The Guardian

The Guardian

Oil

5 x 5"

$75

I took reference photos of hens and this wonderful rooster at the Inn at Little Washington. The chicken coop is like no other. Very charming, with a victorian style. The fence surround was just as unique.

DPW Single Rose and 10 minute challenge

This is a Daily Paintworks Challenge. The challenge was to paint a 3 x 3 section in 10 minutes and paint four of anything. So I chose an onion. It's a great exercise to help paint faster and looser.

Single Rose

Oil

6 x 4"

$75

This is another Daily Paintworks Challenge. I loved painting this. The photo was perfect with its light and shadow making it much easier to paint.

Off the tree

Off the Tree

Oil

6 x 6"

Sold
Another apple!!!

Is that me?

Is That Me?

Oil

6 x 6"

$75

I'm into painting reflective surfaces now. Challenging to say the least. I try to look at it in an abstract way so I don't get too overwhelmed when I start. I started painting glass this way and now I love to paint glass.

Outside Trio

Outside Trio

Oil

6 x 6"

I just love painting apples! Have I said that before? yes, yes, yes. I especially like the blue-green paper basket, a great complement.

A Book a Day

A Book a Day

Oil

6" x 6"

$75

Not sure why I love painting apples but I do. It's a good thing too because they're always in the frig and I can set up a still life quickly.

Knock-out Roses

Knock-out Roses

12" x 12"

Oil

$200

Everyone should have knock-out roses in their garden or in front of their houses. They are so easy to take care of or not take care of. They continually bloom and last all summer to early fall.

I had fun with this painting. I seemed to knock it right out. (Ha-Ha) I got the values right and I love the glass jar. This and 9 other paintings are hanging at the Barnes & Noble Cafe in Washingtonian Center, Gaithersburg, MD till mid-February.

On the Sill

6" x 6"

Oil
Sold

I took a reference photo of this last spring and finally got around to painting it. There's something about looking through a window in a painting. Not sure if I feel serenity or the anticipation of feeling the sun on my face. I love being in the sun! Next week is vacation relaxing on the beach. Got my stack of books ready! Need I say more?

You don't say!

You Don't Say!

5" x 7" Oil

$100

This is my new favorite color combination; green, orange, purple. Love the way the green goes dark to light. Pears are fun to paint so I painted a larger version of this, 18 x 24.

In the Breeze

In the Breeze

Oil, 14" x 11", $300

This is another from my Monday night painting class. The class is only 2 hours long so I need to block in fast and get the values right. It took 2 classes to finish. I think I got it though.

Hurry Up!

Hurry Up!

Oil 12" x 9"

$150

Good grief, it's July already! what happened to June? I've been painting but not posting. Shame on me.

Don't you love this little gal? I take photos of random dogs when I go walking. This one was enjoying the cherry bloosoms in DC. So much activity and she spotted another dog up ahead. This and a few others are going in an exhibit. I paint with a great group of women and gentleman on Wednesdays. We eat, drink, critique, and paint. "The Pate Painters", as we are called, are exhibiting at Bohrer Park Center, Gaithersburg, MD starting July 7.

Chocolate Layer Cake

Chocolate!!!

Oil, 6" x 6", $75

Yummy, yummy, yummy!! You can bet I finished all of this when I was finished painting! This is a challenge from Calypso Moon Artist Movement. You could paint any food but it had to be bad for you and delicious. This won out for me. What can be better than two kinds of chocolate, dark and milk?

Hangin' Out

Hangin' Out

12" x 12". Oil, $100

I did this in a class I'm taking at Plaza Art. It's just a 2 hour session that runs for 8 weeks. So I complete the paintings fairly fast. I'm working on painting looser, not getting bogged down and overworking. Painting fast forces me to make every stroke count. I think about where I want the lights and darks. The teacher sets up the still life which is good. Sometimes I agonize over what to set up and then I don't paint. I keep telling myself- It's not what you paint but that you PAINT. Practice, practice, practice.

Red Roof

Red Roof

Oil, 6" x 6", $50

Felt like painting a landscape today. I did an 8 x 10 of this in my plein aire class last summer. The weather has been soooo wonderful. The lilacs are in bloom and the azaleas will be out very soon too.

Whats That?

Whats That?

Oil, 8" x 10", $150

Took the photo for this on a beautiful March day near a college campus in Boston . There was so much activity he kept turning his head every which way. Went to see cherry blossoms yesterday down by the tidal basin in DC. Sooo crowded! lots of dogs too. So excited to have more pics then realized my camera was not working. Ugh! I only love technology when it's working! Same goes for machines. Our riding lawn mower is not working either and our grass keeps growing.

Come Along

Come Along

Oil, 10" x 10", $150

I've been taking snapshots of random dogs when I go out. This little dachsund was walking on the mall in DC. Isn't he too cute? I had to paint him. The shadows were very interesting. I like the warm and cool aspect too.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers

Oil, 6" x 6", $50

It has been a while since I posted anything! My new years resolution of posting more often hasn't seemed to stick. I'll try again. I have been painting but have been doing larger canvases.

The warmer weather has been teasing us into thinking it's here. One day it's 70 and the next three days it's 55. So I needed to think spring and thought sunflowers would cheer us all up. This weekend is suppose to be in the 80's. Woo-hoo!!!

Nothing but Limes

Nothing but Limes

6" x 6"

Oil

This cute glass jar is an empty Patron liquor bottle. I love the shape and the color combination. Becca and her friends loved the insides.

Blue-Green-Oranges

Blue-Green-Oranges

6" x 6"

Oil

Color, color, color! How does it make you feel?

Oranges in Crystal Bowl

Oranges in Crystal Bowl
Oil
6" x 6"
$75

Happy New Year everyone! Can't believe 2010 is here! A new beginning. It's always good to sit back and reflect, get new inspirations and feel rejuvenated in the process. New resolutions...yes, but I won't write them down so you won't know if I'm succeeding. I will tell you one of them though-painting almost everyday. So that you will see.

This little one was fun and fast. I love the bowl, it sparkles.

DSFDF Portrait

Unknown Hottie

8" x 8"

Oil

What a great DSFDF challenge! I've only done 2 portraits before (self-portraits -had to for art class) so this was a stretch for me. I had fun though! This was my second try. Painting from a photo and never seeing the person you are painting is the challenging part. Hope I did her justice and she likes it.

Everyone, have a very Merry Christmas! Love to all.