Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving

Green and Orange Pumpkins, 14x18, oil on canvas

My neighbor is married to a minister. Her mission is to provide food baskets to a number of families each week during the growing season. To that end she has gardens all over this neighborhood as well as many other neighborhoods throughout the metroplex. However, she does not grow raspberries and I do! She and her daughters pick my raspberries and in return I get a pumpkin pie pumpkin when she harvests them. This year she had this one greenish blue pumpkin and wasn't quite sure what to do with just one and then she thought of me...I had to paint this portrait in short order as I had little time between when I received the pumpkins until now. The orange pumpkin is now ready for pie but I am not sure what to do with the green pumpkin except to use it as a decoration for Thanksgiving. If anyone knows different, please let me know. My intention is to give this painting to her in thanksgiving for all she does for others. I know that they struggle themselves.

I painted this over an old varnished painting. I did remove the varnish but it leaves the old paint tacky unless you let it dry again. I did not have time to wait for it to dry so what that means is that the new paint melds into the old and light colors become darker and dark colors get lighter. In other words a lot of mediums show up. I put many layers on this to get it this "light." I do like painting on the tacky surface as the paint drags across it and lets the old painting show through.

Randy Higbee Gallery 6x6 juried show

Pelican Study, 6 x 6 on panel

I got word Monday that I had one painting accepted out of the 1400 submitted into the Randy Higbee annual 6x6 juried show in California. I submitted three myself. I fell in love with the brown pelicans in Florida as they are so different from the white pelicans we get here in Denver. The first time I saw one dive into the Gulf was thrilling. They are such powerful birds. I also loved the way they congregated together near a ferry crossing just hanging out having a chat and an occasional dive. I think they were really hanging out waiting on the fishing boats...This is one of many I plan to do of this majestic bird. 

Happy Client: Gallery Cat found a new home

Gallery Cat found a new home!

A friend of mine, going through some difficult personal problems, bought this painting from me recently to cheer herself up. She sent me this photo to show me how well it looks on a little easel. I am so pleased it has a place of honor next to a family photo. The color of  the alcove is perfect to show of the colors in the painting.
I painted this cat in January while doing the 30 paintings in 30 days personal challenge. I loved the organic cat moving among the graphic quality of the walls in the gallery. It is gratifying for the artist to see their work hanging or in this case, sitting in its new home.
Thank you to all who invest in art at whatever level.

Orange in the mode of Rembrandt, 6x6

Orange, 6x6, oil on panel, Bid Now!

Here is a little study where I was thinking again of Rembrandt and how he turned his portraits gently from the dark background into the light. It is only an orange but it still was a good way to learn about the transition on a round object. I did not paint this study in a darkened room with a spotlight on the orange. It was in daylight in my studio on a painted black table. In my minds eye I worked the dark red to be close to the dark background and slowly brought it into the light. It was an odd orange with ridges and nodules which is why I picked it. It gave some interest to otherwise very smooth surface. Plus it had that great stem still on it. Not sure how I found this little gem as it isn't what you normally find in the grocery store.

Expressionist Pears, 8x6

Expressionist Pears, 8x6, $40 Bid Now!

Here is a fun fast sketch of Bosc Pears done around Christmas time a few years back. I did this as an exercise to be more bold and loose. Imagine that. I love painting pears of all the fruits I have used as segue's into getting to my easel when I don't quite feel like it. It is easier for me to commit to a timed exercise when not wanting to go into the studio.

Monarda in the Garden

Monarda in the Garden, 9x12, Buy NOW

Day 2 of my online studio sale. Please click on the link provided in the title above to go to ebay. "Monarda in the Garden" was done in my back yard when the monarda were at their peak. I love have this firecracker red flower adding a splash of color in the summer months. This painting was so much fun to paint. Monarda is a member of the mint family and how you determine what is a member of the mint family is by the square stem. Roll the stem between your fingers and you can feel it, although it is also quite visible.