I positively love sunflowers! A friend calls me the sunflower queen. Sunflowers are gorgeous large flowers and make wonderful bouquets. I do not know how many paintings I have done of them — lots! There are so many different varieties. This year we have planted at least four different types. In this composition, I decided to play […] more »
This rooster collage is the first one I have done on canvas and it has been on my mind for a long time. One of the reasons for working with the canvas is to have a piece of artwork that does not require picture framing; it can be hung immediately and enjoyed. The square format […] more »
I liked the idea of continuing my palette series. This one was a challenge, with the butcher’s tray and two palettes, brushes, glassware, water jar and paint tubes. I set this arrangement up outside on our front deck in direct sunlight — my favorite method for working outside! I walk around the display, taking numerous photographs at […] more »
Lately I have been working on some non-objective pieces specifically for upcoming competitions. Easier said than done! It is pure design without any reference photos, so I began playing with a limited number of cut paper shapes and re-arranging them until I was satisfied with the design. I find it very difficult at times critiquing […] more »
I always wanted to paint this barn, and I’m finally getting around to it. This is a historic, round barn in Wayne County, Iowa. There are not many round barns left and they are interesting characters! Working from a photo, I enhanced all the weathered boards and roof in my usual bold, saturated pigments of ultramarine, […] more »
I designed this after my sister mentioned how much she loved my barn artwork and that I should do one of the Mail Pouch Tobacco barns. We have many memories of our family summer vacations, seeing the barns with this advertising, and viewing the large tobacco leaves drying inside these barns — especially on our drives through West […] more »
Working from my old photos, I pieced together these barn board shapes in gray-textured, hand-painted papers against a vivid red sky. I liked the shed extensions on both sides of the barn and used turquoise for the roof — bringing in the complement color of the sky to make it “pop”. I could not resist […] more »
My artwork is currently in two new shows: the Iowa Watercolor Society and “Celebrate the Bicycle!” Two of my watercolors, License to Paint and Gordie’s and The American Legion are exhibited in the first annual IWS Miniature Watermedia show at the St. Mark Lutheran Church in West Des Moines. The intent of this show is to […] more »
I am very happy to exhibit my watercolor The Love Block in The Mitchell Gallery’s first national juried exhibition. It is an all-media show with a size limitation of 8” x 10”, including the frame. My painting features the southwest corner of the Albia square in Monroe County, Iowa. 308 artists submitted 837 works from 38 states. […] more »
Occasionally I find myself drawn to the small town local scenes. I have done numerous sketches of Centerville’s back alleys and even had one published in The Best of Sketching & Drawing by Rockport Book Publishers. This old shoe repair sign caught my eye years ago; in fact, I took the photograph in 1996. The […] more »