Rainy Summer Days

12 x 12 Oil on Gessobord

SOLD

It was pouring, but these boys didn't care since they were getting wet anyway.  They were playing with "Xtreme Splashers."  They would suck the water up into these tubes and spray each other and the adults sitting under the overhang.  I was one of these adults, and I tried really hard not to complain.  They were actually very good and did listen when 5 adults all yelled in unison "Don't spray up here!!"  It's really good no one else was out on their docks, because voices carry here at the lake, and the adult yelling would have annoyed everyone.  The kids were pretty quiet...It was the adults :-)

Marching to His Own Drum

12 x 12 Oil on Gessobord

I think the puppy on the left has a problem with following the crowd.  That is a good thing in my opinion, and if I were choosing one of these dogs, I would definitely choose "Mr. Butt."  He certainly would have a mind of his own and would be much more fun.  He would be the one leading the anti-everything marches and going his own way.  A challenge for his humans, but so worth it!  These puppies are from JayHawk Labs in New Hampshire.  My cousin and her husband raise and show beautiful award winning Labs. Check them out on the web.

Carrot Top

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

For all you people out there in blog world who REALLY know alpacas, this might not be what you consider an accurate portrait, but this particular alpaca looked at me exactly like this...with disdain, and a faint smile.  She reminded me of my mother's cousin..A smirky smile, really dark red lipstick, and red hair right out of the Florida retirement bottle that stuck up with lots of hairspray.  This alpaca is not as elegant as my favorite llama, Polka Spot, from the Beekman farm.  I realize that llamas and alpacas are totally different, but those faces are quite similar..at least to me.  If I could actually see Polka Spot in person, I would have chosen to paint her, but this alpaca will have to do.

The Thrill of Shopping

6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord

Men loved to shop, don't they?  Smart stores will put a few chairs out for men being dragged around clothing stores by their spouses.  This man was twiddling his thumbs and gaping at the ceiling, probably wondering if his partner was kidnapped...Possibly hoping for that outcome...

Cold, Wet, and Camera Shy

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord
SOLD

Here's Emily, not listening to my command "OK..Smile!"  I probably would not have painted it if she had smiled for the camera.  It wouldn't have been as interesting to me.  This was a chilly, rainy day, but the kids wanted to swim.  It really didn't matter to them, because they were getting wet anyway, but for the adults on the dock it kind of mattered :-)

I'm Too Sexy For My Plume...

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

SOLD

Oh Yeah!  I'm too sexy..too sexy.  Love that song, and it seemed appropriate.  I'm pretty sure he was showing off and trying to attract the duck in the water.  Fun, fast strokes on this one and a joy to paint.

The Little Mermaid

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

"Far out in the ocean...There dwells a Sea King and his subjects..."  I love Hans Christian Andersen's story about a young mermaid who fell in love with a prince.  Here's a little history of the statue that I have painted here and I must say, it's pretty interesting in an odd way.  The statue was commissioned in 1909 and sits in Copenhagen's harbor.  It was moved a little farther out than its original positioning due to vandalism and to prevent tourists from climbing it.  On April 24, 1964, the mermaid's head was sawn off and stolen by what my research described as "politically motivated artists." SAY  WHAT?!  A new head was produced.  In 1998,  it was decapitated again, but the head was returned and re-attached.  This poor mermaid has had her share of trouble, but she is beautiful and she will always be special to me.

Freewheeling

12 x 12 Oil on Gessobord

Messy..Yes;  Creative...Yes;  Easy...NO!  Drinking out of my pottery mug takes on a whole new meaning now.  I used to think pottery was easy.  Just playing with soft clay.  First of all, the clay is really hard and not very pliable until you kneed it, and second of all, the wheel is hard to get the hang of.  Either my pot bottom is too thick or my finger goes through the bottom.  When I finally get the clay up into a pot shape, it's so irregular that I have to keep trimming it.  By the time I'm done, it has become a very shallow dog dish...not what I was going for.  This is a painting of one of the members of my class who definitely has the hang of it all.

