California Poppy Explosion

Title: California Poppy Explosion

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

Size: 12 x 24

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

see auction tonight for purchase

This new oil is also in a new sized canvas for me. This size is fun for certain compositions. This painting has lots of thick textures, thick in the forground than the background to give it added depth and I love the golden deep yellow of the California poppy with the blue sky.

I have lived near the vast poppy reserves twice....we've been stationed at Edwards, near Lancaster in the Mojave desert twice in the last 10 years. I'd say the poppies are the most beautiful event there, just lovely. They only last a few short weeks and only bloom if the conditions are just right, but when they do, it's a sight!

Winter Solitude

Title: Winter Solitude
Size: 11 x 14
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

see auction for purchase or contact me for more!

ABOUT THIS PAINTING:
We had our first snow here in Virginia and it was HUGE....more than 20". Just beautiful and lots of fun. I just had to paint a little winter snow scene. I used super thick paint, lots of lovely blues and soft lilac colors and rich thick winsor newton titanium white! We did build an amazing snowman in the soft packed powder the next day and made some nice memories. Happy New Year!

Manhattan New York Rain

Title: Manhattan New York Rain

Size: 16 x 20

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

see auction tonight for purchase or contact me for more info.

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

Another New York scene because I'm just in that frame of mind. I painted this super thick with winsor newton artist oils and palette knife and lots of expressive brushwork. My favorite colors, some cad yellow with colbalt blue and lots of movement in the reflections. Hope you enjoy!

Field of Wild Red Poppies

Title: Field of Wild Red Poppies

Size: 16 x 20

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

on auction tonight. Contact me for similiar painting or comission.

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

This colorful painting is thick with great textures, and so thick the flowers are almost 3 dimensional. I have a dark underpainting and then go back with multiple layers of oil color to achieve this effect. I used soft brush work in the sky for added depth. This piece will make quite a focal point in any room and be a great addition to any fine art collection.

New Orleans, Bourbon St. Blues

Title: New Orleans, Bourbon St. Blues
Size: 20 x 24
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

see auction for purchase or contact me for commission.

ABOUT THIS PAINTING:
I used lots of soft blues and reds to play up the jazzy, blues frame of mind on this dreamy painting. I can almost hear the music when I look at this one. I have very expressive and impressionistic brush and palette knife work and lots of texture and color here.

Hope everyone is have a wonderful Christmas day with family and friends. It's cold outside but warm and cozy in our house and our hearts. Have a lovely day!

Manhattan, New York City

Title: Manhattan, New York City
Size: 16 x 20
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Only a 7 day listing. Contact me for further information or commission

ABOUT THIS PAINTING:
I think I really hit home on this New York scene. Sometimes everything just falls into place quickly and easily when I paint, and other days it's more of a struggle. Everything from the composition to the color was fluid and smooth on this painting and based on photos from a recent trip. I used large swipes of palette knife and soft brushwork. It glows with vivid golds and reds and really has a New York night time feel.
I love this painting in a wide black frame!

Wild Blue Stallion

Title: Wild Blue Stallion

Size: 16 x 20

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

contact me for purchase or commission

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

I painted some fauvistic horses for a show Titled: Uleashing the wild beast. I painted him this strong, masculine color in extreme textures and lots of interesting broken colors in order to create a sense of movement, strength and power.

Snow Days in Arlington!

This is really amazing! I live at the top of this hill and we had over 24 inches of snow 2 days ago. Schools are closed, mail can't be delivered and everyone's cars are buried and stuck! Here all the neighborhood is out with sleds. What fun!

My little dog Maggie loved it! In the powder all you could see was the tips of her ears!

Our little angels looking forward to no school this week, hence all the smiling! Look at my husband's car in the background...buried. I have a 4-wheel drive car so I will be driving paintings to the UPS this morning without problem. Mail services will never make it up our hill.

I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WARM AND COZY HOLIDAY!

Times Square, New York Rain

This one already SOLD....before it was all the dry!

