CHERRIES 6"x6" oil on canvas

These cherries were tasty. I was sampling while painting which I know is unhealthy and toxic but I always snack while painting.


We are in the beginnings of a snowstorm that is supposed to drop about 8" of snow by tomorrow.
I only remember one real blizzard here in my lifetime, but ever since that happened, the grocery store gets flooded with people after the first snowflakes start falling. People go to get the staples; bread, milk and cereal. So following suit, I went for our staples this morning. Beer, wine and pizza makings.

CAFE CUPS 6"X6" oil on canvas

The cherries were fun to paint. The cups not so much. White is difficult because it isn't really white. It is a combination of all the colors around it and then colors show up from no obvious source. I once asked my prof. where a certain color was coming from, he said "don't worry about where it is coming from, just put it down" so I do. Thank you Kiser.

THINK SPRING 6"x8" oil on canvas

I would like to say that this Jonquil is from my garden, but it isn't. We have snow on the ground here in Ohio with temps in the teens. Spring is still months away but the market is full of flower choices. I usually use more color in my setups but I was experimenting with the clear glass on white. At first I thought it was going to be a wiper but then things started coming together. Now I like it.

RED, YELLOW, BLUE 6"x6" oil on canvas

This one fell to the floor while I was setting it up to be photographed. Luckily it landed wet side up.
I am still working on the portrait I mentioned last time I posted and it hasn't gotten any easier. I decided I needed to look at a master portrait painter, so of course I chose Sargent. He made it look so easy.

To all my friends and family in CA. I hope you are staying high and dry.

APPLE MARCH 6"x6" oil on canvas

I just realized that I haven't posted anything since Jan. 3rd. I could go down the list of all the things
I have been doing instead of painting and posting but the yawning would be deafening. I have
started a fairly large portrait that is taking quite a lot of my time. I'm working from a photogragh
which I have only tried one other time with mixed results. At the University we were taught to
always paint from life but guess what, that isn't always convenient. Making up your own rules is
much more fun. I will post the portrait when it is finally finished.

DECEMBER TULIPS 6"x8" oil on canvas

I went to the market on Dec. 31 to stock up on food since all the Christmas leftovers were depleted. The flower shop is the first area I see as I start through the store. Bright red tulips caught my eye and I couldn't resist buying them. What a contrast to our very cold temps and traces of snow remaining on the ground. The cloth is a gift from Marie, a friend who was helping expand my ever growing accumulation of still life props.

I like to try different painting surfaces and have been using RayMar canvas panels lately. They are sturdy and hold a lot of paint. Since I like painting on smooth surfaces, I bought the portrait finish.

TANGERINE TRIO 6"x6" oil on canvas

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE!

TANGERINES PLUS ONE SOLD

I actually finished this painting a few days ago but am just now getting it posted. I wasn't happy
with the first photos I took of it. This one is a little better but I am still looking for the perfect place in
my studio to shoot the photo. I love painting oranges and tangerines. I have used them in my
larger still life paintings frequently. One reason is the longevity of citrus. It retains the vibrant color
for many days which is necessary when working in a larger format. If any of you have helpful tips
for photographing artwork, please leave a comment.

GRAPE TOMATOES SOLD

This image looks a little fuzzy to me now that I am posting it. I'm still getting used to photographing paintings. I do like the red, green & gold combination. After all, Christmas is on the way ready or not. I have had a real photographer, Jaquelynn Buck take photos for my website in the past. She does a great job but unfortunately for me she has just moved to Valdosta, GA.

My friend Sylvia just called to tell me that she was unable to leave a comment on the blog. I apologize to anyone else who may have had difficulties with this feature. I think I fixed the problem so please try again.

PAST THEIR PRIME 8"x6" oil on canvas

These flowers have been in my studio for more than two weeks. No water for at least a week and they still have some color. Carnations have staying power like no other flower. I am working on a larger painting of pomegranates and I think I passed the frustrating part today. That would be what I call the middle of the process. When I discover the initial marks are incorrect. Then the redrawing and repainting begins.