Green-Brown Smoke Ferry SOLD

A painting of the Vashon Ferry against a green-brown hillside. The ferry is pulling away from the shore late in the late afternoon and the smoke from its engines softens the hillside. Yellow sunlight lights up the side of the ferry and the smokestacks.  This painting is at a fund-raising auction for O Space on Vashon "The Golden Age of Mardi Gras Fundraiser & Auction" on Friday Feb 8

Ferry at the Dock SOLD

 The Vashon - Southworth - Fauntleroy at the north end ferry dock  The dark green hills and sunlight accent the ferry.  This painting is on my ETSY store

It's Vashon Art Studio Tour time- First two weekends in December

A small painting of a black calf with a red earring.  Jan Wall, Donna Botten and Gretchen Hancock will again be showing pastels, watercolors and oils at the Pink House in Burton.  Right on the highway, opposite the Burton Post Office - 23819 Vashon Hwy SW.  Please come & take a look. 

Autumn Bouquet Zinnias and Cosmos SOLD

Zinnias and Cosmos in a small glass jar against a gray background.  An exuberant explosions of color for the end of summer.  I used strong top lighting to define and organize the shapes of the flowers.  And I positioned the tabletop at eye level to simplify the table.  This one will be in the Vashon Island Art Studio Tour the first two weekends in December - showing at the Pink House in Burton 23819 Vashon Hwy SW.  Everyone invited. 

Lighthouse at Night SOLD

Almost night at the Point Robinson Lighthouse on Maury Island.  The 1915 Fresnel lens inside the lightroom was working until 2008 when it was replaced by a less romantic plastic beacon mounted on the walkway atop the tower.  I moved the light back into the lightroom and also moved the modern radar tower just a little bit to the right until it left the painting altogether.  I like the moodiness of the scene.  This painting will be in the Vashon Island Art Studio Tour the first two weekends of December at the Pink House in Burton 23819 Vashon Hwy SW.  Make plans to come and see. 

Silver Cup and Cherries SOLD

Painted when the cherries were in season.   You can either balance the cherries so they stand up or try to make the stems go where you want.  Can't do both.  A mostly high key painting in warm gray with just a small amount of darks and a pinch of white highlights. This one will be in the Vashon Island Art Studio Tour at the Pink House in Burton 23819 Vashon Highway SW during the first two weekend in December.  Stop by.   On my ETSY store

Three Cherries

Three dark sweet cherries on a glass tabletop against a gray background.  The bright overhead light casts strong shadows and reflected light bounces up against the undersides of the cherries.  I like the faint reflections in the glass and the overall high key of the painting.  On my ETSY store

Five Cherry Tomatoes SOLD

Its the end of October and still the cherry tomatoes in the greenhouse are growing and ripening.  These make a nice lineup for the bright lights of the still life setup.  This one will be in the Vashon Island Art Studio Tour at the pink house in Burton 23819 Vashon Hwy SW December 1st and 2nd, and December 8th and 9th.

Ferry with Sparkles SOLD

Here's an opportunity to buy one of my ferry paintings at an online auction and to support a good cause at the same time.  I just donated "Ferry with Sparkles" to the Vashon Maury Cooperative Preschool's 3rd Annual Online Holiday Auction, which will run from November 19th through December 2nd.  here's where to bid - auction is on NOW
This is a view of the Vashon-Southworth Ferry as seen from north end dock.  It is a hazy day, but a bit of sun shines through and adds sparkles to the water.   

One Plum, Italian Prune Plum Still Life SOLD

A small still life of a single Italian Prune Plum on a light tabletop against a darker background.  Painted this fall when the plums were so abundant that the branches were breaking under their weight.  I like the dull hazy blue of the plums and the rubbed areas that expose the red purple skin of the plum underneath. On my ETSY store

Three Pink Peonies SOLD

Another one from last spring.  You have to squint a lot to paint so many petals.  I usually put in too much detail and wind up rubbing it out in the last two minutes of the painting.  On my ETSY store.

Sun and Dockton Marina

A sunny day view of Dockton Marina, with the "old" roof on the harbor building.  The new rood is an ugly shed roof so I revert to the shape that pleases me better. 

Two Pink Peonies Glass Vase

Another painting of peonies, painted a few weeks ago when the peonies were available.  I like the softness of these lush blooms.  You have to do a lot of squinting to simplify the values so that each flower looks 3-dimensional.  And then you get to go back and smush things a bit to make it soft enough. On my ETSY store

Peonies and Silver Vase

Spring peonies are here for just a few weeks.  I managed to paint a couple of pictures of them before  the show was over.  I love the lushness, the color and most of all the fragrance.  This one is in my current show at the Vashon Center For the Arts as part of the Summer Arts Fest.  The show is up through July 23rd.  19600 Vashon Hwy SW.  Open every day during July & August.   

Blue Green Ferry SOLD

What is more Vashon than the Ferry?  We all use it, some of us every day.  It is a relaxing mini cruise or a source of aggravating frustration.  You have to be a special kind of person to live on an island.  This one will be in a showing at Vashon Center for the Arts during Summer Arts Fest.  My show will be from July 5 thru July 23.  VCA is open every day during July & August except Independence Day. 

Walnut Tree SOLD

A view of Vashon looking south on the highway towards the cluster of buildings at Sound Minglement and Vashon Coffee Roasterie.  It's late autumn and the walnut tree still has some golden leaves.  This one will be at the VCA during the Summer Arts Fest starting July 5th,  Please come - lots of art from local artists.

