"Was That a Fib?" oil on masonite SOLD

SOLD

This was one of those challenging photography days. When I look at the original the brushwork dosen't seem so wild and random. However, the camera is usually a brutal critic.

"Like Pools Of Water" oil on masonite SOLD

This is the same child from yesterday. I just HAD to go after it again.

"A Zebra's Not A Horse" oil on masonite SOLD

This child is so much more attractive than I've made him out to be. I'm pretty convinced I'll end up going back and doing yet another picture of him.

"The Light Within" oil on masonite SOLD

This is the first of several studies for a larger commission. I visited the client's home this past weekend. Wow! these folks have the most amazing, artistic home you can imagine. I'm so excited to have been invited to add to it. The final piece will hang in the dining room and I expect it to be about 36x48". There were several ideas bantied about but right now it looks like a portrait type image. Who knows.

"Season's End" oil on masonite 4x6"

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Living in the Pacifice Northwest we had a REALLY late summer. My sunflowers didn't bloom until it was almost time for frost. I feel a bit cheated. The garden always provides a multitude of delights but I hold special affections for the sunflowers. These little devils really were. It's a variety that only gets about 2.5 ' tall. I can't wait to plant them again.

"Promise" oil on masonite 4x6"

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It's been a magical week. "Yes we can" has become "yes we did". This young woman's face reminds me of the great promise our young voters bring with them. Strong, grounded and simple; that's what I see when I look at her.

"Skeptical" oil on canvas 8x10"

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We have this great little smokeless bar in our town that is in and OLD building that the owners rehabed. Once they really got into clean up the found one whole wall was floor to ceiling (way up high ceilings!) was old brick. They have been showing a woman's paintings there for a very long time. Every time I would go there to eat I would lament the fact that they weren't MY paintngs. Her palette consists of a lot of brown. A LOT OF BROWN. It seemed such a shame that those walls weren't punched with color. Well...low and behold a friend of mine arranged for me to meet with the new manager. My work goes up Friday. The reason I'm telling you all this is the cow; she really likes the cow images I've done so I'm trying to work up a few new images to flush out the show. Whew!

"Slidin' Off the Shelf" oil on masonite 6x6"

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Years and years ago my family lived in Southern California and both of my brothers surfed. Being not too fond of water I never gave in to the temptation. Now my niece and her beau are avid surfers even though they reside in Washington state. Somehow that changes the entire persona of the sport. Wet suits, freezing water.....me thinks I'm STILL not tempted!

"Kern Hicks, Shidoni" oil on masonite

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We had so many wonderful folks help us when we were installing but none with more authority and confidence than Kern.. He just swooped in and took over. When things were under control he moved away as quietly and unassuming as when he came. It's people like Kern that make us want to go back, over and over again to be part of Shidoni.

"I Can't Believe You Said That" oil on masonite 6x6"

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This little guy must had such and adult look to his expression. It somehow struck me as very odd and a bit humerous.
Things have been very busy here. We had about 35 yesterday for a bronze pour/food and drink fest. One poor attendee was still on my couch this AM. From our conversations I don't think he remembers being sick and passing out on our bathroom floor. Oh the wicked wine we drink! I counted 25 empty bottles and 6 half empty. My friends all know that when I get tired I just go on off to bed. Me thinks I missed a lot of merriment! My kitchen rug had been pitched outside, someone lit candles and there was a wax mess like you've never seen and the kitchen looked like it needed to be blown out with a fire hose. Sounds like a frat house doesn't it? Nope! Our neighbors were the only young folks here. These were "mature", educated professionals. Whew, it boggles the mind.

"Kerrilee, Shidoni" oil on masonite 6x6"

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This wonderful, warm woman was generous with her time when we were at Shidoni. Unfortunately she has decided to take on new life challenges and is not longer there. We'll miss visiting with her on our next trip.

"Pablo, Shidoni" oil on masonite 6x6"

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Back to the trip. My husband Ross shows his work at this marvelous place in Santa Fe called Shidoni. It was really the destination for our road trip. Installing his work is a daunting task. However, Scott Hicks (the man in CHARGE) loaned us Pablo. What a treasure! He's very thoughtful and has great instincts. Our job was made mountains easier because of this hard worker (and yes ladies, he is that handsome!)

