"Rosie's Beach Vacation" oil on canvas approximately 20x30"

This is the second in what is so far a trilogy.  There is so much personality in this little pooch.  There is also something about painting at this scale.  As most of you know, I have been doing the small "paintings a day" (but not really) for quite some time.  It was amazing how different the skill set was when I started scaling back up! and how energized I have become as an artist.  I can't spend enough time in the studio.  The ideas for new pieces are manifesting like Catholic rabbits.  Being home from the old "day job" for a week and having Mother Nature bestow lots of water from the sky has made it easy to lose all time behind the easel. It's hard to want Spring to come when it means the demands of the garden will have to become the priority.

"The Devil Made Me Do It" oil on canvas 20x30"

Children's faces (as in their expressions) have a mystery all their own.  You can't tell from this if she is thinking sweet thoughts or naughty ones.  I was there but I'm not telling.

"(another) Winter Rose" oil on hardboard 5x7" $99

"Winter's Rose" oil on canvas 20x30" $1,600

These are really quite large, hanging on the bent branches of the rose bushes in our back pasture, distant from the house.  It was by happy accident that I found them.  Now there is reason to venture out there on a more regular basis.

"Promise of Spring" oil on canvas 20x24" $1,200.

I've been painting these guys on the small scale for a very long time.  Something clicked recently and I scaled up.  I REALLY like the results.  I've got about 3 series of paintings going at once.  With so little studio time it's hard to decide what to tackle each session.  Pretty exciting when you see them finished though!

"A Rose By Any Other Name...Rosie!" oil on canvas 20x30"

This it the 13 year (oops!  I lied.  I just found out she will be 17 on April 1) old pup of my of my dearest friends.  She has three little devils and Rosie is the oldest.  She  has some seeing issues and isn't too spry but boy! does she have a face a painter can love.  I was a bit worried about the scale of the canvas because in real life she is pretty small.  Silly me!  that personality fills the space with no problem.

"Does This Grass Make Me Look Fat?" oil on hardboard 6x6" $99

"The Eye(s) Have It" oil on hardboard $99 +$9 shipping

How DO they do that? It's as if one eye is looking one way and the other is off on its own little picnic.

"Walleye" oil on hardboard 6x6" $99 + $9 shipping

That's the same stinky eye look my dad used to give when things didn't suit him!  you really didn't want to be on the other end of it.

"Center Part" oil on hardboard 6x6"

"Eye See" oil on hardboard 5x7" $99

"You Are My Sunshine..." oil on hardboard 5x7" $99

I've realized that almost all of these small, colorful cow "portraits" are begging to be painted on a much larger scale.  Guess you'll be seeing this little darling again.

"525" oil on hardboard 5x7" $99

This was nothing short of a color picnic! ah, be still my heart......

"Shoulder Roll" oil on hardboard 5x7" $99

Something about the turn of the head in this image made me think about exercise.  Pilates to be exact.  Maybe because every time we do Pilates together Ross complains vehemently about how much his neck hurts.  Bad technique.....

"Redheads Have More Fun" oil on hardboard 5x7" $99

 I wish the painting gave a sense of the shear scale of this animal.  They live down the street from us.  There aren't many but they seem to fill the landscape.  They also could care less that I am there.  All the other cows I paint are very curious about what I'm doing.  Not these guys!  even the baby ones ignore me.  Go figure.

"Orange Marmalade" oil on hardboard 5x7" $99

Ross and I have this on going "discussion" about how cows align themselves in the pasture.  It always seems to me that they all face the same direction.  I used to think it was facing the sun but that doesn't seem to be the case.  At any rate, I'm glad they do! it makes for some fine composition.

"Lost In the Crowd" oil on hardboard 6x6"

There is something about black on black that pushes you to the wall when you're painting.  It's a bit like an evil drug. You hate that you succumb. but you keep going back to the well.

"586" oil on hardboard 6x6" $99

"Split Personality" oil on hardboard 6x6" $99

For some reason I never noticed how amazingly red some of these cows are.  There was a time when all I could see were the black and white guys.  They're gettin' a run for their money now!

"The Chew" oil on hardboard 5x7" $99

I just fell in love with the straw hanging out of this cow's mouth. Not the kind of falling in love that happens when you meet that special someone but a visual infatuation that drives the painting.  I've also become enamored with the ear tags.  It's kind of morose in a way but the visual impact is grand.