Joe's Chickens SOLD

I'll be sharing the Koch Gallery with four other artists during July.  Don't miss it. 

Sunset Through Madronas SOLD

The view from my yard.  Looking from Maury Island across Quartermaster Harbor to the south end of Vashon Island.  This 16" x 16" painting will be at the Hardware Store Restaurant in Vashon at the VIVA Membership show.  Opening tomorrow,  Friday June 1, 17601 Vashon Hwy SW.  Public invited. 

Black Cup Orange Slices SOLD

A still life of harmonious colors based on orange brown black and white.  This unframed painting is at the Vashon Art Studio Tour this weekend May 12 & 13.  It will be at the Dockton Pottery, Tour Stop # 8 opposite the old Dockton Post Office 25913 99th Ave SW,  10 am to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday. 

Cove Motel SOLD

The old Cove Motel - the Mosquito Fleet stopped here.  This painting will be at Vashon Island Visual Artists Spring Art Tour at Dockton Pottery (opposite the former Dockton Store) 25913 99th Ave SW.  This weedend May 5 & 6 and next weekend May 12 & 13th from 10 to 5.  Visit Dockton, see art!

Sailboats in Quartermaster Harbor

Art Tour starts Saturday.  Visit Dockton, see paintings at Dockton pottery!
A view from Burton towards Quartermaster Harbor: small boats moored in the harbor. The mooring buoys are permanent anchorages and are regulated according to placement and spacing. I might have moved the boats a bit closer together than they actually are for the sake of grouping the boats to make a nice painterly composition. And that's why the boats look like they might bump into each other. I've been known to move trees and buildings, hills and mountains; sailboats are relatively easy to move. 

Pt. Robinson Lighthouse SOLD

A sunny day view of the Point Robinson lighthouse looking up from the beach.  I will be showing this one at the Art Studio Tour at Stop # 8, Dockton Pottery - opposite the old Dockton store.  First two weekends in May.   May 5 & 6 and May 12 & 13, from 10am to 5 p.m.  Please stop by.

Spring Art Studio Tour

Two weeks until the art studio tour.  My name is NOT on the brochure, and I didn't get my name on the website, but I AM on the tour at Dockton pottery.  This painting of a blue smoke ferry will be at the show. 

Chickens Sheds Trees Yard SOLD

I 'm so glad thet neighbors have chickens; I get to paint them without having to raise them.  I like the looseness and sketchy quality of this painting.   I had a lot of elements in this painting so I unified the chickens by putting a "spotlight" on them- it's a clearly defined area of sunlight in the foreground.  The sunlit area also touches the edge of the canvas in the foreground, creating a visual pathway to enter the painting. This one will be at VIVA Vashon Island Visual Artists studio tour during the first two weekends in May.  At Stop # 9 in Dockton at Gale Lurie's Dockton Pottery. 

Red Pepper on Red

This red pepper is posed against a red background so the whole painting is a painting in red hues with variations in saturation and value.  All the reds are contrasted nicely by just a bit of green in the stem.  On my Etsy store

White Mums on Teal and Lavender

Chrysanthemums from the grocery store, available just before the spring flowers are out in my yard.  I set up the still life with a bright overhead light and threw the background into shadow for strong contrast.  I like the purple shadows on the tabletop and in the flowers.  I also like contrast between the tight and loose edges in the flower petals.  On my ETSY store.

First Daffodils

Not a subtle painting. The bright yellow of the flowers is repeated in the yellow ochre of the background giving a strong color dominance to the composition. The painting is mostly high key (light values) with just a touch of dark in the green stems. I like the cheery color and simplicity of composition- spring is here!  On my ETSY store

White Crocus in a Square Glass Jar

The Crocuses are short lasting flowers and if you put them under a spotlight to paint you have to paint quick.  They go from closed to open to over in a few hours.  I like the square glass jar, probably an inkpot - my new favorite vase.  On my ETSY store

Daffodils and Crocus, Spring Bouquets

The first daffodils of the season.  I usually leave them outside because I hate to pick them and denude the flower bed.   These lovelies lasted for a couple of days and at least two paintings.  On my ETSY store.

Single Mum and Round Vase SOLD

This is a simple painting of a single flower in a small round vase, but the close values and color harmonies make it interesting.  Most of the painting is a light middle value with a very small splash of pure white highlights and an even smaller splash of dark darks.  Both the flower and the vase dissolve into the background in places.  I like the saturated gold and the cool pink - they make a nice contrast for the white flower.  On my ETSY store

Two Artichokes SOLD

I haven't cooked the small artichokes, so I don't know if they are immature or just small.  I like the dull colors and matte finish of the artichokes; no shine and no sparkly highlights. The blue green color of the background is harmonious with the yellow green color of the artichokes.  The subdued textures and harmonious colors are enlivened with touches of purple and orange.  On my ETSY store. 

White Camellias in a Glass Jar SOLD

Camellia Sasanqua blooms in November and December next to my front door.  It is a fragrant camellia with a delicate white flower,and a fabulous perfume.   I love the contrast of the stiff leathery leaves and the baby-skin soft petals.  I also like the dramatic contrast between a lot of high key whites and grays and the dark stems and leaves. On my ETSY store.

Blue Bowl with Lemons SOLD

A thrift store bowl with two lemons.  I think this is a French cafe au lait bowl.  I like the shape and size and it is a great color.  I like the messed up edges around the lemon as though the lemon were dissolving into the background.  Or maybe that's lemon oil evaporating into the atmosphere under the bright lights of the still life setup.  I also like the colors on the edge of the shadow.