"Buggie" oil on masonite 6x6"

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Okay! busted. This is NOT from the Santa Fe trip. This is a marvelous little Boston Terrier that I met when I was downtown in the little place we live. He was so well behaved and with that wandering eye you just couldn't help but love him.

Just to catch up, I've been away for a week. I went with my husband to Grand Rapids, Michigan for the International Sculpture Conference. I didn't get to attend the conference (actually I could have...for $600!) but it was still a memorable trip. We stayed at the Amway Grand Plaza. The conference had a special rate there or we never could have afforded it. WHAT an amazing place! I didn't leave the hotel for 3 days and wasn't bored for one single moment. Just a quick highlight: I was in the work out room on Thursday at noon. Senator Obama had just presented a speech two blocks from our hotel in front of the local court house. WELL, the gym at the hotel actually has members. While I was there a group of judges and lawyers came in for there lunch hour work out and conversation. By the time they were done I felt like I should pay them for the entertainment. Like everyone else they were talking about the upcoming debate between Biden and Palin. What a hoot! There were persons on both sides of the issues as well as one lawyer that continually did his impersonation of Palin. It was an hour I won't soon forget.

"Breakfast with Kristine, Don Gaspar" oil on masonite 4x6"SOLD

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If you're ever going to Santa Fe I HIGHLY recommending stay at Don Gaspar. I won't attempt to explain it but it is fabulous.

Christine is one of the wonderful, gracious women that attend to all matters of import. She served us wonderful breakfast along with lively conversation. This piece is a study of a larger piece to be done at a later time.

"Non Biker, Mancos Colorado" oil on masonite 6x6"

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I can't begin to tell you how small the cafe is that we eat in in Mancos. To say it was packed is like saying Tiger Woods is an okay golfer. This woman and her family sat across from us. We were about the only non-motorcycle folks in the joint. She really stuck out in her Eddie Bauerish attire. My guess is we were right behind her.

"Biker Rally, Mancos Colorado" oil on masonite 9x12"

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When we take our "every two years" trip to Shidoni we always try to have breakfast in Mancos Colorado. The town is a blink of a place but they have the most amazing bakery/cafe! What we didn't know this year was Mancos was hosting not one but two motorcycle rallies. Wow! Amazing visuals and an amazing mix of folks. We had to wait a long time for our table but it was worth every minute. Oink.

"Misty Eye" oil on masonite 8x8"

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You know, there was just something about this little gal that grabbed me. She was totally oblivious to everything around her. There's something refreshing about a little person that isn't busy trying to get everyone's attention.

"Trek to Canyon Road" oil on masonite 5x7"

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Okay! so it's not of the human kind. I DID encounter it on my trip. In fact, this was in front of a gallery that I like very much. There were scads of them! Lucky you....more to come.

"Dinner, Moab Brewery" oil on masonite 5x7"

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This young man was CUTE. He was not handsome, just CUTE. The brewery was packed when we went for dinner so we ended up in the bar. His energy just oozed from his pores. It made for a delightful experience....of course cute did not carry the evening. We had the "sample" and then individual beers based on our conclusions. It made the walk back to the hotel very jolly.

"Waitress, McStiff's, Moab" oil on masonite 6x6"

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Moab was unbearably hot when we got there. We were drawn to stop because it has always been such a beehive of activity. Not this time. The town was dead. So eerie.

We got there 1.5 hrs before "check in" and the hotel would not budge. After all that driving we really wanted to get to our room and get settle. Not to be. We trudged off down the street until we saw an outdoor eating area at McStiff's. We order COLD beer but alas, they would only serve us if we ordered food too. This cute little waitress directed us to the $.75 chips. PERFECT.

"Storm Watch" oil on canvas

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This is not from the Santa Fe trip. It just sort of snuck in there right before I left to do the 3 day walk. This is really more of a study. I have another image in mind that has this same female with two other figures. It should be on a much bigger scale.

For anyone that is interested, if you are ever offered the opportunity to walk 60 miles in 3 days politely say no. It is brutal. I came through relatively unscathed but I saw many not so fortunate.

The good news is there were 3,200 of us and the minimum you could raise before being able to walk was $2,200 (thank you again to all that helped me). You do the math.

"Hotel Nightshift, Salt Lake City" oil on masonite 5x7"

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Okay! so I'm up at this crazy hour to squeeze in one more post before I leave.

