"White Stacks 2" & workshop photos - SOLD

Above is a very loose version of white cups and things I did a few weeks ago. I did 2 versions for a friend and he picked the other so this one is up for grabs. Below is student work from this last week (I keep forgetting to photograph more) - these are ten minute paintings and I hope you'll agree the improvement (left to right) is phenomenal!

And below are all my kids together in San Luis Obispo. I hope you know I was kidding when I said all those mean things about them in my last post. : ) This was a really great group and I was sad for the week to end. Please stay in touch, ya'll!

"Two Cups, One Spoon" - SOLD

I am having a great time here in San Luis Obispo! My kids are well-behaved ... most of the time, and do what I say. As usual they drag me out to dinner each night and ply me with alcohol and dessert - as if they're going to get good grades from this. Ha! Here are a few of them in their calmer moments when they're not berating me for giving them such hard assignments.

"Cool Shadow" - SOLD

Ok, you guys asked for it. Today I am posting, after multiple requests, a not-so-great painting and the re-do. These two were done on different days (I had to pick up the peices in between). The one above is the redo. Now, I know I am going to get emails saying (what my husband said) that the bottom one is better. But I like the top one a lot better - because ...


1. In general I think it's a better, more balanced composition (even though I put the tomato in the middle on the redo). I like the ledge of the top one - the bottom one feels like everything is in danger of falling forward.
2. I like the shadow on the cup from the glass, up above. The dish below (made by my mother) is beautiful in real life (I didn't do it justice) and maybe too tough to paint so small (probably a cop-out). I got too fussy with it and the edges got tight.
3. The bottom one is fussier in general (in places). I think it's important to have a consistent style across the whole painting (tough to pull off) and I think I was much more successful with this in the top painting.
4. It's tough critiquing myself. I do like the tomato on the bottom better. I'm off to California tomorrow, but please feel free to comment and let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing some different perspectives. Thanks!

"On Our Way" - SOLD

In 2 days I'll be travelling to San Luis Obispo, CA for a 5-day workshop. Tomorrow I'll be packing up, but I hope to fit at least one more painting in.

"Above All Else" - SOLD

I've been feeling in a bit of a rut lately with my still lifes. I find myself setting up the same basic compositions over and over. So today I decided to get out and do some plein air. I went down the river to find only deciduous trees, all bare. I set up anyway and did a horrible little painting. So I wiped it off, came home and set up something a bit different in my studio. It reminds me of family.

"Backstage" - SOLD

I was messing around with this setup - with bowls and such - and suddenly realized just the pear with it's shadow made a cute little scene. The pear is an actor, see, and it's conferring with it's shadow backstage, reviewing lines, calming butterflies, etc. Can you see it?

"Coffee Clutch" - SOLD

Today was a big day towards the completion of my studio. It was very exciting to watch, though of course we tried not to watch much - didn't want to make the dry wall guys nervous. I had to force myself back into my current "studio" to paint. Before I move out I'll take a picture of what I've put up with for the last year, including my office/bathroom. : )

"Spring is Here" - SOLD

BUY NOW $90

This is a bit of wishful thinking - spring being here (check title). But the sun did come out today and it was a lovely bit of warmth after all the cold. I know it's still snowing in lots of places, so sorry, but you'll be glad during the summer when it's nice there and 100+ degrees in Texas!

I've been digging an artist I recently found and thought I'd share. His name is Randall David Tipton - website and blog. His work is really quite amazing.

"Distorted View" - SOLD

I just love how glass distorts things. The blue cup in the back is one from my recent Goodwill trip. I dig the little bitty handle.

"Tiny Tea & Tomatoes" - SOLD

I went to Goodwill yesterday and struck gold! One of my new treasures is this tiny, little, yellow tea pot. It is super cute.

We are making a lot of progress on the studio. The drywall guys are coming on Tuesday, and after that it should be only a few weeks before I move in!! I know this has taken a while, but we've had a lot of interruptions since we poured the slab last spring.

"Translucentness" - SOLD

I've been struggling with these tomatoes the last couple of days but was thrilled when I landed on this composition with the shadows turning all orangey-red like that! Tomatoes are tough because they are translucent and so the values on the tomatoes only subtley change from the light side to the shadow side.

"Networked" - SOLD

I've been busy making frames for paintings I am sending to a new gallery this week. I am happy to announce I will soon be represented by Windrush Gallery in Sedona, AZ. I visited the gallery last time I was in town and was very impressed by the gallery, the work in it, and the owner, John. I encourage you to stop by if you're in the area.

"Mixed Cups" - SOLD

I am trying out a new way of photographing my paintings, and as soon as I work out all the kinks I will write all about it. Until then I am getting a little more glare than usual I think. I didn't notice until just now.

"A Royal Snack" - SOLD

I call this "A Royal Snack" because ... well because with the pitcher and the draped cloth and all the colors it just seems ... fit for royalty. And maybe I was influenced by the movie I just watched with Egyptian royalty in it. I don't know. I love this green pitcher. I've had it for a while and have been trying to fit it in somewhere - and now I've used it twice in one week!

"Grass in Greener"

I know some of you get tired of seeing them, but I LOVE painting apples. They are so colorful and shiny and ... just wonderful subjects. I said recently I'd rediscovered color, and here I am proving it. Color and lots of it! I'm really happy with this one.

"Patchwork Apples" - SOLD

I learned something very valuable when I was sick recently. I discovered that I can sit on the couch for almost two weeks doing nothing ... and the world keeps turning! So I've decided to be a little easier on myself, eat better, exercise more, spend more time with my family. I'll still paint most days, but just a few hours sometimes instead of all day most days. It's what a lot of you have been telling me for ages, and I'm finally listening. Thank you!

"Apple Club" - SOLD

In general if I'm painting a scene with a lot of white in it I tone it first with burnt umber because it's a fairly neutral color and it doesn't tint the white much. When I remember. This time I forgot and toned it red. It's ok, but the red really shows around the edges. So ... I am selling this one with a frame that hides the edges. To include the cost of the frame I am starting bidding at $130. You can see the frame below. It's a nice frame from http://www.kingofframe.com/. You can also see it here on my frames page - La Paz Dark with Silver.

"Draped Setting" - SOLD

There's something about the way white fabric folds that is magical. It is one thing I don't find easy to paint, at all. I usually end up making all the shadow parts too dark and have to go back and adjust ... and readjust, etc.

"Bot App Pitch" - SOLD

Sometimes I focus so much on value I forget how much I love COLOR! And this combination of colors especially - I dig it.

"Lean on Me" - SOLD

Click Here to Bid

I got a request recently from a reader to address this question: "Do you pre-mix the colors on your palette, based on your set up, or do you mix as you go?" My answer: No, I don't pre-mix. I mix as I go. I have several reasons for this: 1. I've noticed when have pre-mixed, I tend to use a mix even if it turns out to be wrong because - well gosh darn otherwise I've wasted a whole pile of paint! 2. I also tend to use a pile of pre-mixed color for a whole area of one color rather than mixing different but similar colors for the different strokes (which makes for a more interesting area of color, in my opinion). 3. I tend to use up a whole pile even if I don't need it because - again, I've mixed it all up and it's a waste otherwise.