ArtByShel

"The Invitation"

2011-10-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

I took the reference photo for this at the little marina down the street from where I live and have been wanting to paint it for quite awhile now...

In A Restless World

2011-10-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I took a monotype class... something I've been wanting to try for a long time. The background for this little painting is the ghost print from one of my monotypes. It was inspired by looking at some Paul Klee paintings.

Daily Paintworks Challenge...

2011-10-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

This is my entry for this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge. I drew it in pen then added transparent watercolors over the top. Listening to Stevie Nick's "Stop Dragging My Heart Around"...

Finished Commission

2011-10-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

Signed, sealed and delivered commissioned painting.

"Mike's Place"

2011-10-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I treated myself to dinner at a wonderful little diner on the south side of this island I live on. I'm sure the waitress thought I was very odd taking pictures of the salt and pepper shakers but I thought it would be a fun painting and it was!

Give Us this Day Our Daily Red

2011-09-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

My husband worked late tonight so I got in a little painting time... a little 6"X6" whimsical watercolor painting.

Finger Pickin Good

2011-09-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

I took the reference photo for this painting at this year's local art festival. I loved how oblivious this man was to all the commotion going on around him as he sat on the curb playing his guitar.

Sleep Peacefully on Summer Lawns

2011-08-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

This is my entry to the Daily Paintworks Challenge - this week the challenge was to do a painting in rectangles.

Inspired by Thomas Merton

2011-08-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

"Wear your life like a peacock it's plume." - Thomas Merton

Plein Air

2011-08-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

Such a wonderful day this was - sitting on the beach painting with my dear friend, sister in law, amazing artist... I still have a lot of work to do to be comfortable painting plein air style but really enjoyed every minute of it today and look forward to trying it again soon!

Starting at Zero

2011-08-10T21:16:00.000-07:00

A little mid-week abstract.

Tea Love

2011-08-07T09:51:00.000-07:00

"Tea Love" is my painting for this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge. This week the challenge was to paint your favorite mug. I bought this mug from a local ceramic artist and it has been my favorite for years. I also put in my favorite vase that I got at the same wonderful place... they both remind me of that sunny spring afternoon my husband and I went for a motorcycle drive up winding Chuckanut Drive that follows the shoreline up to Bellingham. Just before you get to town there is this great store/gallery that features local artists of all types...it is one of my favorite places on earth.

Building A Watercolor House...

2011-08-04T21:08:00.000-07:00

Fortune Teller

2011-07-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

"Fortune Teller" is my entry for this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge. The challenge was to use a black and white photo and pay close attention to values. In order to do that I did a black and white graphite underdrawing before adding the layers of watercolor. This challenge was put forth by one of my favorite watercolor artists, Belinda Del Pesco and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to give it a whirl!

Here is the graphite drawing:

Corner Chair

2011-07-24T19:07:00.000-07:00

As soon as I first saw the sun spilling in on this lovely chair at my brother's condo I wanted to paint it. That was in April and I finally got my chance today!

A study...

2011-07-23T21:09:00.000-07:00

I finished this graphite and watercolor study of poppies just in time to go out and enjoy the reverence of watching the sun set behind the water... the best church of all:)

Two little cattle dog paintings...

2011-07-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

"Wish You Were Here"

"Cool Blue"

I Carry Your Heart With Me

2011-07-18T05:57:00.000-07:00

Inspired by one of my favorite poems by ee cummings. One of the most beautiful love poems of all time.

Red, white and a little blue...

2011-07-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

I'm always working on doing better portrait paintings - and the work continues...

Good Day Sunshine

2011-07-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

I need to laugh, and when the sun is out I've got something to laugh about

I feel good, in a special way

I'm in love and it's a sunny day.

-The Beatles

It's raining here on Whidbey Island this July morning but this song about sunshine offered the perfect title for my new watercolor.

Ever made up your own creature?

2011-07-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

This month's Nibblefest on Ebay has the them of imaginary creatures so I've been sketching some ideas... it's much harder than you might think to make up a new creature...

You are my sunshine

2011-07-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun little sketch I did at work this week and added watercolor when I got home...

Nature

2011-07-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

I painted this sitting outside enjoying this beautiful Pacific Northwest day. It was really nice to paint by birdsong and the sound of the waves lapping on the shore.

She Sells Seasmiles

2011-07-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love the sound of the ocean... makes me smile just thinking about it:)

Whidbey Island study

2011-06-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

I'm a home sick with a cold today and did a little watercolor study using some color mixing I just watched an online video about.

