Leaves and Lilies

I've noticed that what catches your eye can often make a good painting. The orange yellow of these silk flowers piled with some other supplies drew my attention.

Cloud Study

It takes some time to watch these cumulus clouds grow. There's a cycle of growth and death kind of like a flower.

Silk Lilies

A little abstract but I'm happy with the colors.

5"x7" Oil on canvas board

Faces 14

Though it's still a limited pallet, I found a way to work in a couple more colors.


5"x7", Oil, canvas panel

Faces 13

I found that counting brush strokes helps me overcome a tendency I have of not starting with enough paint on the brush. It shifts the fear of running out of paint to running out of stokes.

Been enjoying Katheryn Law's posts about her PKR workshop

5"x7", Oil, canvas panel

Faces 12

One of the new things I'm learning from doing this series, is to look for facial and hair color relationships. Until now I hadn't consciously tried painting a combination of fair skin dark hair in a portrait. There's so many other similarities and differences to explore.

5"x7", Oil, canvas panel

Faces 11

9"x12", Oil, Stretched Canvas

Faces 8

Still busy getting the features in place but I know that I'll get to where I can express the character.

Faces 7

Back into oil color for a bit.

Two Trees

A painting composed from a sketch. Named for the difference in the "Two Trees", light against dark / dark against light. (a choice based on design, not observation)

testing my ability to paint from memory and imagination.

7"x11", gessoed paperboard, Oil

Winter Clouds

Painting Clouds with oil paint is really fun. This was painted from a photo Naomi took.


9"x12", Oil, Stretched Canvas

Something New

Trying something different:
1. Construct a landscape in my mind
(a collection of 3D forms)
2. Paint an image of that construction
(imagining how light and shadow describe the forms)
The idea of not having something to look at takes getting used to. It seems to take a lot more energy to get a little results.

Iris Light and Shade

Deciding the areas of light and shadow seems to be less obvious with dark objects. I noticed this in the drawings I've been doing of this irises. This painting is more of a composition study for that dark object.

White Carnation

I'm experimenting some with a pallet knife. I like how it makes it easy to apply clean color.

Iris Studies

Enjoyed mapping this flower too.

Small Carnation

I gessoed some linen by just tacking it to a work table and then cutting it into smaller pieces to paint on without stretchers. It's got a nice texture.

Yellow Carnation

What I learned is that if I can't see the colors It's OK to trust my feelings. After using what I felt was the right color paint, I could see it in the subject.

Holland Pieces

I was thinking how it's as important for the shapes in a painting to relate to each other as
it is objects in a still life.

Dutch Shoe

A small ceramic piece that's shiny and reflects a lot of the foreground color

Gold Rimmed Tea Cup

From Naomi's collection of tea cups