Paco

Sold

Today's posting is a 6" x 12" gallery wrap canvas oil painting of Paco, a donkey. This donkey lives in downtown Dallas. There is a fun gas station, Fuel City located downtown. It has the best tacos in Dallas---actually, in the state of Texas according to Texas Monthly. It is a unique place--with swimming pool, gas pumps, tacos, beer, and a large patch of land with a few donkeys and several longhorns.

When my husband and I were down at Fuel City in February, this donkey ran up to me and started honking....making all kinds of noise. Thank heavens there was a fence between us. He is a real character. I sold this painting yesterday...thanks, Belinda. It will have a new home in Austin. This is a fun, painterly piece and I am thrilled that Belinda will hang it in her new home. I took a quick pic of it, not a very good picture because my expert photographer, Karen was not at the studio. Karen does an excellent job on photography.

Landscape

This 6" x 6" oil painting is on a cotton panel. I have not framed it up yet I will probably put a gold frame on it. I am not sure that it is completed, even though I signed it. It might need some more color. I am getting ready to enter two new exhibits this week. One is at Medical City, and the other is at the Texas Visual Arts Association Gallery downtown. Yesterday was a short but productive day at the studio. I have lots of wet paintings waiting to be framed or hung.

On the easel...

I had a very productive day at the studio yesterday...it actually went into the evening. I finished up eleven abstracts, and need to put some finishing touches on some other paintings. This is one of them. These two sheep have been in the studio for a couple of months. I don't think that I have the eyes finished. I need to name the sheep, and the painting. If you have any suggestions, please write to me. This is a 20" x 20" gallery wrap canvas...ready to hang as soon as I hit the eyes with some detail.

Flower Pots

Good Morning, everyone. Spring is in the air...actually spring showers in Dallas. I should be posting photographs of all the flowers in bloom in our yard right now...great colors. But today's painting lives in Illinois with Charlie and Mary Lou. It is a 20" x 24" floral, with good shadows and light hitting the pots and the tile floor. I enjoyed painting the terra cotta pots with the shadows, aged and textured surface. Rich, vibrant colors in the flowers help make the painting interesting...and, I do believe that I did get my greens right in this painting. (I seem to struggle with my greens at times. It is my least favorite color, and sometimes it muddies up my colors.) Enjoy your spring day!

Window Boxes

Window Boxes is one of my daughter's favorite paintings...It is framed in a wide, simple silver frame, 16" x 20". I have not painted houses, architectural details and flower boxes in a while. The photo I took for the inspiration and reference on this painting is missing, and I can't remember exactly where this location is. I think somewhere in Michigan. I have plenty of new photos from New Orleans with lots of windows, doors, gates, shutters, flowers, and beads. Lots of Mardi Gras beads. Thanks for looking at this posting...I hope to get to the studio this afternoon and finish up more of those paintings that are half-started, --- or half-finished.

Floral

With spring in the air I had to post a floral painting today. Flowers are blooming everywhere in Dallas. Especially in John's planters. I will be taking my camera with me today...the colors are great. I hope you like the colors in the flowers of this painting that I posted. Please contact me if you would like to see more of my work, or go to my website. Thanks!

Vae of Flowers

This oil painting is on a 12" x 16" canvas. I have used a very warm color palette...very orange/red/golden in the flowers. I used a brush (no knife) on this painting. The paint was applied pretty thick, looks like buttery frosting on the canvas. This is an unusual size canvas for me to paint on...I like the way the flowers go off the canvas, and that the vase is off-center.

I will be going to the studio today working on various paintings that I have started. I have about a dozen paintings that I started, painted on, and have gotten bored or irritated at my paint brush. I need to finish up all these paintings. I don't like looking at them. Hopefully I will be in the mood to complete something today.

Times Square

Times Square is such a fun, busy and colorful place with alot going on...I wanted to capture the feel---the energy of NYC in this painting. It is a 22" x 28" gallery wrap canvas. It was my first cityscape painting...my husband took the photo I used as a reference last July while we were visiting NYC. It is posted also...makes me look forward to the next NYC trip!