Pool Cool

16 x 20 Oil on Gessobord

It's so interesting to watch people play in a pool.  This boy was really too big to climb on someone's shoulders, but I think he was trying to impress the girl on the side.  I wonder if she was impressed?  I really wasn't caught up in the people in this painting.  I wanted to focus on the pool water.  The colors are so different from any other water source, so this painting is really about the water...and summer.

Paparazzi

SOLD

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

I'm pretty sure this man works for one of the local newspapers.  He was taking photos of a music and art event I had attended.  He had lots of equipment with him, and his camera which probably weighed a ton and certainly wouldn't fit in my little shoulder bag like my camera does...By the way, did you know that "Paparazzi" is plural for the singular "Paparazzo?"  I didn't either :-)

Oh, Pool Boy!

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

SOLD

These women reminded me so much of the people at the  pool I used to go to when I was in my teens.  They had cabanas for the wealthier families and lockers for the "regular" folks.  We had a locker and didn't spend much time hanging around there, but spent our days either in the pool or following the cute pool boys who brought drinks and chairs to the cabana people.  My friends and I loved following the boys around and felt ever so lucky when they had us lugging the chairs to the people.  Why we didn't see that we were working for nothing is beyond me :-)  Our main goal was to get the boys' attention.  Ah....Youth!

Katherine's View

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

My Daughter-In-Law was here visiting.  She and my son live in Singapore, but we got to spend a great week with Katherine.  She's a terrific photographer with her own blog, KK's Photo Friday.  Each Friday she posts photos she's usually taken the previous week.  Today, she posted from Munich, Germany, where they are vacationing.  Their next stop is Copenhagen.  This painting is Katherine zooming in on the farmhouse in the distance in Bedford, VA.  We took her to get some new lens filters for the camera while she was here.  The photos she posted today were wonderful, so I guess the filters really work well :-)

Bar Butts

8 x 8 Oil On Gessobord

SOLD

Another in my series (this makes two) of butts.  I know I've done more butts in the past, but at that time I wasn't a dedicated butt painter.  I guess I am now :-)  I find enjoyment and inspiration in lots of strange things, and then I can't wait to paint them.  I'm not sure I want to be remembered as the Butt Painter, though...

Herb's Moment of Zen

5 x 7 Oil on Linen Board
SOLD

Here's Herb, an avid fisherman, Blue Bird genius, and an all around nice guy, fishing in a quiet cove at Smith Mountain Lake on our friend Jim's boat.  If you go out during the week, you pretty much have the lake to yourself, and it doesn't get much better than that!  All you hear are the sounds of summer...the water lapping, the birds chirping, the fish jumping (never near your line), and an occasional Great White Shark circling....only kidding!  Here's my Ode to Herb.

Recent Commissions

8 x 8 Oil On Gessobord

SOLD

8 x 8 Oil On Gessobord

SOLD

These two commissions were such a pleasure to do!  I'm so glad that they liked them.  It is really a challenge to paint children, at least for me, but I find it to be very satisfying.

The Mellow Yellow Camp Group

8 x 8 Oil On Gessobord

I'm taking pottery classes at the Bower Center for the Arts in Bedford, Virginia, and when I took my husband in to see the "almost" pots I made, I came across these boys taking pottery lessons as part of their camp experience.  They were very quiet and serious, unlike the adult class I'm taking :-)  I didn't hear any complaining about the clay being too hard, or to messy, or too wet, or not wet enough....(in our class, that was just me..)  One boy did have a red face, but I think that was just sunburn and not rage.  Anyway, I was really impressed with the Center.  They have so much to offer the community, and it's a really great place to spend some quality time.

