Whistler dogs

I went through some of my photos from my wonderful long weekend at Whistler this morning - these two pretty dogs were patiently waiting for their people to finish lunch. I'm always a sucker for dog photos:) I think I have at least a dozen shots of just dogs from the weekend.

Birthday card design

My good friend Sharon commissioned me to paint this birthday card for her cat loving daughter - the two cats are based (very loosely) on a photo of her daughter's two cats.

Hope she likes it as much as I liked painting it!

Sweet Mollie commission

This piece was commissioned by one of my Ebay buyers who has also become a dear friend through the years. Sadly, the painting is of a sweet girl who recently passed away - it is a gift for a friend.

Our neighbors had a schnauzer for many years so I know how special and wonderful they are and it was bittersweet to complete this one.

Sold

Always one in a crowd

There's always one joker in a crowd...


This is my offering for this week's Different Strokes painting. Follow the link in the right margin to see all the different interpretations of Karin's photo - something new each week. I'll be putting this on Ebay today.

Littlest Cowgirl

Couldn't resist taking this photo of a little cowgirl asleep in the hay. This was taken at the Puyallup Fair a couple of weekends ago. I think it may need to be a painting subject...

On the easel for this weekend I have a couple of commissioned paintings - will post them here when I'm done. And I'll be working on a piece to donate to the annual Cattle Dog Round Up to raise money for New Hope Cattle Dogs. If you live in the Phoenix/Tempe area and love cattle dogs like I do you should stop by. It takes place November 1st from 11:00 - 5:00. Visit http://www.newhopecattledogs.com/ for more information.

A Little Down Time completed

Here is the completed "A Little Down Time" featuring my Maine Coon cat Marley and my Australian cattle dog Rainey - practicing the art of "getting along". They both like this corner of the couch...

I just listed this one on Ebay - we're crossing our fingers and paws:) Part of the proceeds will go to help Australian Cattle Dog rescue - and yes - Marley's ok with that.

Sold

A Little Down Time

This is a work in progress shot of a painting I started this weekend. I had a wonderful weekend with good friends visiting Whistler up north in Canada. It was beautiful and while we had a little "down time" - relaxing - I sketched from a reference photo of Rainey (my Australian cattle dog) & Marley (my Maine Coon cat). I started adding a little color today and thought I'd post a shot of a "work in progress". I hope to finish it tonight and tomorrow morning and post it for sale on Ebay tomorrow night.

Park Sitters

This is my weekly submission to Karin Jurick's great blog "Different Strokes". She provided the photo and I tried my hand at my interpretation. Couldn't help it - I had to put a dog in there :)

Sweet Hour of Prayer

I have long admired this little church house on the hill overlooking Penn Cove here on Whidbey Island. I believe it is now abandoned but I can just imagine the congregation gathering out front and the choir's sweet voices singing their call to worship - "Sweet Hour of Prayer".

It is Windsor & Newton watercolor on Richeson hard pressed watercolor paper. I'm almost to the end of my nice stack of cut Richeson paper. I've thoroughly enjoyed working with it and will need to get some more.

Sold

Nibblefest for September

"Fish? What Fish?"

This little painting will be my entry in this month's Nibblefest on Ebay. All listings start at 99 cents. The theme this month is smiling black cats. I used the handmade paper again for this one - it was very fun to make. The listing is scheduled to start at 5:15 on Saturday the 20th I won't be here - I'll be with my friends on our annual excursion to Whistler - oh boy! But I'll check in at my favorite internet cafe there to see all the great listings.

Sold

"Beach Walk"

This morning I used a sheet of handmade watercolor paper that I've had for so long I actually forgot I even had it. The really thick spongy nature of the paper made for a nice kind of atmospheric dreamy quality that I really enjoyed playing with. The reference photo for this was taken looking out the RV window as Sandy and I were looking for a good place to do our plein aire paintings:) I used the same image for a more detailed graphite sketch and watercolor painting on a card I painted for my sister yesterday. I'm trying the homemade paper for a piece that might be my Nibblefest entry this month - we'll see how/if it turns out.

Looking and Waiting

I painted a birthday card for my sister this afternoon and while I had the paints out I decided to do something "Just for fun"straight from my imagination... "Looking and Waiting" was the result.

Rehoboth Beach

This is my entry for this week's challenge on Karin Jurick's blog. Every Wednesday she challenges artists to paint a photo of her choice. This week it was Rehoboth Beach. I worked in layers of transparent watercolors - inspired by a wonderful local artist Marty Rogers whose work I admired last weekend at the US Plein Aire competition held here on Whidbey Island. I tried to put in a lot of contrast and tried to use a palette similar to my memory of Marty's palette.

Sold

Our Well House

This is a plein aire painting of the little well house behind our place.
From the day we moved in I have adored this little tiny shack that
our well is enclosed in. So last weekend I moved my easel, pencils,
paints and brushes out to my comfy loungc chair and sketched then
painted a tribute to our Well House. I used the same technique
I've been working on - doing a detailed graphite sketch first to
use as a value map and then adding the layers of transparent
watercolors on top. I was very pleased with it - probably as much
for the sentimental value as the technical accomplishments :)

"Penn Cove"

I've been fortunate to be able to play tourist here on my own beautiful Whidbey Island this week. There are so many gorgeous spots and this is one of them - overlooking the little wharf on Penn Cove. This cove is world famous for its delicious mussels and even offers a festival every year to celebrate them.

Sold

"Marley's Blanket"

I painted this 8"X10" watercolor to help the people and cats at Field Haven Rescue - search A4FH on ebay to see all the listings - today through September 15th.

It features my Maine Coon cat Marley doing what she does best - surveying her kingdom from the comfort of her blanket!

Jack's Place

This is my contribution to Karin Jurick's new blog. She is challenging artists each week by posting a photo and inviting each artist to come up with a piece using that reference photo for inspiration. This week her beloved dog Jack was our inspiration and this is my watercolor. He was a very special boy and will be greatly missed.

Here's to you buddy.

Sold (for Humane Society)

"Market Sunflowers"

Here's a watercolor sketch I painted this week. Every Thursday throughtout the summer I've been buying the most beautiful bouquets at our local farmer's market. This past week I had a big vase full of sunflowers - the happiest flowers around!

Sold

"Love Bouquet"

I did this fun little illustrative style painting last night. After a fun day of driving around the island talking with artists participating in the US Open Plein Aire Contest taking place here on Whidbey Island this week I just had to paint something! This is another piece using graphite and watercolor.

I'm really enjoying this fun imaginative style of painting and want to try incorporating some mixed media/collage elements...my next project.

Sold

Completed Plein Aire painting

"Ebey Beach"

12"X16" pastel on Sennelier La Carte

Available for sale on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230287516980

Plein Aire Day!

Yesterday my sister in law and I finally did something we've been talking about for years - we took our easels outside and did some plein aire painting. How fun to be able to listen to the water while painting it! I see more of this in our future - it was a blast!

Here I am on Ebey Beach. I'll post the finished painting after I touch it up a bit here in the studio.