Title: Times Square, New York Rain
Size: 24 x 30
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Last night and all day yesterday we had a huge blizzard and I was watching the snow fall while painting a series of NY paintings and I had a wonderful time. I had classical Christmas music playing, my daughters baking cookies and memories of my last NY trip in my head. I love NY and love to paint scenes from this city. This is the largest of them all and it is specifically....Times Square. I used a lot of oil with my favorite palette knife and so it has a lot of wonderful texture and broken color. I don't paint this large very often, but once in a while it is a joy, especially when it is NY!

Venice Italy Canal Reflections

Title: Venice Italy Canal Reflections
Size: 12 x 16
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Contact me for purchase info or commission

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

This composition developed slowly from some of my photographs from my Venice trip. I moved some things around to make the composition look more balanced. I think this gondolier looks content and the painting portrays the sense of history he must feel every day here. Grey, green tones also add to the serene quality. Hope you enjoy!

Paris Nostalgic Night

SOLD

Title: Paris Nostalgic Night
Medium: oil on stretched canvas
Size: 20 x 24

contact me for purchase info or see eBay auction!

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

This painting is lovely in person and just glows with reflection and light. I love it but of course will be very happy to see it in a happy new home as well. I hope you take a minute to look at some close ups to see some of the detail and texture. I'm going to Paris this Spring and will take hundreds of new photos for inspiration.

Emerald Isle, Ireland Castle

Title: Emerald Isle, Ireland Castle
Size: 16 x 20
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

ABOUT THE PAINTING:
I always listen to your suggestions and enthusiastically painted this Ireland coastal scene.
I love ancient castles and England and Ireland have numerous ones that are wonderful to visit and inspiring to see. They take you back in time and you can almost feel the horses, knights and peasants that were once here. Lovely greens and blues and interesting textures make this a stand out painting for your collection.

contact me for purchase info.

Rooster Dance

Title: Rooster Dance

Size: 9 x 12

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

Another in series of little rooster paintings. These barnyard birds each seem to have their own colorful personality and are lots of fun to paint with a knife. I sculpt his facial features carefully with my small knife and load up the paint real thick on his feathers. Hope he finds a nice home!

Lists on auction tonight.

Poppy Dance

Title: Poppy Dance
Size: 20 x 24
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

ABOUT THE PAINTING:
This is one of my favorite large poppy paintings so far this year! I hope you click in and see some close ups of the great textures and broken colors. Each poppy has about 5 layers of different red colors so it glows on the bright blue and green background and they seem to dance in the wind, hence the name. I almost don't want to list it because I really do need some great works to go into my gallery in January for the opening reception, but I can't resist offering to all the great eBayers first! Hope it ends up in a great home!

Light and Color of Autumn Birch Tree Grove

Title: Light and Color of Autumn Birch Tree Grove

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Size: 24 x 30

email me for purchase information

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

This huge oil has insanely thick paint applied with knife in multiple layers depicting a glowing birch grove in reds, yellows, and bright greens with a bit of sky peeking through the vibrant leaves. Great textures make this painting sculptural and interesting. Will make a great stand out focal point piece to add to any fine art collection. Looks great in any of my plein air frames but sides are painted so a frame is not required.

Floating Flowers

THIS PAINTING IS SOLD

Title: Floating Flowers

Size: 20 x 24

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

contact me for purchase info

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

I have painted these wonderful pond flowers with abstract relflections several times and it is always so much fun. I use many layers of rich winsor newton artist oils and literally start sculpting with my favorite knife. Each lily pops right off the canvas. I have lots of knives but like my small one best. This colorful piece is vibrant and will add color to any room and sophistication to any art collection.

Wild Fox

Title: Wild Fox
Size: 12 x 16
Medium: oil on stretched canvas

ABOUT THE PAINTING:
This original oil captures the motion and wild spirit of one of my favorite animals. Painted with extremely thick and textured oil paint, the animal has a truly sculptural quality.
see auction on eBay for purchase or contact me for an animal commission

New Orleans Streetcar

Title: New Orleans Streetcar

Size: 20 x 24

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

see eBay aucton tonight!