Don't Hate Me 'Cause I'm Pretty

SOLD

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

This is my cousin's new French Bulldog Puppy, Dory.  What a face!  It doesn't get much cuter than that.  Not exactly pretty, but for another Frenchie, I suppose she's spectacular and will be very popular with the boys :-)

Carp Diem

8 x 8 Oil On Gessobord

A study of an interesting woman...Very loose, but so great to paint!  I felt as though I was sculpting this woman with my brush.  There are things I might think about changing a little, but I'm leaving it as is and will probably do another one.  I'm learning that studies are really important. This has turned into one of my favorite paintings.  She was not just feeding the carp, but actually petting them...YUCH!  I'm pretty sure she was talking to them, as well :-)  It takes all kinds, right?!  She was enjoying the day, and that's what counts.  I just hope she went home with all her fingers....

Butts Galore

12 x 12 Oil on Gessobord

Love the postures of this group of vacationers looking at the fish here at the lake.  Even the dog had his rear to me :-)   Thankfully, they were intent enough that they didn't pay any attention to me taking their picture.  For me, this is what it's all about..Painting people doing what they do...Just hanging out.  Another "Day in the Life."

Objects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear

10 x 14 Oil on Arches Paper for Oil

Rear Views...I seem to have a thing about them.  I love to paint the rear of people, places, and things. What's with that?!  Am I always looking back?  I'm sure an analyst would have plenty to say :-)  I was watching the motorcycle behind us on our way back from Bedford, VA, and suddenly realized that this would make an interesting painting. The landscape between Moneta and Bedford is, in my opinion, the most beautiful around.  Farmland, rolling hillsides, and mountains...It simply doesn't get better than that.  Well, the beach is right up there, too...

Waiting for the Right Wave

6 x 8 Oil on Linen Board

There is a perfect wave out there.  It's just a matter of waiting until you see it, or knowing it when you see it.  It's sort of the same thing with people, too :-)  

Detail of Boys v. Girls

Detail of the 16 x 20 painting "Boys v. Girls."  Obviously, this is just the girls :-)

Boys v. Girls

16 x 20 Oil on Gessobord

Beach volleyball...  A great way to spend the day.  Crashing waves, the smell of salt water, clean sand, and friends.  What could be more perfect?!  I'm going to add a detailed post so you can really see a part of the painting.  Because of the size, everything looks very small here. The detail, however, does distort a little but at least you can get a better idea of what you are looking at..

Yellow Kayak

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

SOLD

You can't miss this kayak!  I love the bright yellow against the color of the water.  My friend, Judy, kayaks all the time and I keep saying I am going to take down my dull blue kayak and go with her, but never get to it.  She came by the house the other day, and I'm not sure if she saw me, but I took a bunch of pictures of her from the kitchen window.  I've got her coming in, going out, and just resting up as she is here.  I see a future theme of paintings...that is unless I get out there with her.  Then I won't have time to paint.   The last time I was out, a storm blew in as I got to the end of the cove.  I made good time there, but when we saw lightening, everyone else had energy left to get back.  I paddled for dear life, but the wind came up and was blowing against me.  I went nowhere fast.  Obviously, I made it back, but I was not a happy camper :-)

Queen of the Frisbee

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

Tallulah is almost 2 now, and what a fun dog she is!  Her favorite thing to do is play frisbee and she literally flies...  Ears fly, feet fly, tail straight up in the air.  If we have a treat, she will allow us to take it from her mouth.  Otherwise, she holds on to it for dear life.  She hasn't quite gotten the "drop it" command, although she obeys when it doesn't involve the treasured frisbee.  A little neurotic...Yes...especially when it comes to thunderstorms.  We got her a thundershirt which helps a little, and she looks quite lovely in it :-)  Still scared, but stylish.

Chime On!

12 x 12 Oil on Gessobord

SOLD

Isn't it great how some people just make everyone around them feel happy?  These two wonderful artists do!  What fun we had at the Sedalia Artisan Fair.  There were so many artists and vendors there and lots to see and do.  This display had really beautiful chime bowls made by Peter Buchanan, each one with a distinctive sound....So naturally we disrupted everyone around us by playing them and singing, quite loudly I might add.  I don't think the chimes bothered anyone, but the singing.......

