Concentric Weave / Red & Blue
December 30, 2016
My goal at the start was to create a unique design using a limited palette. I wanted the final design to be out of the ordinary and be eye-catching. It is also important to me to vary the shapes and sizes of these. This is the part of the process I love. I have no […] more »
Saffron Sky, Downtown Des Moines
December 27, 2016
This is a design from my archives that I decided to rework and improve with various color changes and textures. The inspiration for this vertical design was the architecture of the buildings in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. I love the different shapes of the buildings. It began with a picture-taking adventure throughout the city, from various […] more »
An Egyptian Passage in Purple
December 22, 2016
This is a full sheet collage that is part of my series of non-objective subject matter. It began with choosing some favorite colors: purple, orange, indigo and teal. I began making the shapes using random cuts with the X-Acto knife and folding various parts of my hand-painted papers. This is quite challenging to begin this […] more »
Deep River Verde
December 19, 2016
This is a non-objective vertical design, which began without the help of a drawing. I find it challenging to work this way allowing my creative energies to flow without a definite end product in mind. I first chose some colors from my cache of hand-painted collage papers, limiting the hues. This is difficult for me […] more »
Court Avenue Farmers Market, Des Moines
December 15, 2016
This artwork is part of my Downtown Des Moines series, one of my most popular themes. I worked from a photograph taken a few years ago. A sketch fleshes out the main shapes and I edit throughout the drawing because there are a lot of unnecessary details that will not contribute to the final composition. […] more »
Singing Strings Guantanamera
December 7, 2016
This design was started back in October and I put it aside for a while to think about the composition and colors. Sometimes the creativity flows easily, and other times I feel unsure what direction to take. The colors were good to start with; I liked the teal, turquoise and reds and ochre. Then I […] more »
Caramel Buttercream Birthday Cake with Cupcake
November 25, 2016
This month it’s a birthday cake theme in acrylic collage. I wanted it to be very special with three layers, lots of icing and decorations. I did a lot of sketches to begin formulating a design before choosing which one would work best for me. This is a vertical format, instead of my original idea […] more »
Industrial Series / Ready Mix Cement
November 21, 2016
This painting began with numerous sketches and photographs. The angular, rusty shapes attracted my attention and I found myself searching out these old industrial areas. Centerville has a lot of interesting places to paint. I completed a full-size sketch of this to begin with, seeking out big, abstract shapes and value patterns. I find this […] more »
Midnite Kingdom of Lunar Eclipses
November 14, 2016
The impetus for this design was an upcoming juried competition and the fact I wanted to do an abstract composition. Having a definite deadline always propels me into action. Starting with some geometric shapes, I began arranging the shapes on the support and thought about a definite value pattern. My main idea was a circular […] more »
Red-Haired Ostrich / Walking on Eggs
November 10, 2016
Birds are a favorite subject matter of mine. I decided to do this unusual zoo bird, dancing on some eggs. The challenge was to do something different with the design. I placed it in a warm climate with its huge body, long neck and funny red hair and chunky, brown legs. I used one of […] more »