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

I painted this one at the request of one of my collectors and I am always happy to oblige! This oil has lots of layers of paint with broken colors and interesting textures. I used my favorite pallete knife and rich, thick winsor newton artist oils.

This little nostalgic piece of history is still a popular attraction in New Orleans, even after all these year. I hope it gets to run for a hundred more!

Sunflower Radiance and Hounfleur Harbor

Title: Sunflower Radiance
Size: 20 x 24
Medium: oil on stretched canvas

This painting is SOLD

ABOUT THE PAINTING:
I really like this sunflower painting. I painted it with my gallery opening reception in mind which is Jan. 9th at the Arlington Gallery on Lee highway, but if it sells here then it won't make it to the show. I love to offer my best works to you first! I think you all have great taste in art! This sunflower painting has warm yellows and golds and earth toned background so it looks warm and glowing. It used a lot of expensive oils and took quite a while to get just right! Hope you enjoy.

SOLD

My computer's hard drive had a complete heart attack yesterday afternoon and is now dead, so I'm using my laptop. Fortunately my husband was able to transfer all my painting images and software that I use to my laptop before the computer had its complete meltdown. So here is yesterday's painting as well....Honfleur, France.
I love the combination of cobalt blue and white...so clean and fresh. Lots of thick pulls of paint on this large 20 x 24 piece. Hope it finds a nice home!

Colors of Night Rain

Title: Colors of Night Rain
Size: 16 x 20
Medium: Oil on canvas

see auction on eBay tonight!

ABOUT THE PAINTING:
Lots of fabulous long drags of rich, thick buttery Winsor Newton Artist oils on this very colorful new rain painting. I love the way rain casts a prismatic glow on the world, especially at night, when the lamplights are glowing and atmospheric. I had some requests for more modern rain paintings from some of my eBay collectors so here you go....this was a fun one!

Lake Tahoe Sailing between the Pines

Title: Lake Tahoe Sailing between the Pines
Size: 12 x 16
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

contact me for purchase info

ABOUT THE PAINTING:
I grew up in Tahoe and this really is a beautiful place. Many of my friends there love to sail and I love to paint them doing it. This painting has a lot of interesting textures so I hope you click in and see some close ups. It's thick where it needs to be and very colorful. Hope you enjoy!

Shades of Jazz

Title: Shades of Jazz
Size: 20 x 24
Medium: Oil on canvas

I think I missed yesterdays blog getting ready for all these art shows I'm doing this month. Sold 4 paintings at the show yesterday which is always fun. Everytime one sells I drive over there to replace it so I went back and forth many times yesterday! But I always list most of my favorites on eBay first! This one is one of my favorites.

ABOUT THE PAINTING:
I am always inspired by music. It can lead me to paint many different subject manner and in different ways depending on the genre I'm listening to. I love to listen to Jazz when I paint these vibrant and richly textured musicians and find that it makes for a lose, jazzy and whimsical painting. I have some great new colors I'm using, some really interesting shades of blue in this one. Hope you enjoy!

Purchase: Listed on eBay auction for 9 more days!

Fall Red Aspen and Sky

ABOUT THE PAINTING: A recent commission that I just finished and is still wet.
I've painted several Christmas present commissions this month
and I always enjoy them. It's wonderful to paint a place that is special
to a family and knowing that it will be a unique gift is a joy.

Title: Fall Red Aspen and Sky

Size: 20 x 24

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

This is a vibrant holiday red, fall tree painted in rich broken colors of reds and blues and super thick bark and leaf texture applied with knife and brush. Some of my favorite colors and textures were used here and I just love painting these trees.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

I was accepted into a juried show that will be held in January which is always exciting.

I will also be in a new gallery in Arlington in January so I'm getting paintings ready for that reception and I have an art show this weekend, actually starting tomorrow at the historic Fort CF Smith which will be lots of fun. I love the architecture of the beautiful building and to see all the wonderful art from other artists I hang with is inspiring. A busy, busy month!