This young woman was oh-so-typical youth. She had a hard time tearing herself away from her friend to check us in. I will probably paint her again. Really fun subject.

Off to work and then to walk!

"Dinner, Salt Lake City" oil on masonite 6x6"

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This was the first meal we paid for on our journey. This young woman was so cute when I asked to photograph her.

They don't really have table side service in this strange joint but she managed to make her own brand of service.

Also I'm about to disappear for another couple of days. Friday AM I start a 3 day, 60 mile walk with my two wonderful nieces and a friend of theirs to raise money for cancer research.

See you next week!

"A Matter of Age" oil on masonite 6x6"

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Whew! Our Mr. Magoo is back. He came sauntering up to the back door early this morning. Some of you cat folks are wondering why the worry. Well first, none of our 6 cats are allowed to spend the night outside, second we have MANY coyotes here. They come right up to the house at night. He would make a tasty (18lb) meal for someone.

Now I can get back to painting, where I belong.

One of the things that happened on our trip was an idea I had to paint people I met along the way. I'm not quite ready, but there will be many. It was fun to tell the random waitress or shopper what I was up to and then take their pictures. Some were tickled, others mortified!

Fun for me, trouble for them......

"Bittersweet" oil on masonite 6x6"

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I'm back.

First let me say I had a marvelous trip. Nothing that anyone else would find special but any time I get to spend that much time with Ross it is wonderful.

Second let me say that the title of this piece has nothing to do with the image. My big Tom Cat, Mr. Magoo has gone missing. He was visited and loved often when we were gone, but not let out. Today was his first day outside in 2 weeks. It's not a new scenario. However, it's night time here and we've been looking and calling for quite some time. No sign of our awesome Magoo cat. He came to us as a stray. It's a VERY long story but let me tell you, that cat owns me. Hopefully I'll have good news tomorrow.

I'm borrowing someone else's computer to post this. I have several new paintings but unfortunately MY computer is at the infirmary. I don't know what's wrong with it so I certainly don't know when to expect it back. Since I leave day after tomorrow to drive from the Seattle area to Santa Fe and back it will be a while before there are new pieces to view.
In the meantime, please enjoy all the other wonderful painters at DailyPainters.com
See you all soon........I hope.

"A Moments Contemplation" 11x14" oil on canvas SOLD

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The wedding that we hosted finally came and went yesterday. It was a marvelous event but boy am I glad to get back in the studio!

"Say What?" oil on masonite

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This woman is actually one of my dearest friends. It's funny how we can get caught in an off moment and there's no getting it back. When you see her in person she has a most amazing look. Her hair is a wonderful, deep shade of red and naturally curly. She has eyes that dance and a laugh that draws you in. I cherish every minute of our friendship. Whenever we eek out time together I come away uplifted. I'd really like to have her come sit for me in a more formal and flattering situation but she just says "NO!" in that deep, raspy voice that enhances all her magical story telling.

"Fair Maid" oil on masonite 8x8" SOLD

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I met this little beauty at a recent city art event. She never did look me in the eye. She wasn't clingy, just sort of removed. You may see more of her. There is something quite magical about her fair skin and vibrant hair.

"Music Muse" oil on masonite

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We were at a function held by some very good friends. There was a wonderful music trio performing classical music. This woman sat by me the entire evening. She presented wonderful images for painting. Look for more to come.

"The Ulitmate Cherry Picker" oil on masonite 5x7"

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Since we live in the country it's not unusual to see these cute little devils. However, sharing my pie cherries is NOT on my list of acceptable happenings.

"Asking for the Obvious" oil on masonite SOLD

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Well! its been a while. Things at Owings/Brown Studios have been very hectic. Last weekend we hosted our 8th annual pasture party. We had 100+ guest and roasted a whole pig as well as barbequing a 22lb tuna. There has been little time for the studio. However, today was a glorious return. Even though I had to wear my "fanny pack" loaded with ridiculous stuff as I "train" for the September 3 day, 60 mile walk for cancer research it was still fun to be in front of my easel.

"John of California" oil on masonite 6x6" SOLD

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There's a very long story behind this painting. Let's just say that sometimes history has some great surprises.

"Skeptical" oil on masonite 6x6"

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"The Wine Master" oil on canvas 8x10"

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Our friend, Steve is really as intense as this painting suggests. He's a multi talented man who makes the most marvelous wines. Lucky for us he's also very generous and we often get to enjoy them.

