Into the Hills - SOLD

Into the Hills
Oil on Hardboard, 10" x 10"
SOLD at $50, plus $10 shipping.
( $  .50 per square inch.)



I love this one, with the variety of colors. I want to do it again, bigger next time.
Nice to get into a landscape, they are wonderfully freeing.

Lemons, Roughly - SOLD

Lemons, Roughly
Oil on Hardboard, 6" x 8"
SOLD at $24 plus $10 shipping.
( $  .50 per square inch)



This was uncomfortable, but I really want to be able to paint loose, so....
Big brush (okay, I cheated a little, just a bit) and only a little blending, concentrating on value and color, and holding myself back (mostly) from fussing. The idea is that from across a room, the details don't matter, only the shapes and values. So, if you sit back in your chair about three feet, don't they "read" lemons?

Here's a close up shot.

Three and a Slice for Tea - SOLD

Three and a Slice for Tea
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard, 4.75" x 10"
SOLD at $23.00 plus $10 shipping.
( $  .50 per square inch)



OK, this one was supposed to be very loose, so I started out with a large brush, and we were rolling along nice and sketchy, until I realized that there were some drawing mistakes. Then things got tighter, tighter, tighter, until I am painting in my usual style. So hard to break from habits. Now I know I have to start out with a very accurate drawing in order to really get loose. Sounds like a contradiction, doesn't it? I'll try it and let you know.

Zinnias with Celosia - SOLD

Zinnias with Celosia
Oil on Stretched Canvas, 8" x 10"
SOLD at $40 plus $10 shipping.
( at $ .50 per square inch)



So my flowers from the Farmer's Market are almost completely faded, I made two vases into one this morning, and decided that I'd better get them painted while I still could. I'm pretty happy with this little guy. The little glass vase was a gift from my dear cousin (thanks, B!)

Little Zinnia Bouquet - SOLD

Little Zinnia Bouquet
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard, 6" x 6"
SOLD at $18.00 plus $10 shipping.
( $ .50 per square inch)



I wasn't planning to paint today, but noticed my little bouquet out on the back porch table, and aha, something small to paint. Yay! This one is quick and sketchy, very loose.

Two Toned Pepper - NFS

Two Toned Pepper
Oil on Gessoed Hardboard, 6" x 6"
Not For Sale, Gifted
( $ .50 per square inch)

The peppers from yesterday were just so neat, it would have been a shame not to paint them twice. Now they can go to the neighbor for her stuffed peppers. She had admired them when I bought them, mentioned that they'd make good stuffed peppers. 

Combo Peppers - SOLD

Combo Peppers
Oil on Hardboard, 10" x 10"
SOLD at $50 plus $10 shipping



Another fun find from the Farmer's Market (can you say that five times fast?)
The farmer said that they start out green, and turn red in the sunshine. I couldn't resist, even though I had just bought a bouquet, which you'll see later this week.

Meanwhile, I am in denial.
Summer is NOT almost over. Summer is NOT almost over. Summer is NOT almost over.

Eastern Shore Peaches - SOLD

Eastern Shore Peaches

Oil on Board, 6" x 6"

SOLD at $18 plus $10 shipping

($ .50 per square inch)

Eastern Shore peaches are among the finest peaches I've ever eaten. Don't know why, but they just seem juicier, more flavorful, generally yummier than other summer farm stand peaches. Had to paint some before they are gone, and working on a commission piece, which I'll show you later.

Low Country Marsh - SOLD

Low Country Marsh
Oil on Linen Panel, 9" x 12"
SOLD at $54.00, with free shipping. ( $ .50 per square inch)



This one was done from a photo that my nephew SJ took on a trip/drive with his wife, JJ. Thanks for the nice photo reference, S and J. They are South Carolinians, so they know the low country.

Shoreline Stroll - SOLD

Shoreline Stroll
Oil on Stretched Canvas, 8" x 8"
SOLD at $32 plus $10 shipping. ($ .50 per square inch)

What could be more summertime than beaches? Lake beaches, Ocean beaches, Bay beaches, and an evening stroll at sundown after a long relaxing day. Essence of summer! Can you feel the air starting to cool down?

Beautiful Bugs - SOLD

Beautiful Bugs
Watercolor, Ink, Colored Pencils on Italian Watercolor Paper
Sizes range from 2" x 2", to 5" x 4"
SOLD.



