Lily Looking Up From Her Book

Puurrrr.... This is "Lily."  Quite the reader!  Lily was nominated by the daughter of her owner, to potentially be one of the 2014 Whidbey Animal Star Calendar paintings.  I painted her 11x14 on a deep canvas panel.  I just love her expression, her eyes, the reflected light off the book she's reading onto her ruff.  Voting will take place at Studio 106's First Saturday Artwalk in September, 9/7/13.  I'm having a blast ... it's a joyful process to take these delightful photos and turn them into paintings of love and light.

Whidbey Animal Stars

In early January, I committed myself to creating a 2014 calendar of Whidbey Animal Stars, domestic animals "nominated" by locals by sending photos (or asking me to take photos).  I've gotten dozens of photos, and have painted six potential calendar paintings so far.  Underlying this commitment is my desire to make myself paint more, and thereby learn tons.  It is a totally joyous endeavor, and I'm loving my connections with the Whidbey residents who are participating in this project.  Thank you, all!!!  The first painting I completed was Lady Gregory, a greyhound.

I painted her on a wood panel, 12" x 24".  I love the muscles in her chest, how she's "dancing" lightly on her toes.

Then, I painted Zyphyr, a super fluffy kitty in front of his living room window.  I enjoyed painting the flood of light, the fact that it's an interior "story" (one of my favorite themes to paint), the beautiful yellow eye.  Zyphyr is 12"x12," on a wood panel.

Next came Brandy, a Staffordshire bull terrier.  She was a kick to paint, with her enthusiastic smile, lulling tongue, brindle coat, spiked collar, white toes, half in shadow and half in light.....    I've learned so much with each painting!  Each has had it's own challenges and sometimes takes more than one start to get it right.  But, my challenge to myself is to only complete paintings I LOVE.  If I don't love it, it gets wiped out and started again.  9"x12"

Next came Lou, a super cool Staffordshire Bull Terrier/Akita mix with her huge shades.  I painted her on a 6x12 inch deep (2") cradled panel, which is a very cool way to present a super cool dog painting and it doesn't need framing.  I think it suits Lou well.  I love painting shiny objects, and her sunglasses gave me that opportunity!  What a star!




My next challenge was presented by Sugar, a very bouncy and curly-haired white poodle.  Her owner had presented a couple of photos, but I decided to ask for a chance to shoot some of my own.  I'm glad I did, because I have a fast camera

which shoots fast frames,
catching an active dog in stop action.  This was so helpful in capturing Sugar's enthusiasm.  I'm crazy about her fluffy tail and happy face.  This photo was shot in a grassy spot in front of 1st Street, downtown Langley, near Studio 106, where all these paintings have been done.

Driving around the island, near the local fiber farm (alpaca and llama paintings in the near future!), I came across a man in front of his home with his German Shorthair 3 month old puppy, Casey.  What a cutie-pie!  The challenge here was painting her silky short hair, representing the delightful perk in her ears.  I shot this photo of her, too ... she's curiously checking me out as I cluck like a chicken, meow like a cat, and bark like a dog to get her to perk up like this.  Ain't she cute????

After painting Whidbey Animal Star candidates, I decided to treat myself to a painting for my own home.  This is Manhattan, a cow who's photo I took last year.  I've painted her before, and delight in her image.  This time, I painted her 16" x 20" on canvas stretched on heavy-duty stretchers.  I usually paint on boards. so having the softer surface with the tooth of canvas was a nice change.  This is the biggest animal painting I've done to date, and it leads me to want to go even larger!

