Black Marble

Oil on Canvas

9x12"

$216

     I am not very good at arranging flowers, but I really got a lot of mileage out of those carnations.

Narrow Ribbon

Oil on Canvas

8x10"

$160

     The marbles are getting easier to do, but the ribbon would not cooperate. I finally just let it have its way.

Small Buck

Oil on Canvas

11x14"

$308

     This young deer was drinking at the birdbath with his herd. 

    My first try at painting him just fell flat. I knew it was worth a second try. He was so lined up in such a happy Dynamic Symmetry. I just could not give up on it. The painting went fast the second time around and I tried not to labor over it and ruin it.

Rochelle

Oil on Canvas

7x5"

$100

     I try to do the faces fast. When I struggle with some part, I will, without fail, overwork it. I am learning to wash it down right away and start over. Saves time. I want it to be the briefest expression of the lovely face. And if I do enough faces, I will learn so much about how a face is made. 

     I learned the indentation above the lip is called the philtrum. I love knowing that.

Little Round Vase

Oil on Canvas

12x9"

$216

     I have painted flowers many times (often in great frustration). Seldom do I create a still life setup to paint. Lately I find I am enjoying it. I wonder what will become of that.

     I used Dynamic Symmetry to help me arrange the objects, and I used the concept of the color triad in a key, like in music. This is supposed to be a blue/green painting in the key of red.

Louise in a Hat

Oil on Canvas

6x6"

$100

     Louise Brooks, from the 20's and 30's, I think. Those crazy little eyebrows. I think she is cute. I must try to see one of her movies.

Little Square Vase

Oil on Canvas

10x8"

$160

     These marbles are from an old Chinese Checkers game. I keep them because I think they are wonderful to look at, and I was happy to be able to put them in my little still life.

La Brunette

Oil on Canvas

7x5"

$100

     I have painted her before and she did not look any more like her then than she does this time. She is perfectly perfect. You would think all I needed to do was line everything up and there would be her likeness. I must have made some mistakes in lining everything up. She is still a pretty face and I like that.

Pink Carnations

Oil on Canvas 

12x9"

$216 

     Pink carnations are modest flowers, but they are among my favorites. Very serviceable too. They do not cost much and they last a long time. I hope I can get some more paintings from this bouquet before they must go.

Ruan Lingyu

Ruan Lingyu

Oil on Canvas

6x6"

$100

     Ruan Lingyu was a Chinese silent film actress who died young. Her sweet gentle expression charmed me and made me want to paint her.

Nevada County Douglas

Oil on Canvas

8x10"

$160

    

     I was actually taking a picture of something else and then found this little Douglas Squirrel on the tree trunk in the background. I love how nature composes itself and says, "Here I am." 

     On the Fletcher Color Wheel, I was trying for Yellow/Orange in the key of Blue. I ended up with Blue in the Key of Yellow/Orange. I guess. (I have a long way to go.)

Rose Pot

Oil on Canvas

5x7"

$75

    

     Still studying Dynamic Symmetry and Fletcher Colour Control. We have here a sinister diagonal done in red orange in the key of green blue.

Douglas

Oil on Canvas

8x10"

$160

     The Douglas Squirrel was one of John Muir's favorites. I can see why. They don't come much cuter.

     I am trying to use my new education in Dynamic Symmetry and was thrilled to discover "points of coincidence" in this little guy's pose.  I can't take credit though. He just turned out that way.

Blue Bowl

Oil on Canvas

6x8"

$96

     

     This is the last of the mandarins from last year. The color is such a perfect orange. I have promised myself my own mandarin tree next year so that I can always have oranges with leaves at my finger tips.

Edna

Oil on Canvas

9x12"

     Edna is a literary cat. We are not sure if she is named for Edna Ferber or Edna St Vincent Millay. Both maybe.