Little Rooster with Big Attitude

Title: Little Rooster with Big Attitude
Size: 9 x 12
Medium: oil on stretched canvas

see eBay auction for purchase

PAINTING and INSPIRATION:

I like painting these roosters real small every so often for people with a little wall. This one would make a nice gift for a rooster lover and looks great with or without a frame. He has lots of vibrant color and thick palette knife texture, as is my signiture style on these guys. This one looks like he is very proud of himself....so I gave him an appropriate title, don't you think?

Hanalei Bay, Hawaii

Title: Hanalei Bay, Hawaii
Size: 16 x 20
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Contact me for purchase info or commision

PAINTING and INSPIRATION:

I always enjoy painting a tropical scene, especially in the winter. When it's cold outside and I miss the sun, I can picture myself on this beach. It's painted in my palette and brush technique, mostly knife on this one and lean to fat, heavier on the white waves and foreground colors. It has lots of interesting textures which is one of the reasons I love oil paints. You have to reach out and touch it!

New Orleans Night

Title: New Orleans Night
Size: 20 x 24
Medium: oil on stretched gallery canvas

Contact me for purchase or commission

PAINTING and INSPIRATION:

Every once in awhile I have to paint a cityscape, and this is one of my favorite New Orleans night scenes in awhile. I spent extra time on the details and several people so that I could capture the energy and atmosphere of the French Quarter. I like the little girl. I used lots of quality winsor newton artist oils with my favorite palette knife and had a blast. Hope you enjoy!

Glory in the Sky

Title: Glory in the Sky
Size: 20 x 24
Medium: Oil on stretched gallery wrapped canvas

contact me for purchase information and see eBay auctions for great deals.

PAINTING and INSPIRATION:

Lots of layers of color, first with knife and lots of glazes with brush. Sometimes I look at a sky and the colors are just breathtaking. I love to paint colorful twilight and early morning skies. I take lots of photos to paint from but most of it it is drawn from memory because photos are just too dark and leave out all the true colors, especially an evening photo. So this one uses a lot of imagination. Inspired from my many travels...hope you enjoy.

Fall Trees and Sky

Title: Fall Trees and Sky
Size: 20 x 24
Medium: Oil on gallery stretched canvas

THIS PAINTING IS SOLD

PAINTING AND INSPIRATION:

I paint lots of fall trees and I just love to paint them in vibrant colors with lots of thick impasto texture. This is one of my favorite ones that I've painted in a while. I'm a big fan of these rich reds and golds and if you zoom in on the bark, it makes you want to touch it!

A Little Girl in Sunflowers

Title: A Little Girl in Sunflowers
Size: 20 x 24
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

contact me for purchase info

PAINTING AND INSPIRATION:
I'm in love with my daughters and fond of Sunflowers so I thought this a lovely combination. On this Thanksgiving day I think about how lucky I am and what a wonderful life I have and hope you all do too. I'm most grateful for my fantastic family and they are a constant inspiration for many of my paintings. Little girls are a joy to paint. This painting is rich with texture and color and this photo doesn't do it justise at all. Lots of work and love went into this one!

A Splash of Color in the Rain

Title: A Splash of Color in the Rain

Size: 16 x 20

Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

Will be offered on eBay for a short while!

PAINTING and INSPIRATION:

It's that time of year! It's bundle up and break out your umbrella time here in Virginia and I love to paint rain this way. This original has lots of texture and broken color and is my favorite rain painting in awhile. I hope you can zoom in on some of the great textures in this one.

I hope everyone has a great holiday with family and friends. Thanks for looking!

Montery Bay, California

Title: Monterey Bay, California

Size: 16 x 20

Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

contact me for purchase or for a similiar commission

PAINTING and INSPIRATION:

I love to paint oceans and per suggestion from one of my collectors, I am painting a few Monterey paintings and having a blast. I used to dive the kelp beds here many, many years ago, when I was young and brave. California oceans have beautiful surf, rocks and water movement, so they are lots of fun to paint. I used lots of my favorite cobalt blues and brush on this painterly piece. Hope you enjoy.

