White at the Beach is the Thing

It seriously is, as you can see... and white is a fun color to paint because it picks up so many other colors...I don't mean stains, I mean the effect light and color has bouncing off of it. In one of my other dream careers I would be a fashion designer. and make chipmunk inspired toddler jammies and white clothes for people to wear on beaches...and anywhere else, to look picturesque for the sake of their artist friends. This painting is at my show at Vistra Gallery in Eugene through September.

A Book and the Beach

Although this painting has limited local color, the canvas wanted to come alive with it- vibrating in the sky with impressionist strokes, or transitioning into the shadows with warms and cools. A book and the beach is a classic, simple-yet-luxurious pleasure of Summer.

I meant to take photos of this painting in process... and then only took one. I will try again to remember to do that...

Song Without Words

When working from my own experiences I have a greater empathy and enthusiasm. I may want to make the experience more complete, or hold the feeling that I had experienced. I was inspired by a painting I loved to create my own moment in this piece. I got my willing boyfriend to learn to play the guitar....and then, one evening, asked him to model with me. The palette knife work in the background kept it loose, earthy and euphoric. The transparency of some of the dark passages combined with the impasto work to create a rich surface. Often I paint a single figure in their own little world, but in this piece I wanted to celebrate a moment of togetherness, the happiness, warmth and contentment found in close company with someone loved.

I am thrilled that the painting was accepted into the Oil Painter's of America Western Regional Show held at Wildhorse Gallery in Steamboat Springs, CO. My first OPA show!

The Way Things Ought to Be

There are places that are almost perfect. And then there are places that have only the seeds of perfection, and that need the person who sees those seeds to point out it's value. Such is this strip of land between Hamlin Middle School and the freeway on-ramp off of Pioneer Parkway. Never mind it's surroundings, the trash, the construction... it has the makings of a scene from France. Not that I've been to France, but I can imagine that too. I've driven by it often, in all different times of day and year. But I wanted to paint it with a full moon rising. It is not a convenient place to paint, so I put off the desire for a few years, but finally got my gumption and my personal body guard and went to do it. It was then that I discovered that the only view I really wanted was from the bridge, where there was about two feet of space between me and traffic. So I took a photo. And worked very loosely from it.