A Single Slice

Oil on Gessobord

SOLD

This little painting was done for the "Itsy Bitsy" show in Bedford, VA.  Pizza is just a fun thing to paint, and one slice was perfect for the small size allowed.  We are going to have to branch out on what type of pizza we get from now on.  I think I've done as much as I can with the plain cheese variety.  I will have to branch out to more exotic types....like Hawaiian :-)

Narcissism on Swan Lake

8 x 8 Oil On Gessobord
SOLD

I can remember my parents warning about swans being mean when we used to feed the ducks.  We would save up our stale bread and feed the ducks everyday at a lake on Long Island.  I was always on the lookout for an attack swan coming at me and would have nightmares about it.  Then I fell in love with the movie "Hans Christian Andersen" with Danny Kaye.  He sang that great song about the ugly duckling turning into a beautiful swan, and now every time I see one that song plays in my head.  They are really quite beautiful and so graceful.

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

SOLD

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

This was a fast painting done while gallery sitting at our art co-op.  Whenever I am rushing to get somewhere there always seems to be roadwork, and I always seem to be on the long end of the waiting line of cars.  I'm pretty sure this man was pretending that I wasn't there.  The line of cars coming in the other direction went on forever.  It's quite possible that he was sleeping on his feet :-)

Calf and a Half

5 x 7 Oil on Gessobord

There are a lot of cows around this part of Virginia, so I thought I should at least attempt to paint a few every now and then.  This particular cow gave me a look that said "What are YOU looking at?"  Despite that, I did give her long, luxurious eye lashes and a rather pretty nose with a spot of red.  Her positioning behind the other calf might have something to do with the look.  Who knows what the other calf had eaten for lunch?!

Never Far From the Phone

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

AH....The smell of  salt air, the seagulls making their seagull sounds...Summer, but wait!  Some guy is yelling on the phone.  That doesn't bring back my childhood memories of the beach!  Remember the days when you would go to the beach with just your blanket, towel, sunscreen, and perhaps a radio if there was a game on?  The point was to relax, get away from it all,  listen to the surf, and get some sun.  Now, everyone has to be connected to everyone else at all times.  No quiet time, no time to ponder life's mysteries (I never did that, but it sounds good :-)  Do we all have to hear other people's conversations?

Stuck Up!

12 x 12 Oil on Gessobord

Why I pick things to paint is a mystery even to me.  Personally, I think this guy misconstrued Dylan's "Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door."  My other thought is that he was just trying to show off his new Jimmy Choo shoes.  Stilts are in, you know :-)  Whatever it was, the man walking behind him thought he would make a good subject, too, and he didn't care that he was getting wet....

Not Hogwarts

12 x 12 Oil on Gessobord

So...This is not the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, although one might think so.  Looking around the reception room at my daughter's graduation made me feel very wizardly though.  It was her PhD reception, so there were a lot of black robes and colorful hoods.  I expected to see Maggie Smith at any moment :-)  Unfortunately, she wasn't there, but it was all very exciting anyway.  I have no idea who these two people were but they were having an intense conversation, possibly about how they missed Bill Clinton as the speaker the day before.

Nourishment

5 x 7 Oil on Gessobord

This was done for two really special people and is a total departure for me.  There isn't much to say about this one.  The name says it all.  I was going to call it "Imagine" because I kept thinking about John Lennon's song while I was painting it.  The part about."..sharing all the world."   We all need nourishment, though, don't we?!

