"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

"maybe" oil on masonite 6x6"

Yes! back in the studio. I've got a million things running through my brain. Painting can be so self indulgent. Funny, it has some similarity to learning to golf. I played my 6th life time game today. Pathetic! However, at some point I realized it would be best to forget the score and practice the parts that need it. Since we went before 7AM we were home in plenty of time to get into our studios. As I was painting I realized I should paint the things that intrigue me. If they aren't my best skills it doesn't matter. If I don't take the time to practice them they'll never be my best skills.

"Sputnik" oil on masonite 6x6" NFS

I haven't been in my studio in a couple of days. At least not to paint. My husband had his 62nd birthday yesterday and we had a huge bronze pour and party. There were 70+ folks here. The menu would make your eyes bug out (and your belly). People began to arrive around 10:30AM an the last to leave departed our driveway at about 1AM the next day. Whew! tired.

It was more fun than one deserves to have. I'm always amazed at how wonderful my family and friends are. Anyway.....this is the portrait I did of the birthday boy. I had planned on getting him golf lessons at the local course. Come to find out they have a pro but no lessons. Can anyone explain THAT to me? What's the point in having a pro? What does a painter do with little time and no ideas? PAINT. Those who know him would tell you that I missed his amazing sparkle. I would agree. Maybe because so much of it isn't evident until he opens his mouth to speak.

He teaches 3D design and sculpture at a community college. Some of his students were here for their first experience casting their own work. Magic.

I could go on and on.

"Attitude" oil on masonite 6x6"

I'm so excited when painting animals. My cats, this woman; it doesn't really matter. There's something about painting the spirit of an individual. Today started out slow. For some reason I seriously could not keep my eyes open long enough to get out of bed.
From the beginning: I got up at 3AM and did some odd jobs. The alarm went off at 5. I thought I would just lay down long enough to get warm. At 7 I drug myself up. That was somewhat how the entire day went. But as you see, I did get to paint. All is good.

"Blades" oil on canvas 8x10"

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Even though I've been really pleased with the images of my wonderful cats, my biggest enjoyment comes when I portray the human figure. It's so interesting how the face becomes unimportant.

"The Night Watch" oil on masonite

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If you've been following my blog you know that the big orange blob at the top is none other than Ollie. The lap cat is Magoo. Magoo came to us as a stray. His eyes were so infected that they were sealed shut. Turns out he had a defect that made his eyelashes grow in, toward his eyes. The constant abrasion was what caused his problem. No big deal! just pay for plastic surgery FOR A STRAY and all is right with the world. He's turned out to be one wonderful pet...except he hates dogs and is strong enough to do terrible damage. We don't think he sees very well but he can smell a canine before you can see one.

"Vista" oil on masonite

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For those of you who have never visited Washington state, it's very hilly. Unless you visit the eastern portion of the state, you are unlikely to see a horizon line. This is what you see in my "neighborhood". Tough, huh?

"Prime Turf" oil on masonite 4x5"

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This almost seemed like fall to me...except I knwo the trees are just budding up.

"Mind Games" oil on masonite 5x5" SOLD

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Yep, it's Ollie again. He's sitting on my lap, helping me post this. He thinks he's become a super star with all this attention. He recently had to have 3 teeth taken out. Maybe he'll be a character actor.

"Hitched" oil on masonite 4x6"

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"Basking" oil on masonite 4x5" SOLD

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Lemur is the sassiest cat I know. She saunters around like queen of all things. She loves to rub your leg and beg for attention. Almost 100% of the time, at some point during your petting session, she has had enough and without any warning either slashes you or takes a mighty bite. There's no "dealing" with her either. She WILL NOT back down. It's a terrible thing when you're afraid of your own cat! Actually, that's part of the problem. She's my husbands cat. She totally loves him. As a matter of fact, she thinks she owns him. Far be it from me to disagree.

"The Beauty" oil on masonite 4x5" SOLD

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This little voice in my ear suggests that viewers may be bored with my cats. I guess I'm not a good listener. Ollie is wonderful to look at. Sometimes it seems like he knows it. He stretch and roll by the front door with the sun light dancing off is wonderful fur, then he'll casually glance over his shoulder to be certain he has an audience. He does.

