"The Watering Can" (better photos)

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I like these photos much better. They accurately portray how dark the darks are. This is a beautiful little 7x9 inch oil study of my favorite watering can full of flowers.

These two photos show the brushwork on the can - I really had a great time with this one.

Sunflower

Just playing around with a photo I took when I was home.

"Poppy"

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Are you surprised?

Dear friends - for some reason, I can't quite say why, it was very hard for me to step back up to my easel. So many of you have been so wonderful to drop me little messages of encouragement. Several nights ago I called my sister LaVonne and the last thing she said to me was "Get into that studio and straighten it up so you can start painting again."

Normally I never do what I'm told. As a matter of fact I usually do the exact opposite just to be difficult. But for some reason I did exactly as I was told. I went to my studio which had turned into some kinds of disastrous "catch all" over several months. (I swear I think I saw a FEMA business card stuck in the door.)

Then last night I took myself into the studio with the intent to prime a canvas and stopped to consider my limited selection of acrylic paints. I don't care too much for acrylics, they dry too fast and my talent tends to be the slow and reworked kind. But I was in the mood for something...I didn't know what...and I wanted to feel that illusive feeling of "completion" (you all know what I mean - its that feeling you get when you're ready to wash out your brushes) So I did a very small and very quick poppy. a red poppy.

I was out of practice and felt clumsy and stiff - but it did feel good.

So here it is, thanks to all of you who have written, questioned, suggested, implied and down right ordered me to get back to work. I love you all!

The Patio

This is a painting I did while attending the Scottsdale School of Art in Scottsdale, Arizona (well that was redundant wasn't it?)

This was a week long workshop with Ray Vinella. I loved studying with him and had the good fortune to do it twice. Google his name sometime, he's my favorite artist.

Marigolds and Blue Kettle

12x16 Oil on Canvas -

This blue enamel kettle was an unexpected gift that rocked my world. Its funny when you get something you would have never thought of purchasing yourself and you end up loving it. I actually wore this kettle out. Lots and lots of tea…

Currently auctioned on eBay.

Hollyhocks

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Bright bold hollyhocks leaning against a plastered adobe wall are a common site around New Mexico in summer.

Bougainvillea

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This was a study done in Scottsdale while I was attending the Scottsdale School of Art.

What makes this funny in a very sad and expensive way is that I had gone there to attend a workshop given by an artist I had just discovered by the name of Ray Vinella.

Little did I know until I got there that Mr. Vinella lived in Taos and regularly taught workshops in Santa Fe, just 60 miles from where I lived at the time.

Never mind, I loved Scottsdale and loved the class.