Big Bad Barnyard Rooster

Title: Big Bad Barnyard Rooster
Size: 16 x 20
Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

contact me for purchase

PAINTING and INSPIRATION:
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I painted this portrait of a big, bad barnyard bird in rich, super thick oils with knife, and hope that you all have a wonderful holiday!

Pods and Poppies

Title: Pods and Poppies
Size: 11 x 14
Medium: Oil paint, acid free decorative papers, gold leaf on gallery wrapped canvas

contact me for purchase information or a similiar larger piece.

PAINTING AND INSPIRATION:
I'm in love with this poppy painting and almost don't want to sell it. I gave my daughter some beautiful decorative papers for her journal, she is very creative and makes some amazing things. They have great textures and designs so I borrowed a few tiny pieces and varnished them to look like the pods are exploding with texture and color. Painted with rich oils using brush and palette knife and varnished in with fine mediums, this painting will last forever and is quite unique.

Fresh Fall Flowers

Title: Fresh Fall Flowers
Size: 20 x 24
Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

Email me for purchase information

About the Painting:
This large original oil has lots of paint and texture, which is the only way I like to paint flowers. I'm only content when the petals pop right off the canvas and make you want to reach out and touch the paint. I love the ocher colors and rich reds and golds, especially this time off year, with all the fall colors around me. Hope this one inspires and brings a smile!

New York Evening Rain

Title: New York Evening Rain
Size: 16 x 20
Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

This painting is sold but you may email me for a commission.

PAINTING AND INSPIRATION:
I began this composition slowly from some old photos of my last trip. I love NY and miss it already. I love the people, and the glow this place takes on at night. I used lots of expressive brush work with lovely mixes of color in the background so that the yellow taxis would really stand out and the girl in the red dress would become a focal point. I painted myself with my little dog Maggie..do you see? I have had some requests for more NY paintings and I promise after the holidays to work on some more of these.

Three in the Breeze

Title: Three in the Breeze

Size: 20 x 24

Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

Email me for purchase or if you would like a similiar impressionistic painting.

PAINTING and INSPIRATION:

This fresh painting is bright with color and thick with paint. I worked with my favorite palette knife and top quality winsor newton artist grade oils, expensive, but the very best. I love this time of year, when I can break out my turtle necks and favorite worn old jeans. The leaves are about half way done turning and falling and its mystical. Hope you enjoy!

California Vineyard

Title: California Vineyard

Size: 16 x 20

Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

See eBay auction for purchase tonight.

PAINTING:

I usually put down a brushwork underpainting, after the canvas is toned, and then multiple layers with a knife. Sometimes I go back and do some more brush work as well, so most of my paintings have at least 5 layers of paint, sometimes more. Because it's built up in layers from lean to fat, it has depth and a the transparent colors just glow. This is why I love oil.

INSPIRATION:

I am a Californian, and I guess I sometimes miss it, although we've had California weather the last few days here in Virginia. Because it's so nice and sunny here, I just felt like painting a sunny, cheerful landscape and Napa and the Sonoma area is one of my favorite places. I also love vines and fine wines!

New Orleans Shotgun Houses

Title: New Orleans Shotgun Houses
Size: 20 x24
Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

Check out my eBay auction tonight for purchase.

PAINTING and INSPIRATION:
I used Winsor Newton Artist oils and lots of it. I haven't painted these lovely houses in awhile and was in the mood for some whimsical architecture and bright color. I push the color and the texture so that these fancy little houses can flaunt all their great charm. My Louisiana favorite houses!

Impressionist Garden

Oh....how I love Italy......and Italian wine! I didn't have too much, really.

Title: Impressionist Garden

Size: 20 x 24
Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

Check out my eBay auction for first purchase. I can also be found on Discovered artist, Artspan, and soon Etsy.

PAINTING:

This painting took a long time to finally complete, but I can say that I am now finished. I ended up adding more glazes of color, which only makes the painting richer and deeper. It has much broken color, which is indicitive of impressionism, and expressive brush and palette knife work. And lots of texture!

