Going It Alone

6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord

One lonely flower from my daughter's birthday bouquet.  I think the weather has gotten to me.  I usually don't paint flowers, as I have said before, but lately that is what I want to do.  I'm enjoying the process and waiting for Spring, as I think we all are on the East Coast.  We just came back from a trip to Florida where I complained about the heat.  When we got to North Carolina on the trip back the rain became snow, but I was careful not to complain about it because I didn't want to be thrown out of the car :-)  This is a very long winter....

Pontification

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

Another name for this would be "Serve the Coffee Already!"  At a dinner recently, our chef asked who would like decaf and then proceeded to tell us his entire life story.  At first we all were sitting up with bright smiles on our faces, and then one by one we gradually started to slump and try not to make eye contact with him.  He kept right on talking while our decaf got cold, oblivious to our body language.  One by one, our dinner companions started to slip away making it hard for the rest of us to leave without seeming totally rude.  Here's my take on it :-)

 

Spring!

6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord

SOLD

Playing with color!  This was just plain fun :-)  It started out as pansies but, technically, I'm not sure it wound up that way.  Just pretty complimentary colors.  The actual painting is more vibrant than what is displayed here, and it does really pop.  Flowers are always a departure for me; however, I'm beginning to love painting them.  I should call this "Yellow Sort Of Pansies."

Freda, Fulang Chang, and Me

 

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

A photo op at the MOMA.  A woman getting a close picture of "Fulang Chang and I" by Freda Kahlo.  What attracted me to this was that the woman looked a lot like Freda from the back.  Plus, this is one of my favorite paintings at one of my favorite places in the world.  This is a study to work out issues for a larger piece I plan on doing, and I see a lot that I need to work on :-)

What a Drip!

5 x 7 Oil on Gessobord

A departure from the Bhutan paintings...At least for a while.  Again, though, this is Katherine's artistic idea.  I've painted rain drops on a window, water on the shower door, and now just one big drip.  This was a good exercise in mixing blues and attempting to get that transparency and depth.  A little hard to see here, but I think it went well. 

A Man and His Guide

8 x 10" Oil on Gessobord

This is my son and the Bhutanese guide that was with them during their trip.  This was painted from a photo taken by my Daughter-in-Law.  I so enjoy her pictures and look forward to her Friday photo blog (KK's Photo Friday) as well as all the other pictures she sends.  As I've said before, she has an artist's eye, and I can always immediately visualize a painting based on her photos. All sorts of colors pop into my mind.  It's so great to have a folder of possible paintings waiting by my easel.  I have to admit, this is one of my favorite paintings right now. 

Huffing and Puffing

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

This man must have wisely listened to Michelle Obama's message about getting up and moving.  He was running the marathon and getting into shape.  He should be an inspiration to all the couch potatoes out there....

One Lane Bridge

8 x 10 Oil on Gessobord

Again, the Himalayas.  This is the bridge the marathon runners had to cross, and the monks that were crossing had to make way.  There would be no way I would lean out like that, but I guess they are used to it.  This was in Punakha.  The flags are not for decoration, but are prayer flags to keep away bad spirits and are all over the countryside.  I'm thinking this painting is a study for a larger one, if and when I get to it.  It's pretty loose in spots.  I'm also thinking I might hang some flags around here...Good Karma for my artistic endeavors.

Bhutanese Boy

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

What fun I had painting this!!  My son and daughter-in-law just returned from Bhutan in the Himalayas.  They were running in a marathon there as well as sightseeing.  If I could go anywhere and didn't mind heights, that is where I'd like to go.  I have to give credit for the image that inspired this painting to a wonderful photographer, Jay Farbman.  He took lots of photos of the marathon and the people in the countryside and was kind enough to allow me to paint some of them.  There are so many great shots that I'll be happily painting for quite a while.  Of course, my daughter-in-law, Katherine (KK's Photo Friday), took great pictures as well, so lots more to come :-)