Sampling the Goods

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

I had been meaning to get down to the farmers market in Missoula for a while. Years. When I finally went recently, with a friend, I realized that I have no trouble going in other towns, but when it's my own ... I hesitate. I feel self-conscious with my camera. The solution was to go with a friend and pretend I was a tourist. It was great. I got lots of photos.

And speaking of people paintings, I recently got a new batch of my "People Out and About" book, an improved version. I was hearing from people that the last batch had faulty glue in the binding and the pages were eventually falling out. If you got one of those books, I'm so sorry! AI helped me find a new printer: Dazzle Printing, which I am quite happy with. Eventually I will put out other books as well.

Into the Light

 

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

This is a scene from Florence, Italy that I have painted before with no success. The two main people remind me of my in-laws, which is why I gave it another chance. My favorite part is her striped shirt, and the way her hand goes back.

Market in the Trees

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

A few weeks ago my husband and I drove over to Spokane & Coeur d'Alene to explore their Saturday markets for reference material. We found the one in Spokane to be fairly underwhelming. This is a scene from the one in Coeur d'Alene, which was nestled in the trees. It made for lovely ambience, and cool shopping, but fairly dark photos. I was thrilled when these two stepped into the light!

Out for a Stroll

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

It takes me about 3 to 4 times as long to complete a painting with people in it than it does for other subjects. People are tough. Even though I suggest them, I have to get every mark in the right place. I mean, not that it's perfect, by any means, but we know what people look like, and we can tell at a glance if something is off. So I have to do a lot of careful considering while I paint. It only looks loose.

Captivated

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

This was an experiment with color. It was a pretty boring (gray) reference, so I made up some colorful bits to make it more interesting. 

Look at This One

 

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

I wish I lived closer to the beach so I could go out regularly and get pictures of scenes like this. Alas. I guess it'll just have to be an excuse to take more vacations. Poor me.

Pig and Peony

 

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

Here's one last peony from my garden. They are all done now. It's never long enough. The pig feels the same way.

Mom Needs Shade

Click Here to Bid - 6x8in. - oil on panel

This little girl was entertaining herself with a dance while her mom took a snack break in the shade of the pier. I picked the reference with the best pose, and then had to move her over a bit so she didn't line up in funny ways with the posts. It was challenging, but I'm happy with the result. : )

Peony Shadow Touches Plate

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

Here's another peony from my garden. It looked especially good from above, and I used these blocks of blue (paper) for contrast.

Digging for Treasure

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

Here's another NC beach scene. It's so fun to interpret the wet sand!

I've been busy doing summer things the past couple of weeks, so I haven't been painting or posting as much. I hope you're enjoying the summer too!

Pick Your Peony Cup

 

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

I took a break from painting people scenes to take advantage of my blooming peonies. I missed some of them, but better late than never.

A while back I did a little color chart to help me understand my pink and red options. I used only the colors I have, and played around with different mixes. Camera's don't pick up the subtle differences between the reds, so they all look the same in the picture. Unfortunately it's the same for reds in my reference photos. That is why I paint from life whenever I can, so that I understand what is missing in the photos.

Water Bottles

 

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

This is another one from Southport, NC. Mom fully knows the importance of everyone drinking enough water.

Which Way, Honey?

 

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

This was just outside the visitors center in Southport, NC. I just loved the poses and the colorful clothes, and how they were lit. It's almost like they were posing just for me! I did make up the flowers on the bush behind them, but it goes, right? : )

Dive Into Peonies

 

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

We had some really lovely peonies this year. Not only do I have a few plants myself, there is a wonderful place in town that has a lovely display every year. I got photos of the ones in town (like this one), and did a few from life of my own (you'll see those soon). They are some of the few flowers you can grow here that the deer don't devour.

Time to Gossip

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

I loved these two mature women walking the dog (at the beach in NC), far more interested in their juicy gossip than the dog.

Picket Fence Roses

 

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

When I was teaching my workshop recently in Apex, NC, I wandered some around the neighborhood of the airbnb where I was staying and took a few photos. My goal is always to keep my eyes peeled for anything and everything that appeals to me. It's like a treasure hunt that way. If instead I have my mind set on - old cars - for example, I'll miss other stuff. And I'll be disappointed if I don't find any old cars. This time I found these luscious roses in the morning sun with a white picket fence backdrop. Happy happy.

Family Time

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

Here's a sweet little family at the water's edge. I had to combine a few photos to get the poses I wanted, but I think it was worth it. I love how the water looks green when it's about to wave. : )

Hunting Treasure

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

A lot of the people at the beach were collecting shells. This actually made it easier for me to take photos without them getting suspicious. These two kiddos were especially engrossed. I loved the gestures.

Wave Watchers

Click Here to Bid - 7x5in. - oil on panel

Here's another one from my NC beach trip. I loved the kiddos the best. I always had my camera set to a multi-shot capture because they move so fast (in the next photo this kid was crouched to jump). This way I can choose the pose I like best.

Time to Reapply

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

When I got home from the beach someone asked me if it had been crowded. Normally I would consider crowded a negative, but I happily answered "yes!" Not that it was packed, but there were definitely people everywhere you looked. Happily. : )