     When I agreed to paint her, I was happy to do it, thinking it might not be too difficult. Was I ever wrong! What could possibly be so tough about that muzzle?! I think I corrected it fifty times. And here is an interesting thing--because this is a specific cat, I had to get her dimensions just right for her portrait, so I photographed her and measured to the inth degree. But the photograph lied. She just did not look right. Finally, I eyeballed it and it turned out much better. Can't figure that out.

Mandarin Bowl

Oil on Canvas

8x10"

$160

     I love to see the mandarins in my blue bowl. What a color combination!

Ginger

Oil on Canvas

6x6"

$100

     I love working with the limited palette. It gives me much more interesting shadows in the little faces. This is ultramarine blue, alizarin, and yellow ochre, and white.

Golden Plums

Oil on Canvas

8x10"

$160

     Very often I enjoy painting just one piece of fruit in a small scene of nature, but the tree was loaded, and painting all the plums I could find in this one shot was a pleasure.

V Lake

V Lake

Oil on Canvas

6 x 6"

$100

     I needed a blonde to add to my collection. I chose Veronica with both eyes showing. I thought she was cute in Sullivan's Travels.

Jenny

Jennifer

Oil on Canvas

6 x 6"

$100

     The more I look, the more I want to add this, nudge that, adjust here and there. Finally, I say there is no way to be finished. It is time to stop. 

     This is Jennifer Jones quite young. I think I will try her again sometime in her later years.

Snowy Rose

Snowy Rose

Oil on Canvas

11x14"

$308

     Spring had already come, but it always snows in April. 

     I used filbert brushes for this. I was better able to pile on the snow.

Grazing Buck

Oil on Canvas

9x12"

$218

     This young deer was grazing in a shady place in the woods. Almost no light source to help me out. But I liked his serene expression and he was so young and gentle looking. 

      Still working with limited palette, I found the results a little disappointing this time. Somewhat somber, but the buck charmed me. I did not know they had long eyelashes under their eyes, like a horse.

Ready Plums

Ready Plums

Oil on Canvas

18x6"

$100

     I painted this small scene of nature on an extreme rectangle. It is more extreme than the Golden Ratio canvas, but it is fun because it is a little odd. I have done many "extremes" and plan to do more.

     The palette was limited to ultramarine blue, alizarin permanent, yellow ochre, cad red light, and white, of course.

Garconne

Louise Brooks

Oil on Canvas

7x5"

$100

     I have recently been fascinated by limited palette and have examined several. For this painting I used the most limited I found: ultramarine blue, alizarin permanent, and yellow ochre (and white, of course).

     I am so amazed by the unity and range of color. I struggled with the painting and the process went haltingly, but I am pleased and eager to try another soon. 

     As for Louise Brooks, she is very cute with her bob, little bitty straight eyebrows, and pouty lipstick. They called the look Garconne. Louise is from the 20's, an earlier period than I usually use, but I like her very much. 

     The image from the internet that I used was not good resolution. She was a little out of focus. Maybe that is just as well.

On Your Mark

Oil on Canvas

10x8"

$160

     We have Gray Squirrels here in Nevada County, CA, and we also have these adorable Douglas Squirrels. This one visited our bird bath regularly, and here he is getting ready to make the great leap from rock to bath.

Early Plum

Early Plum

Oil on Canvas

7x5"

$75

     At our old house we had a plum tree. I painted it sometimes. I found some old pictures of the tree and here was this little plum snugged in behind the leaves. I like its plummy color next to the green leaves.

Ava's Hat

Ava's Hat

Oil on Canvas

6x6"

$100

     Ava Gardner--pure beauty. They say she had auburn hair and green eyes. I like to think she was also nice and smart. I have painted her before and will paint her again. But those Hollywood photos are so manipulated with back light and fill light that you cannot get a good light source effect, so I just make it up the best I can.

Posey

Posey

9x12"

Oil on Canvas

     Posey belongs to my niece (that makes her my dog niece) and she asked me to paint her as a Christmas present for her family. I do not do commissions anymore, but I could not refuse the opportunity to paint such a great girl. Posey is not supposed to get on the furniture, but she was tired from swimming all day.