Pink Cottage

This is one of my favorite paintings...currently, it is hanging in my house, framed with a gold frame on it. It is very cheerful and colorful. It took me several days just to do the roof with the palette knife. It was so much fun painting the stucco exterior of the cottage...making it look cracked, discolored and old. The windows were also painted with the knife. I think I will tackle another old and charming building after seeing all the wonderful architecture in New Orleans. I need to finish up all the half-finished paintings at the studio. Hope to paint more today!

Garden Gate

This abstract is a take-off from a garden scene...iron gate, florals and butterflies. It is on a gallery wrap canvas. The soft buttery colors are a little bit different than my usual color scheme. The paint is layered on the canvas giving it texture. I hope you enjoy this painting!

on the easel...

John and I are back from New Orleans...what a great city. I enjoyed the weekend of fun, food, music...we were there during the French Quarter Festival. Lots of art, food, music. I met several artists who really have alot going on, and hope to email them soon. I have missed painting, but did get alot of inspiration after walking the streets of New Orleans for three days. Here is one pic that I took early one morning on Bourbon Street. We walked through an old cemetery, rode the street cars, walked the French Quarter, rode the ferry to Algiers, walked along the muddy Mississippi, ate shrimp, crawfish, crabcakes, grilled oysters...with bands all over the city. And of course, were on Bourbon Street alot. It was great.

Also posted is a painting that is on my easel waiting for some attention. Russell Newman took this photo when he was at Santa Monica Beach in March of this year...and graciously let me have the photo to paint. I hope to finish it up this week. Actually I have about a dozen unfinished paintings at the studio, and need to work on them before I start painting some New Orleans street scenes.

Untitled Abstract

This is a 12" x 12" gallery wrap canvas...another abstract that has been donated to Grant for an auction this month. I need to put a name on it. Any suggestions? I think that the colors are more vivid than this photograph leads the eye to believe. I hope that somebody gives me some suggestions for a name!!!

Yarn

This is a 18" x 18" oil painting on a gallery wrap canvas. Very colorful. Inspired by yarn. Lots of stacked up yarn in a bin. It is a kaleidoscope of variegated colors. I probably need to rename this painting. Yarn just doesn't cut it. If you have any suggestions for a new name on this painting...please send me your comments. I would welcome a new name on this piece!

Bucket of Flowers

Today's posting is a 24" x 24" gallery wrap canvas...buckets of flowers inspired by some photographs I took at the Fayetteville Farmer's Market. I like painting on a square canvas or panel. There is something about a square that is appealing to my eye...it isn't the ordinary, standard rectangular shape that a 11" x 14", 16" x 20" or 20" x 24" canvas has. The square canvas deviates just a little bit from the ordinary, typical shape of standard canvas sizes. The colors in this painting are vivid, bold and intense. The bucket changed colors several times before it was finished. I hope you enjoy this painting!

Rose Garden

Today's painting is the same size and framed up the same as yesterday's posting. This oil painting is on gessoed masonite, and framed in a gold traditional moulding. The cottage windows, brick and roof are all painted with the palette knife.

Cottage

This oil painting is on gessoed masonite, framed. The image/painting is 14 3/4" x 20 3/4" without the gold, traditional frame. The cottage and roof of cottage has alot of palette knife painting. I liked the bright, cheerful look of this painting...it is inviting. No muddy colors. My favorite part of the painting is the front door. I like the shadow that is cast upon the front porch and door. Please let me know if you are interested in purchasing this painting...Thanks!

Pastoral Scene

I was driving to the studio on Monday and as I past Old City Park, found some very interesting sheep---right off of Interstate 30, within walking distance of downtown Dallas. I pulled over to take a pic of them...one was staring right at me. Got a great picture as he was staring straight on, like a statue. The posting today on my blog is my first sheep/grazing sheep painting that I did last year. It almost looks like a watercolor painting, but it is oil. I may do a series on sheep...I have a good start on the one at the studio. I can't wait to go work on it!

