My intention for this painting was to use complementary colors to make this piece sing! The chairs were painted wet-in-wet, dropping the pigments into the the damp areas of the paper. I love the way the pigments have mingled and flowed into each other. This is the main attribute of watercolors, and I love to […] more »
Great news! Today I received my acceptance into the Aquarius National 2012 Exhibition. Juror Fran Larsen chose two of my watercolors: Nectarines & Teapots and Fruit, Bottle and Goblets. These are recent paintings in my still life series featuring goblets and glassware. I’m pretty excited! The Aquarius National Watercolor Exhibition is presented by the Southern Colorado […] more »
This still life is crammed with interesting objects that I have collected. The main feature is the flared emerald-green vase and the crazy quilt, which I sewed with many of my fabric scraps. It is a one-of-a-kind quilt! Also in this setup are square mirror tiles, apples, and a round ruby vase. It was most difficult […] more »
I’ve been painting teapots for a number of years. These teapots are part of my collection that I set up outside on a glass table with mirrors and the fruit. I liked the reflections in the mirrors — they add great dimensional interest! It is a complex arrangement and the teapots seem to be in […] more »
Hello! Thank you all for coming to Ottumwa’s Walk On Art Street festival last weekend — the weather was perfect and art lovers were out in full force! I enjoyed talking with old friends and meeting new ones. [...] more »
Last Saturday I spent the afternoon demonstrating watercolor painting at Tassel Ridge Winery in Leighton, Iowa (near Pella and Oskaloosa). A similar experience as working "en plein air", but it was better to work inside in a beautiful area. [...] more »
I've been discovering new ways to incorporate special requests for commissions, particularly with pigs. The newest combines cut-out words, office report backgrounds, collegiate pennants, and university pennants for team spirit! [...] more »
A still life with Van Gogh’s print. more »
Since I haven’t painted on this particular piece yesterday or today, I’m viewing it with a mat and deciding how to finish it. This one has been a struggle. But I also have been framing two commissions and delivering them out of town, which sometimes breaks my concentration — it usually goes more smoothly. I […] more »
Update: This is the third week into this painting, Lady Liberty. Each section is a painting in itself. I get lost in the abstract shapes of the glass patterns, statue, and fabric, connecting the patterns and shapes with each other to paint the whole design as a cohesive unit. Periodically, I step back and place […] more »