Study of a Cup and Spoon

Four versions of a teal cup and silver spoon: 

Study of the Whole Sink

Now stepping back...

My family has asked if I'm moving my studio into the bathroom!


(These are three separate studies, not a progress sequence.)

Study of Yellow Flowers and a Jar

Continuing my studies in gray but I couldn't resist adding a little color this time...

#8 Pigeon Study with Cloud

10" x 8" Oil on linen mounted on panel


For Mother's Day my sons surprised me with their own pigeon art.   My youngest made a sculpture with newspaper, masking tape, wire and paint. He signed his name on the tag around his ankle. I love everything about it. Just look at those feet and the little bits of color on his neck.

My oldest, in the thick of a stomach bug, made an origami pigeon and a card inspired by the pigeon that got into my paints. I love the little scratch painting she's doing. We renamed her Picasso (we use to call her 58, her tag number). She still has some paint on her breast feathers.

#6 Pigeon Study

6 1/2 " x 3 3/4" Oil on linen mounted on panel

I read that they have clocked a racing pigeon at 92.5 mph!  We don't race our pigeons, we just raise and care for them as pets. I originally wanted to start a carrier pigeon club for kids where participating families would trade pigeons then send them off to fly home with a message. Imagine getting a message from a friend via pigeon! I think it would be amazing but it's a hard sell---it's work and commitment to care for pigeons. I haven't found another family up for the adventure yet. So for now, we're content to have them bobbing about our yard, with watching them take baths and with hearing their coo's throughout the day.

One Pomegranate with Company

6 x 6 inches, oil on panel
SOLD
I'm realizing that this time of year I'm not going to be able to paint/post everyday---just too much going on and not enough hours in the day.

Two Peaches

6 in. x 6 in., oil on panel
SOLD
I did not paint this today.  It was my son's 7th birthday and with all the going-ons I didn't get a chance to paint or draw, so I thought I'd share a painting that I had done this past spring. These were tiny peaches from our peach tree. The previous year we had harvested a huge crop of fat peaches but this year,  guessing with the drought, we only got six or seven very little, but tasty, ones.  This painting also took me a couple long days to do in which I still could not get it right, but I do like the parts of the plate, the shadows and sections of the peaches.  I'll try and take a better photo of it to replace this one in the next couple of days.

Rose Study with Alligator

6 in. x 6 in., oil on panel
SOLD
I don't really think of roses blooming in December but maybe because of our extended drought coupled with our recent rains (it rained all day today) and a so far mild winter we get flowers---not too bad AND they smell great.  I cut these from my mother-in-law's bushes.  Thank you Ingrid!

Inks and Brayer

6 x 6 oil on panel

Some of my old printmaking tools resting on a piece of white glass.

Ink Bottle

watercolor, graphite, charcoal on paper

5 x 7 oil on canvas panes

I had intended to make another vessel today but woke to rain and then an afternoon with strong, cold winds --- not good for outside work. So instead, I did a small sketch of an ink bottle.  Liking the shape so much I couldn't resist doing some painting. These are two 15 minute poses.

Flowers from Karibou

7 x 5 oil on canvas panel

This was fun to paint but REALLY hard to photograph.  Maybe the paint is too wet?  Once it dries I'll try and take a new picture that doesn't have that glare.  The background is a deep maroon that gradates almost to a black. I'm wondering too if painting on canvas with its texture is also responsible for the glare?  I need to figure something out because my photos look washed out. *note: I replaced the first picture that had lots of glare but this one still looks washed out. Those dark surfaces...

Purple Heart

5 x 7 oil on canvas panel

The Purple Heart  is in a sweet, little glass pitcher.  I'm really fond of small milk/cream pitchers and have been slowly amassing a collection of them.  I imagine they will make their way into this blog sooner or later.

Flowers from Ingrid

 7 x 5 oil on canvas panel

When I sat down to paint these flowers, my youngest son felt I needed an audience of Playmobil animals to watch me work.  A bull with a yellow blanket, a calf and a horse didn't make it in the painting.

Little Elephant

My first piece in my series of daily studies: a small oil painting.  The elephant is a little eraser that's always somewhere on my desk looking at me. He's all gray, smooth and round with tiny black eyes and a simple trunk. His head turns all the way around. I've drawn him many times, from all angles---I just love his shape.  The pen next to the sharpie is one of those that has the pungent smell and squeaks when you draw. I both really like and dislike that smell.
Originally, I had thought to post a painting a day but I don't always want to or can paint everyday but I do something always everyday, so I may post a painting, drawing, sketch, ceramic piece... depends on the  day.