I’m continuing on with my painting-a-day series. This image interested me because of the torn, red-striped awnings and the shadow patterns. I took the photo thirteen years ago and always meant to paint it, but never got around to it. I worked on the hot press paper again, which is quite smooth. I usually begin […] more »
The third painting of my recycled mashed metal cans. What caught my eye was the red-striped Barbasol can — something used by my husband every day. It contrasted with the Hy-Vee Refried Beans. The ribbed can patterns are interrupted by the top circular sections and reflect surrounding images. The bright colored labels are offset by […] more »
I began this series by taking loads of photographs of the crushed metal cans at the landfill. It was an endless composition of mangled metal — about twelve feet high and six feet wide. Each of my watercolor designs is just a small piece of the whole. I found the ribbed patterns exciting with some […] more »
This design was inspired by a trip to the local recycling center, and I had been thinking about the possibilities of doing more abstract works. I noticed a huge stack of crushed tin and photographed pieces of it. The can ripples and ripped labels were interesting and I wondered about the abstract qualities that were […] more »
I’ve been intrigued with these antique gas pumps and have painted them numerous times. The shapes reminded me of figures chatting with each other. The top inside of the roof at this State Street station has linear direction which leads to the “figures”. It was tough for me to use a limited palette too, as […] more »
The fractured abstract patterns of glassware continue to capture my attention and I feel the need to paint these patterns. The designs have an endless quantity of colors and shapes. This one is a simple composition with the glass tumbler and apples and pear with the wood grain table. I usually set up an elaborate still […] more »
For this still life setup, I wanted to do something really different and unusual. I used a combination from my glassware collection: the bronze champagne glasses; the bubbly, purple goblets; the turquoise goblets; a cobalt blue wine glass; and the red bubble martini glasses. To achieve depth and height, I stacked them on scraps of glass. […] more »
This watercolor is part of my series of the Union Pacific engines. The abstract shapes and bold colors captured my attention! I used my camera to compose the designs and it’s not until I start the actual painting process that I notice more details. I edited this quite a bit and just focused on the […] more »
This piece is part of my open-ended Iowa Series, complete with all the Midwest elements and farm animals. This collage features a typical red barn, silo, and the strutting rooser in the farmyard, and a few strategic fence posts. Lots of colors too, so it will fit just about any decor. more »
I chose to paint this old, red barn in Plano, Iowa because of its weathered silo, cattle chute, and out-buildings. These are no longer standing. The photographs I took in the 1990s of barns in southern Iowa describe many old barns of this era. It is sad that many of them were not saved. It […] more »