Sneak Peek

2011-06-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

These are my friend Shirley's dogs - wanting to participate in the garage sale we were having. I've been wanting to paint this ever since I took the photo:) It's 5"X7" watercolor on my new wonderful Kilimanjaro watercolor paper - I'm really loving this paper!

A little ACEO bunny painting

2011-06-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

This little 2 1/2"X3 1/2" piece was commissioned by a friend of mine to give as a gift.

Star of the Chicken Coop

2011-06-10T22:27:00.000-07:00

Just for fun on a Friday night:)

"Here a Chick There a Chick"

2011-06-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

My latest watercolor painting. I plan to paint a partner piece called "Everywhere a Chick Chick" this weekend. These little chicks just make me smile:)

One hour sketch before running errands...

2011-05-28T14:04:00.000-07:00

Starting off a three day weekend with a one hour watercolor sketch. Trying to capture the feeling of the image with minimal colors and minimal brushstrokes...keeping work time to one hour so I can get my errands done and enjoy a little afternoon sunshine!

Nocturne

2011-05-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

A doodle from my desk today...

A Poem to Childhood

2011-05-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

Do you have a flower that symbolizes your childhood? For me it would be the Trillium. The white version of this beautiful wildflower grew wild in the woods new my childhood home. All summer long we used to play in those woods from breakfast until dinner. I saw some beautiful etchings of trillium at a local gallery yesterday and they wouldn't leave me alone until I painted one today. I'm not a writer so this is my Poem to Childhood.

Free Bird

2011-05-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

I had a request this week for a painting featuring shoes - this was the result "Free Bird Takes Flight".

Farmhouse on the road to the Sacred Saturday Morning Coffee Stand

2011-05-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

I drive past this farmhouse every weekend we're staying at the campground in La Conner and have been wanting to paint it for awhile. Today I did this 5"X7" study that I'd like to do as a larger painting.

Ruby's first painting...

2011-05-18T19:18:00.000-07:00

It was inevitable that my sweet new dog Ruby would be painted... certain to be the first of many:)

Longwood Cat

2011-05-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

This is a Work in Progress... from a photo I took at Longwood Gardens a few weeks ago. I'm struggling with it but will keep going until it's finished.

Rapture

2011-05-17T18:46:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing about The Rapture's prediction for this Saturday and then painted these sunflowers that also appeared to be in a state of rapture. Painted between calls at work today...

Commissioned portrait...

2011-05-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

This adorable baby girl is the daughter of one of my friends who commissioned me to do this watercolor portrait. I just love it when I have a painting commission with a photo that's just perfect for painting like this one was!

National Harbor

2011-05-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

The Lady Josephine departs daily from National Harbor just outside of Washington DC. My brother and his family have a condo just blocks from this lovely view.

A little watercolor sketch from Harrisburg

2011-05-09T19:43:00.000-07:00

I had such a wonderful time visiting my brother in Harrisburg, PA last month. This is a little watercolor sketch I started in a bookstore and finished up on my brother's dining room table while he was at work.

I Was Born This Way

2011-04-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

A new little ACEO colored pencil drawing from my desk this week.
Will list on Ebay tomorrow...

Thinking of Van Gogh...

2011-04-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

Last week was Vincent Van Gogh's birthday and in honor of that I decided to do a room painting - his room painting is one of my favorite all time paintings...

It's Raining Bones...Hallelujah

2011-03-30T21:50:00.000-07:00

A little ACEO painting hoping to help Old Dog Haven with this one for Ebay.

The Meet and Greet

2011-03-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

This is a commissioned watercolor I did over the weekend. It was a great reference photo to start with.

Let Them Eat Cake...

2011-03-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

I did this painting intending to send it for a birthday card but I wasn't really happy with it...today I used my photo program to tint it and I like it a lot better. I just used the tinted version to make a birthday card design for sale on Zazzle. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all of you March Babies!!

Thinking about a dog

2011-03-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

I did the underpainting with Derwent Graphitint pencils then painted it with Windsor and Newton transparent watercolors. We've been contemplating a campanion for our Australian Cattle Dog and because we are now living in a motorhome I'm been thinking a lot about a smaller dog...that was the inspiration for this sketch and painting. It's for sale on ebay to raise money for one of my favorite local animal rescue places - Old Dog Haven.

yoga t-shirt design

2011-03-12T14:53:00.000-08:00

So I've had this yoga t-shirt design in mind for quite awhile. Inspired by one of my favorite yoga poses (tree pose - of course). I wanted a shirt I could wear to my yoga class but the ones I found at our local co-op were all around $35.00 and I didn't want to pay that much so I designed my own and made it on Zazzle. It's available in the colors shown here plus a pink one I just added... The bottom multi color one is the original design - then I added the various tints with Picassa. I chose the sepia tone one for myself and am getting it printed on a gold colored t-shirt...can't wait to see what it looks like!

