The Lemonade is Awesome Today

Click Here to Bid | 8x8in. | Oil on panel

The main Saturday Market in Missoula is in Caras park, which is downtown, by the river. The downtown is a flight of steps above the river, and this part of the market is right under the road that goes over the river to get downtown. I thought the light was just magical looking in this direction!

And Besides, a Cherry

 

Click Here to Bid | 6x6in. | oil on panel

These reflective still lifes (sitting on a piece of glass) have always been a challenge for me. My brain wants to tell me things that aren't necessarily true. The trick is to think of everything as shapes and colors rather than "cups," and "reflections of cups." Being able to take off my glasses and see it all fuzzy helps so much!

Shopping Under the Big Sky

 

Click Here to Bid | 8x8in. | Oil on panel

I wish more people would wear hats. And little green backpacks. A scene from the Missoula Saturday Market.

Also to report, my workshop in Nashville last week went well. I had a GREAT group (see below). They laughed a lot - still trying to figure out if it was at or with me. I assumed it was with and so we had a lot of fun. Speaking of, I just posted a new workshop - in Portland next summer.

Tres Amigos

 

Click Here to Bid | 8x8in. | oil on panel

I'll leave you with this trio of sunflowers while I head off to Nashville to teach a still life workshop. I'm looking forward to making some new friends very soon!

Love at First Pumpkin

Click Here to Bid | 6x6in. | oil on panel

The title for this one popped into my head the second I came up with the composition. I think it's cool that the pumpkins are so completely fixated on each other despite the distractingly bright cherries.

I'm No Pushover

 

Click Here to Bid | 6x6in. | oil on panel

My friend Leslie hosts a very fun pumpkin painting party every year, so I bought a bag of small ones from Costco. I really liked this one, so I "painted" it twice. : )

The Red Vase

 

Click Here to Bid | 8x8in. | oil on panel

This red vase is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only is it fun to paint, the shadows are always amazing. Many thanks to whoever donated it to the thrift store years ago, right before I went looking.

Color Placement

Click Here to Bid | 8x6in. | oil on panel

This is one of my personal favorites of late. It's so simple, yet I feel this really good feeling when I look at it. I've been experimenting with some new techniques when it comes to process, and I'm very excited to share them at my next workshop, which is coming up soon, in Nashville! : )

Yellow Keeps Watch

 

Click Here to Bid | 6x6in. | Oil on panel

Here's one last little single sunflower painting. I tend to go for lots of color, but I liked the subdued palette of this one. Because of it, the sunflower is the clear star.

What Doesn't Belong

 

Click Here to Bid | 8x6in. | oil on panel

My ellipses are a little off on this one, but I think it lends a playful, jaunty air to the scene. Like they're all a little unstable. And it's because that green square crept in and disrupted the whole thing.

To and Fro

Click Here to Bid - 8x8in. - oil on panel

This is another little summer scene from my hometown of Missoula. Now the weather is getting cooler and we're starting to transition to pants and jackets. Not that I'm complaining about that (at all!) but painting this was a nice way to remember the warmer weather. I absolutely adore the seasons here. In Texas it was just hot, until it wasn't, and then hot again. Here, by the end of each season you're craving the next one. And each new season is that much sweeter because of the one before.

Mingling

 

Click Here to Bid - 8x8in. - oil on panel

(This isn't a great photograph of this one, so I'll get another soon.)

My current shadow "box" is a system of moveable "shelves," and I realized recently that I could use one of the smaller shelves above to cast a shadow on one below, which you can see at the back (top) of this painting. Just something a little different, which adds spice to my painting life. : )

After Brunch

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

One of the very first paintings I ever got super inspired by was a simple still life of some flowers in water in a glass vase by one of my art hero's, Jill Carver. It was all done with just minimal brush strokes, and while nothing was overly-defined, it still read like flowers|water|vase. I wish I could find it to show you. But anyway, I've been inspired ever since.

Finding Solace

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I found this cute little potted plant at the grocery store the other day when I wasn't even looking. Those are generally the best finds - when you aren't expecting anything. He pointed out the sunflowers on the way out, and I just knew somehow that they were going to be buds.

On Top of it All

Click Here to Bid | 8x8in. | oil on panel

Here's another little scene from my summer paddleboarding adventures on Montana lakes. One of my friends has a daughter in her 20's, and she went with us one day. She likened my wanting to photograph these flowers to that of bird watching. From that I got the message that I am "old." Or at least she thinks so. Haha. I'll take it.

Into Shade

Click Here to Bid - 8x6in. - oil on panel

Another scene from around the Missoula Saturday Market. These two were just stepping into the shade of the bridge from the parking lot. I love that little sliver of light on her head and shoulders. Magic.

The Evening Show

 

(click on image to view larger)

Click Here to Bid - 5 7/8 x 9 3/4 in. - oil on panel

This is another attempt to paint the gathering storm clouds we witnessed on an evening of a recent camping trip. I used a scrap panel, so the size is odd (but no problem for a framer). So many subtle colors - such a challenge to paint.

Tomato Shuffle

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

These tomatoes were very indecisive. They wanted to try out every bowl. You should have seen the stack I had to put away after they were done. Sheesh.

Tired Boy

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I ran across this little family on one of my market walks. They were part of a bigger crowd waiting at a light. I decided to zoom in and isolate just these three. Those little hands on top of dad's head were just too cute not to focus on.

Blue Backdrop

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Doing a still life with these fun colors is a complete indulgence for me. It's like eating candy. Yum.