Monday, December 16, 2013

Beatrix Potter Cross Stitch


Grace's Cross Stitch
16"x23" approx

Do NOT adjust your screens!  This is NOT an oil painting!  This is a very detailed Beatrix Potter counted cross stitch that I recently completed for my youngest grandchild - 4 year old Grace.

As I have done for each of my other three grandchildren, I have lovingly created a cross-stitch sampler for them to always treasure.  Before this, I usually completed the sampler within a few months of their birth and the sampler hung in their bedroom near their crib.  The only difference this time is that Grace is old enough that she can now READ what I have made!

These samplers hopefully will be treasured by them and will hang in their homes as they grow up, marry and eventually become parents.  Each of my grandchildren know that I love them very much and it is my hope that they will treasure this gift to them and treat it as an heirloom.  

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Providence Gallery Holiday Show


River Stream
24"x30" Oil on Canvas
$995.00

This coming Saturday evening, December 7, 2013, will be the annual Providence Gallery Holiday Show.  Each of the artists in the Gallery will have two pieces hanging for the opening night and the art will be displayed  through the month of January 2014.  Early December is a very busy time for galleries and for those of us who enjoy seeing all the beautiful pieces displayed as we hop from gallery to gallery.  


Winters Gold
24"x30" Oil on Gallery Wrap
$995.00

This is another of my pieces that will hanging in this show.  With all the cold weather we have been having, this is a very appropriate  and inviting scene with all the snow drifts clustered around the buildings and up into the woods behind the barns.  

I would love to see you if you are in the area on Saturday night.  Providence Gallery is located at 601-A Providence Road in Charlotte NC 28207.  Hope to see you there!

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

SASI Art for Christmas Show


Some of my paintings displayed at SASI

     This is a collage I created  of several of my paintings that are a part of the 2013 Art for Christmas Gift Show at Southern Arts Society in Kings Mountain NC.  The Open House was this past Sunday, November 24, 2013, and the sale will be open daily (except Mondays) until December 28, 2013.

     When I was there last week, the busy volunteers at SASI were at their creative best in turning The Depot into a winter wonderland and decorating the tables and walls with all the fabulous pottery, handmade items and beautiful artwork created by over 75 regional artists.

     The Kings Mountain Art Center (The Depot) is located at 302 N.Piedmont Avenue, Kings Mountain NC 28086.  The phone number is 704-739-5585 and their beautiful website is www.southernartssociety.org  Get started on your Christmas shopping and mark some items off your list!!  Admission is free!

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

PAP-SE Workshop in Charleston SC - Part 2

 photo of the Shem Creek marsh I completed on Thursday afternoon

     For Day 3 we returned to Shem Creek to watch the very entertaining Larry Moore create one of his famous boat scenes from the dock.  He is a master of drawing lines that follow the rules of perspective to create believable weather-beaten fishing boats.

Larry Moore explaining hard/soft edges and the warm/cool vibrations of color temps.

     Each of these three masters imparted so many wonderful techniques to use.  It is now our duty to study and paint, paint and paint some more!

     It was exciting to meet so many PAP-SE members at the Wet Paint Show on Friday night which showcased all their efforts that they created all week long.  Their beautiful paintings were in three different galleries along Broad Street.  Again it was so exciting to see their beautiful creations in person.    

      This workshop was a great excuse to reunite with four friends.  We had taken a workshop in Atlanta back in 2012 and this was a good way to reconnect with them and spend some good ART time with them. We ate our way through Charleston and sampled the delights at Magnolias, Slightly North of Broad, Vickery's, Water's Edge and Eli's Table.  We even made a late-night run to River Street Sweets near the market for some pralines!

     It was an incredible week and I am so blessed to have had this experience.  It was exhausting but SO MUCH FUN.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

PAP-SE Workshop in Charleston SC - Part 1

     This past Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I was one of 15 lucky students able to participate in a three-day PAP-SE workshop in Charleston sponsored by PAP-SE and Galerie on Broad.  Each day we had a different instructor painting in a different location.  Jim Richards, Bill Davidson and Larry Moore were the fabulous instructors this year.  They each did a demo in the morning, followed by lunch and then we fanned out and it was our turn to try to create something based on what they taught that morning.

