Pond Lily - SOLD

I just love all of the wonderful and unique colors that I see 'literally everywhere' with water lilies.  Floating on the surface, reflecting skies, trees, architecture.  Seeing through to the 'other' side, the underwater side brings some abstracted shapes and colors to the viewer's eye as well.  I can relate to the fascination Monet had with these strong yet ethereal beauties.  And let's not forget to mention the flowers bloom...

French Laundry - SOLD

This painting is on linen on panel.  A beautiful balcony, but essential for the everyday affairs as well.

Cali Gull - SOLD

California seagulls, each and everyone with their very own personalities.  Soaring on winds, diving, their antics are a constant source of amusement.

Stay in Line

Vine ripened tomatoes huddled together, staying in line.  Who will go first?  They were both equally delicious and would not be separated.  They went together...

$79.00 + shipping/handling fee of $9.00, 6 x 6, oil on linen panel.  Buy it on Etsy!

French Chateau - SOLD

I rendered this French Chateau during the summer months and completely forgot to post it.  Rectifying the situation now and wishing I were there!

Radiant Radishes - SOLD

 

The fun I had painting these three little hooligans...  thinking they were 'all that' and well, they were!  Center of attention and deserving it.

Big Apple - SOLD

 

It's that time of year when all of the fruit from the summer is no longer as available.  That's when I start munching on the apples, oranges, bananas...  This one was just about perfect in every way.  Love those fruits and veggies!

Beach Blanket - SOLD

 

What can I say about the beach blanket.  It's where most of want to be most of the time.  The photo was compliments of Claudia Ward at Open Window Blog.  Thanks Claudia!

$79.00 + shipping/handling fee of $9.00, 6 x 6, oil on panel.  Buy it on Etsy!

Hibiscus - SOLD

 

A very delicate little flower which looks even better in person.  I love using aperitif glasses as vases.  Each one is as distinctive as flowers are individual and unique.

Great news!!!

I am very happy to announce that I have been welcomed into the fine group of artists listed below:

Laguna ART Group

Daily Painters of California

Contemporary Fine Art International

So many blessings to be thankful for this holiday season!!!

ps - please excuse the dorky smile on the CFAI site, but my husband was really making me laugh.  That's ok with me though - live, laugh, love! 

My Lookout

Hiking along I had noticed this bird kept up with me, flying from one spot to the next, but not caring about the human that was heading to top.  Guess he thought he'd check out the scenery and so did I.  Awesome!

$59.00 + shipping/handling fee of $8.00, 6 x 6, oil on linen panel.  Buy it on Etsy!

Cooper's Shadow - Commission

Cooper's Shadow is a commissioned piece...  I just love these kids on the beach, they are so cute and animated.  Never ever bored, full of energy!

It's Belief That Gets Us There - SOLD

 

 This precious little one tells the story, with the 'glow' of HIS light!

Polka Dot Piggy Bank - SOLD

Read below to see the beginning of this happening:  So NOW the person who has this on hold was sent the link so she can buy the same EXACT piggy bank to give to her sweet Grand Baby for Christmas.  Starting her, no doubt, on a wonderful path of learning how to save!  I just know she's going to be filling that up fast...  Isn't that just the cutest thing!

This little cutey pie would look so sweet with a 4" wide frame in that luscious green (garden tea?) color in a new baby or child's room.  Plus green is non-gender which I just now realized.  Didn't do that on purpose, but a good point to make when one doesn't know ahead of time.  Great shower gift!  And maybe add a real bank with it.  Bet no one else at the shower has a gift like this one...

$59.00 + shipping/handling fee of $8.00, 6 x 6, oil on panel.

Open Studio 2010 - A few shots of event

Melissa.  Friend, assistant, awesome nurse.  I'm one of her biggest fans.  She's the best!!!  It was a great day.  Looking forward to more of the same tomorrow...  ps- honest, we both wore jeans and black shirt, but it wasn't planned.  Great minds think alike.

