When life gives you lemons, draw them, 11 x 14 inches dry pastels, graphite on paper

"When life gives you lemons, draw them." (Nikki)

"Color! What a deep and mysterious language." (Paul Gauguin)

expressionistic

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Watercolors bookmarks

Monday, November 20th, 2017


 

Autumn Forest Scene 13, about 6H x 2W inches watercolors on 140 lb cold pressed

Autumn Forest Scene 13, about 6H x 2W inches watercolors on 140 lb cold pressed

Autumn Forest Scene 10, about 6H x 2W inches watercolors on 140 lb cold pressed

Autumn Forest Scene 10, about 6H x 2W inches watercolors on 140 lb cold pressed

Autumn Forest Scene 11, about 6H x 2W inches watercolors on 140 lb cold pressed

Autumn Forest Scene 11, about 6H x 2W inches watercolors on 140 lb cold pressed

Autumn Forest Scene 12, about 6H x 2W inches watercolors on 140 lb cold pressed

Autumn Forest Scene 12, about 6H x 2W inches watercolors on 140 lb cold pressed

Clearcut forest, Tillimook OR

Tuesday, February 28th, 2017


 

 Clearcut 01 detail, watercolors Clearcut 01 detail, watercolors

 Clearcut 01 details, watercolors – work in progress details

Oystercatchers

Monday, February 27th, 2017


 

Oystercatchers, 18 x 24 inches watercolors on 140 lb cold press

Oystercatchers, 18H x 24W inches watercolors on 140 lb cold pressed. Framed size 27H x 33W inches, white mat, white wood frame with crackle finish.

Showcased in the J. Mane Gallery’s Fins, Feathers and Fur 2020 exhibition.


Oystercatchers, upper left detailThis is finished, although I’d love to merge the contrasts somehow. I don’t want to mess up the implied light though, or the initial spontaneous brush strokes, like in the background waves. Every new mark at this stage makes a difference too, and in context to the whole, even small changes affect other areas that need to adjust accordingly.

Oystercatchers, central detail Before you know it, colors mud together and beautiful open spaces disappear. I’m going to take direction from my most recent pieces, which I feel were over-worked, and quit while I’m ahead.
Oystercatchers, lower left detailChallenge is exciting…particularly with watercolors. Whereas with other media mistakes can be erased or covered easily and change can occur throughout the process without much hesitation, with watercolors a person needs to know a subject well – or at least be able to fake it with confidence!Oystercatchers, upper right detail
Finding a way to make each painting unique means following cues happening within the work itself. In this painting, the most remarkable thing occurred after the the first phase of production.

Oystercatchers, central right detailBecause this subject was unfamiliar, I started by first penciling in the shapes, wondering what I could do to make this less boring – you know, not just be a picture of Oystercatchers. When erasing the pencil marks in order to see what the paint had established, little rolls of eraser pieces scattered here and there. Sprinkled impromptu around the birds, those tiny eraser shreds added a pronounced and unexpected zing of life to the composition.Oystercatchers, lower right detail First thinking “what have I got to lose?”, the eraser-pieces were mimicked in paint around the birds. I’m tempted to make those strokes more prominent, but a small success is in order, so will use this fun technique in another painting.

Monarda finished

Thursday, July 7th, 2016


 

Monarda finished, 24H x 28W inches acrylics
Monarda, lower right detail of 24H x 28W inches acrylics
Monarda finished, 24H x 28W inches acrylics on canvas board. Total size 32H x 36W inches with frame of 2″ black suede mat, gold trim then 4-inch red suede surround and gold frame.

Monarda photo compilation: in progress and finished piece framed

 


 

Monarda 24H x 28W inches acrylics on canvas board. Total size 32H x 36W inches with frame of 2" black suede mat, gold trim then 4-inch red suede surround and gold frame

Spring Garden Mix

Saturday, April 27th, 2013


 

Spring Garden Mix, 18H x 24 inches oil pastels on 80 lb acid free premium

Spring Garden Mix, 18H x 24 inches oil pastels on 80 lb acid free premium. Framed size 27H x 33 inches.

BlossoMania

Thursday, April 25th, 2013


 

Blossomania, 12H x 16W inches oil pastels painted with oil blending and glazing medium on 80 lb acid free premium, white mat

Blossomania, 12H x 16W inches oil pastels painted with oil blending and glazing medium on 80 lb acid free premium, white mat

I’ve been admiring the round masses clumped on the Plum tree branches in our neighbor’s back yard for a week or so now. Yesterday and today, pink swirls in the wind inspired this kooky poem

Plum Blossom Mania, Original size 18H x 24 inches Oil Pastels on 80lbPetals are falling, the sky is blue

They cover everything, old and new

If I sit too long, I’ll be covered too!

Larger image shows the finished piece, 12H x 16W inches, which was cropped from the original size, left thumbnail, 18H x 24 inches. Blogging always reveals a different perspective. If I had not re-sized the original  in order to post, I might never have recognized that the cropped portion has a more balanced composition…benefits of blogging!

Cedar Branches Abstract

Wednesday, February 13th, 2013


 

Cedar Branches Abstract, 18H x 24W inches Oil pastels on 100% cotton paper
Cedar Branches Abstract, 18H x 24W inches oil pastels on 100% cotton paper, white mat.

Fairy Lake Sumac

Tuesday, November 13th, 2012


 

Fairy Lake Sumac, 16 x 20 inches oil pastels on paper

Fairy Lake Sumac – Sumac bushes during Fall, Fairy Lake BC Canada, 16H x 20W inches with mat, oil pastels on 140 lb W/C paper.
This piece has a base of watercolor crayons, which I hadn’t heard of before and was excited to try. The crayon colors were weak though, and they do not paint well either, so oil pastels were layered on top with areas scratched away using fingernails and pottery tools.

Dawn at Bell Rock

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009


 

Dawn At Bell Rock, Sedona Arizona, 18H x 12W x 3D inches acrylics on canvas, wrapped sides painted, trim frame

Dawn at Bell Rock, Arizona – 24H x 18W x 2D inches acrylics on canvas, wrapped sides painted, trim frame. Below: phases 01, 02 and 07

Dawn at Bell Rock - phase 01 in progress Dawn at Bell Rock - phase 02 in progress Dawn at Bell Rock (Arizona), 24 x 18 x 2 inches acrylics on canvas, gallery wrapped sides painted, Phase 07

Jone’s Falls

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009


 

Jone's Falls, Ontario, Canada - 11H x 11W x 3D acrylics on canvas, wrapped sides painted

Jone’s Falls,  near Thousand Islands, Southern Ontario, 11H x 11W x 3D inches acrylics on canvas, wrapped sides painted. Frame unnecessary. Hang on a wall or display on a flat surface.

Sold.

 
Some barely noticeable lines were scratched on wet paint here and there, and they break up the space  into sections now, if you compare the 3rd thumbnail and the finished piece.

 Jone's Falls, mapping out composition, removing paint with cloth Jone's Falls, phase 2 work in progress, 11 x 11 x 3 inches acrylics on canvas Jone's Falls, phase 3 work in progress, 11 x 11 x 3 inches acrylics on canvas

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