"Smushed" oil on masonite 5x5" SOLD

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If you haven't figured it out already, I REALLY love Ollie the cat. He's got this strange stand offish personality....except when I'm working on the computer. If I'm up here, posting, writing or doing some other computer worldly thing Ollie wants to be in my lap. It's not like he's paying attention. He postions himself like a baby and goes to sleep. I really don't care why. It makes me feel important.

"Let The Sun Shine In" oil on masonite 4x8"

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Ollie is my big boy. When we got him he was tiny and sick. Our feline Tiny Tim. Once the vet brought him round he became a terrorist to the older cats. Now HE'S one of the senior citizens in our feline herd. He's a nice, round 18 pounds and loves to lounge in the sun streaming through the windows (he is not allowed outside. His elevator doesn't go to the top floor so I'm afraid he'll go in the street)

"Orphan" oil on masonite 5x5"

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I can't talk about the cows. It's May 1st and we just did an evening walk around the property. My hands are so cold I can hardly type this. What's with that?!? If you aren't familiar with my blog, I live just out of Seattle. It is NOT suppose to be cold in May. I didn't even see any of our dread slugs tonight. What????

"Communication Gap" oil on masonite 6x8"

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This was one of the other pastures I walked by on my "long walk". What is it about cows that they think everything is so interesting? even chubby little women walking down country roads. I could understand it if I had fed them at sometime. We use to have cows next door and I learned really quickly that they have food memory. I would feed them from my vegetable garden. I think it was fun for both of us!

"Here's Lookin' At You" oil on masonite 5x5"

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As you may or may not know, I am doing the 3 Day, 60 mile walk for breast cancer research in September. I did a "long" walk this weekend as part of my prep. These guys thought I was pretty interesting! It was funny how different the cows were from pasture to pasture. One group was terrified and scampered away from the fence as fast as they could. Others just seem hypnotized. It's going to be fun to see the little guys grow as I walk all summer.

"Distant Memory" oil on masonite 6x8"

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Painting the figure is like a strange addiction. If one were to think of painting as commerce they would certainly paint what has proven to be a viable product. That said, when brush is in hand self indulgence takes over.

"Tildee" oil on masonite 5x5"

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When you live in the country, as we do, animals just seem to show up. As we wandered the garden one evening we heard a faint meowing. We already housed several feline darlings but we knew right away it was not one of their voices. From under a tree came the most peculiar looking cat. There was this tiny body on top of long, long fluffy legs. Housed in that odd body was an amazing personality. We took her to our local vet only to find out her odd looks were due to low body weight. Where ever she came from they had not been feeding her. At the same time we had a young male cat that had not been with us long. His energy and attention was NOT welcomed by the older cats in the household. He and this little stray hit it off immediately. She became the distraction he needed to get him to stop tormenting the older pets. She's been with us about 5 years now. The skinny little body has been replaced by a round, plump one. She's full of spirit and smart as a whip. This painting gives you a peek into that wonderful little spirit.

"The Fountain" oil on masonite

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This is another area of the grounds at Don Gaspar. We sat at these little glass tables, shipping wine and wondering who had rented "the big house"

"Sarah Sphere 3" oil on masonite 5x7"

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Painting is such an interesting animal. After yesterday's post I got a very ernest email from another painter praising my piece and explaining to me how much better it was than my series of the woman with the ball. That's the time that your brain begins to rummage around and try to identify why you do what you do. Not only is this today's piece but I started to recreate the orignal Sarah image but 20x30". Guess I still want to paint what makes my brain fire.

"Hoodies" oil on masonite 6x6"

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Being a si fi fan this image seemed somewhat sinister. Can't you just see these guys coming to life long after the mall has sent the last customer packing? arms flailing, hats up....not a Hallmark movie!

"Courtyard at Don Gaspar" oil on masonite 5x7"SOLD

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This is one of the small areas we sat in during our stay at Don Gaspar. Santa Fe isn't unusually hot but still, the cool atmosphere sitting under these trees was hypnotic.

