Fall is the Wrong Season as we see Spring on the Horizon

Smith Lake-Fall Reflected, 18x24, oil...available

As I walked the park this morning there was decidedly Spring feel to the air despite the temperature which was 19 degrees. The air was clear and there was a bird singing that heralds the change of seasons. That is in stark contrast to the painting I am posting today. I started this painting in early fall last year (or could it have possibly been the year before?) and finally was motivated to go for it. I never had gotten far, and had somehow lost all interest in. It is not my usual style, which is on purpose. I would like my landscapes to be more abstract which is how I started this painting but ended up being more loosely painted. I would like to believe I was listening and dancing to some lively music, but that was really not the case. More a wanting to do something completely different for me.
I have walked this park so many times I am surprised that there is no groove to prove it!

The Old with the New

Semur Street Scene with Car, 14x11, block in

To start of this new year of 2020 I am posting an updated painting I started back in 2015. Here is the original block in from that year. Not bad at all. I did a number of paintings from that 3 week trip to France. In my quest to have better paintings overall, I picked this painting to update. Surprising to me was that I had no updated images of it since the block in phase and I had considered it 'finished' at some point in time. So I did  not think to photograph it before redrawing it and starting in again. Below is the latest restructured image. Not too many corrections overall. I wish I had looked at the original block in before starting over as I see plenty of things I like in it.

Semur is an old walled town in Burgundy, France. I found so much to like about the winding streets and old buildings. We only spent an afternoon walking around this town yet I have done at least 5-6 paintings from there. It is amazing how many centuries these houses have seen, yet still stand.

Semur Street Scene with Car, 14x11. oil 

I am Back! With another pet portrait

Jeez Louise. I knew it had been awhile since I have written a blog post but would never have guessed it has been 2 months! Yes, the holidays were in there but here it is Valentine's Day! It isn't because I have been slacking off. Well, possibly a little. I have had house guests as well.

But here I am with a commissioned painting that was finished up in the past week. It is not a normal pet portrait as it has a human in it which takes it out of the 'pet portrait' category, yet I don't want a new category as I don't want to be a portrait artist. This was commissioned by a friend as a gift to her sister for all the help and support she has provided during my friend's very long and trying divorce.

Her sister just lost her beloved dog and since she is mostly in shadow and a very simplified shape I decided to do this painting for her.

Hollie and Jill, 12x12, oil on linen panel

My main goal was to capture the contentedness of the dog, Hollie. I believe I have caught that. My instructions were to focus on the dog, it supposedly to be a dog portrait. I ended up putting more into Jill than was expected just because I wanted to show the love from her to her dog. My friend is thrilled with the painting. I am gratified to have another happy client especially since she is a friend.

I will start playing catch up and posting more regularly again. Thanks for your patience.