Table Top Fruit Basket

A fun little fruit basket for the table. Another one of my 4x6 original art pieces. Pastel and ink on paper. You can purchase this piece in my etsy shop here.

4x6 art - Flowers in Vases

4x6 art. I love this size. It's quick, easy and gets you ready for a larger painting. But these quick studies are works of art on their own. Place in a standard photo frame and you have instant home decor. Very cool. This one is pastel and ink on paper.

Flowers in Pitcher

I just finished this painting and Shelby has declared it her favorite so far. She said it looked "Frenchy". Shelby has been immersing herself in the French language and culture through Rosetta Stone, so I take that as a compliment. This is a 4x6 gouache and ink painting on Langton Prestige paper.

Valentines Day 2014

Hard to believe Christmas and New Years flew by so fast. I always ask myself, "Where did the time go"? But I know where it went. Time marches on, it does not stop for anyone and here's the thing, you can never go back. Whatever you said or whatever you did last year, remains the same. Forever.

So this year, and not just on Valentines Day, spread the love around. Give your love freely and to everyone, even those who "don't deserve it". Because giving love is something you won't regret doing. Ever.

This original piece is available in my etsy shop here.

Pointing Fingers mixed media on canvas

 Oh my, I had such fun with this one. Painted on a 30x30 canvas I have to say painting large is freeing. Rather than tell my own story on this one, I'd like you to read into it what you will. I am sure you can relate.

Breaking Point

Sometimes in life you get to that point, as Popeye says, "I've had all I can stands cause me can't stands no more". That's the breaking point. You've had enough and you're not going to take it anymore. Time to make changes. This piece helped me to work out a few emotions but I think I may have to do a whole series!

Double Vision

Monoprint study, 9x12 cotton rag paper.

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone. Just a little bit of art to post to start the weekend off right. A limited palette of two analogous colors and one complimentary. And a little bit of "spice" in the sky!

Landscape and abstract landscapes from a photo.

These paintings were taken from a photo I took on a farm in Iowa. The photo is on my FaceBook  page, you can view it here. I like the "plain" one, but there is something about bright colors that make me happy and being able to use your imagination to create a different scene than what is before you. That's what it's all about.

Fiery Forest

Mixed media on cotton rag, approx. 16x20. Finding inspiration from all the trees in my backyard and taking advantage of the Spring like day, finally.

Monoprinting inspired by Chagall

 

A monoprint inspired by Chagall. First try at monoprinting, I think I will do more!

Willie's Wife

Everyone at my house thinks this looks like Willie's wife, hence the title. Of course, this is just a person out of my head but let the crazies think what they want! This is pastel on Fabriano Tiziano.

Sgraffito

Black and white sgraffito on paper. I think it needs color, just waiting for it to dry first.

Pastel and collage

Pastel and collage on watercolor paper. Now I know why my dad loved working in pastels. I love the way the pastels move and blend. It just makes you happy to get this stuff all over your hands.

Trust the Gorton's Fisherman

I love the Gorton's Fisherman. He's strong, sexy and catches all those tasty fish sticks. I mean fish. So here he is in pastel on Fabriano Tiziano.

Healthy Girl

She's "Healthy Girl", saving the world one smoothie at a time! Her hair is full of organic goodness with clipped images from a health magazine.

Tea Bag Art

Drew a couple of faces on tea bags. Kept the whole thing, strings, tags and all and mounted them to mat board. One of the tags says "Art is either plagiarism or revolution", Paul Gauguin, 1848-1903 and the other says "True wealth is the ability to let go of your possessions." And a close up so you can see all of the beautiful tea stains and "crumbly tea texture".

First snow of the year, my evergreen loves it!

My evergreen after the first measurable snow this year. But that's okay cause it's supposed to be 67 degrees today. If you don't like the weather in Kansas City, just stick around till tomorrow, it'll change.

At Hippocrates Health Institute

I love this statue. It's organic and earthy. The weather has only made it better. At Hippocrates Health Institute, West Palm Beach, Florida. Their website is here.

Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs, Kansas

I love the Renaissance Festival! There is lots to do and see. From the buildings to the costumes, to all the games, shows and activities, it really makes you feel like you stepped back in time. This guy is in the middle of the stage, balancing on the ladder (as in no support) while blowing fire out his mouth. A few minutes before this same guy put his whole body through a tennis racket.

