"Mr. Shine"

"Mr. Shine"

Oil on Gessobord, 4" x 4"

I really wanted the beautiful back-lighting on this lemon to come through

in the painting and I think it did.

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"Hakurei Turnip"

"Hakurei Turnip"

Oil on Canvas, 6" x 4"

The thing about belonging to a Community Supported Agriculture group is that you get all these strange veggies that you never heard of before. But our wonderful Field Goods in Westchester, New York gives us great recipes, so these turnips in a stir fry with onions and Garam Masala were great!

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"Hey There"

"Hey There"

Oil on Board, 6" x 6"

This is a study.

While we were visiting friends in Martha's Vineyard we stopped to photograph this beautiful field near the end of the day. This cow was very interested in us!

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"Lemon in Light"

"Lemon in Light"

Oil on Canvas, 4" x 4"

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"Chilmark"

"Chilmark"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 10"

We just spent a wonderful weekend with friends at Martha's Vineyard.

The weather on Saturday was gorgeous. This one still needs a sky.

“Lemon Slice”

“Lemon Slice”

Oil on canvas, 4” x 4”

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"Provence"

"Road in Provence"

Oil on Canvas, 6" x 8"

I have gone over this several times. It needed it, and it is finally done! There is just something Alive about those tall trees you see in southern France. They are majestic and dominate the skyline.

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"Wine Cork"

"Wine Cork"

Oil on Canvas, 4" x 4"

 It is a plain little thing. However,

"It doesn't matter what you paint, it's how you paint it."

I believe that quote is from consummate painter Colley Whisson.

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Oregon Coast III

"Oregon Coast III"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 10"

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"Bosc"

"Bosc"

Oil on Canvas, 6" x 4"

Oh still life, I have missed thee! I've really been focusing on landscape to increase my painting comfort level, which I have! Way back my one true painting love, landscape, was eclipsed by still life when I had small kids and I couldn't leave the house. Well, the kids are grown.

My oldest says still life is 'still boring,' but I still love it!

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"Green with Envy"

""Green with Envy"

Oil on canvas, 8" x 10"

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"Sauvie's Island"

"Sauvie's Island"

Oil on Canvas, 6" x 8"

"Fred's Marina II"

"Fred's Marina II"

Oil on Canvas, 12" x 9"

On Hold

"On the Coast, Los Barriles, Mexico"

"On the Coast, Los Barriles"

Oil on Canvas, 6" x 12"

This place was phenomenally beautiful! Maybe I'll paint it again, just to see.

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"Daisy, after Neil Nelson"

"Daisy, after Neil Nelson"

Oil on Canvas, 6" x 4"

Copying other painters is a time honored tradition that I engage in from time to time.

This painter is amazing, and I have learned so much from this exercise.

In other regards, today is 911 and my heart goes out to all who may have lost someone. We will always remember, not to seek retribution, but to fight intolerance and to respect each other as human beings.

SOLD

"Ivy House"

"Ivy House"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 6"

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"Narragansett"

"Narragansett"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 10"

On Hold

"A Street in Provence"

"A Street in Provence"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 6"

These buildings aren't always perfectly straight, 

but they're perfectly beautiful.

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"Fred's Marina, Portland Oregon"

"Fred's Marina, Portland Oregon"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 6"

We sometimes go boating with my brother in law.

Being from a Chicago suburb with no boating experience I didn't get it at first.

But when we go floating down the Columbia there is nothing as peaceful!

"Tygh Valley, Oregon"

"Tygh Valley, Oregon"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 6"

"Moreton-in-Marsh"

"Moreton-in-Marsh, England"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 10"

I was on a train from the Cotswolds to Oxford and saw this beautiful field.

"Field in Provence"

"Field in Provence, France"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 10"

"Oxford Field"

"Oxford Field"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 10"

England has been as dry this year as Portland, Oregon. 

It does make for beautiful golden fields. This field however was part marshland 

so a lot of green and quite a few birds.

"Red Building, Ossining"

 "Red Building, Ossining"

Oil on Board, 8" x 10"

 I believe this is the third time I've painted this building. I made a special trip back to photograph 

at 6 PM because I knew the side of the building would be on fire with the evening sun.

On Hold

"Barn at Castle Rock Park, Garrison, NY"

"Barn at Castle Rock Park, Garrison, NY"

Oil on Board, 6" x 8"

This was one of my preliminary studies for the Garrison Paintout last month, which I decided to finish yesterday. By now all the trees are in full leaf, but the underpainting was done back in mid-May. I had fun with the beautiful grassy field in front and the gorgeous barn.

"Lemons With Blue Stripes"

"Lemons With Blue Stripes"

Oil on Wood, 6" x 8"

"Mr. Big Beak"

"Mr. Big Beak"

Oil on Wood, 8" x 6"

 OK, this guy has serious doubts about being painted. 

He's a Rose-breasted Grosbeak who's saying, "You lookin' at me?"

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Lemon on Cloth

"Lemon on Cloth"

Oil on Linen, 5" x 7"

"Stamford Cloudy Drive"

"Stamford Cloudy Drive"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 10"

I painted this earlier but something bothered me about the background so I worked on it a bit.