Flowers in Vase

This floral painting was inspired by some flowers in a shop in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I loved the arrangement, colors and vase. The 24" x 24" canvas looks great framed up. This painting has been in a new home for several months, and I do miss it because I had it above our fireplace for a few months. I know the young couple who own it, and I am sure that they will hang this floral in a special place.

Four Eggs

The posted painting today is on a 18" x 18" gallery wrap canvas. I have done several nests, with and without eggs. I would like to find some interesting eggs and nests, and do more. The nest has many colors in it, with a blue background. I favor the square canvas to paint on---and love the 18" x 18" size. For some reason 16" x 16" seems too small and 20" x 20" is too large. I have to special order the 18" x 18"...that is o.k., it givens me an excuse to go to the art supply store. I hope to have a productive day at the studio today...painting, painting, and more painting!

Southwestern Stairs

When I was going through my window and shutter phase, I executed this painting. The stucco on the wall of the building is applied with the palette knife. It has lots of texture. The grass, flowers and cactus were applied with the brush. I would say this painting has some boldness to it. It has a very handsome mahogany frame on it and hangs in the home of good friend Mark McDonald. So even though this painting is sold, I get to see it often!

Splash

This painting is on a 30" X 30" gallery wrap canvas. Rather large. It was auctioned off at the Turtle Creek Chorale fundraiser for $700 on Saturday night. I used a palette knife when applying the most of the paint, but there are some brush strokes in there. I was wanting to create movement and interest in the piece. Like most of my paintings, I used color and texture to express the mood and create contrast. I want to than the person or persons who purchased this painting, and hope that it has a happy new home.

p.s. I should thank my good friend Sue Cangelosi for her support and encouragement on abstracts. She is a huge fan of abstracts. I probably would not of painted this painting without her artful advice.

Detrain

This abstract is 20" x 20" on a gallery wrap canvas. Fellow studio artist/partner Grant asked if I would donate a piece of my art to the Turtle Creek Chorale annual fundraiser, which was held last night. I was honored to be asked to donate, and according to David, Seldon and Grant the piece raised $450. The fundraiser benefits the Chorale’s ability to continue its mission to provide music to the community that is known for its innovation, diversity and artistic excellence. I do know that this painting has a new home, as Seldon and David were in a bidding war on it with another couple. That makes me feel good. Seldon assured me that the couple who bought the painting were very nice. I thank them (whoever they are) for purchasing it and supporting the TCC. Tomorrow I will post the second painting that I donated to the TCC....so check in with me tomorrow!!!

Three Pots

I have been looking at all the florals that I have painted in the past, and this is one of my first flower pot paintings. I am wanting to enter the Texas Visual Arts Association Flower Exhibit and Juried Show. I have several pieces that are possibilites. I need to make a decision pronto since the deadline for entries is tomorrow. I will let you know what I decide to enter.

Country Lane

The painting I am posting today is on a gallery wrap canvas, very colorful and loose. I especially like the fence and the shadows created. Hopefully the viewer can imagine this setting, and want to go there...maybe even purchase it! Hope you enjoy it.

Flowers

This is one of the first paintings that I did on masonite. The oils went on so smoothly. I have been looking at all of the florals that I have painted for an upcoming show. I hope that you enjoy this painting...your comments are always welcome!

I am back from the painting trip to Mark and John's farm. I experienced plein air painting out in the fields of Texas. It was very different than painting in the studio. The natural light was great, but always changing. The scenery and livestock were fab. The elements, mainly the wind and ants were a pain. It was fun to paint with everyone, including Kathleen and David. I brought back four paintings, but they are very wet and have not been photographed yet. Here is a landscape painting that reminds me of the lakes in Michigan. I am off to the studio today...I started two cow paintings yesterday, and can't wait to get back to them. I hope you enjoy the posted lake painting....I would welcome your comments and thoughts.