WHIDBEY ANIMAL STARS STUDIES

I've been painting furiously and have done 3 Whidbey Animal Star paintings.  I'll post them soon.  Meanwhile, I'm away from the Island for a week studying hypnotherapy ... and while I miss being in my studio working on WAS, it's quite amazing to be doing this training.  After today's long session, I chilled by doing a couple of studies for WAS.  I had quickly grabbed acrylic paints, oil brushes, and a pad of paper as I rushed out the door to catch the boat.  I NEVER paint with acrylic, had only a super limited color palette, and the equipment is all wrong.  Oh well!  I used copper and bronze because I had no yellows.  Improvised like crazy, and turns out I like the spontaneity!!!  First is a quick colorful study of Wendy, a WAS kitty.  Second is Boofie in the Snow, another WAS contender.  I am ever grateful to all the wonderful animal lovers who are sharing their photos with me.  I anticipate painting like a fiend, learning a ton, and having loads of fun with all the photos I'm receiving!  Doing these studies are excellent prep for the oil paintings yet to be painted.

WHIDBEY ANIMAL STARS

I am embarking upon a new project, "Whidbey Animal Stars."  I love painting animals and have committed to doing 12 animal portraits for a 2014 calendar.  I am soliciting local animal model nominations from Whidbey animal lovers/owners.  To show them what I'm made of, yesterday I painted, "Shelton," a steer in Shelton, Washington whom I photographed earlier this year.  I think he's quite compelling.  In fact, I'm in love with him.  Cool dude.  I'm inviting Whidbey residents to come to our Studio 106 opening in Langley on 1/5/13, from 5 til 8 to meet me, Shelton, and nominate their animal photos.  I hope local newspapers may take on this feel good story, because we all love our animals!!!  I think it's a ton of fun project.

CASSIE!!!!

My sister Lynne is crazy about her Irish Setters.  I'm crazy about painting.  I thought ... hey!  why don't I paint a portrait of one of her Irish's?  This spring I asked for a photo ... she sent it ... and for Christmas I surprised her with this oil painting of Cassie.  6"x12" on a cradled panel.  She posted it immediately and got so many "Likes" I was amazed.  Several people suggested I paint their favorite dogs too!  I'd love to!

2012 PAINTINGS

Since the Michelle Usabelli-influenced paintings, I've studied with some wonderful teachers, including spending almost a year doing classical drawing and painting in Tenaya Sim's Georgetown Atelier, painting with Suzanne Brooker at Gage Academy, with Henry Stinson both here in Langley and at his studio in Pullman, and Pierre Bonaparte through the Whidbey Island Fine Art Studios.  The eggs and chocolate painting was a still life at WIFAS.  The cow, entitled "One of the Girls," was from a photo I took on a ranch in Kansas last fall.  I adore cows (and other farmyard critters) and have another cow painting planned for the near future.  I love her teal face, and sparkly top-knot.  Both of these paintings were recently sold.

2011 PAINTINGS

The painting above was done in a Michelle Usibelli workshop, from one of her photos.  I just love the crispy white shirt.  That's actually what this painting is all about .... and the lighting in the bar.

The bed is a painting I did in my old bedroom.  My painting girlfriends, Joanne Shellen and Phyllis Ray, and I spent a day setting up easels around the house and painting inteiors.   It was an old 1920s house with lots of cool scenes to paint.



This other interior was painted in another Michelle Usabelli workshop, from another of her photos.  I guess I take to her photos!  I think this is of her sister.  The original painting is brighter and crispier than this photo and is entitled "Pep Talk."

Trout Fishing on Lone Lake

I am very excited to be joining the Langley community, and the Whidbey Island Sketchers.   I just began posting on their blog, which inspired me to start my own blog to further what I do there.  I started posting all my new sketches on their site and became embarrassed because I was taking up so much blog space!  Well, I realized I needed my own blog.  Here it is.  Today, I was invited by Sketcher Faye to come to Lone Lake to sketch.  This watercolor took me no time at all ... it was an inspired painting of the men trout fishing on Lone Lake.  It is a beautiful spot, and I got to meet the fishermen.  They all have little rigs self-propelled with flippers.  No polution!  A beautiful new space on Whidbey Island.  I am grateful for all these new experiences.