2011-03-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

Let us be thankful, Lord, for little things - the song of birds, the rapture of the rose; cloud-dappled skies, the laugh of limpid springs, drowned sunbeams and the perfume April blows; bronze what a-shimmer, purple shade of trees - let us be thankful, Lord of Life, for these!
from A Little Prayer by Robert Service

Morning Ritual

2011-03-05T18:45:00.000-08:00

This is my ode to my favorite morning ritual. Every morning my friend and I go for a walk and when we come back my husband has lattes made for us - it always tastes good but especially on these frosty cold mornings...ahhhh.....

Be Mine...

2011-02-19T18:32:00.000-08:00

A Valentine's bouquet from my Valentine and a cute little basket a friend gave to me.

Would a few chocolate sprinkles be too much to ask for on Valentine's Day?

2011-02-13T18:59:00.000-08:00

My Valentine and I went out for a wonderful breakfast today then he bought me a great pair of earrings at the gallery across the street and I bought him a new glass tea cup with built in infuser and some new tea...hope your Valentine's weekend was equally delightful:)

The Reading Hour

2011-02-12T22:03:00.000-08:00

Working on adding some color to a sketch I did a few weeks ago... with James Taylor's sweet voice singing in my headphones:)

Sweet Sadie

2011-02-05T18:48:00.000-08:00

Finished my commission for this weekend - sweet Sadie with ball in grass and smiling...

Private Collection

Another bookmark design...

2011-02-05T07:58:00.000-08:00

Another desk doodle turned bookmark... going to laminate it today and list it on ebay. I'm enjoying the challenge of this format. Happy weekend everyone!

"Can't Tame a Wild Rose"

2011-02-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

This is a hand drawn/painted bookmark for one of my "Pay it Forward" friends. We are all trading hand made art and crafts with each other throughout the year. Graphite and watercolor...I got it laminated tonight and might put a little grommet and ribbon in the top before I send it. I had a lot of fun with it and hope to try a few more if I can keep my other wanderings reigned in. My art muse seems to be more of the broad and winding type than the straight and narrow variety.

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Faster than a flying frisbee

2011-01-29T08:42:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks I've recorded the new tv series "The Cape" and last night I finally got to watch them and while I was watching I did this little sketch of my Australian Cattle Dog Rainey and thought about how much she looks like a masked superhero herself... "faster than a flying frisbee - able to leap tall couches in a single bound"
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Soaking in a little sun, ahhh...

2011-01-23T12:27:00.000-08:00

So nice to work on a sun filled painting on this rain filled morning. This is a commissioned painting for my friend Austin of his adorable cat doing what cats do best...

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Throw it!

2011-01-19T06:10:00.000-08:00

A desk doodle - working out a perspective... Gearing up for finishing a commissioned painting this weekend and sold 3 paintings yesterday...thank you TG if you're reading this - it made my day! I've had a few really good weeks for selling paintings...yea!...I see some new art supplies in my future:)

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No calories in painting...

2011-01-09T13:03:00.000-08:00

Woke up thinking about cupcakes and decided it would be better for me to paint them than bake them:)
Not for Sale

Anywhere I hang my heart is home

2011-01-08T08:34:00.000-08:00

This was a doodle experiment from this week - I covered the whole area with a light layer of graphite then added a very rough sketch in scribbles and layers of colored pencil

Not for Sale

"Nesting"

2010-12-29T18:30:00.000-08:00

This is a little 5"X7" watercolor pencil drawing/painting I've been working on in between calls at work this week.

Available - please email for inquiry

Commissioned painting

2010-12-23T21:32:00.000-08:00

I just loved the reference photo sent to me for this painting the instant I saw it - a girl who loves her horse...what could be better than that :) It was commissioned as a gift for Christmas - hope she likes it:)

(sold)

Rainey sketch

2010-12-19T08:40:00.000-08:00

Rainey demonstrates the answer to the age old question "how can one dog take up so much room on the couch?
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Count Your Many Blessings

2010-12-10T19:14:00.000-08:00

This week's 5"X7" colored pencil sketch - done during my inbetween phone call moments at work...

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luna dulce

2010-12-05T12:39:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I finished reading Calla Lily Ponder - a wonderful book by Rebecca Wells. It has a lot of beautiful imagery about the main character feeling her mother guiding her when she saw the moon in the night sky. That beautiful writing has been in the back of my mind ever since and was the inspiration for my Sunday morning painting session today.

