The White Porcelain Cup

I completed this small still life alla prima last night.

This past weekend, I was rummaging through some old boxes filled with mementos from our old family home when I came across this lovely little porcelain mug. We never really were coffee drinkers in my family, but tea and cocoa were always free flowing.

Discovering this old treasure brought back many warm memories, inspiring me to paint this simple 6" x 6" oil on stretched canvas. Looking at it brings a smile to my face!

I've Been Swamped for a While...

"Hidden Green Wonderland"

12" x 12" Oil on Stretched Canvas

Okay, that IS a pretty cheesy title, given that my most recent painting is a swamp landscape. Sometimes, though, it is difficult for me to resist such a play on words.

Sorry for the extended absence, but relocating my office took twice as long as we expected, and I have been without those necessities of life, like Internet, email, blogging... etc....(What big, electronically dependent babies we have become!)

Back to the oil painting...
I was inspired by a gallery challenge celebrating "Mother Earth". First, I sketched out this painting from 3 actual bog photos, and began painting by large color blocking. The result is somewhat monotone, but the colors are fairly true to life. I may try another version of this with more abstraction. I really like the look of the vibrant green moss on the old log.

Thanks for looking! I am in the process of finishing a small still life, which I hope to post tomorrow. Please check back.

Leaves and Shadows

I think that this is finished...it has a "finished feel" to it, although I never really lightened the background as much as I had first envisioned it. I think that the darker colors work okay. I tried adding more light blue and it began fading out the leaves.

Also, I was going to add even more detail, but was able to stop myself in time to keep the painting looking fresh. (I am especially proud that I resisted the urge to blend).

I hope you enjoy it. Please visit again.

Leaves - Oil Painting in Progress

This weekend I decided to accept the gallery's challenge to create a painting centered in some way on Mother Earth for Earth Day.

I found a photo of the sunlight peeking through foilage, and really liked the color variances induced by the sun's rays. Some of the leaves seem opaque, while others are almost translucent. I am about half way toward completion. I really want to lighten part of the background and work on leaf details a little bit. Still intend to keep a fresh look, however, so I don't want to blend too much.

Hopefully, I will post the finished painting tomorrow. Please stay tuned...

Okay, Everyone Listen Up

"Okay, Everyone Listen Up"

8" x 8" Oil on Stretched Canvas

$75 USD

Clementines are so delicious. I bought a bag of them last weekend, and decided to set a few up in a still life. I chose the blue linen because I really liked the way the bright orange and vibrant blue played off one another. When I added the green folded linen and placed one clementine on top, the arrangement began to look as though a coach were talking to his team saying, "Okay, Everyone Listen Up".

This oil painting is on stretched canvas using 1 1/2" stretcher bars, suitable for hanging with or without a frame. As always, I welcome comments and questions. Thanks!

Light at the End of the Forest

"Light at the End of the Forest"

10" x 14"

Oil on Stretched Canvas

I thought that I needed a change of pace since painting so many still lifes lately. So I went to my favorite old standby...a landscape filled with trees.

But I thought I would try something a little different by using a less traditional landscape color palette. The result was not quite what I had hoped, as the forest looks a little scarier and colder than I would have liked. I also admit that I did not give this painting the time that I could have to make improvements. However, once I let it set for a day or so, the oil was not pliable to my liking, so I decided to move on to another painting challenge.

For me, this is actually progress. I think, as artists, we must accept that sometimes things don't turn out as we envision, and we must smile, scrape off the paint, and start again. Success is great, but finding humor in the unsuccessful is invaluable to our personal growth. Thanks for visiting!