Having a good time with friends...  Leslie's in the middle, a great person if ever there was, but I am prejudiced.  Another Barbara to the left, I finally met another Barbara and then, no kidding, two more as well.

Serious contemplation...  aren't they cute! And yes, they did decide on a favorite painting.

 

 My husband Tim made Melissa and I lunch and wow, was it ever amazing, tasty, full of flavor and wine as well...  oh yeah, this is good stuff.

Susan, dear Susan (in red).  A friend and art collector.  A docent for the Petroglyph tours via our local museum, an owner of horses and other four legged creatures.  Blessed to know her.

  

This is Julie, she's been trying to hide, but it's a no go...  She brought the homemade from-scratch Grandma apple spice cake made from her own pears (great substitute) to surprise me.  This picture is a bit red and bleached out, but don't care.  I think I ate the whole thing! Not really, people were pushing me out of the way to get to it!  Yipes and double yipes!!!

French Confections - SOLD

This delicate scene of French Confections is rendered on a linen panel.  The sweet ecru box with the colorful candies were brought back as a small souvenir from the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris, France.  A barely visible roman numeral V painted on the front of the tiny box as a sweet reminder of fond memories.

Red Soles - SOLD

 

Shoes, ya gotta love 'em...  I've painted shoes before, sets of heels, sandals, slippers, etc, but I do love the simple black classic pump.

$79.00 + shipping/handling fee of $8.00, 6 x 6, oil on linen panel.

Low Tide - SOLD

This is the painting on exhibit for our local Open Studio Tour.  The attendance last night at the reception was really great...  "Low Tide", an 8 x 8 x 1.5, oil on canvas with painted sides sold last night for $275.00.  Artwork commissions/sales at the exhibit/tour is another way for artists to get communities involved, maybe teach a child a bit or at the least expose them to some art and how much fun it is to go to the right side of the brain.  Not to mention enjoying all of the wonderful people checking out the artist's studios and work.

Lots of art purchases were made, visits with friends and other artists were long overdue.  All in all 'a great evening'.  The tour itself is on the 23rd and 24th so I will be trying to snag pictures to post like I did last year.  All I have to do is remember, lol...

Market Place

 

A woman in a market place selling her fare...  Gently gathering and tying off leaves to sell with other items leaning on the wall.  I love the colors and the quiet, peaceful feel of this piece.

$79.00 + shipping/handling fee of $9.00, 6 x 6, oil on linen panel.  Buy it on Etsy!

Skybear - Commission

This is Skybear!  It's her Dad's bike of course, but who knows, maybe someday she'll have a bike of her own.  I feel certain that she's always going to  ride her own ride'...

On Hold!

Courtyard View - SOLD

Old world elegance and simplicity, this serene view of a courtyard staircase is so calming I can almost hear the birds singing.  This view is in Balboa Park's Botanical Garden area.  Breathtaking, no one ever wants to leave...

Love Sonnets - SOLD

A single humble carnation lays atop a book of 'love' sonnets snuggled in a warm blanket in a basket...

My favorite flower, wild ones smell of spices, it's true.  I've grown them myself and cut them at will.  They grow perennially here in CA.  Each year coming back until completely exhausted, they must be replaced with a new plant.  I did not know this.  I just trusted my instinct that first season and let it be.  Let's experiment...  When they did arise out of their first winter's sleep, I felt a special lightness from it and still do...

$195.00, 8 x 10 x 1, oil on linen, painted sides.
$15.00 shipping/handling/insurance. Ready to hang.

To everything there is a season...

THIS IS A PHOTO OF US WHEN I WAS ABOUT 3 YRS OLD POSING WITH MY MOM...  JUST HAD TO ADD THIS TO THIS POST.

It feels like an old Russian painting.  It's my very favorite picture ever...I won't be painting for a bit.  My wonderful Mom of 88 years has passed into her Father's most wondrous arms.  And oh what a hug she's getting.  She was an artistic person as well.  She would tell me to get back to work as soon as possible so I will honor that wisp of wisdom.