     Day one started with a demo across the street from the gallery.  Jim Richards painted his light-filled street scene emphasizing sunlight and shadow in a value sketch of three values.  He then added color slowly to create an inviting Broad Street scene.

Jim Richards using a piece of cardboard to blur, soften and lose the edges.

     Day two took us out to Shem Creek Park where Bill Davidson showed us how to construct a marsh scene where composition and design are paramount and showed how shape and value are critical to a good painting.

Bill Davidson showing how to create depth in his marsh scene.

Tomorrow I will finish my recap with Part 2.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Jane's Hydrangeas


Jane's Hydrangeas
11"x14"
Oil on Panel

          Before my summer hydrangeas lost all their color, I wanted to capture them one more time in paint.

          This painting will be given to two very dear friends of more than 40 years when we fly to visit them later this week in Birmingham, Alabama.  Long-term and true friends are rare and golden and we are very fortunate to have Jane and Gene in our lives.  We have shared so many wonderful adventures and memories with them over the years and have travelled to so many wonderful locales with them.  Can't wait to see them and create new memories with them.  We are truly blessed!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Haywood County Barn



Haywood County Barn
11"x14" Oil on Canvas

     This is a perfect example of what five years growth in art will do!

     We recently had the interior of our home painted and I have been slowly putting things back where they were and in many cases doing a bit of rearranging to change things up a bit.

     This old barn is in western North Carolina and is across the highway from a cemetery where generations of my family (including both of my parents) are buried.  It is a place I have visited hundreds of times since I was a very little girl.  I did not want to rehang this older painting which I painted several years ago so I decided to paint a new one today and the older, original version is below.  Notice that I went outside the lines a bit on this newer one.  My teacher would be proud!

Sunday, July 7, 2013

The Blue Door

The Blue Door
9"x12" Oil On Panel
$325.00

     This is a plein-air piece done in downtown Matthews along the side of Matthews Elementary School.  The more I painted, the more it began to resemble an adobe hut in Santa Fe!  The school really had a bright blue side door but the colors for the brick that I chose made it look more and more adobe-like.  Go figure! It is whatever you want it to be!

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Summertime Arrangement

Summertime Arrangement
24"x24" Oil on Canvas
$695.00 framed

     This past Wednesday I attended a one-day still-life workshop.  We spent the morning doing quick value studies from a multitude of set ups ranging from a pair of scissors hung on a wall to red plastic chillies.  For the afternoon session I decided to paint some luscious pink hydrangeas brought in by one of the other workshop attendees.  

     Granted these flowers may not resemble pink hydrangeas but I was pleased that I was successful in using a variety of brushstrokes and palette knife swipes to render the suggestion of flowers.

Monday, June 17, 2013

The Bag


The Bag
6"x8" Oil on Raymar Panel
$125.00 framed

     In my attempt to teach my eyes to "see", I have been trying to focus a little more on still life setups. 

     This is a bag from Tiffany's from my trip to New York City last November with my daughter Kim.  She bought a ring for herself and I kept the bag as a prop! 

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Happy


Happy
10"x8" Oil on Panel
$295.00 framed

     I'm back!!!!  I have been off the radar for about a month with this blog.  I think I just allowed myself to get out of the routine of blogging.  I've been in a artistic slump like all artists go through occasionally but I think I am about to the end.  Thank goodness!!  

     During the month of May I have been participating in Leslie Saeta's 30 days of marketing and I have learned SO MUCH.  The amount of information and  knowledge that is out there is totally amazing and it is slowly filtering into my brain.  Thank you Leslie for sharing with all of us artists out here...we have all learned so much this past month.

