Saturday, December 31, 2016

Red Umbrella


Red Umbrella
12x12 oil on canvas panel

Lately I've been feeling myself drawn towards finding and exploiting the abstract in a scene... creating interesting shapes and experimenting a bit more with my brush work. As 2016 comes to a close, I'm eager to see how my paintings will continue to change and evolve in the year ahead!

On the easel


Friday, December 30, 2016

Small Painting Sketches

Cortez Silhouettes
5x7 oil on canvas board


Baking
6x8 oil on panel

I sometimes forget how helpful quick little 30 min painting sketches can be to my growth as an artist... must remember to do more in 2017!


Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Morning Path


Morning Path sold
8x10 oil on canvas

A little light play on sand study...


On the easel

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Silhouettes


Silhouettes
6x8 oil on canvas

Got a quick sunrise study in amongst all the holiday hustle and bustle this morning over at the Cortez Fishing Village.

Alas, the effect of the sunrise lasted only a few minutes before the scene completely changed.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

December Morning on the Beach


December Morning on the Beach
9x12 oil on canvas panel

It was a lovely morning on the north end of the beach today! Love those cool blue shadows still...

Cast Shadows

Cast Shadows SOLD
6x8 oil on museum board

A little study of morning light on the dunes behind our house.



Welcome to Anna Maria Island

Welcome to Anna Maria Island SOLD
14x16 oil on canvas board


The view of Anna Maria City Pier, a favorite fishing spot and landmark on the Island.

On the Shore of Lake Michigan

On the Shore of Lake Michigan SOLD
16x20 oil on canvas

This was a recent commissioned painting depicting the client's in-law's backyard in Arcadia on Lake Michigan.

Rolling Waves

Rolling Waves
oil on canvas

A studio piece I've been working on lately... I think it's done, at least for now.


Step by step...
on the easel









Thursday, November 10, 2016

A Pair of Prickly Pears


Plein Air Prickly Pear
12x12 oil on canvas board

on the easel


Prickly Heat
11x14 oil on canvas

on the easel

I thoroughly enjoyed painting with the Plein Air Colony of Pinnelas this past Monday over at Fort DeSoto Beach. I've admired paintings of this subject by other artists for a while and was interested in trying my hand at it too, but hadn't even realized we have them growing here in Florida! As it turns out, the organic forms, with their subtle shifts in temperature and values, along with the various textures, make for really fun subject matter! So much so, that we all returned the following day to do it again!


Friday, November 4, 2016

Canaveral National Seashore Paint Out Paintings

Palm in the Park 
8x10 oil on canvas (sold)

Canaveral Morning
6x6 oil on canvas (sold)

White Caps
10x20 oil on canvas board (sold)

We'll Leave the Light On
12x12 oil on canvas board 

New Smyrna Dunes Park
16x20 oil on canvas (sold)

Beach Day SOLD
5x7 oil on canvas board

Moored
11x14 oil on canvas (sold)

Sunset Palms
8x10 oil on canvas, available

I returned to New Smyrna Beach yesterday to take part in the rescheduled "Sunset Paint In" and live art auction that had been postponed earlier last month due Hurricane Matthew. The organizers of this event did a fabulous job, going above and beyond to save all the artwork from getting water logged, as the roof and ceiling of the gallery space ended up with substantial damage. My nocturne turned out to be one of the few casualties, unfortunately, but I'm hoping to successfully restore it with a little restretching and TLC! As always, it was a delight to paint and visit with my fellow plein air artist friends. We'll just have to hope for better weather next year!


Sunday, October 30, 2016

Sunflower Studies

Cheerful Sunflowers 

Couldn't resist this cheery bouquet of sunflowers when I saw them in the market. As I was checking out the girl bagging my groceries exclaimed how pretty they were too and asked if I was buying them for any special occasion. "Yes," I said, "I'm going to paint them!" And paint them I did, till eventually they drooped and died... So I went back the following week and bought another bunch :)

Memories of Kansas SOLD
9x10.5 oil on Arches Oil Paper

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Alone in the Kitchen With a Bunch of Asparagus


Asparagus Bunch
7x9 oil on Arches Oil Paper

That moment when you're just about to start dinner and your kids decide to go play outside, your husband announces he's going for a quick run and you suddenly realize you've got an extra 30 minutes before you have to get started cooking... AND the beautiful bunch of asparagus you'll be sautéing is practically screaming out to be painted first!


