"One of Many", oil on masonite, 4x4"

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"Citrus", oil on masonite, 5x5"

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Okay, I admit it; I'm hooked. There's somethig about these fat little oranges sitting in that blue container that just has me.

"Exiled", oil on masonite, 4x4"

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With all the citrus we've seen this season it was inevitable. Seeing this orange orbs in that blue bowl just pushed me over the edge.

"Power Out", oil on masonite, 4x5"

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Well, I'm back from the Christmas crazies. It was more difficult to get started today than I had imagined. There are still so many things to clean up.

I realized they'll all still be there later. Today, PAINT.

"Top Shelf", oil on masonite, 5x5" SOLD

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This is another view of those wonderful holiday colored candies. There were just too many wonderful, painterly aspects to resist.

"The Ribbon", oil on masonite4x4"

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This doll looked like something from old plantation days to me.

"Choices", oil on masonite, 3x4"SOLD

This is for all those other dish freaks out there. You know who you are! There will never be enough glassware, serving dishes or plates.

"Not a Painting"

It's Monday and the first time I remember not having a new painting in a long time. For anyone who may be reading these each day, here's the deal.
Our scheduled bronze pour on Saturday was delayed because of the horrible Seattle wind storm. We were lucky enough to get power back fairly quick. However, the wax burnout was mid stream which presents risk of mold failure. We ended up with a skeleton crew (compared to our normal) but it still meant considerable kitchen time for me. I had planned to paint between recipes. Best layed plans! Our relatively new neighbor has a wonderful even-newer live in girlfriend. We haven't had much chance to get acquainted and she came over while I was painting. In the big scheme the opportunity to get to know her seemed pretty important. I think she got here about 1PM and left around 8. Though I'm disappointed about the lack of a painting, I made the right choice. She's going to be a good friend and a great addition to our lives.
See you tomorrow.

"Duet", oil on fabric covered masonite

"Upper Left", oil on masonite

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More from the plate series. I don't want to get too caught up in those dark dolls.

"The Castoff", oil on masonite, 4x4" SOLD

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I discovered a whole "family" of these dolls at a local shop. There was something very eerie in their faceless silence.

"Large or Small?", oil on masonite, 4x4"SOLD

I don't know if it's gum or jaw breakers, but I like it!

"Loner", oil on masonite, 5x5"

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I found this little guy in a local store. He just seemed to call out to me

"On the Watch", oil on masonite, 4x6"

We really do have more than one variety of bird at our house but these little guys are about the only ones that sit still long enough to get a good gander.

"The Mask", oil on masonite SOLD

This felt at least a little seasonal. The birds in our yard devour these. I think its Cotoneaster. I know it self seeds like crazy. This and the volunteer holly we should have a well forested property.

"Where's the Jam?", oil on masonite, 4x6" SOLD

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We bought this wonderful little "jar" at a local antique store run by a couple in their eighties. They've long since closed down but I think of them everytime this thing comes out. There's a slot in the lid where the spoon is allowed to exit. I have no idea what it was really for.

"Bird Bar", 0il on masonite, 4x6"

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It's so much fun to watch our little feathered friends feast on these fermented berries. It's amazing the berries stay on the bush with our heavy winds. Must be a greater plan.

"Little Tweet", oil on masonite

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The bird feeders outside our windows provide endless entertainment. We call it Kitty TV. (remember, we have 5 cats).

Though Seattle doesn't get much snow, we got a pretty good dump in November. Our bird population went up up up.

"Not Quite Ripe", oil on masonite,4x4"

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These are more of those little fruits growing outside my front door. We bought the "tree" when it was 12" tall from the Arbor Society. The tag was long ago lost. It's heavily laden but I still don't know what they are.

"Swizzle", oil on masonite, 6x4"

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My dad was a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force. He designed missles, as in Minute Man. That meant lots of traveling and in his day lots of cocktails. He always brought back the swizzle sticks. He got them on air planes, in hotels and bars. I thought those, along with the little hotel soaps were the greatest gifts ever. I've noticed they're starting to come back. I still have the collection he left. I also still bring home the little soaps.

