Sunny Winter Day

5x7 inches on board
This painting was started at the Thursday Morning Painting Group here in Yarnell, AZ. It was my first time to attend. I've always told myself and others that I don't like to paint with people around. The last time I said it aloud I heard myself claiming something I no longer want to create in my life. I finished this painting the next day and I like it. I can see the difference of ones painted outside chasing the sun and this one where all the shadows stay put.

Crystal Path

5x7 inches oil on board
There are paths all through the land around Vanessa's house created by havalina and other wild critters roaming through. My dog Zig is my painting buddy and loves all the wonderful sights and smells. She's a great dog pal. I think she liked this particular spot a lot.

Bolder Balance

7x5 inches oil on board
I'm enjoying translating what I see into dabs and swipes of gooey paint onto a little board painted orange - fun!

Granite and Cactus II

5x7 inches oil on board - painted Dec. 28, 2011
This was painted in the afternoon sun. The moving shadows dramatically change the whole composition as I'm painting. I'm hoping there is something I figure out about how to approach plein air painting besides, "hurry!"

Granite and Cactus

5x7 oil on board - painted Dec. 27, 2011
Thank you Jack, for cutting a bunch of 5x7 panels for me to paint on! I hope to get better at covering this small space before the sun changes too much. A friend commented on the colors in my paintings. Yes, I see these colors, don't you??? :)

Shadows

10x8 oil on panel - painted Dec. 26, 2011
This is my second Yarnell painting in Vanessa's backyard. I did not succeed in capturing the landscape I saw with my eyes. The shadows moved too fast for me to keep up while I was figuring out how to paint the prevalent dried dead limbs. But, I love that I played with my pallet knife and persevered. I'm accumulating experience/knowledge - I can feel it.

Vanessa's Backyard - Afternoon Sun

10x8 oil on panel - painted Dec. 25, 2011
I'm on a new artistic adventure. I've come to Yarnell, Arizona to deepen my relationship to my creative self - create art and music, love my family and friends and discover more about how this strange landscape of granite bolders and scrubby trees and bushes open my creative heart.
This is my first painting here (painted Christmas afternoon.) My friend Vanessa's home and studio are surrounded by views that thrill me. This is one of my favorites that I'm sure I will paint many times as the shadows and light change all day long with the sun rising and setting.

Exuberant Elements - SOLD

24x30 oil on canvas
This painting is the expression of my artistic abandon. I simply wanted to play with color and texture and quiet the negative or instructional voices that sometimes show up when I paint. It was fun, fun, fun. It's for sale at Nueva Street Gallery.

Mother Dear

Mother Dear
I visited my Mother. She is the dearest woman in my life. My Mother's nature is loving, accepting, generous, helpful and she has a sweet wonderful sense of humor that flashes over her face still, through the dementia that has changed everything about her life. She was a loving helpful daughter, sister, cousin, aunt, friend, mother of four children and devoted and hard working wife. My Mother is an amazing woman.

Canna Lily Colors

20x24 oil on canvas
In getting my house ready to sell I moved my easel and computer out of my master bedroom (that tells you a little too much about me) into the smallest bedroom in our Briardale house. I managed to only paint one small Slice of Life painting in that room. I did start this painting but brought it to the Nueva Street Gallery to finish. It dawned on me recently that we used that bedroom very little in the last eight years. Maybe it's not lined up so well with the creative forces that be. There are just some places I've been where I feel "plugged in" and buzzing with energy and creativity. Even though the Briardale house was a great place for me, my three children, their friends and a past relationship, I'm ready to venture out of my suburban life there. This will probably be the last painting created in that house. I'm ready life! Where shall I paint next?

Lazy Longhorn - SOLD

Slice of Life - #25 - 2.5x8 - oil on wood panel

Finally, I've started painting pictures instead of walls. My house is up for sale and my "to do" list has gotten smaller and smaller. Huge love and thanks to the people who have helped me work on that list that was overwhelming in the beginning - Marianne, John and Spencer, Jack, Joe and David, Jack, Lyle, and Wes.

Playful Cannas

20x24 - oil on canvas

Don't you just love Canna Lilys??? I do. They are just crazy and colorful and other worldly. These live on the San Antonio river behind the Pearl Brewery. Loved painting them.

Canna Lily Bees

20x20 inches - oil on canvas

I took a picture of some beautiful cannas on the river behind the old Pearl Brewery. When I was looking closer at the photo I noticed some tiny bees among the flowers. I zoomed in and saw the painting. I tried to use the paint more like I use pastels with layers of color on color. Fun.

Me and My Mural

14x13 ft. mural - made of 3/4 in. tiles

My friends Marianne and John and I visited the new mural made from my Arneson River Theater painting. Each little tile was a colorful piece of art itself. It's located outside in a lovely patio area at the Franklin Park Sonterra Senior Living Center in San Antonio, TX. (Read a bit more about it.) Afterward we celebrated the occasion with dinner at Chuy's - yum.

Two New Slices - SOLD

Slice of Life Paintings
#23 - Cool Water Creek - 2.5x8 inches - oil on wood panel
#24 - Country Home - 2.5x8 inches - oil on wood panel

Still on my way to 100 Slices. I'm enjoying painting on the gessoed wood surface.