Desert in Bloom

I wanted to paint something for my daughter Lara who has the southwestern decor in her home and wanted a painting that fit that theme. She requested that it be colorful - so what better to paint than the gorgeous cactus flowers of the south western deserts.

Tropical Pool

I painted this for Studio Atelier June challenge from a photo provided. It is a tropical scene, which at first I wasn't sure how to approach, but as I started painting I just went into that automatic mode where the muse takes over and before I knew it I had finished - this being the result. I really like it a lot more than I thought I would, as I wasn't too keen on the original photo. The odd thing is that the painting turned out to look very much like the photo - and I am pleased with it.

Chrystee's Flowers

These two paintings are for my daughter Chrystee. The tropical flowers and colors were what she wanted - something bright, with oranges, reds and blues. These bird's of paradise are entitled:
Fire and Rain. The flowers in both paintings are somewhat modern and abstract - which is more to her taste than a bouquet on a table or in a garden, painted in realism.

The second painting is bougainvilleas reflected in water, entitled: The Blue Pool - again bringing in the brilliant cobalt blue and red/orange shades she loves. Considering they were my first attempt at something like this, I think they turned out wonderful, and I am happy that she likes them.

Desert Sunset

When traveling through Arizona to Colorado, after visiting the Grand Canyon, my rear view mirror began to reflect the orange and pink sunset sky. So I pulled over and got out of my car and watched the sky and clouds turn and reflect off the landscape as the sun set. I painted this from memory, so it is more likely my impressions and feelings, than reality. But that is why started painting - because photos don't always reveal what is felt and 'seen'.

Evening Glow

I watched this Great Blue Heron fishing for his supper on the Siuslaw River. The setting sun turned everything golden. It was one of those incredible images that you never forget. It truly was the golden hour.

Wind at Cape Lookout Beach

I spent a week at the coast, camping with my grandson. Took lots of pictures while he played on the beach making forts out of drift wood, running after seagulls and through the waves. I loved the way the tree limbs reached with the wind, while fog shrouded the distant point and waves practically tumbled over each other. A scene to be painted someday when summer was over and just a memory. And that is what I did on a snowy winter day. This painting was featured on Painter's Keys, by Robert Genn along with some comments  that I wrote.

'33 Chevy Flatbed

While traveling down a country backroad through Montana, I came upon some old , rusting relics for sale, lining the road hubcap deep in grass. I particularly liked this old mustard colored truck - not sure what it's original color was - so I painted it. (Then researched on the internet to discover it's year, make and model.) The person who set up this unlikely car lot, named his business - I am sure with tongue in cheek - "Enterprise Motors".

Hearts and Flowers

I live in the country where Lynn has a kitchen garden with a stand of tall sunflowers along the road. I passed them everyday when I went for a walk. One day I noticed that these gorgeous flowers had heart shaped leaves. The next day I photographed them. This painting is somewhat abstract as I wanted to emphesize the characteristics of the leaves and flower heads.

Red, White and Blue

Near John day, the red Painted Hills are spectacular for photographing and painting. The day I was there, there were ice clouds forming diagonal cobalt blue and white striations in the sky behind the hills, which made for an even more dramatic scene.

The Sentinals

Near Estacada, there is a park along the Clackamas River, where I saw these two great old sentinals leaning towards the river. They were enough to make me want to capture the image, but the bright blue green color of the water added a surreal quality to the scene.

Tidal Caves

Near Depot Bay there are these fascinating caves that come and go with the tides. I painted this from a photo (below) that I took of them, when camping on the Oregon coast.
I simplified the house and trees, but other than that everything is the same.

Ali's Cats

P and Nermal are my daughter's two cats, she treats them like her babies - and I guess they are. Painting them gave me a chance to practice painting cats.

Ahead of the Storm

This painting is a scene near cape Disappointment, Washington.

Country Road

This painting was done for the Inspiration All Around Us challenge for June, from a photo depicting a rural scene of Washington's Palouse. I particularly wanted to emphesize the pale grass against the darker shadows which was in the original. I added the wildflowers, and rearranged the placement of the buildings and trees somewhat. For a bit of interest, I tilted the telephone pole.

Blue Boathouse

This is one of the Plein Air pictures I painted at the Columbia Gorge workshop. I struggled with the hazy mountains. It was a windy day, so we all struggled to keep our stuff from blowing away.

Beacon Rock Columbia Gorge Plein Air Workshop

Two days of gorgeous weather and spectacular scenery. A weekend of lovely sunshine sandwiched in between all the rainy days we have had. Painter Mitch Baird, our instructor, couldn't have ordered better weather and setting.  He was so great as an instructor. I really learned a lot and am still sorting out all that he taught, and practicing his techniques and instructions.

Clothes Pins in a Jar

This painting is the Rookie Painters challenge for June. As a new painter, I find these challenges very helpful in learning new techniques. In my original painting the jar isn't quite so blue and the clothes pins are more on the ochre side than so brown. The hues change somewhere between my camera, photo program and my blog. Hmmm. Another challenge to figure out.

Ceramic Birds

These ceramic birds, the Rookie Painter challenge for May, posed a unique challenge for me. How to make them look like shiney ceramic and not flat. I think I am beginning to get the hang of it. I still can't figure out why the blue comes out so much more intense than in my painting.

Rookie Painting Challenge

San Francisco Trolley

This red trolley is A Day Not Wasted challenge for June. I really loved painting the different aspecs of this picture. Learning to get colors close to the original and simplifying the background, as well as the silver roof on the trolley were my learning experiences for this painting. This was a fun painting to do for A Day Not Wasted challenge.

I won the coveted "painter's apron" for this entry! Thanks Lee.

Guardians of the Way

I really liked doing this painting for Calypso challenge, even though it wasn't accepted. The theme was light out of darkness. I travel a lot and when I read  about this challenge, I immediately thought of the dark canopy of trees in a deeply forested area, and how the light and shadows play along the way where sunlight has to reach where it can, to light the path, as I drive or walk through these majestic guardians. 

Amused

Oregon Daily Painters monthly challenge for June was a very complicated tangle of violet benches, gray shadow lines, and a complicated background - which a part of was this lovely shade of aqua. I kept it to compliment the purples. Otherwise it wasn't amusing to think about sorting it all out. So I chose to simplify the photo down to this abstract, which I call "Amused" because that is how I think these shapes feel .