Thank You Carol

This was fun.  My friend Carol gave me and all the Smiths sweet little poinsettias.  Of course, I had to make a little painting of mine as a thank you note.  The Smiths lined their four up together a little family group.  Mine sits on the window sill.  To get an idea of the size, it is about 7" inch high including the self-watering container.  What fun!  Thank you, Carol.

Snowperson card for 2018

Here's a Santa Lucia snow girl having fun.  I want to point out that her candles are LED.  Real candles would be a catastrophe for a snow person!  I hope you enjoy her.

Santa Lucia brings you light and love in the darkest days of Winter...and so do I.

Venice Gondolier

 I started this painting many years ago, but was not satisfied with it.  I don't have a picture of the previous version, but wish I did.  I felt that the gondolier was too close to the bridge and there was no depth.  I went darker in the shadows and this is the result.  I like it a lot and have been thinking about Venice when I hear the flooding has been particularly bad recently.

World's Fair 1939

I actually did this painting some time ago.  In fact, I finished it over a year ago.  I'm not sure why I didn't post it then.  It is based on a black and white photo of my mother and her sisters at the World's Fair in San Francisco.  This version is 11x14, and I am also working on a larger version.  This one was originally meant to be a kind of sketch for the bigger painting, but I liked it and framed it.  I also made shopping bags for my girl cousins with this image on it, and that was fun. 

I think you can sense their excitement and it has a bit of each one's personality.  My Aunt Ardye, with a Kodak box camera, my mom Merle Marie, and my Auntie Kay.  It's currently on display at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th St SE Washington DC....until November 8.  Today would have been my mother's 97th birthday.  I've been thinking about her, and wish I could share this with her.  In fact, I wish I could share all my art adventures with her.

KANAE MEETS SOPHIA

Recently I was organizing photographs and came across this lovely one of Kanae Watanabe with Sophia.  It was taken some time ago as Sophia is now 11.  I was inspired to make it into a painting.  The technique I used was to make a loose watercolor painting and fill in the details with charcoal and pastel.  This painting is now in a show called "Joie de Vivre" at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th St SE, Washington DC. This painting fits that theme!

Lotus

This is my painting for an upcoming show at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop.  The show should be very interesting because it will include not only the final paintings, but some preliminary work associated with the paintings--like value and color studies. The reception is September 8 from 6 to 7:30 at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 7th and G St SE.  This is a show of the Summer Work of a group I recently joined, the Wednesday Studio Group.  All are welcome.

This lotus is one I recently saw at the Lan Su gardens in Portland Oregon.  I had never seen a  lotus out  of water before.  I used only two colors (winsor red and sap green) in this painting.  The browns are combinations of those two colors.

I hope it conveys the serenity I felr when I saw this lotus in a planter,

TY Jan

My friend Jan gave me an amazing vase (with dragonflies, of course) when we got together recently for dinner in Portland .  We now live in different places.  I'm in DC and Jan is in Arizona.  It was a treat to get together, thanks to Patty Clement. 

This vase is the perfect for lilies, roses, and I am sure many other flowers.  Those are just the ones I've put in it so far.  This painting is of  the lilies.  Again....gratitude!  I feel blessed.  I already sent the thank you card with this painting to Jan.