"Puppy Zen"

12 x 12"

oil on panel

These are my darling pups, Zac and Joey, when they were about four months old.  

I know, it's out there for me.

"Daily Exercise"

8 x 6"

oil on panel

I intended to post this new painting on National Dog Day a few days ago, but in my life, every day is dog day. 

Don't forget to take your dogs for a long walk.  It's good for everyone.

Please click here for a larger view and purchase information.

"Sunday Best"

8 x 10"

oil on panel
sold  

A woman dressed for such an occasion as 'A Sunday on La Grande Jatte'.   George Seurat's famous painting can be seen at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Dog Show No. 8"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

Carrying on with my ode to dogs,  inspired by the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show starting tonight.  

My aim is to take my reference photos and invent an unexpected surrounding, playing with color as I like to do with my mugshot portraits in BUST-ED.  

These are two graceful Whippets - wonderful curves and lumps and form.

Some have asked where the previous 'Dog Show' paintings were - here's the first six and here's more creatures I've painted in the past.

"Big Brother"

14 x 6"

oil on panel

I saw this guy and his two dogs on the beach every day while we were in Hilton Head.   It was something to aspire to - teaching Zac and Joey how to walk each other.  How great is that?

Please click here for a larger view and purchase information.

"Pack Man"

12 x 7"

oil on panel
sold
 

Boy did I work hard on this ocean.  Some artists can make it look so easy.

From the beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina - a man and his pack taking a brisk walk on the morning after Hurricane Sandy had passed.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Shore Patrol"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

I've got a few larger paintings in mind for Morris & Whiteside Gallery, for their upcoming summer season - this is a small study.  I was feeling out the darker-grey ocean in the distance.  It's an unusual color than I'm not prone to paint - the darker waters were a result of a storm that passed the night before.  

From the shores on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina - a man and his buddies.

Live, Work & Play Time

My apologies for not posting during the past two weeks.  By the time we arrived in Hilton Head - after days of packing and go-go-go,  I just removed myself from the real world including my iPad, email, laptop, phone and took a long, deep breath and relaxed for a change.

 our little slice of heaven

 Our Beach Boys - Zac and Joey

A couple of days later our friends, Karen and Neil Hollingsworth, joined us for a much-needed break from the routine.

 Brett and Karen

 Brett, the dogs and Neil

After they left, the weather reports started coming in about Sandy, and for a while, we weren't sure if we were in the path of the storm - just glued to the ever-changing news and hoping for the best.  I was mainly concerned about my workshop students who were on their way - turned out everyone arrived safe and sound during the weekend which was a great relief.

 rougher seas

The workshop started last Monday, I was joined by my assistant, Kelli, from the Sedona Arts Center and twenty-one of the most warm, friendly, eager and talented women - five which came back for another round.  I knew after the first day how very lucky I was to have such a great group of broads and they made my week so enjoyable.  Thanks to all who spent the week with me, I am recharged and more motivated than ever.

 my gals hard at work

 an exercise painting mugshots

 immersed in our stuff, enjoying the paints

It needs to be said - being at the beach for two weeks, watching the sun rise right outside my window every morning and the moon rise every evening to wish us a good night's sleep - being in the company of strong, fabulous women who love to paint and talk about art - sharing my down-time with the guy and the pups I love so much - knowing the storm and that mighty sea we walked beside every day reeked havoc in many lives and destroyed those homes they've worked hard to build and nurture - it was humbling and a profound reminder of how grateful we are for being back home safe and sound and having each other.

Peace to All

Please donate to the Red Cross today and help all those affected by Sandy.

"Triple Play"

10 x 8"

oil on masonite
sold

The evil flu bug that possessed me for too long has finally left to go make someone else miserable.  Not that I'd wish that on anyone.  More important, my brain finally works again.  Yay.

This new painting is a typical moment on the beaches of Hilton Head Island.  Happy dogs.

Please click here for a larger view.

Speaking of dogs ..... today is the 1st anniversary for Zac & Joey coming home to live with us.