Family Day

8 x 10 Oil on Gessobord

I'm really into water now :-)  Painting it is not as easy as one would think.  It's a struggle, but when it comes out the way I'd like, I'm thrilled.  These last few paintings I've done have been such a joy.  I haven't gone into the process thinking about what it "should" look like when it's finished.  I've just been letting it happen, and the outcome has always been a surprise...and a happy one at that.  For me, movement is always the key.  I must say, though, that I did get new contact lenses recently ... Perhaps that's what makes the difference :-)

Beach Divas

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

I spent my entire childhood and teen years doing exactly this.  The more burned I got, the better.  My goal was to get a tan.  Never happened!  Blue eyes, blond hair...No tan...When I moved to NYC, I even got one of those tin foiled folding things and would go to Bryant Park at lunch time to get a few rays.  I didn't look too odd because there were a lot of other young women like me, in suits, heels, stocking, etc,.doing the same thing.  Men were smarter.  You would never see a man in a suit and tie sunbathing.  Anyway, the two women here were in conversation, spending a beautiful day at the beach.  Fun to paint!

Riding In!

12 x 12 Oil on Gessobord

I am really excited about this painting!  First of all I had such fun painting it, and secondly it came out better than I ever thought it would.  I experimented with mixing techniques and strokes, and hit on one that worked and I'm happy with.  I'd love to say that one of these people is actually me, however, you'd recognize me as the one with the Mickey Mouse tube and water wings on :-)  I'm always amazed at the balance surfers have.  I'm on a beach kick now, so I'll be posting lots more.  My wonderful daughter-in-law caught this shot for me.  She's the best, and a great photographer!

Good Way to Start the Morning

8 x 10 Oil on Linen Board

Well, Happy Mother's Day to all!  This is exactly how we started out our morning.  It's hard to find good New York bagels here at the Lake, but there is a great bagel shop if we travel into Roanoke.  If there wasn't one around, we just might have to move back up North.  When we moved from New York to New Jersey, the local bakery advertised bagels, but we discovered really fast that they were just soft rolls with a hole in the middle.  After living there for a while, real bagel places started opening up.  Then came our move to Smith Mountain Lake...Again, no bagels until we discovered Roanoke.  So now that we have almost everything here, we'd better not move again.  Check out my great new coffee mug.  It's made by my favorite potter, Dan Perkins.  I absolutely love it and use it everyday.  I make sure I switch hands when I lift it, though, because it's heavy and I don't want bulging muscles in just one arm... :-)

Beginning of Summer

12 x 24 Oil on Gessobord

SOLD

OK..Technically it's not summer yet, but I just got back from a week in Florida where it most certainly is summer.   Hot and humid, and rain every day, which made me feel like painting the beach.  My favorite season is not summer, and I avoid going to the shore during June, July and August.  Love the Fall and Winter, though.  That's the best time because all the children are back in school, and you pretty much have the beach to yourself; and in the Fall the water is still warm enough to swim.  Yikes, I sound old.  I think I remember my parents saying the exact same thing.  Uh Oh.....

Outsider Artist

12 x 12 Oil on Gessobord

SOLD

This is how most of us who become artists start out. You can't get a better canvas than a Brownstone stoop.  I have painted Rocky before, and I must say he is turning into one of my favorite subjects.  I'm pretty sure his father helped him with the face, but you can see him starting one of his own.  It's so cool that they live in this part of  Brooklyn because that's where my parents and his great grandparents lived.  Probably not too many blocks from this building.  Life's all a big circle, isn't it?!

Marathon Stretches

12 x 12 Oil on Gessobord

This started as a study of figures in different movements and poses but turned into one of my new favorite paintings.  My son runs in marathons, and this was before one of the races as the athletes were getting ready.  The figures are simple, with little detail, but what I was going for was for the viewer to feel as though he or she was catching them in mid stretch.  It's always a surprise which paintings will actually please me, and this one was no exception.

Subway Couture

6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord

Well...What can you say?!  New York City is a perfect place to people watch and who could resist painting this woman?  She was dressed for Alaska and had her iPad and her iPhone, so she was totally connected to the outside world.  The socks matched the hat, so she was totally stylish :-)  The woman next to her was studying and drinking her Starbucks coffee.  It was actually an open cup, but I put a lid on it due to the fact that I couldn't stand the idea of all those germs getting into her coffee....This one was fast and fun.  Quick strokes hopefully coming together.