     This "Happy" painting is my rendition of a handful of posies just waiting to be given to someone.  The energetic brushstrokes just made me "happy" when I look at it so I decided to call it just that! This painting is one of two entries that I have entered into the Guild of Charlotte Artists judged show at Christ Episcopal Church here in Charlotte at 1412 Providence Road.  There are over 80 pieces of artwork hanging so stop by and walk the halls to view some beautiful and colorful paintings.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Collage


Collage

      The month of May is stretching me to expand my technology horizons!!!!!  Leslie Saeta has invited artists to participate in her 30 Days of Marketing Challenge.  Today's challenge is to create a collage of some of our paintings and this is what I created in about 10 minutes!  One of Leslie's favorite phrases is: "It's easy!"  Sometimes she is right and sometimes she is wrong, but this really was easy.  Leslie, I need to trust you more often!  Thank you for making me stretch and accomplish things that I have never done before.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Twilight


Twilight
24"x12" Oil on Linen
Gallery Wrap
$425.00

     I am participating in Leslie Saeta's 30-day marketing challenge.  Our mission today (day 2) is to select a painting that we really like that still has not found a new home.  

     "Twilight" is my interpretation of a grouping of trees in Yellowstone National Park.  The color on my monitor does not show the true colors of this painting but take my word for it, it is unusual and colorful!  Granted, this clump of trees did not have turquoise or lavender foliage but this painting certainly does!

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Around the Bend


Around The Bend
16"x16" Oil on Canvas
$500.00 framed

     This is a high-key painting from a photo we took several years ago on a trip to Yellowstone National Park.  We were driving through the Hayden Valley area and came across several cars pulled off to the side of the road - a sure sign something like a black bear has been sighted.  It wasn't a bear but a fox den and when we got our binoculars out we could see mama fox and a couple babies sunning themselves in the bright June sunshine.  

     I took a lot of artistic license with this photo and really changed it up to suit my purpose.  I have painted this photo before and that painting was much more literal.  I much prefer this version with its bright colors.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Pink Riot


Pink Riot
12"x12" Oil on Canvas
$350.00 framed

     "Pink Riot" is just a fun little piece that I did with a palette knife that hopefully will catch the eye of someone who needs a little PINK in their life!  What pre-teen girl's bedroom or even a laundry room, kitchen or bathroom couldn't  use some color to brighten up a corner.

     This is one of several pieces that I will have for sale at the 31st annual Charlotte Country Day School Art Sale which will be held at the Cannon Library on the CCDS campus.  The art sale will be held beginning Thursday, April 18 and will continue through Saturday, April 20.  This will be my 4th year to participate in this art show which is their biggest fundraiser of the year-Big Saturday.  Come on out!

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Beaufort Marsh


Beaufort Marsh
18"x24" Oil on Linen Gallery Wrap
Donated

     About 1 1/2 years ago, Steve and I spent a long weekend at the vacation home of a patron of mine who used to live in Charlotte but now lives in Beaufort SC.  She wanted a fall scene with the fabulous autumn colors hitting the marshes so we snapped about a hundred photos of various spots around Beaufort.  She loved her autumn marsh scene that I did for her and those photos have given me lots of subject matter for future paintings.

     "Beaufort Marsh" is from one of those many photos.  Recently I was asked by another patron here in Charlotte to donate a painting to a cause she is co-chairing and I have donated this painting to the 60th annual Room to Bloom Celebration which is an annual fundraiser for the Mint Museum of Charlotte.  The silent auction will be held April 17 at Charlotte Country Club.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Backside Barn


Backside Barn
20"x24" Oil on Canvas
$895.00 framed

     I'm sure most of you have painted a total "dud" which you hated but somehow figured out how to resurrect it.  That is what happened to this "Backside Barn".  The demolition started with the front of the barn with an opening which to me was like a bullseye  target so I painted over it and boarded up the wall!  Bringing the sky color onto the walls of the barn changed its appearance immensely changing it from brown tans to these high key colors.  

     I'm not ashamed of this one now!

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Winters Gold


24"x30" Oil 
Gallery Wrap

     This cluster of buildings sitting in the snowy woods gives me a real sense of coziness and solitude.  All the cool blues, both in the shadows and on the rooftops, contribute to the comfortable yet wintry setting.  Yet the pops of gold let you be assured that the sun is still shining and hitting the sides of the buildings and warming the insides.  Wouldn't you just love to be holed up in this cozy place reading a good book while waiting for the spring thaws?