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Weeknight sketch

2010-12-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

Every year NPR puts out a list of their favorite music for this year - I was reading that and started listening to a glorious violin concerto by Hilary Hahn - great big dramatic glorious music - and somehow out of that I sketched this funny little 6"X6" piece about a cowdog jumping over the moon...

A Pink Vespa

2010-12-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

I've always thought it would be fun to drive a pink Vespa...so this morning I painted myself one:)

The Wisdom of Nature

2010-11-28T14:41:00.000-08:00

"The wisdom of nature speaks to us heart to heart, and nature's first language is beauty." - Tim McNulty
This Sunday morning's watercolor sketch...
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My wishes for this holiday season and always...

2010-11-26T06:02:00.000-08:00

Snowflakes Keep Falling On My Head...

2010-11-25T09:47:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving Day. It's snowing here on Cornet Bay and we're really enjoying it - nowhere we have to be today:)

I got a new Kindle!

2010-11-12T19:56:00.000-08:00

My wonderful husband got me a new Kindle!! Yeah!!!
And the cover is red...yeah!!!

Party Pooper

2010-11-12T19:42:00.000-08:00

Another sketch from my work desk this week.

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Desk Doodle Gone Mad...

2010-11-12T19:27:00.000-08:00

This was a colored pencil sketch done from my work desk this week... A Head Full of Fall.

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Still life with Pomegranate

2010-11-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

Still working on this piece I started at my sister in law's wonderful studio on Sunday. We get together when we can for little art lessons where we try something we haven't done a lot of - this time painting from life instead of from photos. The grapes and pomegranates were delicious:)

Night Owls

2010-10-20T19:19:00.000-07:00

My humble offering for this month's Nibblefest contest. The theme is - you guessed it - Owls.

Oregon Coast

2010-10-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a wonderful week driving down the Oregon Coast. We camped in our little 19 ft Roadtrek and I have to say that Oregon really has my home state of Washington beat hands down with their great State Parks. All the sites we stayed in there were beautiful, clean and less expensive than here in Washington.

This painting is by far the largest watercolor I've attempted but it just felt like it needed to be a big painting. It's 16"X20" on my new 300 lb hot press watercolor paper using Windsor & Newton and Daniel Smith transparent watercolors.

Never get tired of sketching Dusty...

2010-10-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

I'll bet I've drawn him 100 times or more but I still enjoy it every single time.

Calm Under Pressure

2010-09-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

As I was painting this it reminded me of a PBS Mystery (I LOVE a good mystery). It looks like there

must be a good story behind this look.

fish dreams

2010-09-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

The light isn't good for picture taking...but here's what I'm working on this Friday night.

Weeknight portrait study...

2010-09-22T19:27:00.000-07:00

Another drawing inbetween time at work then home to add some watercolor...

Nocturne

2010-09-19T16:29:00.000-07:00

This will be my entry for this month's Nibblefest contest on Ebay.

The theme is "Nocturnal" - and each entry starts at only 99 cents!

This was somethine totally different than anything I normally do and I really enjoyed

the challenge of painting in this monochromatic style.

Panda Bear

2010-09-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

My Third commission this week... This is adorable Panda - commissioned as a gift for

Panda's human "dad" who is apparently wrapped quite firmly around her

little paw. According to his wife it was hard to get a photo of her without him in it:)

Second commission...

2010-09-17T05:59:00.000-07:00

Finished my second commissioned painting for the week...

Another one this weekend.

It Takes Two

2010-09-12T19:23:00.000-07:00

Some paintings are more like dreams than conscious efforts. That is certainly true of this one. After working on commissioned paintings this morning I just felt the need to let my brushes and my creativity run amok this evening! I seem to have a circus theme going on lately :)

Working on a commissioned painting today

2010-09-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

I have a collecter that has purchased several of my cattle dog paintings and a few years ago she started commissioning paintings for various clients of hers that have dogs. I have another one to work on next weekend.

And I've been listening this morning to some beautiful Brazilian music - the soundtrack from the movie Woman on Top. The movie was pretty silly and predictable but the music is gorgeous!

Red red rose...to go with my Red red wine!

2010-09-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's Friday night on Cornet Bay and so I got to have a glass of red red wine while I painted this red red rose. Cheers! And I hope you're all enjoying this Friday night too!!

