Positano Italy

Title: Positano Italy

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

Size: 20 x24

This painting is SOLD

PAINTING:

One of my favorite Italian cities....Positano. Italy is fantastic and so scenic. From the clusters of houses on the distant hills to the abundant flowers and ocean, it is a perfect place to paint. I captured all my favorite details in this painting in thick impasto texture. One of my favorite paintings to date.

TODAY:

House and studio are packed up and we are ready to start driving! Very excited to head west!

Italy Lake Como Flowers

Title: Italy Lake Como Flowers

Size: 20 x 24

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

PAINTING:

This painting is rich and textural and has many layers of paint. I love visiting this gorgeous place and when I paint Lake Como I recall many great memories. Love the pops of vivid sunny color!

This new painting will go on auction tomorrow night.

TONIGHT:

We are still amongst boxes and much still needs to be packed up so stress level is high around here. I'm actually blogging in the middle of the night here because I just can't sleep. Maybe tomorrow we will make better progress. I'll try to keep posting this week but it may get more and more difficult during this move! Thanks for checking in!

Poetic Love Story in Red

Title: Poetic Love Story in Red
Size: 12 x 24
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

THIS PAINTING IS SOLD.

PAINTING:
Every once in awhile I stray from my very familiar landscape background and revert to my old classical training of portraiture, but put my own twist on it. I think poetry and beauty go hand in hand and this piece holds a very special place in my heart. I hope it speaks to you as well.

TODAY:
My husband has returned from Vegas to help me with the rest of our big move! Yeah! I am now a happy woman.

All that Jazz

Title: All that Jazz
Size: 16x 20
Medium: oil on stretched canvas and a bit of gold leaf

PAINTING:
I have had a lot of interest in this painting lately and it is one of my favorites so I am putting it back on auction tonight! I love the bright colors and play of teal/blues on yellow/golds and super thickly textured paint!

THE MOVE:
Thanks for all the well wishes and kind emails. The move is going well so far. We are going to finish packing up everything by Monday and then we need to begin loading the truck!

Proud and Poised Rooster

Title: Proud and Poised Rooster
Size: 16 x 20
Medium: oil on stretched canvas

SOLD

THE PAINTING:
Rich, thick and impressionistic palette knife work defines this bird. Slightly larger than my last rooster and framed or unframed he makes a great focal point in a room. I love painting these colorful roosters using lots of blue tones with bits of teal on a golden yellow background. The colors all set eachother off just perfectly I think. Thanks for checking in and click to see close -up if you like to see more detail!
TODAY:
Day 1 of packing up and out. Everything is going smooth as silk so far. Hope you are all staying cool....it's hot and humid today!

Hawaii Sailing in Paradise

One of my collector's sent this photo of her commissioned painting hanging in her dining room. Thanks so much for the photo. I always love to see how your new paintings look in your home! It looks fantastic on this wall color and I love the wide gold plein air frame....classic and elegant!

Title: Hawaii Sailing in Paradise

Size: 20 x 24

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

PAINTING:

Listing one of my favorite summer tropical paintings on auction for a great price. Rich and thick and colorful. This painting was a dream to paint and since I am always yearning to sit on the beach and listen to the surf, this painting is about as close as I can get for awhile!

What I wouldn't give to be there right now!

NEWS:

Packers come start tomorrow! I will be taking many paintings in the car with me when we go next week, proper care and movement of my paintings is a priority. Oil paintings travel just fine though. We've moved so many times I lost count over the last 20 years...maybe 17 moves now, and I've never had one painting damaged in a move, knock on wood!

Summer Bouquet

Title: Summer Bouquet

Size: 18 x 24

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

PAINTING:

I finished this one last week and am posting it on auction tonight! I am getting carried away with flowers but it is hard to resist with everything blooming around me. This lovely painting really shows well and when you see it you will want to reach out and pick a bloom because it is so 3-dimensional. I loaded up my palette knife the same way I love to spread cream cheese on a bagel. Super thick, but I used a very expensive new white by Gablin that dries much faster so it is already almost dry.

