Category Archives: My Art

Pre-Workshop Painting of ‘Susan’s Marsh’ Got Some Touchups Pre-Exhibit

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Before the recent workshop on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I tried to get in the groove by painting one of the places we would visit there.  I call it ‘Susan’s Marsh’ because it was based on a photo my sister took in showing us potential venues.  I didn’t finish it then, but did so a couple of weeks ago so I could include it in our new Maplewood Exhibit.  I decided to spice it up a bit by adding a heron — it was looking a bit too tranquil without it!

 

Painting #17. Back to Painting the Big Flowers ~~ Another Pull-Out-the-Stops Hibiscus

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This hibiscus was growing in my sister’s yard.  I generally shy away from screaming colors but, hey, this one was trying SO hard I just had to snap its portrait and paint it.  We may need sunglasses for this one!

Neon Hibiscus. Oil on Primed Arches Oil Paper. 20″ x 8″.

Reference Photo

Painting #16. Painting Smoke Outside the Kitchen Window

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We’ve got a beautiful fluffy pink smoke bush in our front yard.  It’s only a few years old but it’s grown huge.  Its color is very interesting.  Not ‘PINK pink’, but something fairly indescribable.  I can show you better with my brush than with my words.  I also give you a few photos below to get a sense of what I was looking at when I painted this one live.

Touching Up an Oldie-but-Goodie ~~ a Favorite Painting from a Long Ago Workshop

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Some years ago I took a workshop from nationally known artist Carolyn Anderson.  One of our tasks was to paint an interpretation based on one of her stash of photos that she uses for inspiration.  I selected the one I liked and did a nice start, I thought.  I’ve always liked that old painting and decided to finish it up last week.  It only took a few minutes.  Ahhhhh.  That felt good! Here it is and below that, its state before the touch-up, as well as the reference photo.

The ‘7 Palettes’ Kicked Off a Summer-long Exhibit Yesterday!

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Yesterday, some friends and I, who collaborate on all things art as The 7 Palettes,  opened a new exhibit in Bethesda, Maryland.  Our art — some 40+ pieces — will be displayed for three months at Maplewood Park Place on Old Georgetown Road.  Come see our pretties, please — any day between now and August 24, from 10 to 4 daily.   And congratulations to Sara Becker, whose large abstract painting sold during the Opening Reception!!  Way to go, Sara!

 

Painting #15 Maple Leaves from Life — an Experiment with Rubber Widget

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Last week I painted purple irises atop leaves from the Japanese Maple out front.  I focused on the irises rather than on the leaves in that one.  After the irises faded, the lovely tangle of leaves and stems continued to hold my attention.  So I painted them – or tried anyway.  The leaves are mostly very dark — deep reds and greens, so I wanted a light background, but what color?

I tried one color; nah.  I tried another; nah. The next morning, I covered it all up with a creamy yellow/white and didn’t like that either.  In frustration, I picked up a rubber wedge tool and scraped off the top layer of background, trying hard not to wipe off the leaves themselves.  I was left with all sorts of interesting marks around the leaves.  They’re weird but I like them and thought I’d keep ’em.  Let me know if you like them or hate them!

#16. Tangle of Japanese Maple Leaves in a Pitcher. Oil on Arches Oil Paper. 10″ x 8″.

The leaves and vase I painted (from life).

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Painting #13 – Another Veggie Watercolor-Gouache for a Collector

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After painting that cauliflower a few days ago, I started regretting that my collector had selected my dinky mushrooms as part of her four-veggie series for the kitchen.  I decided to do a more ‘fulsome’ substitute for her consideration — celery!  Here it is.  She’s happily taking it instead of the ‘shrooms!

Celery. Watercolor and gouache on paper. 11″ x 14″

Celery Painting and Subject.

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Painting #14 ~~ Screaming Red Hibiscus!

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This is another beauty from our garden, continuing the ‘big flower’ theme for a bit.  Fortunately our three hibiscus plants made it through the winter and we might have more of these later in the summer.  Yum.

Painting #14. Screaming Red Hibiscus. Oil on Primed Arches Oil Paper. 10×8.

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Painting #12 – Another Yellow Flower (Squash Blossom) & Friend

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I decided to try another yellow flower — even bigger this time.  I took the reference photo in our garden one morning — I couldn’t believe that the bee posed long enough for me to lean in for such a closeup.  I was pumped.  And I guess I got pumped up again while making this painting — it’s one of my favorites of the daily paintings so far!  Hope you like it too.

#12 Yellow Squash Flower & Friend. Oil on Primed Arches Oil Paper. 10×8

Reference Photo

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Painting #11 Yellow Lilies

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For my next painting I decided to channel friend Helen Gallagher with some BIG flowers, painted from life from a bouquet a friend sent me for Mother’s Day.  Haven’t ever done any large scale, straight-on flowers.  I don’t think I captured the color of the shadows very well.  I’m also not crazy about the composition, but it was a good experiment.  I used the palette knife a fair amount, but not for everything. . . .

I painted from life rather than the photo below — which I snapped to record what I was generally looking at while painting.

Yellow Lilies. Oil on Primed Arches Oil Paper. 8×10.

Reference Photo