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. 

Tahlequah Night Ferry

The ferry at night on the run to Point Defiance as seen from Jeff and Marla's house on the south end of Vashon.  I like the colors vibrating in the water.  This one will be at Vashon Island Art Studio Tour this weekend.  Stop #12 at Dockton Pottery 25913 99th Ave SW. 

Lavender Ferry SOLD

A summer evening when the light is low and warm.  Solid hills become insubstantial and the ferry takes on a different color.  A view looking west toward Southworth.  This painting will be at  Dockton Pottery, stop #12 on the Vashon Island Artist Studio Tour the first two weekends in December.  See you there 25913 99th Ave SW, Vashon, WA.

Black Teapot and Three Oranges

It's the Vashon Art Studio Tour this weekend.  This painting will be at stop #12 on the tour at Dockton Pottery 25913 99th Ave SW, Vashon, WA. First Two weekends in December 10am to 4pm. 

Paintings of peonies at Vashon Art Studio Tour

Pewter Pitcher and Persimmons

The pitcher is probably pewter or possibly tarnished silver plate.  I like the dark dull gleam of the surface with just a little bit of shine on the worn areas.  This one is in Bainbridge Arts and Crafts, Winslow Washington in December.

Cherry Tomato Lineup

Saturated orange makes a nice contrast to the dark green.   The greens and oranges are nearly complementary and make a dramatic but simple color scheme.  I frame the 6 x 6 painting by mounting the painting on an 8 x 8 gray backer board and then frame that in a narrow wooden frame.  I like being able to paint to the edge of the panel and this floater frame allows the whole painting to be visible.   This one will be at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts in December.

Southworth Ferry from Vashon Heights, Sunset

It's Art Studio Tour time again.  I'll be showing lots of paintings at Dockton Pottery the first two weekends in December.  Hope you can come.

Barred Chicken

I like the pose of this Plymouth Rock chicken.  The pattern on the plumage comes from bars of pigment (black) and bars of no pigment (white)  I wanted to suggest the pattern without painting too tightly.  This painting is about the exciting and dramatic color contrasts between the red comb and the green grass, and the exciting and dramatic value changes between the white and gray and black feathers. 

Two Cherries and White Cup SOLD

This is a high key painting - most of the values are light with just a small amount of dark value in a few shadows and in the dark shiny color of the cherries.  The high key makes the painting feel like a dazzling sunny scene, though in this case it's a dazzling bright spotlight to the right of my still life setup.  I like the looseness of the highlight on the lip of the cup- it feels as if the atmosphere around the highlight is vibrating with the light.  This one is going to Bainbridge Arts and Crafts in December.  

Three Zinnias SOLD

A bouquet of the last flowers of summer in a glass jar.  I lit them from the top and painted them in high key colors with just a little bit of strong darks to make the lights all the more interesting. I like the sense of volume and space around the flowers.  This one is going to Bainbridge Arts and Crafts in December.  

Three Rowboats SOLD

A group of three rowboats, tied together.  I probably left out the line that was securing the last boat to the dock.  Painted from photographs. 

Sailboat, Two Sails

A brisk breeze and two sails to catch it.  Sailing around Vashon in the sunshine.  Painted from photographs.  On my ETSY store

Six Rowboats SOLD

I had fun playing with the colors in this piece.  Small rowboats are tied to the dock to enable folks to get back and forth to their boats moored offshore.  Painted from photographs.

Silver Pot and Three Sweet Cherries SOLD

Sweet cherries from Canada are still in the stores-so I get to eat some and paint some.  These three are admiring their reflections in the shiny metal pot.  I like the lighting in this painting.  Sometimes I spend almost as much time setting up the still life as painting it. The composition has to be interesting before I put paint on the canvas.  If I want the painting to look good, the set-up has to look good.

Three Sweet Cherries and Silver Creamer SOLD

I have another bag of tasty cherries in the fridge- I keep saving them, but usually forget to paint.  Such remorse when I finally throw them out, un-painted and un-eaten.    I like the silver creamer.  Shiny metal things demand close attention.  I aim to simplify but keep enough information that it still looks shiny.  

Peonies and Pewter Pot SOLD

The last of the peony paintings for this year.   They are lush and fragrant and surprisingly durable;  hence the many paintings. I like the softness of the sheen on the pot and the warm shadows on the peonies.  On my ETSY store.

White Pitcher and Red Cherries

It's cherry season and I'm having cherry fever.  I like this painting because of the pale blue plate.  It's a very delicate color to use against these dominant dark red cherries.  On my ETSY store

Painting at Edmonds Art Festival Show SOLD

Hurrah!  Red and Gray Winter Sunset Madronas won a first prize in painting at the Edmonds Art Festival Show.  This is a local art competition in conjunction with the yearly art fair.  It's an honor to have my painting chosen so I'll brag a bit. 

Two Peonies on the Table

Another painting of peonies while the flowers last.  I like how very lush and full the petals are - layers and layers of pink petals all with the sweetest fragrance.  Painted from a still life I set up in my studio.