Oasis

set of three, oil on GessoBoard, each image 5x7"

This drinking faucet just sticks up out of a rock in the desert landscape; with its aged patina and sky reflections I just had to paint it - three times!

Ruby Slippers

oil on RayMar panel, 6x8"

The Wizard of Oz is a favorite childhood movie, and I always wanted my own 'Ruby Slippers'. These seem perfect.

End of the Season

oil on RayMar panel, 4x8"

Even though strawberries are totally out of season and no longer have much flavor, I still love to paint them!

Sisters

(Sold)

oil on gesso board, 14x18

I met these young ladies in the grocery store and asked their mom if I could paint them - they are too cute for words!

Tuesday at the Park (Sold)

oil on board, 16x16"

We have so many wonderful parks that I want to do a series of paintings, with all the ways people enjoy them. I was out walking one very cold morning and saw this lone woman with her happy puppy. Here again I am experimenting with a looser, more impressionistic style. Except for a few details the painting was done with a palette knife.

Nautilaus 1

oil on RayMar panel, 8x8"

I have a number of these beautiful shells, so there will most likely be more paintings of them in the future.

Brushes; Brushes II

Brushes: oil on canvas panel, 9x12"
Brushes II: oil on RayMar panel, 6x8"

Brushes are always a favorite subject, and always available!

One Tomato, Two Tomato

oil on RayMar panel, 6x8"

Intermittently I experiment with a looser, faster way of working. I find it fun, but somehow always seem to return to more detailed, precise work. These tomatoes came from the workshop with Carol Marine (http://carolmarine.blogspot.com, or www.bluecloudstudios.com).

Graciela, unfinished

oil on canvas, 12x10
This is from last week's workshop with Tony Ryder at the Andreeva Academy (www.theportraitacademy.com) in Santa Fe. The process is slow, really concentrating on how the light creates the forms - none of us finished our paintings (you can see that the chest area and blouse are just "washed-in"), but we all had a great time!

Study for 'ruby slippers'

Tony Ryder (www.tonyryder.com) teaches the use of a "poster study" as a way of working out issues of value, hue, intensity & composition. Here is a first study for a painting of these wonderful red patent leather shoes. The study is just 2x3", I think the painting will be 5x7, but I may do more studies first, using a different background than the black mirror I used here.