Red Currants

The year of 2016 was a wonderful one for our family.  We celebrated the 80th birthday of my Dad, our nephew's graduation from medical school, the beautiful wedding of our niece, and the birth of a precious baby boy. A lot of other birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries were celebrated, too. Such a happy year! We feel so thankful.

Wishing you and yours a very blessed new year! Here's to 2017! Happy painting!

Melon Slice

Cantaloupe is on my Top Ten List of fun things to paint. They practically paint themselves. The perfect subject for a lazy weekend morning.

Happy painting!

Still Life with Handmade Bowl and Cherries

Private Collection

Recently, my very sweet and thoughtful niece, Holly, gifted me with this beautiful, handmade bowl. I love it, and I couldn't wait to paint it. So, when I saw that cherries were in season, they felt like a fun fit for it.

This week, I am planning and packing for Abbey Ryan's workshop in Sedona. It will run from May 18 through May 22, 2015. I am so looking forward to a week of painting, painterly fellowship and beautiful Sedona. I will try to take lots of photos for you.

Have a great Monday!

Bluebird

When I am having trouble deciding on "what" to paint, I tend to just place random objects on my set up. This was one of those days. I always take it as a sign. It's time to make a grocery run for still life supplies!

Have a great weekend!

Promise of Spring

This is the second painting in my "Promise of Spring" series. I'm drawn to the starkness of winter, and these paintings seem to reflect the quiet light of the season. In this painting, a branch of pussy willow brings the outdoors inside for a bit of sunlight and warmth.

I almost never re-work a painting. I prefer to just think of them as moments in my day, and I tend to embrace their many imperfections. I couldn't leave this one alone, though. I'm not sure that it can be considered any better, but the strong horizontal line of the cup isn't bugging me now.

Have a great evening!

Merry Christmas!

Best wishes to you and yours for a wonderful holiday! I hope your day is filled with much happiness!

Merry Christmas!!!

Still Life with Red Grapes

I did this study for a larger painting. I hope to be able to share it with you soon.

In other news, I've been having issues with my photos looking very washed out in Blogger. After much troubleshooting, I found that the problem was with my Google+ settings. If you are having the same issue, go to your profile settings page, scroll down to photos and uncheck the auto enhance feature and check the box for uploading your images at full size. This prevents it from altering or compressing your image, and the original photo quality is preserved. I only started noticing this a few weeks ago, so I thought others may be experiencing it, too.

I hope you're having a great weekend!

White Peaches in the Late Afternoon Light

More fun with painting peaches. My husband has been eyeing these for a cobbler, so I'm painting them as fast as I can!

I hope you have a great weekend!

Rain Delay

It's that time of year. I love listening to the Texas Rangers on the radio.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Fruit of the Vine

I'm preparing to paint my studio in a few weeks, so I'm experimenting with possible color choices. This color -- used as the background --  is Sand Dollar by Sherwin-Williams. I would like to simplify my still life set up and stop using fabrics for my backgrounds. So, painting the walls a neutral shade seems the best option. If you have any ideas, please let me know!

Antique Sterling Creamer with Strawberry

Our weather has been stormy today, and I think it gave this little painting a moody feel. Painting during thunderstorms may be my favorite.

I hope you're doing well and enjoying a wonderful week.

Rebirth

Private Collection

Mirror, Mirror

This little hothouse tomato appears to be gazing at its reflection in the bottle, doesn't it? Or perhaps it is just looking for the first sign of spring? Me, too!

I hope you're having a wonderful first week of March!

Hana Bowl

Available for Purchase

I purchased this little pottery bowl on our recent trip to Maui. We spent one day driving the scenic road to Hana, and I found it in one of the small villages along the way. The beautiful cobalt glaze reminds me of the white-capped waves of the northern shore.

I finished painting just before sunset this evening. The background may be a bit too dark, but I like the twilight feel of it. Dusk is my favorite time of day. So peaceful.

Crutchfield Pottery

Available for Purchase

Not long ago, I purchased a set of these handmade mugs from Crutchfield Pottery. At the time, I didn't intend to paint them. I just wanted a set of great mugs. They are so pretty, though. I couldn't resist! I contacted Mr. Crutchfield to ask permission to use his website link in my blog, and he very graciously agreed. If you are looking for the comfortable feel and the beauty of handmade pottery to use in your home, please check out his Etsy shop.

LOVE

Private Collection

I found these little, vintage blocks on Etsy, and I've been dying to paint them. Don't you love Etsy? I know. Me, too!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Stay warm!

Simplicity

Available for Purchase

I was inspired by the way the dappled sunlight fell across this single pomegranate. I painted this piece in December, but I wasn't sure about posting it. Sometimes, I have to look at things for a while to decide if they are finished. In the end (at least for today), I like the simplicity and quietness of the moment.

It has been a chilly day here, but winter sunsets make up for the cold. Ours was so pretty this evening. I hope your week is off to a great beginning!

Pomegranate Study

Private Collection

At the market yesterday, I found the prettiest pomegranates. You may be seeing more of them, because they are so fun to paint!

I hope you're having a great week!

Sun Ripened Tomato

Private Collection - New York

A very sweet neighbor shared his tomato crop with us, and they are so good!  I love to grow flowers, but I can't grow a decent tomato to save my life.  Thank goodness for generous friends!

I hope you're having a great week!

Flesh Tones and Onion Skins (Sold)

Recently, I read that if you want to get better at mixing and painting realistic flesh tones, you should practice by painting onions.  At the market, I'm always attracted to the pretty reds of apples, strawberries, cherries, etc.  And I've been giving onions the slight.  No more, however, I was completely charmed.  They are really fun to paint!

I hope you have a great Thursday!