"Sarah Sphere 2" oil on masonite 5x7"

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And yet another image of my beautiful neighbor. I think everything about her is so expressive. These paintings certainly don't portray her personality though. She's wild and funny, always brightly informed. I just hope she won't get bored with all of this.

"Angst" oil on masonite

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When I started these I never intended to do any without objects. However, this almost seemed like her hands and arms became objects. Sarah is such a good sport! I hope she'll continue to pose. We haven't talked since her first image was posted so I can only assume she's still speaking to me.

"Sarah Vessel 1" oil on masonite 6x10"

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I was up at 4:15Am today to be sure I could paint before I had to go to an appointment at 9:20. It's my day off and I HATE having to leave the property. I can't impress on anyone enough how hard it was to swing my legs off the side of the bed and lift my body off. If you haven't been following the news, Washington state is having some kind of freak weather. It's April 18th and it snowed. That means getting out of bed at that hour was cruel! My studio floor is concrete to boot! Boy, at this point I'm so glad I did. This series is materializing just like I hope. I can't thank my neighbor, Sarah enough for posing. Shhhhhhhhh, don't tell her but I've got some more ideas................

"March of the Ball Gowns" oil on masonite 5x7"SOLD

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All this fluff in one place is kind of eerie. Confession: I look for excuses to dress up. For the first 5 years after I was married we donned our wedding attire and went out. Once it was a pizza parlor. I could care less! Unfortunately my spouse tore his trousers so that was the end of that. If you follow my blog you know I wore my dress for Halloween in 2007.

"Sarah Sphere 1" oil on masonite 5x7"

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Yes! It is the model I wanted when this whole idea came about. She's such a good sport. Believe it or not she's part American Indian. In fact, she's a lawyer that specializes in Indian Law. She lives right next door to me (convienent). Amazing story teller and all around fascinating person. Trust me! you're going to be seeing more of her.

"Market Music" oil on masonite 5x7"

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I'm so impressed by the music artists that frequent our famous Pike Place Market. Imagine trying to paint for change in front of thousands of people.

"Breakfast At Don Gaspar" oil on masonite 5x7"

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My husband, Ross is a sculptor. He shows at a wonderful place 5 miles north of Santa Fe called Shidoni. If you ever get the chance you MUST visit. It's an artist's foundry and sculpture garden. The owner, Tommy Hicks is legend. Anyway, we go every other year to deliver new work. There's a bed and breakfast called Don Gaspar. It is beyond words. This painting is the little dining room where we enjoy the most wonderful breakfast and delightful conversations with the caretakers.

"Glass Ball II" oil on masonite 4x7"

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This is a bit self indulgent I'm sure. I really want to do this series. I'm not going to for warn you about what's to come. You might decide to not come back. Let's just say the mind is a frightening place.

"The Bridge" oil on masonite 5x7" NFS

This is actually here, in our wonderful state. My sister in-law comes each year to hike with a good friend. The friend has a birthday and...well, you know what she's getting!

"Party Perfect" oil on masonite 5x7"

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Funny, but when I look at this group of dresses all I can think of is Dancing With The Stars. When I was painting these images of the mannequins dancing around the mall after all the doors are locked. Kind of a Stephen King prom.

"Glass Ball 1" oil on masonite 4x7"

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I had this crazy idea for a series of paintings. All I would need was the co-operation of my cute, young, blonde neighbor. Only problem? when I got ready to go ask her I realized she was in the middle of a very busy Sunday. Consequence? not so cute, older brunette. Did I learn anything? Yep! I might want to lay off the weights.

"Window Shopping" oil on masonite 5x7" available from the artist

The title for this is probably a wee bit misleading. I'm pretty sure this was a Tavern. I guess it COULD be window shopping........

"Stand Tall" oil on masonite 5x7" available from the artist

Being a "product" of the 60s this yellow dress had lots of appeal to me. Funny, for some strange reason I'm now in contact with some of my high school friends. It makes me laugh to think of the girl then and the woman now. That girl would never had stood like these figures, even if she had the dress. This woman would have no problem!

"Dreamweaver" oil on masonite 5x7"

Seeing these window displays evokes one set of feelings but when you have to disect them to paint another set of feelings comes to the surface. I actually like the almost mechanical aspect of this set up. I also like their undies...