" Lemon and Dishcloth"

"Lemon and Dishcloth"

Oil on Linen, 5" x 7"

Finally, I'm getting back to painting after the headiness of 19 pieces in a show

"Summer Dreams," and preparing for the Garrison Art Center Paint Out.

It's nice to be in the studio again! I won't mention my first lemon painting was so-so

and I'm not posting it. Well, guess I said it.

"Study for Barn at Castle Rock, Garrison"

Oil on Wood, 6" x 8"

I painted this last week to prepare for the Garrison Art Center Paint Out.

On Saturday May 12 we arrived early, had coffee and got our canvases stamped.

Then it was paint paint, shiver shiver, and try to get our framed piece in by 2. 

I made it by 2:30. They were gracious.

Here are some pictures:

Yes, it rained!

Final piece.

Peacock Walkin'

Peacock Walkin'

Oil on Linen, 10" x 20"

The reason this was so intense to paint was that I was in Love with the photograph,

and I didn't want to mess it up!

I painted the Grackle first to practice iridescence.

Now of course I plan to paint all things shiny. Maybe not oil spills.

Oyster shells? Who knows?

Ps. It's a tiny bit unfinished, but I'll worry about that later. He has these beautiful

drooping feathers from his tail, but the painting has to be dry first.

This will be in my show with Lavinia Wiggins at the Croton Free Library.

We're installing tomorrow. Opening: Sunday, May 6.

Baked goods & live music, drop by!

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"Grackle"

"Grackle"

Oil on Wood, 6" x 6"

I wanted to try iridescence.

Not only the blue head was luminescent, but so were the copper colored body feathers.

I just found the right name of this guy thanks to my dear cousin Donna!

"Eastern Rock Nuthatch"

"Eastern Rock Nuthatch"

Oil on Wood, 6" x 6"

Anyway, I think it's an eastern rock nuthatch. Any birders out there?

I just love these birds serious expressions. Although if I was a bug I might not be so enamoured.

"Apple"

Oil on Canvas, 5" x 7"

This is a painting from 2 years ago that I really liked but didn't have the right pizazz.

So I painted over, and then the moment of truth: decide now because if the original

is better, I can wipe away the wet paint.

Enter my unsuspecting son Mike - always good for an opinion.

"I like this one better cuz it has more red." 

Aha! The new paint stays. Of course, after a bit more tweaking.

"Peekskill Homes by the Hudson"

"Peekskill Homes by the Hudson"

Oil on Canvas, 10" x 8"

I started this, then abandoned it for a horizontal format.

So a year later I'm returning to this original painting.

I love the road leading past these houses glowing in the sun

and ending up by the lovely Hudson River.

"Maple Avenue, Croton on Hudson"

"Maple Avenue, Croton on Hudson"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 6"

This is an earlier painting that just needed something.

I think it works now!

"Block Island Homes"

"Block Island Homes"

Oil on Wood, 6" x 8"

This from a photo I took on a painting workshop with Andrew Lattimore.

As I've said before, there is something about a house with water behind it that

 just seems a little mystical, whether it's the Atlantic Ocean or the Hudson River.

"Oregon Field"

"Oregon Field"

Oil on Canvas, 9" x 12"

Starting to feel less rusty with landscape. I love how these buildings are dwarfed by the

grandeur of these mountains. I'm from Illinois. The first time I saw Mount Hood in 

Portland Oregon, it looked fake , like a screen projection of a mountain!

Then I climbed South Sister, and I realized just how real 

- and huge - these guys are. Plus a sweltering July day turned into windy and 40 degrees. 

And back to sweltering when we finally got down.

"Block Island Cottage"

Oil om wood, 12" x 9"

So it's not signed and not quite finished - the little house needs windows! 

But it's come a long way and I'm pretty happy with it.

I'm putting together some landscapes and bird paintings for a show with Lavinia Wiggins

at the Croton Library in Croton on Hudson. If you happen to be around,

come to the opening Sunday, May 6 from 2-4 p.m!

"Oregon Farm"

 It's hard to switch from birds, I had to try to get the same precision with trees that I had with wings! So here is my first landscape in awhile. Mexico is next.

"Bird With Russet Wings"

"Bird with Russet Wings"

Oil on Wood, 6" x 6"

I wanted to call this "The Bird With the Russet Wing" like it was film noir, but figured that was weird. Still, you only see one...

Anyway, I'm painting up a storm for our May show "Summer Dreams." (It's been a hard winter but we can dream, can't we?)

I plan to do several more birds, including a walking peacock!

But first...a series of landscapes. Beautiful Mexican scenes from our trip to Baja,

plus a picture from Columbia that my nephew took.

And of course, more Oregon scenery.

"Fur Collar"

Oil on Wood, 6" x 6"

So regal and warm looking!

"Swan"

Oil on Wood, 6" x 6"

Only now am I wondering why this swan is swimming in the dark, yet lit up.

All I know is it was a dramatic and beautiful photograph that I found in morguefile.com.

"Female Cardinal"

Oil on Canvas, 8" x 6"

I finished this one and man, it needed work.

So with persistence, think I brought it around.

Is it a juvenile? not sure.

I'm working on summer pix for a two person show with Lavinia Wiggins.

A few more birds, then 3 Mexican landscapes.

Warm weather is just around the corner!