Ca d'Zan Gardens

Ca d'Zan Gardens

8"x11" oil on panel

The Ca d'Zan Mansion, once home to John and Mable Ringling, is located in a beautiful setting on the water in Sarasota. As stunning as the mansion itself is, with the gulf of Mexico in it's backyard, it was the sunlight playing on this bright yellow-green tree and an urn by the former reflecting pool in the front that ended up catching my eye last week when I was there. Tourists came and went all morning long as I painted, many of them stopping to watch as I worked, but the sweetest comment I received was from a little English boy of about 4 years old who walked up behind me and exclaimed "Mummy! Daddy! Come see the most amazing thing! Look, she's painting the big trophy in the garden!"

Contemplating the Ocean

Contemplating the Ocean SOLD

5"x7" oil on panel

I painted on Siesta Key Beach this morning. It was a cool, breezy, overcast day, but as I've said before, the beach is quite lovely no matter what the weather! Now, I don't typically paint figures, but as I was working on this seascape a couple came and set down their blanket in the sand in front of me. He lay on his side reading a book and she sat staring out onto the ocean for about an hour- both staying perfectly still- so I decide to add them in, (they were such obliging models after all!) The photo I took of this painting is not the best quality, as it was taken with the camera on my phone, but I wasn't able to shoot it properly because the couple purchased the painting on sight just as I applied the final brush strokes...SOLD!

Caspersen Beach

Caspersen Beach

9"x12" oil on panel

This week found me again painting at the beach on a rather cold and blustery day.  This beach, in particular, is known for the copious amounts of fossilized sharks teeth that wash up regularly on it's shore. Even with the frigid air and gusty winds there were still plenty of shark tooth hunters scouring about. As for me, a few hours spent painting by the crashing ocean waves was treasure enough!