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.

Organized Orange

 

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

I got an email today from a gal who says that she "struggles with the middle values." And I can honestly say - me too! Recently I added a new thing to my studio that has helped. I painted a simple little value scale (with acrylic paint) that I put under my palette so that the values peek out along the bottom.

When I'm having trouble, I mix colors with corresponding values right above each value. This helps especially with all the white cups and plates I paint. I also think to myself, when I'm looking at the plate, for example, what like value can I find? Is there a value in the cup that is similar? And every time I mix a new color, I look for like values to compare it too (as opposed to looking at only the colors right next to the thing). I might even put a little dab (on my palette) of the new color next to a color with a similar value just to compare.

I will try and post a photo with paint on the palette to show more of what I mean. Hopefully this all makes sense, but feel free to email me with questions!

Just a Few Things

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

Tomorrow we're headed out for some much needed camping. We'll be gone about 2 weeks, so I won't be able to ship paintings or prints until around 4/19/26. I apologize for any inconvenience.

One thing I love about camping is - I get bored. And when I get bored I get new ideas - for painting, for sewing, for everything. I imagine it's a problem for young people today - there being so much easy entertainment at their fingertips that they never get bored. Boredom is SO good for creativity. For me anyway. I try to get bored on a regular basis, but camping is the primo version.

Not for Consumption

 

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

In case you missed it, I recently released a new online tutorial (ArtByte) that is all about painting glass! The idea behind the ArtBytes is they are bite-size and affordable. If you have seen it, please email me with feedback, or leave a review. Thanks!

Orange You Bottles?

 

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

Titles are hard to come up with. That's all I got today.

Gathering

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

This is my example for this month's Daily Paintworks challenge: The Gathering Challenge. You know, since it's the time of year where we get together. The prompt is pretty simple. Please submit your work! You don't have to be a member. : )

Sweet Nothings

 

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

When I bought these roses I was most attracted to the fact that some were pinkish, and some leaned more peachy. I find those kind of analogous colors incredibly yummy.

Shine On Crazy Apple

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

I've got a workshop coming up, so I've been thinking a lot about teaching, always trying to improve my game. One thing I tell my students, because it's important for me too, is setting expectations. We tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves for the next painting to be "good." But it often leads to disappointment. So my thing is to always expect "eh." That way I am pleasantly surprised if it works out. 

Also it can help to do a bunch of paintings without judgement, and then instead of asking yourself if any one is good, rather, ask which are your favorites, and what you learned that you can apply to the next batch. That way you're always moving forward. If you get too focused on one painting that wasn't your best, it can easily lead to fear and discouragement. And then you're not painting anymore, and then you're definitely not improving.

A Different Perspective

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Here's another reworked composition, inspired by a previous 6x6 (this one). After seeing them again now I think maybe I used a different light the first time. I changed a few other things, including the foreground paper. I may have to do a few more versions.

Taking Risks

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I've been thinking about the rules of composition lately. And by thinking about them I mean, the fact that I mostly don't. I compose by feel/instinct. As I'm putting something like this together, I am only asking myself - do I like the way this looks? I'll try absolutely anything. If I land on something I like, then I paint it. If it's almost working but not quite, that's when I consult the rules in case any of them might help. If anything they should be called "potential helping tools" rather than rules. I think if I tried to follow all the rules all the time, my paintings could be pretty dang boring. My opinion anyway.

New Green Bottle

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I got this green bottle recently at our very cool, 4-story, antique mall. I painted it here, above, trying to make friends with all the other props. And then I got a bug to paint the whole thing again, on a black gessoed panel (below). Two different looks. I'm posting them both because I couldn't decide if I liked one over the other.

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Five Things

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

My new, little, square cup wanted to make another appearance. Such a diva, this one.

The Importance of Variety in Dishes

 

Click Here to Purchase - $750 - 12x24in - oil on panel

This wide format never looks great here, so please click on the image to see larger. I'm quite happy with this one.

A Matter of Life and Death

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I got this little skull a while back with no idea that it would be SO hard to paint. The transitions are super subtle, but I think the hardest thing is that we know what a skull is supposed to look like, so even with it super sketchy like this, everything has to be in just the right place. I've had to wipe off quite a few versions for each time it's been in a painting.

Everybody Wants Grapes

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I took a nice, long trip with my husband and dog, which was so wonderful after the year I've had! The great thing about trips for me is getting out of my routine and attaining a broader perspective on my life and my work. This is especially true when we are camping, because it gives me lots of time to stare at the scenery and contemplate what I'm doing without being pressed up against it as I am when I'm in my studio.

Another benefit of trips for me is that eventually I get bored, and new ideas start popping into my head. I had quite a few this time, and mostly they revolved around larger paintings. I have a handful of small works left that I will post (like this one), but I also have some big ones that I was holding onto for I'm not sure what reason, and have dusted off, varnished, photographed, and will soon post as well. The prices on these will be good as my main motivation is to move them out of the way for new work.

As for my neck and healing from surgery, it's going great! They say it takes a year to get back to "normal," whatever that means after essentially 20+ years of neck trouble. My muscles in that whole area are still angry, and that certainly hampers what I can do, but it's improving steadily, and everything is so so SO much better than it was before!!!

Conspiring

 

Click Here to Purchase for $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Thank you all SO MUCH for the outpouring of love and support after telling my story a couple of days ago. An artist's life is mostly solitary, and I can sometimes forget I'm not alone.

You make me feel loved. 💗 And it is very much appreciated.

Collections

 

Click Here to Buy for $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Everywhere I go I keep my eyes peeled for things to paint. I have a pretty big collection by now. Here are just a few of my favorites that I think make a nice team.

Standing Together

Click Here to Buy for $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

We have a fabulous little junk shop in downtown Missoula with bottles galore displayed in the front window. We walk by it pretty regularly, so I get to see any new additions. I just acquired this tall, skinny one from there for my collection. You'll definitely see it again.

Oil Painting Supplies

 

Click Here to Buy for $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Here are a few of my art supplies. I don't often think to paint them because ... I'm using them. Haha. But it's fun to do occasionally.

Seeking Love

 

Click Here to Buy for $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I went to the store and found these adorable, little, orange bell peppers. I thought they would be a cinch to paint, but they put up a fight. It took me an hour and a lot of frustration just to come up with this one. Maybe they are teenage bell peppers. That would explain a lot.