"Chain of Command" oil on masonite 6x6"

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I haven't posted for a bit because I had 3 pieces going at once and I really wanted to experiment with some glazing techniques before they were posted. It's like some kind of magic. You feel like you have lost a good deal of control and yet it's very liberating. I'll will certainly continue to play with this approach.

"And the Groom" oil on masonite 6x6"

I met Ralph when he attended my son's wedding in 2001. He's now like part of our family. We've seen him through MANY pretty gals but this one is the keeper. Come next week there will be no more bride or groom just a happy husband and wife.

"Canadian Bride" oil on masonite 6x6"

I know this delightful couple that live in the Eastern portion of our state. She migrated down from the north and stole his little heart. It's been very fun to watch it unfold. This time next week they will be man and wife.

"The Watcher" oil on masonite 6x6"

This is actually my wonderful daughter in-law. I doesn't look like her but I still think it's a fun painting. She and my son live on the East side of Washington state. Believe it or not, it's dry and hot over there. The orange really portrays how the days feel.

"Little Matt" oil on canvas 8x10"

We're back from Astoria. It was a great weekend. Ross' work look amazing at Lunar Boy Gallery. The folks there do a very good job and had a huge crowd. We even saw a brick building that we thought would be perfect for a home, foundry and sculpture school...if we were 10 years younger and wanted to take on such a thing.

Anyway, it's good to be back in the studio. This young man is a friend of my son, Jeff. They both do competitive Bass fishing. It's an amazing departure from our reality and we have a marvelous time hanging out with all these robust, enthusiastic young people.

"Blissful Contemplation" oil on masonite 6x6"

There is something so beautiful about the nape of a child's neck. Actually that is a ridiculous comment. There is something so beautiful about ALL of a child's smooth features. I try to stay away from subjects that are "sweet" but this had me on like a fish.

Oh! I won't be posting for a couple of days. Ross (perfect husband) has an opening in Astoria, Oregon this weekend so we're taking the truck (nasty fuel!) and travelin' down. It will be at Lunar Boy Gallery if you're in the neighborhood.

"Protagonist" oil on masonite 6x6"

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Funny how things evolve. This little guys was really cute, but when he was in this particular act - NOT SO.

"Pursuing Vicki" oil on masonite 6x6" sold

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That's actually her husband in the background. However, I will say that everytime I've been around the two of them he has that same adoring look on his face. I don't blame him. She's pretty amazing. She teaches at the community college where my husband does. She also airs a program on TV that covers all aspects of art histroy. I can't tell you how many times my channel surfing has been halted by her ponderings.

"Our Man Coleson" oil on masonite 6x6" SOLD

Jeff Coleson is one of the most gifted men I know. A party at our house is not a real party unless he attends. He and my husband have been friends since the mid 70s in Indiana. Wonderful that they both ended up in Washington state and only 45 minutes from each other. When they're together the place rocks!

"A Boyfriend" oil on masonite 6x6" sold

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I'm ashamed to say I don't even know who this young man is. He was at the bronze pour and I fed him dinner, chatted a bit but never got introduced. Oh well; when you own an animated face like this you are fare game.

"Thread The Needle" oil on masonite 5x7" sold

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This handsome devil is my husband. I tried to warn him that no one is exempt.

"Colin's Girl" oil on masonite 5x7" SOLD

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This young woman was at our bronze pour. She was so sparklie and full of life. Young people bring enthusiasm and promise. She came with her friend, Colin. Our day was made brighter.

"English" oil on masonite 6x6" SOLD

Being in the studio today was a nice surprise. Our niece, Hannah, works for the Mariners. She was able to procure a suite for today's game against Detroit. Family and friends abounded. It was an amazing way to watch a game. Anyhoo, the home team won in record time so we were back home with ample time to paint. That said, this is a dear friend that we met when she was a student of Ross'. She is now considered a staple at all our gatherings. She's English and brings marvelous food and humor whenever she comes.

"Colin" oil on canvas board 8x10" SOLD

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The most talented artist I know is my husband. He teaches at a community college two days a week. This quarter he's teaching sculpture. Last weekend we had his class and some other folks (70+) out for a bronze pour and dinner. The excitement on this young man's face says it all.

Oh! yeah; it was a very sunny day and everyone got that lovely pink glow.

"Shoe Downsized" oil on masonite SOLD