out of town company but today I was back in the studio. With this daily painting challenge, it really bothers me when I can't paint and miss a post. Life is what happens while we are making plans!

Keeping the pattern of stripes loose was a challenge. Also, the stripes were reflected in the plate, which I dutifully painted as that is what I saw. But that was too busy so I eliminated them, leaving just a suggestion of the reflection on the plate.

SOLD

" Lemons & Pear "

Oil

6" x 6"

A simple arrangement keeping contrasts of shapes, shadows and colors strong. I love yellow green and violet blue together.
SOLD

" Still Life with Fuji Apples "

Oil

6" x 6"

Cheery checks and red, red apples.

SOLD

" Clementines "

Oil

6" x 6"

This simple arrangement seemed straight forward, however what gave me fits was getting the tiny sliver of fabric the fruit is setting on right. It had to be light but still read as light blue green. So I made the fabric in shadow darker than I was seeing.

SOLD

" Nectarines "

Oil

6" x 6"

I am getting more comfortable with painting drapery. It takes some blending but not much, too much and you take all the life out of the paint.

Carol Marine is an expert at putting the paint down and leaving it alone. I am working at doing more of that. Let the viewer's eye do the blending!

SOLD

I came across this fabulous artist's work today. I hope you will take a look. Marsha Robinett Her pencil "paintings" are stunning and she has a journal of articles including art marketing information.

" Off Center "

Oil

6" x 6"

Here's my favorite tea towel. A favorite to design with because of its simplicity. The bright red apples have center stage.

Available CLICK HERE

" Just Between Us Girls.... "

Oil

5.5" x 8"

Two Barred Plymouth Rocks and a Rhode Island Red. I photographed these chickens at my friend Melinda's ranch last November. Two weeks ago I did paintings of eggs. Now here are the chickens. Maybe I should have painted the chickens first?

SOLD

" Mangoes III "

Oil

6" x 6"

I bought some new tea towels this week. This black striped one really caught my eye. The big red mangoes along with a bright yellow background keep the cloth from being the focus.

Sold

" Lemons & Old Graniteware Colander"

Oil

5.5" x 8"

I am very happy with how this painting turned out. I try to get the canvas covered as fast as I can so I can begin making more accurate comparisons of value and color that I see in the still life set up. And I love the light/dark patterns created by the holes in the colender, fun to see and figure out how to paint.
SOLD