STAYING POSITIVE:

I'm working on believing in this: DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. AND IT'S ALL SMALL STUFF.

I know it's true but as a type A slightly nuerotic personality...I still need to work on it. I think I still sweat too much sometimes, so to speak.

It's been a rough last couple of days: kids in finals in school still. Packers come in 2 days and my car broke down last night so I had it towed off this morning.

Lots of bumps in the road but I'm almost at the top of the hill and I hope there's a great view!

Thanks for checking in. Try not to sweat!

Sunflower Symphony

SOLD

Title: Sunflower Symphony

Size: 24 x 30

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

This is so stunning in person with all the rich impasto oils. I hope it finds a good home.

I'll post a new oil tomorrow!

Today:

We move across the country in one more week and I'm starting to get ready. My paintings are slowly drying because of the humidity here in Virginia so one thing I'm excited about is the dry arid air of Nevada....Yeah! And no biting mosquitos either!

Wild Flowers in the Wind

Title: WildFlowers in the Wind

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

Size: 20 x 24
SOLD

PAINTING:

I love painting windswept landscapes with women and flowers....so romantic. My eye is drawn to the woman in white surrounded by sweeping color. Fun to paint with extreme texture, lots of impasto oil color and expressive brushwork. Posting on auction so I hope it tugs at someone's heart!

Paris City of Light

I snapped this photo of my Mom and my daughter's as we strolled by another flower shop. Maybe it's because I'm an avid gardener or because I notice details, but I saw lovely flower shops everywhere in Paris. Since flowers abound....it's hard to paint a Paris scene without one!

I felt a real sense of connection here in Montmartre....even with the crowds of tourists. If you go very early in the morning before the artisits set up, you get a real sense of the place and it's awsome history. I love it!

THIS PAINTING IS SOLD

Title: Paris City of Light

Size: 16 x 20

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

Painted from both memories and photographs....Paris is always an inspiration! I push my color and texture in this painting to add extra impact and my signature touchable 3-D effect.

Early Morning Summer Rooster

Title: Early Morning Summer Rooster

Size: 9 x 12

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

PAINTING:

Another rooster painting just sold out of the gallery so I thought I better list another for auction and post it to my blog. He is super colorful and extra thick for a real touchable work. I kept my colors clean and pure for a real fauvism look and extra personality! Hope you enjoy him and thanks for checking in. Don't hesitate to contact my for purchase info or check out my auction tonight!

Fall Romance

Title: Fall Romance
Size: 16 x 20
Medium: oil on stretched canvas
PAINTING:
I've had this painting, one of my favorite Romance landscapes on eBay in my store for awhile and decided to run it at auction for a lower price. It is actually in a gallery right now and if it sells there I will have to pull the auction, but if it gets a bid on eBay, I will pull it out of the gallery!
As some of you know, our family is doing another big military move at the end of this month and we are starting to stress! There is a lot to do and of course our teenagers are in the middle of finals so stress is at its maximum!
I will continue listing paintings on eBay however, even during my move! It won't take long for us to get there and we are machines when it comes to unpacking 300 boxes! You can expect some great new paintings in the next few weeks for sure!
Thanks again for checking in!

Autumn Radiance

Title: Autumn Radiance
Size: 16x 20
Medium: oil on stretched canvas
PAINTING:
THIS PAINTING IS SOLD
This painting is extra thick with oil. I wanted to draw the eye to the golden tree in the forground, so it has at least three layers of reds, ochers and yellow/golds, which is a wonderful contrast to the complementary lavenders of the distant forest background. It is my favorite landscape of the month, just love it!
INSPIRED by all the trees and parks of Virginia that surround me.
Click to enlarge and don't miss the auction for more details! Thanks for checking in!

