Avoiding a Fight

"Picking Strawberries"

6x12  Oil on Linen

$175

Nothing like going out to explore painting opportunities.  Leslie Saeta recently invited me to join her for the day.  So off we went and discovered a lovely field of workers picking strawberries.  I think I barely waiting for the car to stop before jumping out to capture this lovely scene.  That moment didn't last long.  A guy in a pickup quickly came to us and told us we couldn't take photos.  We explained that we were artists and wanted pictures to paint.  He told us again that we couldn't take them.  Not wanting to start a fight, we "agreed".  Go back in the car, drove 3 feet, jumped out again and starting taking more pictures.  What can I say...no stopping artists on a mission.  Thanks, Leslie for a fun day. 

Summertime

"Blue Bowl"

5x7  Oil on Panel

$95

Had so much fun with this color palette.  Kind of fitting since 

the 4th of July is just around the corner.  

Bees & Honey - SOLD

"Honeydew"

7x8  Canvas mounted on foam core

$185

Once again my friend, Julie Hill, is poking me about not being a sappy person.  So here's my final response, the above painting is as sweet as I get (get it "HONEY"dew).  While I can't quiet buy into the sappiness, I do treasure our friendship.  I just ask that we don't encourage her anymore.  I can only handle so much sweetness.  And remember that along with the "honey" comes the bees. So while she presents herself dripping in honey, the stinger is always poise to strike.  Now, I'm off to watch Dexter to remove any lingering sap!  Enjoy my palette knife painting.  Have a fab (non-sappy) week.

Last Pomegranate

"Pomegranate, Revisited"

10x10  Oil on Linen

On Reserve

This is the last pomegranate painting for a little while.  Although I will admit to looking longingly at the pomegranate sitting in my studio and wanting to cut into it.  However, a gallery show calls for a change in direction...I'll keep you posted.  An aside note, be very careful for what you pray for because it might "boomerang" on you big time.  A dear friend seems to find humor in my situation but that's a story for another day. 

Quiet Sunday

"Pomegranates"

6x12   Oil on Linen

On Reserve

Officially I did nothing today.  Unofficially, I did nothing today too.  I just thought it sounded better if I phrased it in an "official" manner.  Doing nothing today involved staying in my pjs, watching "Dial M for Murder" and drinking cider.  Haven't done this in a long time and I'm loving it.  Here's my most recent "obsession" painting of pomegranates.  I've done a few to date and thought I was done with them until late last night another pomegranate painting popped into my head.  Busy week ahead with several deadlines but hope to paint it soon.  Have a blessed week. 

Last Night

"Pear in Thirds"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

$95

This is the piece that I demonstrated last night at the Charlotte Artist Society.  I did a few tweaks today, cleaning up some edges and adding a few bits of color.  Doing the finishing touches is a little like, brushing your hair one last time & putting on your jewelry before dashing out the door.  You just hope that you're not wearing blue shoes when you meant to wear black.  Have a good weekend and thanks again to the CAS for inviting me. 

Full Circle

"Pears in Blue"

6x6   $95

Today was a good day.  Not in the way of  sold lots of paintings (did sell 4) & not in the way that I lost 10 lbs. (that would have been a miracle).   But in the way of a surprise reconnection of the first group of artists that I painted with 10 years ago.  I did a demo at the Charlotte Artist Society tonight and was delightfully surprised to see faces from my artistic past.  These are the men & women who knew me when I didn't have a clue about how to paint.  We travelled and painted together for several years & on which I look back fondly.  While I have definitely aged, I now understand value & color.  I'll trade a few more lines for that knowledge any day.  Thanks guys for coming and not heckling (such restraint).  I feel like I've come full circle.

Obsession with Produce - SOLD!!!!!!

"Cantaloupe in Blue"

6x6    Oil on museum quality panel

$95  SOLD!

Confession time, I have an obsession with produce.  I don't mean love to eat it,  can't wait to cook with it.  I use to think my family just didn't like to go to the grocery store with me.  I now realize it probably had something to do with how I linger in the produce section...picking up different fruits and vegetables, laying next to each other.  I see other people just pick up the produce, place it in their baskets and off they go. I just think they don't get it.  Hate to image what they're thinking about my way of choosing produce.  It has come to my attention that I might have a problem because when I arrive home, unload the groceries and more than half my bill is produce & the produce is not for eating.  Yikes!! Has anyone started Still Life Painters Anonymous yet?