Since they are all in relatively accurate sizes compared to each other, (the bumblebee shows large here, but it's the smallest one of the group) I can see them as a grouping, either framed in one frame with separations in the matting, or in three small frames. Aren't they lovely? The dragonfly has a little sparkle in it, I used some watercolor shimmer medium there.

They do have a story behind them. My grandson Jimmy, when he was much younger (we're talking 2008) would collect dead bugs for me to draw, and when he would find them, he would put them on my "sacrificial paper plate," a paper plate dedicated to only dead bugs. Isn't that a fun little detail?

Lone Sunflower - SOLD

Lone Sunflower
Oil on Canvas Panel, 8" x 10"
SOLD at $40, plus $10 shipping. (at $  .50 per square inch)



My lovely sunflowers are beginning to fade, they droop a bit more every day. But I wanted to get at least three paintings out of them, so here is the last. The petals are shriveling too much to be "good models."  I may just do some sketching of the droopers, since I like this stage as well.

But for painting, it's on to other subjects now.

July Sunflowers

July Sunflowers
Oil on Canvas Panel, 11" x 14"
Available at $77   $50, plus $10 shipping.



I think this one turned out really nicely. I was very free in the painting, since it's done on an old canvas, with nothing to lose. I've also dropped the price a little, since I didn't even sand the canvas down, just left the bumps and textures. Here's the old canvas, just for fun. See if you can spot the parts that I left showing.

Farmer's Market Sunflowers - SOLD

Farmer's Market Sunflowers
Oil on Stretched Canvas, 11" x 14"
SOLD at $77 with free shipping. (at $ .50 per square inch)



These sunflowers come with a bit of a story. I got them yesterday at the Saturday Farmer's Market here in Chestertown, which is wonderful, as are all farmer's markets. They are the huge ones, with stems about an inch thick, and faces that I estimate at 8" across. I broke two glass vases trying to balance the stems in the vases, and in the process, got water all over my kitchen. Finally, I remembered my heavy ceramic pitcher, and used that. It seems to be working.

Lakeside Afternoon - SOLD

Lakeside Afternoon
Oil on Stretched Canvas, 12" x 16"
SOLD at $96, with free shipping. (12 x 16 at $ .50 per square inch)



I imagined a perfect summer's day while I was painting this one. One of those days that you wish would repeat itself a bunch more times, but alas, you only get them in strings of two or three. There are some process shots that I thought I'd post too. See below.

 Notan and Underpainting in thin washes

 Building in the midtones.

 Sky around clouds.

Adding clouds.

Sorry, didn't remember to shoot the water and rocks. But maybe this is interesting for someone.

Cradled White Rose - SOLD

Cradled White Rose
Oil on Cradle Board, 8" x 8" x 7/8"
SOLD at $32 plus $10 shipping.
Painted around Sides, Top and Bottom, Needs no Frame.



Time for a white flower, yes?
This one is on the new pricing structure, and I think it's calmed down now at $.50 a square inch.
That seems really reasonable, but we'll see how it works out.

Summer Shoreline

Summer Shoreline
Oil on Canvas Panel, 11" x 14"
Available at $77 plus $10 shipping. ($ .50 per square inch)



I liked the reference photo for the quiet and the greens in the water.
I think I caught a bit of that sunny warmth.

Twisty Red Pepper - SOLD

Twisty Red Pepper
Oil on Canvas Panel, 6" x 8"
SOLD



Don't you love the cool, twisted shapes of these red peppers?
This will be the last painting with these guys, though, as they are slowly going into recipes.
Thanks for looking!

Quiet Inlet - SOLD

Quiet Inlet
Oil on Canvas Panel, 12" x 12"
SOLD at $72, with free shipping (at $ .50 per square inch)



I hold my breath, posting this at such a seemingly high price. But then I remind myself: (a) I'm not responsible for making my art "affordable" and (b) I know how much money women spend at the hairdressers, or shopping for a new outfit of quality.

Overlook Revised

Overlook Revised
Oil on Stretched Canvas, 14" x 18"
Available at $65 plus $10 shipping.



After looking at this one on my wall for a week or so, I decided that it needed to be more "open." There was too much of a claustrophobic feel to it, with all the dark foliage. So today I took my time, tinkered around with it. Made the pink bush bigger, consolidated the foliage, added more sky, cleared some underbrush so more of the field shows. Overall much better. I've dropped the price, since the sky is lumpy, even though I sanded it where the tree on the right covered the sky area.