Nov 11 - sketches for Torc Waterfall, Killarney National Park, Ireland

The drawing for this piece is tricky because I changed the view midstream,haha.

I decided to start with a toned canvas. I chose a glowing orange hue. I was hoping to have a mysterious glow peaking through in places.....we will see.

Nov 10 - sketches for Lough Corrib

This is a very large and long lake. Oysters are farm raised here in or on not sure plastic barrels. I'll look up. 24" x 30" 

Nov 6 - Seefin Mountains, Co. Kerry, Ireland

This view is at the beginning of the Ring of Kerry Route. It is beautiful every way you look. Every five minutes you think the view can't get any more beautiful! And it does! 

I hope to make many paintings from this tour. 

This piece is acrylic on canvas and is 30" X 40".

Nov 5 - Caragh River aka Ireland #2

I've been painting but not posting!

So let's catch up. I'm sort of finished with Caragh River.

I may tweek it a bit, who knows. I was starting to noodle it, overwork it.

Oct 18 - Sketches for Seefin Mountain

Oct 17 - Ireland #2

Wo RL in progress.

Acrylic on canvas, 18" x 24".

Oct - Our Town Show Entry (AF)

Acrylic on paper mounted on canvas.30" x 24"

Second of two entries at the 2015 Our Town Show 2015

Oct 11 - Carapace, one of two pieces shown at The Our Town Show 2015

This piece is acrylic on paper mounted on canvas, 24" x 30"

Oct. 6 - Preliminary work for Ireland Paintings

Getting a feel for this piece.

It is Acrylic on canvas, 18" x 24".

The palette is starting to feel right, there is enough contrast and enough balance.

So far so good.

October 2, 2015 - Pear Audition

I thought I was finished with this piece, so I photographed it. When I looked at the photo I saw shapes that I was not happy with. So, I reworked it. This could go on  and on but I have to stop to eat! So here it is. The Audition with two waiting in the wings.

Acrylic on gesso board 6" x 6".

October 1, 2015 - A Pear Double

Acrylic on gesso board, 6" x 6".

Looks like the pears are at the beach! Funny how things evolve. They are on a green and yellow plate' 

I was trying to have both pears standing up but one would not comply.  

Day 30 - Exposed Beach

Acrylic on canvas, 18" x 24".

I'm looking away from the water at the exposed beach. The roots of grasseses and small trees are exposed after a storm washed away the sand.the woven web is very strong. It looks like lace.  I enjoy the trail it makes.

Day 29 - Lake Michigan and South Manitou

Another piece from our Lake Michigan trip. It's 16" x 20", acrylic on canvas. It's mostly painted plein air. I needed to tone down the island later when I took a second look.. Two days later this beach was under water. We had two days to paint it and we spent two entire days on the beach . After the wind brought up the water we went into the dunes.

Day 28 - pear Fiesta

I bought new pears! Finally!  I started with a composition of three pears but they didn't get along. So we have a small Fiesta with two pears today. I caught them mid Rumba.

Acrylic on gesso board, 6" x 6".

Day 26 - Redo Pear

This Pear needed a second chance. I needed to look harder at the shadows. I also needed to rearrange the foreground. I think she has a better look.

Acrylic on gesso board, 6" x 6".

Day 25 - Lake Michigan Tree

Acrylic on canvas

Our view from the fron porch towards Lake Michigan.

This was a calm day. This tree is a survivor!

Day 23 - Road to Pt. Betsie

Acrylic on 6" x 6" canvas.

I'm looking west to Lake Michigan. Mary is tucked into the trees by the road painting the house . She is in the middle in the left side of the road! 

Day 22 - Disa Pear

The 

I'm drawn back to the shape of the pear, it is lovely.

Using these warm colors the pear disappears into the background. 

Day 21 - Green Pepper Half

This pepper makes me laugh!.

It's 6" x 6" oacrylic on gesso board.

Day 20 - Green Eyed Pepper

This 

Went to the west coast for a week. The west coast of Michigan, that is!  I wasn't able to post my paintings each day. I thought I would be able to use my phone as a hotspot but not so..

There was much time to focus on painting..

Day 11 - Pear Song

This morning I decided to make my under painting Cadmium Yellow Medium. I was in a hurry. Rather than putting the paint on my palette which I couldn't find after painting outdoors yesterday, I squeezed out the paint directly onto my board.  I rapidly buttered the Heavy Body paint over my board.  Hey look at all this texture, I thought. So, I led with texture today. Oh and still being in a hurry, it wasn't completely dry.  Maybe I should have labeled it Serendipity Pear!

6" x 6" acrylic on gesso board.

Day 10 - Glow Pear

I removed the colored cloth under the pear and cup leaving the white top. I wanted to see the shapes of the shadows more clearly and to see the reflected colors. 

This piece is 6" x 6" on gesso board.

Day 9 - Pear Balance

These pieces are 6" x6" on gesso board using acrylic paint.

I finished this last night and posted it this morning. I liked it better last night, hhhhmmmm.

So, that provides fuel for the fire for this mornings work! Now, where is that pear??

Day 8 - Similar Pairings

It seems easier to make the pear look realistic in the thumbnail drawing. I get carried away with the luxuriousness of the paint.  I'm finding the acrylic is drying before I'm finished. I need to use my spray bottle or use retarder with my paint.

Day 7 - Retro Pear

Retro Pear feels more relaxed.

Day 6 - Alien Pear with Saturn Cup

Gloryoskyzero !  You will see this still again, and again until I get it right.

I don't give up easily. That is a good thing and a bad thing. For you and me!

Maybe I should have stopped at the thumbnail sketch. 

Day 5 of 30 - Purple Cone Flowers

Purple Cone Flowers are one of my favorite perennials. They are bold and strong. I love how the flower morphs into a cone filled with seeds for the birds. It transitions my garden from summer to fall. 

The green background was my under painting but I liked how it contrasted with the flower petals so I left it as a background. My next painting I will force the issue of negative painting as an exercise.

The Paint Creek - Rochester Day 4

It feels like summer. It's before 11:00 and already in the high 80's. Last weeks painting spot is too sunny so I move to the other side of the creek. From the other side I couldn't see this large volume of water squeezing between these rocks.

Citrus Mix- Sept. 3

Cherries, Cherries, Cherries

This piece is 6" x 6" and is painted on gesso board. 

My absolute favorite fruit. Not only does it taste wonderful but it is so beautiful. 

When ripe the Black Cherrys' color is so deep and rich.

Sept 1, 2015 Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days - Here We Go

Michigan Fine Arts Competition 2015

Gilda's Show

This piece is the first in my Celebration Series. It is called Gilda's Show.

After artist Gilda Snowden's death, the Center for Creative Studies held a retrospective show of her work in their main gallery. It was a beautiful show. The room was dark except for the light on her glowing paintings. From across the room the viewers were in silloette in front of the work. It was an inspiring sight. This piece captures that moment for me.

May 1, 2015 Detroit Artists Market - Opening Reception for Abstraction

March 19, 2015 DSWPS entries laid out for jurying at Detroit Yacht Club

My entry _Gilda's Show_is accepted into the DSWPS show "Femme Detroit"

which opens April 17th at the Grosse Pointe Art Center 

and closes May 2nd.

Feb - 24 Five Fried and Glazed

This piece is 12" X 9" and is acrylic on paper.

Feb 21 - Fresh Strawberry Stuffed Donut

A fresh doughnut stuffed with handpicked berries from that morning and drizzled with homemade glaze. Doesn't get much better!

This painting is acrylic on paper and is 9" X 12".