Dick Blick Studio Catalog Winter 2013

My art is in the Blick catalog, yay! I am a huge fan of DickBlick and have been for a long time. I buy almost all of my supplies from them. They closed their Kansas City, MO and Kansas locations years ago so now I buy from them online. Best prices, best quality, name brands and a huge variety. Plus quick shipping and good customer service. Who could ask for more?

The piece featured sold two years ago to collectors in Cornwall, ON, Canada. It started out as a blind contour drawing on a wood panel and developed from there. I used graphite, acrylic, ink, and colored pencil to create this work.

At the home of Thomas Hart Benton

This was my second trip to the home of Thomas Hart Benton. The photo above is a vintage figurine that is in his wife's bedroom. If you are in the Kansas City area or are planning to be, it's a must see. You can learn all about his life and see many original paintings and drawings through out his home. The carriage house was his studio which is where he died in 1975. The parks department left his studio just as he left it. For more info: click here.

Red Geraniums survive Winter

I took this photo of the Red Geraniums in my sunroom. I love to winter all my annuals, they give a much needed burst of color and happiness through the dreary cold days. These Geraniums are on their 2nd Winter and have grown rather large. I shot them in front of the window after the first snowfall, hence the beautiful white background. Okay... so that is the one thing Winter has going for it, all of that beautiful pure white color. Other than that, I'm not a fan of the season. Hurry up Spring!

100 likes for my Face Book page!

Just got 100 likes on my Face Book page! Celebrating all day by wearing a red hat. It just seemed like the right thing to do...
Follow me here.

Cowgirl

Who doesn't love a cowgirl? This one is painted on an 8x8, 1/2" deep wood panel from a sketch that I did a couple of years ago. I outlined the hat with a wood burning tool. I love the effect but the smoke smelled awful. Must have been the acrylic I was burning through. Yee haw!

Browne's Irish Market and Deli

What an amazing place! I feel as though I have stepped back in time. And who knew this treasure was right under my nose? Browne's was established in 1887 and is the oldest Irish business in all of North America. They serve delicious Irish food (the potato soup is a must eat) and have an awesome market where you can browse through all kinds of Irish imports and handmade goods.

I was so impressed by the friendliness of the owners (still a family owned business) and staff (Hi Wendy!) that I created this piece using their brown paper gift sack... the same sack I had filled with items I had to have from their market. So if you are visiting the Kansas City area, or if you are a native, you must visit here... you will be welcomed!

For more info on Browne's go here.

I am loving Stillman & Birn! I received a sample pack of their paper and put it to the test. It stood up to erasings, acrylic and watercolor washes and collage with nary a paper curl. I used the backside of the paper so I could make use of their paper information. Now I want a tank top that says this on it. Oh, and kudos to Stillman and Birn for the whitest paper I have ever seen. Seriously white. It is truly beautiful... clean.... fresh... and beckons you to paint on it.

And here it is...

 My work was published in Somerset Studios Gallery Magazine, Summer 2012, in an article that Misty Mawn wrote. I just got my copy in the mail but it won't hit newsstands till June 1st. Doing a happy dance!

Time Triptych

I've been consumed with time lately. It's the one thing you can never have enough of and once it's gone, you can never get back. My huge 32x48 year-at-a-glance wall calendar is mocking me at this very moment, knowing that June is a milestone birthday for me. Ugh.

A visit to the new art supply store in Kansas City, Artist and Craftsman Supply, was just what I needed to get me out of my funk. I bought all kinds of art goodness. And then there it was, sitting by the cash register were  bags and bags of watch parts. I knew I had to have them even though I had no idea what I was going to do with them. It was that time thing again.

And so my "Time" triptych was born. This is the first piece in the triptych and I used up a half a bag of watch parts on it. I also deviated from my usual palette of bright vivid colors. I like the muted neutral tones, it kinda matched my muted mood. So I'm off now to work on the remaining two.

Walk in the Woods

Title: Walk in the Woods, 12" x 9", on 100% cotton rag paper.
 I have fond memories of many walks in the woods behind my house when I was a kid. We would catch crawdads, pick up earthworms after a good rain and mushroom hunt. Those were good times!