Violin Inspiration

Title: Violin Inspiration
Size: 12 x 24
Medium: mixed media and oil

THIS PAINTING IS SOLD

THE PAINTING:
This is part of my "Women in the Arts series". I varnish coffee stained violin sheet music on a primed canvas and then add layer upon layer of first acrylic and then oils. I allow some of the sheet music to show through, where the paint is just thinnly glazed with oil, so that you see some of what it is she and I are so inspired by....the music! It takes a lot of time to paint these figurative paintings but I enjoy every second of it and love the results! I hope you do too.


Here are a few snapshots from our daughter's recent recital. She is so inspiring to listen to and to watch play. The violin is a beautiful instrument.


Beautiful!

Two Colorful Macaws

Title: Two Colorful Macaws ................... THIS PAINTING IS SOLD

Size: 12 x 24

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

PAINTING and Inspiration:

This has great contrast of color and as I added one more layer to it, I fell in love with these pretty boys. Interesting palette knife texture and painterly brushwork make them sing. I traveled to Honduras several times in the last 8 years and there was a fantastic Macaw on the Island of Roatan named Paco. We loved seeing him, and speaking with him everyday. He was quite a character. It's amazing how much animals inspire and stay with us in memory for years and years. Paco is still an inspiration to this day.

COUNTDOWN continues:

We pack up and move in just 2 weeks! I'm making lists about the lists of things I need to do at this point! Organizing my studio for the move will be a huge challenge!

Dancing Red Poppies

Title: Dancing Red Poppies

Size: 18 x 24

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

THE PAINTING:

This lovely painting is a classic. Painted super textural and with lots of expressive movement, the poppies seem to dance and sway in the wind. I applied several layers of paint for layers of broken color which you will see if you click to enlarge or check out my eBay auction for more close up zooms!

It's hot and humid today and I've been trying to run a bit the past few weeks, but I feel like I'm under water with all this summer humidity. The flowers love it though....everything is so green and all the flowers in my yard are blooming...lavender, daylillies. hostas and hydrangeas, rose and butterfly bushes. Beautiful.

Forest in Morning Light

Title: Forest in Morning Light

Size: 18 x 24

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

PAINTING:

I used all my favorite autumn colors as well as my new favorite teal colors which really light up the background of these warm trees and complement them well. There is so much texture on this painting making it is irresistably touchable! The path draws you in and the cool background colors add depth and glow. A forest of color is always a fantastic inspiration and a classic landscape.

Thanks for checking in, don't forget to click on image to enlarge and always check out what's new on my eBay auctions for Spring!

Venice by Moonlight

Here is my adorable husband and eldest daughter in front of our rental house in Venice. What a view! I love Venice!

Title: Venice by Moonlight

Size: 16 x 20

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

PAINTING: This painting has many many layers of thick paint for an extra impressionistic and loose look. I pushed my color and texture as far as I could on this one and it was a blast to paint!

I think Italy is one of the most beautiful places in the the world and Venice the most inspiring. I took hundreds of photos on our last trip to paint from, but mostly I rely on my memory for detail and color, my photos are just dull compared to my memory of the place. I loved the ancient stucco and brick building and amazing canals. Not a single car in Venice. Too bad there aren't more places like that.

I've been working on this yard for years and years and it is finally really lovely, just as we are moving. I hope our renters enjoy the flowers! My roses and catmint, and to the right a butterfly bush about to bloom.

These peonies were as big as cabbages! Just gorgeous!

Then the painting....

Title: Abundance of Flowers

Size: 20 x 24

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

THE PAINTING:

Part of my new Summer garden series and loaded up with brilliant color and texture for a stunning focal point in any room. Flowers are a classic and always the perfect accent piece.

INSPIRATION:

My Virginia garden is blooming big time right now and I am sad to leave it.

Beach Baby and Bucket

Title: Beach Baby and Bucket

Size: 9 x 12

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

THIS PAINTING IS SOLD

I used both brush and knife on this little gem and it just makes me smile. I hope you enjoy the warm sunny colors and rich texture. Click to enlarge. I hope it goes to the right home!

