Maine Abstract

9 x 12 Oil on Archival Board

This painting just seemed to happen.  I'm always amazed that some paintings work so easily, and some are such a struggle.  This was one of the easier ones for me.  I also think it has to do with time and place.  If your mind is somewhere else and not in the moment, things just become much more difficult.  I guess that goes for everything.

Flower Study

8 x 8 Oil on Archival Board

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I set this still life up to paint as a study for a larger painting and to work out all the kinks, but now that it's finished I really like the size, looseness, and spontaneity of it.  I'm enjoying working from life.  There is a totally different feel to my paintings, I think.  I'm also still  amazed at the colors I can get from those three primaries.  I now realize that I didn't need to purchase every paint color imaginable from the Blick catalog :-) 

Noon at Emerald Isle

12 x 24 Oil on Archival Board

Empty beach, sand, sun, beautiful beach houses, waves crashing, seagulls talking....Ahhhh!  Truly a moment of Zen.  Summer at its finest.  I really find that when I have a passion for a subject, the painting seems to flow.  I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but it's so true, for me at least.  When I was painting this, I really felt like I was placing actual sand on my painting surface rather than paint, and I could feel the softness of the clouds...It's definitely Zen.

Tree Trunk in Snow

SOLD

6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord

Shadows and snow...That's what this little painting is all about.  As I've said so many times before,  winter is a favorite with me.  I know many of you don't share that view.  Especially those of you who are up north right now.  I think the stark beauty of the sun on the snow and the deep dark shadows are really something to behold.  This painting is a new favorite of mine :-) 

Life Guard on Duty

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

A quiet day for this life guard, thankfully!  Summer...AHHH.  Can you smell the sun tan lotion?  This is a study for another painting I'm doing, so it's a little rough around the edges (literally).  I'll post the larger piece when I get it finished.  I'm working on a commission and two other paintings right now.  Usually I work on one painting at a time, but things have picked up, so I'm going from one to another.  Hectic, yes...But so enjoyable.

Out Of The Office

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

Continuing the beach series, this lucky man was out of the office, but still connected.  Perhaps he was in a meeting... 

Sun Goddess

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

I started this painting while sitting at an Artisan Open House.  My friend was with me, happily painting a rural scene with horses...I, naturally, was painting a young woman clad only in a bikini.  In the background was good old country music played by a man with the greatest country face ever.  (You can be sure he will appear on my blog one of these days).  I know people who stopped to watch were a little perplexed by my choice of subject.  From my place on the porch, my only option painting plein air would have been parked trucks....Though come to think of it, I probably would have had a large group of men around me.  As it was, I did get a few men looking at the bikini :-)  I had a very limited palette with me, so I played a little with the color.  Funky and Fun!

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....

Geranium View

10 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

SOLD

I really wanted to sit in the rocking chair next to that window filled with geraniums.  Unfortunately, no one offered me the chance, so I painted it pretending all the while that I WAS sitting there.  That's the great thing about painting.  The artist can place himself (or herself) in the scene without leaving the studio.  Imagination is a wonderful thing.  As Twyla Tharp said "Art is the only way to run away without leaving home."

Chilling Out

8 x 8 Oil on Gessobord

SOLD

Just relaxing!  The one thing about the beach is that you can actually sit on the porch, rock in your rocking chair, drink coffee, and just chill.  No real distractions.  It's unfortunate that these times only happen once in a while.  Only a little detail in this painting, but I hope you get the feeling.