April 15 - Another Lily (Figurative Work)

"Another Lily" In the United States, citizens are looking at today as the day to pay taxes.  And I recalled line about the "pound of flesh"  (was that Shakespeare?) and renovated a life study I had.  I love the pensive look of this lady, and also the loose brushwork.  This study probably was from a 15 minute pose, as that was the length of these studies.  I highly recommend taking a life drawing or life painting course, as this kind of disciplined finish-it-now regimen will prepare you to capture the essence of whatever you need to paint in the future.  This is an oil study (I cropped out my signature for better design) of a model named "Lily" 14 x 11 and it was done with thin layers underneath before the thick lights were laid on in the second pass.
  I wish more of my work would get like this.  But it seems to work best for quick studies only.  Tomorrow I have another commission to do.

April 14 - Easter Lily

"Easter Lily" On Wednesday, when I went to the San Diego Museum of Art, I saw three original Georgia O'Keeffe paintings. Her detailed brushmarks were a powerful message for the abstracted florals on the wall. Since Easter is Sunday, and since I have one of my commissions out of the way, I thought I would detour into this lovely blossom from one of the bouquets. Original 6 x 6 inch oil. $100

April 13 - Wolfy (German Shepherd Commission)

"Wolfy" A commissioned 16 x 20 painting, Wolfy was a challenge for me, as the source material was an assemblage of indoor photographs, outdoor sunshine and flash photography. Whew. Solving a lot of those problems occurs when you put the dog in a formal background, and having looked thousands of times at dogs in general. Wolfy's owner came to me after seeing the other dog and cat portraits on my site. Original Oil.

April 12 - Sign of Spring (Tulip)

Ever get a spring cold?  I've got one now, and it's slowed me down a bit.  Couldn't get the commissions finished, so I gently lifted out a lovely tulip from a bouquet and put it in this bud vase.  Of course I went to Balboa Park today, and walked through the botanical gardens--perhaps that's why this tulip whispered, "Paint me tonight".  In any case, I hope you'll enjoy the intensity of color against many different grays, showing that, to make a painting sing, contrast is one good way to do it.  
Original oil, 7 x 5 inches on gallery-wrap (no framing needed).  $100

April 11 - More Foot Traffic (Study)

Today my siblings and I removed all of Mom's things from her assisted living apartment, and it was wonderful and yet sad. do you know I saw my sister and brother with new eyes?--seeing how much each reminds me of either Mom or Dad, and enjoying their company knowing that in being with them, I am also enjoying many of the characteristics reminding me of my folks. Mom's wit, Dad's dry humor and so much more. We are beginning to plan the trip that will provide closure for us--to take their ashes to their beloved Hawaii.
So today's painting points my "foot" in new directions. Kinetically posed, ready to step off, it is a study of light and dark and flesh tones on a mirrored image, backlit. About 6 x 8 inches, on un-stretched canvas. Moving onward.
And new directions it is! Tomorrow I go to San Diego's Balboa Park to the museums for my Art Appreciation online students (who are not aware of all that's gone on), and see more of the continuity of human art-making at the Timken and San Diego Museums of Art. Then I start the new commissions that are awaiting my brush--1) Wolfy, a German Shepherd, 2) a landscape of the Santa Rosa Plateau for a most patient collector, and 3) a still life for the San Diego County Fair Educational Pavilion, due May 1. So for my 100th painting of the year, new directions is most appropriate!
Life (and living it fully) is grand.

April 10 - Moving Forward (Foot Study)

"Quick Study--Foot" I need to disengage my mind from the past few days and redirect...here's a mini-lesson for you! Take a limited palette (white, cad red light, alizarin, ultramarine blue and yellow ochre) and do some quick studies of your own anatomy. Great savings on model fees! All you need is a mirror and yourself--and a spot warm enough to keep you from seeing goosebumps. Makes you think, makes you see, and for me, makes me realize that I am starting from the ground up--"On a new footing". Sometimes the simplist images convey the most poignant message. Original oil on unstretched canvas, 9 x 6 inches. Oops, forgot to sign it. Ah, well, too tired tonight, and besides, it's just a sketch.

April 9 - Flowers, Grieving

"Flowers from David and Suzanne" When we came back to our gate this afternoon, there was a bouquet of mixed flowers waiting by our lightpost, with a card from dear friends, artists with both guitar and brush. Their kindness and my daily painting come together with selections from the bouquet. The roses lie here horizontally, more appropriately representing the passage of a life. Yet their beauty reminds me of the strength of friendships. A huge amount of paint on this 8 x 10 oil, as I used both palette knife and brush to paint these beauties. $200