"Holiday Branch", oil on masonite, 4x4"

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Our little "farm" has holly trees sprout randomly every where. Being a non-gardener gardner (in other words, I don't know what the heck I'm doing but we have good soil) I can't bare to pull them out. One day our landscape will be dotted with large, sharp edged trees that make no sense in the context of the other plants. It did lend itself to fun painting.

"Egg", oil on masonite, 4x4"

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This egg was given to me by a friend that was living on the other side of the world. He's an amazing man that I see to seldom. The egg has been sitting on display in my house for many years. It was nice to spend time looking at it so intently again.

"Lower Right Quad", oil on masonite, 4x4"

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This painting should have been up yesterday. I'm just relieved that the blog issues are resolved. I'll stick to painting!

There's actually a painting today but due to issues with Blogger I'm unable to post it to my blog. If you're interested in seeing it you can go to www.dailypainters.com
Bonus? you'll see lots of other great art.
Sorry about the inconvenience. Hopefully it will be fixed soon.
Sharman

"The Gift", oil on masonite SOLD

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"Just One More Prize...",oil on masonite, 6x6"

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The Fair continues to pop up. Maybe its this crazy weather. "Longing for summer" or some such thing. We don't get snow often but when we do I feel like a caged animal. I wasn't going anywhere anyway but knowing I can't makes me crazy. The good thing? more studio time.

"The Watchers", oil on fabric over masonite, 3x4"

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Some days I think I could abandon all subjects outside of the figure. Here's always something challenging and captivating about the human image.

"Silent", oil on masonite, 6x6" SOLD

This was quite the accident. I was using this little doll to test a new lighting set-up and before I knew it I was painting her. She's been in my studio for years and I'd be hard pressed to tell anyone why. I think it turned out okay for both of us.

"Honeysuckle", oil on masonite, 3x4" SOLD

These flowers become more and more familiar to me with each painting. Honeysuckle is considered a noxious weed by some but the fragrance that drifts through our yard conceals any dastardly charactaristics.

"Carefree Pet", oil on masonite, 6x6"

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Every time we visit the fair I long for the days when all these prizes were highly valued by our open, little minds. A year to save all the dimes we could only to pitch them away in hopes of a mismatched set of glassware that our poor mothers were expected to swoon over.

I must confess, I still pitch a few each year.

"Blueberries", oil on fabric over masonite, 3x4"

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Blueberries are a mainstay at our house. We have a small area assigned for growing produce that includes 9 blueberry plants. They provide not only wonderful eats but a visual party all season.

"Loner", oil on fabric over masonite, 3x4"

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I believe shells are universally appealing. Somehow we just can't resist them.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone.

"Voohair Day", oil on masonite SOLD

This is the Voodoo Doll I picked for myself when I won the best costume contest at this years Halloween party. My entire guest area is now being re-decorated around it. It's fab-u-lous.

"Four For The Dock" oil on masonite, 6x6"

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If you've been following my blog you'll recognize the big fellow on the left. You're sure to see him again. That's my son. He fishes for money. Bass to be exact. He's also the best thing I ever did.

"Boney Fingers on Winters Bounty"

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4x5", oil on fabric over masonite


Our yard (is 5 acres a yard?) is looking like this everywhere. The birds are in a frenzy, gorging themselves on everything that has been exposed by wind, rain and temperature drop. Every season has it's own magic.

"Up For Adoption",6x6" oil on masonite SOLD

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We live within walking distance of the King County Fair. It's a throw back to old time, small, heavily 4H fairs of days gone by. Some types of magic never grow old. Corn dog anyone?

"Voodoo On The Wall"

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These little darlings are Voodoo dolls constructed by my good friend and artist, Chris Bivins. He made them as game prizes for the Halloween party we attended. The one with the largest plume now hangs proudly in my guest bath.