I know she's having the time of her life with visits from her Mom and my dearest Grandmother as well as her sister and various members of her family.  She's sporting a new look and speaking of that, she's no longer legally blind and sees for distances one cannot even imagine.  Running across amazing plush fields of green, listening to the sounds of birds and flowers, yes, I bet some of those flowers sound like soft bells - hm-m-m-m makes you wonder.  So after my bout of missing her so very much, I will smile and know that my mind cannot possibly conceive of what He has in store for her and all of us!

As Dr. Seuss said, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened!"  I'm so glad this wonderful woman decided to become my Mother...  Thanks Mom!  Love you so very much...

Sicilian Red Garlic

I didn't even know there was such a thing as red garlic. So when I saw this, it was just a given that it would end up rendered.  A fun piece for a kitchen.  I like the way it's abstracted, the rich colors, etc.

Shadow Play - SOLD

Shadowplay is an appropriate title for this piece. My daughter and I were at the Hammer Museum in Westwood, CA and decided to grab a java and sit in the beautiful courtyard. I was very grateful that I had my camera with me as the shadows that were stretching across the building formed a wonderful abstraction which I absolutely knew I would be painting.

$375.00, 12 x 24 x 1, oil on board, painted sides, $20 shipping/handling/ins.  Waived if local pick-up.  Ready to hang.

Tomato, Basil and Mozarella - SOLD

This combination of ingredients make for a quick, very flavorful and economical lunch or quick nosh for unexpected company. Wonderful with a bit of Balsamic Vinegar. What could be better.

$59.00 + shipping/handling fee of $8.00, 5 x 7, oil on panel.

Vineyard Window - SOLD

With the precious little plants on the window sill, beautiful streaks of color reflecting God's glorious light, and the fragrance from the grapes in the distant vineyard as well as trellising above the vintage shutter; I couldn't resist painting this little jewel.

Brown Velvet - Four of Four - SOLD

Four of four created, please read Stiletto, Pretty in Pink, & Classics for more on this shoes series. Brown Velvet bows, shoes designers are awesome.  Super great fun!

This might be the last in this particular high heel series, but I am definitely planning on doing more shoes.  I do like to mix it up as I go however, life is short, don't want to get bored - ever...  I absolutely know there's at least one more in the works.

Classics - Three of Four - SOLD

Three of four created, please read Stiletto, Pretty in Pink for more on this shoes series. Super great fun!

Linda Hunt (her blog link is listed below if you'd like to say Hi) commented on 'Pretty in Pink'.  She said and I quote, "These are fabulous....sooooo fun!"

Now I've never actually heard Linda's voice, but I can just bet when she said that it sounded like a rich diva from Beverly Hills.  Enjoy the upcoming weekend and do something fun.  I'm going to go listen to Blaze, a local band, woo!

Pretty in Pink - Two of Four - SOLD

Two of four created, please read Stiletto for more on this shoes series.  Super great fun!

ps - Gwen Bell (her blog link is below if you'd like to say Hi to her), Hey Gwen!  She commented on the 'Stiletto's' being sassy.  Don't ya just love that word?  I told her wait til you see these, they're utterly dangerous.

Stiletto - One of Four - SOLD

Shoes, ya gotta love 'em...  This is one of four in a set of just high heels.  I've painted shoes before, sandals, slippers.  This set was inspiring and a great deal of fun.

I've rendered nail polishes as well, fruit, veggies, vases - things like that.  What daily artist hasn't right!  I'm sure I'll be revisiting some other things I've done as well.  If only because I would always prefer to paint from life rather than a photo.  With that said though, kids do not hold still, lol, making photos imperative as far as I'm concerned.  Of course, to each his own.  As long as we keep painting and having a blast doing it I say.

Hills of Lavender - SOLD

Lavender grows heartily in the soil in Tuscany and Provence.  I spray the oil mixed with water liberally around our bed before sleep.  It seems to calm the mind.  Not strong, a gentle fragrance...

I have recently received a lovely sachet of lavender from our daughter which I tuck in between the pillows before making our bed.  It's definitely become a favorite sleep aide.