The Last of the Bunch
9x6 oil on Arches Oil Paper

Did one more study a few days later right before I polished'm off!

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Seagulls on the Beach


Seagulls on the Beach
12x12 oil on canvas

Played around with a limited palette of black, white and yellow ochre yesterday.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Light Effects


Light Effects I
5x7 oil on canvas panel


Light Effects II
5x7 oil on canvas panel

After dealing with a terrible red tide outbreak here on the island for the past few weeks, the air has finally begun to clear! So nice to be able to paint on the beach once again... a couple quick studies, attempting to catch the fleeting light effects on the atmosphere. One of those mornings where I was just filled with gratitude and so happy to be doing what I love!



Friday, September 30, 2016

Notes at Dusk


Notes at Dusk
8x10 oil on canvas

Worked on putting down quick color "notes," as the light changes so swiftly at this time of evening!




Thursday, September 29, 2016

Seagrass Serenade


Seagrass Serenade
30x30 oil on canvas

Continuing with my studio series of large square format beach paintings, I had a lot of fun with the color notes on this one!

Monday, September 26, 2016

Little Yellow Cottage


Little Yellow Cottage 
5x7 oil on canvas board

Had a little time to kill while my daughter was doing her dance class at the north end of the island this afternoon, perfect opportunity to add to my beach cottages of AMI series!

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Some Recent Paintings

Some Recent Paintings

So it's been kind of a hectic past month or so... ok, truth be told, life's been a little hectic for our family since around last February. But I'm happy to report that we've finally sold our house- the house we raised our 10 and 12 year old children in since they were infants- and after 6 months of designing, gutting and remodeling our condo on Anna Maria Island, we have moved in and officially become full-time islanders! Of course, with all the commotion that comes along with moving, (oh, and a hurricane a couple weeks ago!) something had to give, and that something was my daily painting practice. But I am back at it now and making up for lost time! Below are some recent paintings done around the island and in Charleston, where my husband and I were lucky enough to visit last weekend. Thanks for bearing with me in my absence! 

Between Storms
8x10 oil on canvas board
(Squeezed this one in between the tropical storm and Hurricane Hermine a few weeks ago.)

Evening On the Island
8x10 oil on canvas board
(After the storm had- thankfully- passed!)


Chill'n 4x5 gouache on watercolor paper
(A page from my sketchbook- working on painting and on my tan simultaneously!) 



Going to the Chapel 4x5 gouache on watercolor paper
(Did this sketch as a card for the bride and groom, whose wedding we were attending last weekend)

House in Charleston 5x7.5 gouache on watercolor paper
(I could endlessly wander and paint the streets in Charleston... sigh!)


 These next 3 were all done this morning from the same spot on the Bridge Street Pier

Solitude 5x7 oil on panel
(The boat's actual name, printed on the side, read "Miller Time," but I thought "Solitude" suited the painting title a little bit better...)

Rowing by the Pier 5x7 oil on canvas board
(Just pivoted my easel to the left and kept on a'going!)

Harbor Light 8x10 oil on canvas board
(Last painting of the morning, loved those back-lit clouds! Starting to get my groove back...)












Saturday, August 6, 2016

Recent Tennesse Paintings

Every July my family and I head up to East Tennessee to visit relatives and spend a week at the Wright's farm on the Cumberland Plateau. In recent years I've been bringing my paint box with me and have realized that I tend to do more "work" while on "vacation," as my kids are happily running wild & free, my husband is busy catching up on naps, and my amazing mother-in-law is spoiling us rotten with home cooked meals made from ingredients fresh out of her garden! 
The weather was hot, the sweat bees were out and EVERYTHING was as green as could be- which actually made landscape painting a little tricky! Fortunately, I love a good challenge.

Fifty Shades of Green SOLD
8x10 oil on canvas board


Tree Amigos
6x8 oil on canvas board



Field of Green
9x12 oil on canvas board


Hydrangeas From the Garden
9x12 oil on canvas panel
(Called this one a "Plein Air Conditioned"painting!)


 The Road Home
12x12 oil on canvas board


The Blue Hole 
11x14 oil on linen panel SOLD



Pool at Blue Hole 
11x14 oil on linen panel SOLD


Wild Flowers 
5x7 oil on canvas



Queen Anne's Lace 
6x8 oil on canvas