INSPIRATION:

We were stationed at Eglin AFB in Florida for four years, our longest assignment. Our daughters grew up on the Gulf coast shores and I have so many fond memories of them playing in the sand and the waves. Mostly they loved playing in the warm, white sand building castles and then at the end of the day as the waves come in, laugh as the sand castle washed away in the surf.

Aspen Forest Color

SOLD

Title: Aspen Forest Color
Size: 12 x 24
Medium: oil on stretched canvas

I love the warm colors and textures in this landscape.....reds, golds and greens. (Click on image to enlarge) Warm and glowing, this painting is dynamic and makes a statement in any room. It's one of my favorite subjects to paint, a welcoming path, and this one is thicker in the forground so the path seems to lead you into its depths.

Big Sur California

SOLD

Title: Big Sur California
size: 18 x 24
Medium: oil on canvas
This painting is now on auction and is painted in extremely thick forground paints....thinner paints as the painting recedes into the cooler background colors which adds lots of depth to this California landscape scene. Absolutely a pristine and beautiful coastline and I enjoyed painting this rocky coastline once again.

Title: The Race
THIS PAINTING IS SOLD
Size: 18 x 24
Medium: oil on stretched canvas with palette knife.
Painted per request by one of my collectors! Bold drags and pulls of my knife bring these vibrant horses to life like poetry in motion. My goal here was to make the animals as abstract as possible and yet there forms are still visible emerging from the motion of color. Nothing but pure energy!
On eBay aucion tonight!

New Orleans French Quarter Rainy Night

Title: New Orleans French Quarter Rainy Night
Medium: oil on stretched canvas
Size: 20 x 24
PAINTING:
Going on auction at a low price with no reserve!
Extra thick knife work and lots of great broken color everywhere. I am just broken hearted over the disaster in our Gulf waters and beaches and my thoughts go to all my friends there everyday. It cheers me up to paint these scenes and I hope it helps someone else in some small way too! My thoughts and prayers are with New Orleans folks and it's wildlife!

Blue Rhapsody

Here is the final layer of color and this large commissioned painting is finished! It is really glowing now with all the autumn vines and rich colors. I can't wait for it to dry to deliver to it's owner!

Title: Blue Rhapsody

this painting is SOLD

Size: 20 x 24

Medium: oil on stretched canvas

THE PAINTING:

It looks almost exactly like my prize winning painting that sold at the opening reception, and I loved it so much that I painted it again. I know I loved the painting if I'm a bit sad to see it sell, but if I miss it then I just paint it again. It's never exact but very close! It has both brush and knife as every good impressionistic painting should and very expressive movement...rythmic and dramatic!

Summer Silhouette

Title: Summer Silhouette
Size: 16 x 20
Medium: oil on stretched canvas
Going on eBay tonight for a steal of a price!
THE PAINTING:
I love this still life. Inspired by my bountiful Virginia garden, I love to put roses in a vase and bring them to life on the canvas. This piece looks great as is but a gold frame with linen liner would compliment it well. Subtle colors and expressive textures and impressionistic broken color make this one of my favorite floral paintings to date.

New Orleans French Quarter Jazz

Title: New Orleans French Quarter Jazz
This painting is SOLD
Size: 9 x 12
Medium: oil on stretched canvas
PAINTING: A sweet little Jazz painting because my heart is with Louisiana!
Cheerful colors and rich thick oil paints make this a stand out little painting!

THOUGHTS:
Change can be good. That's what I always tell my family come move time, and we have less than 4 weeks to go until the big move from Virgina to Nevada. We will have new spaces, new friends and neighbors, new schools, and a new place to live. Change can be good. We'll get to redecorate and maybe we'll learn something new in this new place....we'll see. Our kids, even though it's their third move in highschool, are actually excited about moving. Sad to leave our friends but we'll keep in touch. Another adventure. See what a positive outlook can do?