"Iron Pot"

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This little iron vessel sits on our back porch. For several years running we planted things in it that shriveled up and died. We finally gave in and planted something that doesn't care if it gets water or food. Perfect.

"From The Backside" SOLD

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I know it seems like I'm not painting but I am! My "day job" hours make getting in on time to post dicey at best.
I was frightened by this project but am actually fairly happy with the end result.

"Qued For The Big Top" SOLD

"Empty Vessels"

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Haystacks, water lilies, sugar and creamers; what's the difference? Everytime I look at these two I think their lines should be painted. I'm never quite convinced I've done them justice.

"Two For The Road"

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These two characters are a pretty important duo in my life.
Laughing and beer are aways a good combo.
The bronze pour is today. That may mean no painting but there will certainly be art (and food,wine, beer as well as lively conversation).

"Painted Plate"

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This has been a difficult few days. We have a bronze pour here at Owings/Brown Studios this weekend and I never know if I'm feeding 15 or 40. It makes it hard to squeeze out a little time in the painting studio.

"Ollie's Couch"

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We're down to 5 cats. This is Ollie, one of our two 18lb dudes. He owns the couch.

"All The Little Monkeys" SOLD

This is another take on the plate series. I think I like the segmented look. I know I like the plate. It was a gift from my niece and it keeps showing up in my paintings!
I won't have a painting tomorrow. Like all of you, I will go to vote and then to struggle threw my conversational Spanish class. Here's to the democratic process.

Our infamous Halloween party was a Blues theme. This gentleman played piano for a short portion. He was no match for the wicked licks of guitar that occupied most of the evening.

"I Use To Play The Blues"

We have some substantial parties here at Owings/Brown Studios. Coming from Southern stock, the experience of eating is very important to me. One day we ran short of real plates. Don't get me wrong! there's a place for paper, but only if you choose it. I swore to never have that happen again. We now have so many sets of dishes! and like everyone, a few "odds" that have lost their mates. You'll probably meet the creamer to this sugar dish another day but I'll turn the often glued handle to the back.

"Broken Creamer"

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This turned out to be a bigger challenge than expected. Why is it the things we expect to be fast and straight forward morph into "why am I doing this?"
It's raining here and Magoo, the 18lb stray we paid to have plastic surgery on (his eyes) is hiding in the dark. My fate is temporarily sealed.

"I Think It's Grape" SOLD

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These glass spheres, along with several others, hang in my living room window. An artist friend that taught at Pratt Fine Arts in Seattle made them there and gave them to me when he moved to Boston to be close to his family. He had AIDS and wasn't expected to live much longer. His real craft was painting. I have several of his pieces that I rescued from his home when he was packing ("just cut them up for shelving"). I told him I would be the custodian until he wanted them back. He's much missed.

"In My Window"

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This woman was at the Halloween party I attended. We had never met socially. She waits tables at the local eatery. At this particular moment she was discovering the wall of Voodoo dolls made by artist, Chris Bivins. I think it was long way from where she lives. It turned out to be a delightful night and meeting her was a bonus.

"At the Party" SOLD

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Did you know yesterday was Halloween? well, it was in Washington state. I spent from 7AM until 5:30PM painting faces on pumpkins for the patients in my dental office. Needless to say, there was no REAL painting done. Nope. So there will be no image posted today.
Hope you had a good fright night.

I love the fair. We live within walking distance of our local county fair. Everything about it engages me; the smell, the sound, the color. We're still rural enough to have heavy 4H activity. I have plans for lots of fair images. But then, I had plans to be taller, thinner, smarter etc. Only time will tell.

"One More Time Around"

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I don't know if it was the subject or the party residuals but this was a challenge today. Hopefully doing all of these plates "with" on the small format will work out some of the bugs for when they hit the big canvas. If not I'll need some serious counseling.

"Ripe"

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