Miniature Studies in Oil

Small Autumn Squash
Oil/Canvas
3 x 3

Yup, you read that right 3 x 3 inches. A miniature painting like this is great fun to do especially with a bigger brush. I'd been doing tiny little 2 x 3 inch oil studies in my sketchbook then remembered a lilliputian canvas that seemed so right for the pint sized gourd. You can see that I'm really in the mood for red lately.

Not Made For Walking

Not Made For Walking
8 x 10
Oil on Canvas
SOLD

These boots weren't made for walking in all day but in reality they are surprisingly comfortable. I bought them in a small village in Tuscany at the urging of a friend who insisted I go into the shoe store. I resisted thinking I had more shoes than I needed but finally gave in. I walked in and there they were right in front of me in all their supple, leathery, luxurious smelling glory. There was no doubt that they were coming home with me. I might just do a big painting of these.

This was another great exercise in painting quickly and decisively. It does me good to do this.

Summer's End

Fern Study
8 x 10
Oil on Canvas
SOLD


Tipsy
9 x 12
Oil on Canvas

Fern Study was done on the porch in the shade on a blistering hot 31 degree day. This quick study had an imposed time limit in which I had to be selective about what items would be in the background and foreground and how much of the fern I would actually paint. A fantastic exercise in being decisive. Painting loosely like this isn't about being messy or careless with the brush it's as much about control and careful planning as is a tighter painting.

Tipsy was painted in the studio but with no time limit. Careful planning was also done here to create a fun shape which the pear provided with it's elongated body. Playing on that shape with the tilted Chinese teacups made this whimsical piece great fun to do.

Summer is pretty much over and fall is on our doorsteps. The task of cleaning up the garden and putting the plants to bed is about to start. I wonder what fall views will inspire new paintings this September?

Thanks for all your wonderfully encouraging comments over the past year. It's so rewarding to hear that people, are indeed, touched by art.

Early Morning Paintings

Pucker Up
5 x 7
Oil on Canvas
Sold


Morning Tomatoes
5 x 7
Oil on Canvas

These two little paintings are part of my Early Morning series that I started this April. I began a series of small paintings with natural morning light and artificial light. I prefer the natural light but it doesn't always cooperate. For one thing the sun only peeks through that window for an hour at the most. To make things really interesting the shifting morning clouds makes the light vary dramatically moment to moment with sunlight one minute and cloud the next. After some frustrating days with inconsistent light I started to experiment with artificial light and I'm not quite sure if I like it. At least it stays still.

Early Morning Mandarins II

Early Morning Mandarins II
Oil on Canvas
5 x 7
Sold

This painting as born after my frustrating experience of chasing the sun for days trying to paint as much as I could in one hour. I decided to paint the oranges again with a loose and a much livelier look in one go. The oranges are alive and well unlike the rather worked to death ones in the previous painting. I like these quick, little paintings, so spritely and alive.