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Morning Light

Morning Light
16"x16" Oil on gallery wrap canvas
$425.00 

     Have you ever looked through a clothing catalog and see a photo with a color palette that really catches your eye?  That happened to me when I looked through one and came across a photo with a woman wearing a winter coat and hat sitting in a grassy field with mountains off in the distance.  I really thought the colors were so eye-catching that I decided that I would love to incorporate those colors in my painting and that is how this painting was created.  I am rather pleased with how this turned out but I hate to shop and therefore rarely look at catalogs.  Maybe I should to get some more color inspiration!

     Today marks my one-year anniversary blogging.  I don't blog on a weekly basis but feel I need to get more regular with my posts.  I owe it all to attending that fabulous workshop with Dreama Tolle Perry and Leslie Byrd Saeta just a little more than a year ago.  They stressed how important it is to SHARE your art and I must say I love looking at what others share with me via Facebook or through the numerous blogs I subscribe to in my e-mail.  Art enriches my life!  I hope you enjoy some Morning Light!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

A Natural View




Jackson Hole Grove
36"x24" Oil On Canvas
$795.00
       

Canadian Wilderness
20"x16" Oil on Canvas
$495.00

     These two paintings were accepted  into "A Natural View", a juried art exhibit presented by The Schiele Museum of Natural History and the Gaston County Art Guild.  The exhibit features artwork that focuses on nature and may include plants, animals or natural landscape native to North America.

     These paintings were based on photos from trips we have taken in the last few years.  Our vacations have taken us to the Yellowstone/Jackson Hole area a couple times and that part of the country offers spectacular views in every direction.  I can't wait to return to that beautiful part of the country.  About three years ago we travelled through the Canadian Rockies aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train on a two-day journey from Vancouver up to Jasper National Park.  We then rented a car and drove to Lake Louise and Banff National Park for the next two or three days.  

     This exhibit will be hanging from now through March 22, 2013, and features dozens of beautiful pieces of  artwork.  I hope you are able to stop and see the exhibit if you can.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Happy Trails


Happy Trails
8"x8" Oil on Canvas
SOLD

     I've never painted cowboy boots before but I decided to borrow a pair from a co-worker and give it a try!  I have worked for a General Surgery private practice for over 19 years and our senior partner,  affectionately known as "Papa Bear", was retiring.  He has lived in Texas and New Mexico in the past and still has many ties to that area.  He also loves all things Southwest so I thought boots would make an appropriate retirement gift.  

     I had to keep telling myself to paint "what I see" not "what I know" which is the mantra all artists try to go by.  For a bit, these cowboy boots resembled Ugg boots and I had to keep working at them to make them look like what I had sitting before me!!!  For my first try, I was generally pleased with the end product.

     Happy Trails, Dr. Parsons, you will be sorely missed...

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Surprise!


Surprise!
12'x12" Oil on Panel
$325.00 framed

     This image may look familiar if you follow my blog.  I originally painted a smaller version of this wrapped box for my daughter as a Christmas present.  In November Kim and I spent three days in New York City having a grand time and while she was shopping in Tiffany's, I was snapping photos of their beautiful display cases!   After I gave the original painting to Kim I felt I needed to do another painting of their beautifully decorated boxes.  It really was fun to do and I got out of Tiffany's without spending any money!  

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Waiting to Ride


Waiting to Ride
6"x6" Oil on Panel
$95.00 framed

     This red bike is painted from a photo given to me by my friend Nancy from a trip she took to Key West a couple years ago.  By the way, this photo appears much darker on my monitor than the original painting.  I've never painted a bicycle before and for me the roundness of the tires was the most difficult because I did not want them to appear too predictable or realistic.  Gotta work on that!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Up Close


Up Close
11"x14" Oil on Panel
$395.00

     I cannot believe it, but it has been about seven weeks since my last blog post.  I allowed too many things to get  in my way but I am back in the saddle again and WILL get back to a regular schedule.  

     Once again, here we are at Hunter Farms, the site of several of my other barn paintings. These barns, like some of the others on the property, no longer exist as they were torn down the afternoon after I painted on site.  I took so many photos that day so I will have lots of scenes to choose from for future paintings.   I decided to get a close-up view of the side of these barns and I rather like this composition!  Of course, I had to add some color to it!