Smith Home

It has been awhile since I have posted on this blog.  This is my latest painting.  It is of Louisa and Peter's house on E ST SE here in DC.  It was fun to do it and the colors in the painting are a little more vivid than those shown here---but not much.  I deliberately made the houses on either side a little less detailed.  The woman in the front yard (gardening) is Louisa.

One of the most fun things about this painting is that Griffin remembered the red wagon that is beside the steps.  It was fun to do this...a place of lots of good memories.

Flora and Fauna show at CHAW

 This is information on a show I am in at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th St SE  in DC Capitol Hill neighborhood.

 This is my painting in the show:  "Deer in Backyard"

The reception is on July 19 from 5:30-7, but CHAW is open most weekdays.  I hope my local friends can make it to the reception and/or the show.  

Creekbed in Northern California

 

This is another painting I did in the book I had written about before---maybe a couple of months ago.  It is a book of handmade papers that my friend Patrick Hamilton gave to me.  His sister had died and she was an artist and it was part of her things.  It is a little sad, because she had not had an opportunity to use it at all.nea

This painting is a quiet creekbed with a bridge in Northern California. It might be near the coast.   I didn't label it and I am not sure.  I am very happy with the play of colors and with the lone figure.  It is one of my favorites so far.

Capitol Columns in Fall

A favorite spot to visit here in Washington DC is the National Arboretum.  It is truly spectacular all times of the year.  One of the main attractions is the Capitol Columns, which are Corinthian in design and mounted in a formation on a hill.  They were part of the original Capitol design and installed in 1828.  However, when the Dome was completed in 1866 it was apparently was much larger than what was in the original design, and it didn't look right.  Eventually an addition was completed on the east side to balance the design and these columns were removed in 1958.  With the help of benefactors and an architect, they were moved at a later date to the Arboretum.  This view shows how they look from afar in Fall...one of the best times to visit and walk around the historical installation.
 

Smilin' Santa

 

My snowman for this year is what I call a "Smilin' Santa."  I had a lot of fun with him and the original of the painting has already sold.  He will be on my holiday cards and it is always fun to realize some people have collected them over the years and display them together.  

CAPITOL IN SPRING

 

This is something a little different for me.  One of my friends wanted a painting for her granddaughter's new home.  The idea was something that was very DC but also pretty.  I didn't feel confident to do it, and referred my friend to some other artists who did such paintings.  My friend and her husband found one that they liked, but it wasn't available.   It was the Capitol building with blossoms in front of it.  I decided to give it a try and this is the result.  I'm pretty happy with it and so is my friend  I hope the granddaughter likes it, but right now she is on a six-month assignment Qatar, so it will be awhile before she gets it.

HAND LABYRINTH

 

Here's another labyrinth.  I didn't post it when I finished it...a couple of months ago.  I'm not sure why...I think it was just oversight.  I like it and it was fun to do.  I was trying to fit the labyrinth idea into a hand held up in greeting or maybe in peace.  In fact, I kind of pair this one with the peace labyrinth.