Painting and Pottery

10 x 8 Oil on Linen Board

I painted the two tall pots before when they were displayed at The Electric Company Artist Co-Op.  Both paintings have since sold; however, now I am the proud owner of them, as well as a small bowl and a mug by the same potter.  They are prominently displayed beside one of my paintings and I get so much pleasure looking at them.  The Potter, Dan Perkins, has become one of my favorite artisans :-)  

A Woman of Substance

6 x 8  Oil on Linen Board

I met Susie at Goose Creek Studio last year and just love her.  She is so kind and generous, and is such a pleasure to be around.  I see her at every art event, always with a smile on her face, and always ready to talk about the artwork.  I've noticed that she doesn't just look quickly at a piece.  She will stand in front of it and really take it all in.  I've tried to capture her expression here and the joy she seems to have when she looks at art.  I'm hoping I did her justice.

Finally, Spring!

12 x 12 Oil on Gessobord

Well, Spring has arrived for a day or two.  We seemed to go from a snowstorm to 90 degrees in a matter of days.  Totally confusing for plants and humans alike.  A little color always makes me happy, so I did enjoy  painting these flowers before the weeds take over.  Summer in Virginia is not a favorite for me, so now, even before summer has officially arrived, I'm looking forward to Fall.  As everyone tells me, I'm never satisfied :-)

Putting it Out

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

If you look back to the photograph I posted called "Forced to Leave the Building,"  I mentioned that when we were evacuated from the Shenandoah Club I spent time taking photos of the firemen while waiting to be let back into the building.  Well...this just shows you that there is always something to paint...at least for me.  I'm not sure why, but I really get pleasure from experiences that are a little out of the ordinary.  Joy is the word!  I kept thinking about "Alice's Restaurant," Arlo Guthrie's song, watching this.  There were a lot of men there for a few burning towels, and they had lots of equipment.

Breakfast at CJ's

6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord
SOLD

Two of my most favorite things...cappuccino and crumb cake. As far as I'm concerned, there is no better way to start the day.  Our small coffee shop has new owners, and I'm not sure what brand of espresso they use, but I think it's even better than Starbucks.  I'm very picky about my coffee.  The baristas at Starbucks usually run for cover when I approach the counter.  Yes, I see them smirking.  My order is really involved and specific.  The person at the counter tries to keep up as he/she writes on the side of the cup, but invariably something is not quite right..."..cappuccino, Grande, dry but not too dry, mostly foam but a little milk, make that skimmed milk, double shot...unless you usually use two shots.  If so, then triple shot..."  Here at C.J.'s, they seem to know how to make a perfect cup.  Now, that's a science :-)  I really loved painting this.  Seriously, I could almost taste it as I was applying the paint.

Forced to Leave the Building

I don't usually post photographs, but this was too good to pass up.  Our ArtVisions group was asked to show our work at the Shenandoah Club, a private club in Roanoke, VA.  We all got there with our 10 paintings each and proceeded to start hanging, when we were told we had to evacuate the building.  Apparently, there was a fire and the staff had to call the fire department.  So, we did as we were told as the fire trucks pulled in.  Now if you notice, none of us thought about our paintings at all...except for our friend, Nancy.  I have decided she is the one we all should go to in an emergency.  I'm pretty sure she was saying to herself: "I'm NOT going to lose this painting after working on it for so long!"  The rest of us were all oblivious, like school kids during a fire drill.  We spent about 1/2 hour in the parking lot taking pictures of the firemen putting out the fire, (which turned out to be towels that were smoldering and burst into flames.) I snapped this picture while the firemen worked.  The only thing I can say about our group is that we all have that "artist" mentality, which makes us quirky and fun, and most of our time together is spent laughing....and every now and then painting.....

Young Man with Tattoo

8 x 6 Oil on Linen Board

My artist friend gave me this photo of her husband and said I could paint it if I would like to.  As soon as I saw his "Alfani" underwear, I was in :-)  This was a fast little painting, but a lot of fun to do once I got into it.