Beach Shack at Cove

A shack on the beach at Cove on Vashon Island, with a view of the Colvos Passage in the background.    It was a bright sunny day with the sun at my back and distant white clouds in the sky--the damp sand reflected some of the cool colors of the sky.    I like the shadows on the pilings and under the cabin. 

Rose in Side Light

Another bouquet of the pale rootstock rose, this time with light from the side.  I like how the side lighting reveals the delicacy of the single layer of petals. 

Two Roses One Rosebud

Another painting of the pale pink rootstock rose from my yard.  I like the movement in this one- lots of diagonals from the stems and the leaves.

Bright Pink Rose

This is an eglantine rose, or sweetbrier rose; it has pretty single, 5-petal flowers, a bright pink color, wicked red thorns and the leaves have the scent of apples.  Which makes sense because apples are members of the rose family-so the genes that create those scents could be common to both plants. 

Rose in Profile View

One of our shrub roses was grafted to a sturdy rootstock that has sent up shoots and now competes with the grafted rose.  The rootstock rose has long arching canes that are covered in delicate single pale pink roses.  I should prune it, but I love to paint it.

Two Radishes on Brown and Gold

The last of the radish paintings until a new crop comes in.  This time against a warm brown background.  I think the leaves turned out well.

Three Radishes on Gray

The second painting with the same bunch of radishes.  The leaves are starting to lay down.  I like the color harmonies in this one, the grays are a little bit warm.

Three Radishes on Yellow Green

This was painted about ten days ago from the beginning of the radish crop.  Now the radishes are three or four times the size; they are huge.  I liked the red radishes against the yellow green plate.  You can tell the radishes are fresh, the leaves are actually standing up.

Vashon Ferry Terminal

I've been trying to paint ferries in a different setting.  This is the view from the dock of the Vashon-Fauntleroy ferry.  I've included the drawbridge and towers because I like the shadows and lights on the structure. The lighting is very frontal and flat and I think it goes with the squareness of the buildings and towers.  I like how the painting seems light and sunny. 

Dockton Road Looking North

Evening on the hill above Dockton looking towards Dockton corner and the old garage. The distant hill is the Burton Peninsula, and the light blue is the water of Quartermaster Harbor.  I like the late afternoon shadows across the road. 

Blueberry Fields

A view of the blueberry fields along the Mercer Slough in Bellevue Washington.  At the intersection of two freeways, but quiet and pretty and sunny in the low land .  One of our favorite summer activities - for dedicated pickers only!

Yellow Rose Bush

The Father Hugo rose bush was filling the yard with perfume and color.  I reduced the number of individual spots of yellow color and massed the flowers to give it a center and a focus.  This one went through lots of re-paints. 

Glass Jar and Pinks SOLD

Sweet William or Dianthus or Pinks - all members of the carnation family.  They have the a lovely delicate appearance but are hardy and survived for several days under my hot studio lights.

Pale Iris on Brown SOLD

I love the big shapes of bearded iris. Even though they are delicate, they have a great structure which makes them fun to paint.  And they hold a pose well!  I like the suggestion of the beard against the brown.

Siberian Iris in a Glass Jar

Iris from my yard.  They don't last long, each blossom is only open for a day. They are such an intense deep blue color when I see them outside, but when I paint them under my spotlight I see more of the purple tones. 

Red Peppers on Yellow Green

Both the colors of the peppers and of the tabletop are very saturated, but there is a larger area of tabletop, which helps to establish dominance.  I like the repeated pepper shapes, the repeated horizontals, and the conflict of the vertical knife.  It creates an interesting tension.