Last Book of Summer

2010-09-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

Here's what I'm working on this rainey Monday afternoon... I actually don't mind the rain but painting this scene of a warmer summer afternoon did make me long a little for some warmth :)

Caught in a Laugh

2010-09-03T20:26:00.001-07:00

My ongoing study of painting people... I think it will take a lifetime :)

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Life's a Party

2010-09-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

Another sketch from my work desk..what else-cowdogs :) Aka: Australian Cattle Dogs

A Sketch during the slow time at work...

2010-09-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

We haven't been very busy at work this week so I've been able to do some little sketches between calls. I finally added some watercolor to one of them tonight.

Wave Buster - "she ain't afraid of no wave"...

2010-08-26T05:58:00.000-07:00

Just had to include a picture of Rainey taking on a wave at the

beach yesterday - she had a blast :)

struggling with a drawing...

2010-08-23T19:30:00.000-07:00

It seems like I'm always and forever struggling with drawing...I know, I know - just means I haven't done enough drawings yet. So tonight after I finished drawing for the night and was taking a picture to track my progress on this painting I decided to play with the negative feature on my photo editing program - I like the negative image. So - it might be interesting to approach drawing from the concept of adding light instead of adding darkness to a white paper. I was just reading about applying pan pastel to the whole surface and then starting the drawing with charcoal, an eraser and a soft cloth... might be an interesting experiment. Random art thoughts on a Monday night :)

Waiting for Low Tide

2010-08-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

This is an 8"X10" watercolor painting a did last night to help raise money for animal rescue through an organization a belong to called Artists United for Animal Rescue.

This is the first painting I've done of Dusty since he died and it was hard but also

therapeutic. I was telling a friend of mine about how I still

miss him so much and she sent me an email back last week

that said "I just talked to Dusty and he told me to tell you to BE HAPPY."

And she was so right - so it felt good to bring him to life

through a painting - especially one to raise money to help other dogs.

I bought a Belinda Del Pesco print/painting and my house is transformed...

2010-08-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

This gorgeous piece I just bought from incredible watercolorist / print maker Belinda Del Pesco arrived today. I can't say how thrilled and delighted I am to get to see her work again in person. I'm the proud owner of three paintings and each one I add I am more thrilled with! I am so drawn to her work - especially the portraits. Her sensitivity, wonderful colors and fine attention to detail make for a delicious treat for the eye and the soul. I couldn't be more delighted!

Check out more of her work here: http://belindadelpesco.blogspot.com/ - including a link to her etsy shop.

This month's Nibblefest painting...

2010-08-21T11:33:00.000-07:00

Last night I painted from a graphite sketch I did on my lunch break at work. The photo seemed too boring as it was so I just let the colors all run at the bottom.

This is being offered this week on ebay as part of the Nibblefest contest.

"One Fine Day"

2010-08-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

My husband and I went for a wonderful boat ride today - this is a little watercolor sketch from our trip. This red sail boat was departing from Bowman Bay and I just loved the red against the blue, blue water!

Also - for you watercolor enthusiasts I watched an art video early this morning and learned something new - again. When your watercolor is very wet you can add lines with a toothpick, or the back of your brush if the brush has a pointed back and the grooved areas will collect more water and add lines to your painting. The artist in the video added some fine little background branches to great effect using this technique. I used that for the initial washes for the wake lines in this painting.

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Screw housework - I needed to do another painting...

2010-08-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

Yes - I should be doing my housework - but I'm so enjoying painting today that I just had to try another one... laundry can wait but this painting couldn't :)

Watercolor and pastel

2010-08-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

Here's one more pastel painting with a watercolor underpainting. I see a few corrections to make before I finish my housework to get ready for another work week.

"Solo"

2010-08-08T13:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I watched a video demo from pastel artist Richard McKinley. It was about doing a watercolor underpainting for pastel. Well, I had to try it. I started with a little sketch in watersoluable graphite...

The next step was doing a very loose, very watery, watercolor painting - right on the sanded pastel surface. I did this underpainting with a stiff acrylic brush instead of my delicate watercolor brushes to avoid having my expensive brushes eaten by the sanded surface. The challenge was to do this watercolor painting with the mind of a pastel artists - not as a watercolor artist. At his suggestion I painted this on an upright easel instead of my normal flat surface - without concern for the paint dripping.

My hands were literally shaking as I started applying the pastels...it's been so long since I used them that I wasn't sure I'd remember how. This was such a fun painting - I think I need to do more! I find the very best thing to do when I've reached a plateau or block with my art is to try something new - a new medium or a new technique.

"Untethered"

2010-08-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

This is an 8"X10" watercolor painting for a dear friend of mine who has had a very rough year. I'm wishing for her to see this painting and feel the peace and contentment she felt at the moment the reference photo for this painting was taken...floating in sunshine.

NFS