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!

Click to Bid

"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!

"Eastern Bluebird"

8" x 6," Oil on Wood

Just love these guys!

"Harrimon Hills"

"Harriman Hills"

12" x 9," Oil on Canvas

Driving around with Lavinia, we saw some gorgeous views.

30 Paintings in 30 Days

Final Collage

January 2018

"Field in Oregon"

"Field in Oregon"

8" x 10," Oil on Wood

Telephone lines come later!

"Zinnias"

"Zinnias"

9" x 12," Oil on Canvas

This 30 paintings is getting heady. But I finished this just in time to watch "Poldark" with my husband. I'm wiped!

"Baby Chickadee"

"Chickadee"

6" x 6," Oil on Canvas

I was up early and painted this before breakfast.

SOLD

"Walking Duck"

"Walking Duck"

10" x 8," Oil on Canvas

This guy was exhausting. I had him all finished, and realized the background was horrendous.

Now he's much happier!

How many ducks have blue feet and a blue beak? Along with the rust orange,his colors are gorgeous.

"Seagull" Revisited

"Seagull"

8" x 8," oil on Masonite

I painted this guy last year and liked him so much, I made a cute pillow from an online site with the image. But he had what looked like a gimpy wing! I re- studied the source material from morguefile.com, so now at least he should be able to fly.

"Sparrow"

6" x 6," Oil on Wood

 I think it's a sparrow. I once raised a sparrow from babyhood when I was young. We slowly got her used to being outside . I remember teaching her how to fly. There was an interim during the summer when she lived outside, but every morning she would come to my window and chirp until I would wake up, open the window and let her inside. I would then go down to the kitchen and feed her. 

"Stone Trough"

"Stone Trough, Italy"

10" x 8," Oil on Canvas

On a beautiful day in Italy I watched Andrew Lattimore demo a gorgeous painting of this scene.

I took a photograph of the tub and now many years later, I am trying my hand at it!

SOLD

"Love Those Barista's!"

"Love Those Barista's!"

6" x 8," Oil on Canvas

This is my experiment with texture and Diebenkorn ( Thiebaud?) colors.

Yes, I wish I was in California, although I have to say in the sixties, mid February, New York isn't bad. I went for a walk during my lunch hour.

"Red Guy"

"Red Guy"

6" x 6," Oil on Wood

This guy is very proud of his plumage.

"Harriman Park"

"Harriman Park"

9" x 12," Oil on Canvas

I painted this on the side of the lake early spring 2017. It was chilly, but I was happy with the piece! However the background always seemed too dominant. I've lightened it up in order to push it back and give more depth to the scene.

Purchase

"He said What!?"

"He said What!?"

6" x 8," Oil on Wood

This guy seems so stern, but there seems to be a tiny bit of insecurity behind that gaze.

SOLD

"Bird"

"Bird"

6" x 8," Oil on Wood

This is a strange, the bluebird head doesn't seem to belong to the woodpeckerish body. 

But I never tire of the gorgeous colors and patterns. I sorta feel like I should be out there, trekking, tracking and identifying these little guys, but what I really want to do is just paint 'em.

SOLD

"Dreamy Eastern Bluebird"

"Dreamy Eastern Bluebird"

6" x 6," Oil on Wood

It's been awhile since I painted a bird. I believe it's an eastern bluebird. Funny how each one seems to develop a personality that goes beyond the initial photograph. Often I find when I paint something I discover much more about the subject during the process.

SOLD