"In Blue"

"Kiwi in Blue"

6x6 on museum quality panel

$95

This the second painting in the "In Blue" series that I'm working on for my Open Studio Sale in a few weeks.  I usually don't paint dark backgrounds but I'm kinda liking the change.  We'll see how long it lasts.   I've been busy getting my studio revamped.  Actually, I've not been busy at all, a wonderful student/designer spent  last week totally reworking my painting studio space.  Thanks, Mel.  It looks wonderful and I'm now totally inspired to get back to painting at the studio.  I'll post some photos soon.   

Working With What You Got

"Nectarine & Carnations"

7x5     $95

Teaching 5 oil painting classes a week has offered big lessons for me almost every time.  It has helped reinforce the fundamentals as I paint, pushing me to paint either something I don't want to or paint when I don't necessarily feel like it.   Several of my classes have been painting only in gray scale all week.  I've done demos in gray scale, no problem.  Today might haven taken the cake.  When I went to the store on Monday to gather my fruit & flowers, the choices were not great but since it was to be painted in gray scale, I didn't concern myself with the color.  However, today I did a demo in color.  Let's just say that pink carnations, nectarines & a turquoise drape are a bit of a challenge to harmonize in a painting.  Maybe next week we'll paint donuts! Oh, and did I mention, I didn't have the panel size I really needed?

Playing with Paper II

"Pears & Grapes"

Oil on Paper

10x10   Reserved

Here's another in a series of paintings that I've been doing on paper.  This painting has an luminosity that I like but still haven't quite "hit" the mark.  Somehow it is tighter than I wanted and I'm missing some thickness of paint.  I'm trying to be very direct in my approach and getting the essence of the subject.  Not sure I will stay with the paper but it certainly has pushed me to not overwork the subject.  Any thoughts?

Simplify - SOLD!

"From the Fruit Bowl"

6x6     $95

Lots of thoughts lately about trying to simplify my life and instead I seemed to have simplified my painting.  It's funny how what you are feeling somehow shows up on the canvas.  So I'm going with the flow. 

No Pressure!

"Blueberries"

12x12   SOLD

Today's painting is one of my favorites and came out of an idea I explored last summer taking a different view of fruit. The series was titled "Through the Orchard".  I entered the titled piece into a juried show called "Carolina's Got Art" with another piece and was honored to have it accepted and now it's time again to enter again.  A small hitch in the plan this year, I've had no time to create new pieces to enter and I now have 7 days to do so.  Been busy teaching workshops & classes, being a full-time caregiver of a parent and this weekend, I got the flu. Is someone trying to tell me something, like don't bother entering the show?  Maybe I should listen and let the show pass, yet that's not in my DNA.  So I'm going to put my head down and see if I can't create a worthy piece or two to enter.  Not feeling 100% sure that it's going to happen.  No pressure here!  Wish me luck. 

Where's Agatha?

Lemons & Cup

6x6  oil on paper/mounted

$95

It's amazing what I discovered once I cleaned out my studio.  Never remember this cup. Not a clue whether it came from & not something I would buy.  Don't suppose the still life fairy popped in over the weekend and left it for me?  It feels like when you drive somewhere & you don't remember how you got there.  But what would life be like without a little mystery?  Where's Agatha Christie when you need her?

Overwhelmed SOLD

"At the Market"

7x5  $95

Watching people is just so much fun.  This poor fellow intrigued me.  This was a small farmers market and so I was behind him as we went through the different vendors.  He never bought anything, never picked up a piece of fruit or vegetable.  I finally surmised that his wife sent him to get something for dinner and he was just overwhelmed.  He left just I did without buying anything.  I imagine he called his wife, said he didn't have time & went to grab a beer somewhere.  At least that's the story I'm going with.  Just for the record, I left with enough fruits & vegetables for both of us.  Also, tomorrow I'm sending out my first monthly newsletter.  If you're interesting in receiving it, there is a sign up button on the right side of my blog.  I'll be giving away a painting to one lucky person who signs up this month. 

Update: Still learning to use my phone (didn't cut anyone off today), camera still on the fritz but my newsletter is safe and ready to be sent.  One down, two to go.  Thanks for asking!!!!!!

How I spent my Sunday morning

8x8  $95

Went to the kitchen this morning for breakfast & instead found my next still life subjects.  Quickly set up & got to the easel.  I love painting on raw linen because it allows the brushwork to stand out.  The photo doesn't quite capture the colors but what do you expect from someone who hasn't had coffee?