INSPIRATION:

I took hundreds of photos on my last trip to Italy a few months ago, and I think I could paint only Italy paintings forever, it was so beautiful. This painting was inspired by the Villa Carlotta gardens, on Lake Como, in northern Italy. I hope to go back there one day and stay longer.

Fall Sunflowers

Title: Fall Sunflowers

Size: 12 x 16

Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

Contact me for purchase. Similiar paintings available in various sizes.

PAINTING:

This cheerful little painting has a vibrant palette knife underpainting and then multiple layers of glazes on top. The petals and forground are painted extra thick to create added depth and dimension.

INSPIRATION:

I'm moving about a dozen paintings into a local gallery next month and painting some smaller paintings with that space in mind.

I picked up some Sunflowers at the market to cheer up my painting area. They really light up a room. It's been rainy and cloudy and cold lately and I miss the sun. Hope these help cheer you up and bring some sunshine into your day as well!

Lake Como Romance

Title: Lake Como Romance
Size: 16 x 20
Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

See eBay auction for purchase tonight

PAINTING:
This painting took some time and glows with lots of glazes of color over and over, drying imbetween layers, but it is finally complete. The glaze is just a mixture of oil paint thinned down with linseed oil and turpentine and I like to bring out the depth of color this way sometimes.
INSPIRATION:
I began the composition slowly from a snapshot I took on Lake Como last summer of a wonderful little private beach. I remember there was an old woman there feeding the ducks and we sat for a long time watching the locals come and go on their little boats. With the Alps rising above the lake, it is a wonderful quiet spot.

Lake Tahoe Sailing

Title: Lake Tahoe Sailing
Size: 11 x 14
Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

SOLD

PAINTING:
I used many layers of artist top grade quality oil on this sweet little painting. It is painted in my plein air style with expressive brush and a bit of knife work, and as typical of me, I like to push the color!
INSPIRATION:
I am painting many smaller paintings now because I am moving many works into a local gallery next month and need many different sized paintings to show. I also need more Tahoe and California paintings for the gallery opening show, so I will keep doing a few more of these, my favorites, partly because they are scenes from where I grew up, but also because I just love landscapes with water and especially a sailboat sailing through the trees!

New Orleans Colorful Jazz Music

Title: New Orleans Colorful Jazz Music
Size: 16 x 20
Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

See tonight's eBay auction for purchase

PAINTING:
I have a deep colored underpainting on this whimsical painting. A mixture of black and reds. I used a knife, sculpting and dragging rich Winsor Newton Artist oils in bright cobalt blues and deep yellows to make this painting sing. These musicians are so much fun to paint!
INSPIRATION:
I love that Jazz, especially the Sax and I think it shows it this one.

Windswept Dancer

Title: Windswept Dancer
Size: 20 x 24
Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

This painting is sold

PAINTING:
I drew out the dancer with my brush in warm ocher colors, scumbling on darks and lights. Then I came back with a knife in hand and began pulls of cooler colors and some warm indian yellows for movement, finishing with heavier whites and brush work details on her face.
INSPIRATION:
I love dance. I love to dance and love to watch it. I danced ballet growing up and all through college and miss it. I need to find a class. I bought tickets to the Nutcracker again to give my girls for Christmas. It's kind of a tradition and beautiful.

French Quarter Jazz Morning

Title: New Orleans Jazz Morning
Size: 24 x 30
Medium: Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

SOLD

PAINTING: I used lots of cheerful sunny colors in this one, and many layers of paint with a palette knife and a bit of brush. Whites and yellow, golds are dragged last for lots of reflective color.
INSPIRATION:
I just love painting these New Orleans street scenes; they make me smile!
I listed to some Jazz and look at some old photos and the knife takes on a will of its own. I don't think I will list anymore paintings this large for awhile though, it's just too costly and it takes too much time to paint. So I had to put a small reserve on this whimsical piece. Hope you enjoy!