In their first year, they've traveled to the beach in Hilton Head, Virginia for Christmas and across the country to San Francisco and back.   They're the best.

"Mentor"

11 x 6"

oil on masonite
sold

Getting a few paintings done before the big road trip - a true big brother leading the way on a walk down the beach. I need to train Zac & Joey to do this.

For a larger view, click here.

"Walking the Walk"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Part of my ongoing series ATL to NYC & Back - a morning walk to Central Park on the Upper East Side of the city.

100% of the sale of this painting was donated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home - a cancer hospice, here in Atlanta. The hospice depends of private donations to care for terminally ill patients - the Sisters cared for my dad 21 years ago. Thanks to all who participated in the auction, I am grateful.

Hilton Head Workshop

I'm back from my recent workshop in Hilton Head - it has taken me a couple of days to get organized, look through some photos, get caught up on sleep. I'm usually drained after the week ends, in a good way. I just had the greatest time with 19 talented, eager and wonderfully fun painters, I hated to see it end.




Thanks to all those who joined me in Hilton Head, and to Vince Fazio, from the Sedona Arts Center, who organizes and assists me in my workshops. I loved the experience.

Half the time spent away from home was family time, Brett and I took Zac and Joey - their first road trip and first time at the beach.




They were beside themselves - they LOVED the wide open beach, the waves, the room to run amok.




They turned 7 months old while we were there - amazingly brave and well-behaved the whole time.

The evening before the workshop began, one of my students who lives on the island, hosted a get-together at her beautiful home - a chance to get to know each other, which was great for all of us. One of my demos was the outstanding view from her back patio.

5 x 7"
sold

The first day, I talked a lot and painted this demo, a very loose, colorful piece - a woman I spotted on the beach the first few days we had arrived.

8 x 10"
sold

The second day, my students painted from the same photo, with amazing results. The different interpretations of the water were very cool - here's a few of those done.





This is another one of my demos, I wanted to concentrate on the skin colors - another woman I spotted on the beach.

6 x 6"
sold

On our longer day in the studio, I painted a mugshot - then forced everyone, including Vince, to paint one. I did this in my New York workshop, I knew they'd learn something from it, I think they enjoyed it more than they thought they would. Amazing results, a very cool exercise. Here is my demo .....

4 x 4"
sold

Our last day together went way too fast, one more demo to include swirly water and more skin.

6 x 6"
sold

What a fantastic week I had - family time beforehand with the pups and time with our friends, Neil and Karen, the beach and sunshine, painting and I got to know some really great people - it doesn't get any better than that.

I would normally head to Charleston after the workshop, this time I opted out, but I was told both my paintings 'Outdoor Dining' and 'Checked Out' that were part of the Charleston Art Auction sold (yay!) and they now have nice homes to go to. An excellent way to end my week.

Please take time to check out the blogs I've listed on the right column, of those artists who have participated in my workshops. I'm very proud of all of them. I also want to mention - if you're interested in my future workshops, check the info on the right column, or call the Sedona Arts Center and ask to be notified when one is scheduled. The next adventure is in San Francisco next April, a perfect city to photograph and paint - there are 7 openings remaining at this time.

Time to get back to the paints - see you back here very soon.

New York Dogs

New York Dogs, No. 1
5 x 5"
sold 

A big part of New York Life that delights me - the dogs. They brave the traffic, the noise, the crowds and soften the hard edges of the city.

New York Dogs, No. 2
5 x 5"
sold

New York Dogs, No. 3
5 x 5"
sold

New York Dogs, No. 4
5 x 5"
sold

These five darling dogs were some of those we met up with while walking around New York back in May. We lost our Petey to cancer this past February, and just the slightest eye contact or the feel of their fur convinced us we were missing that in our lives - and as soon as we returned home, we adopted Zac and Joey.

These four paintings will be included in my grouping titled New York Life - part of a group show opening next Saturday at the 16 Patton Gallery - please join us if you can.

"A Sunday With Georges"

12 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

I'd been working on this piece for several days - the painting within, Georges Seurat's 'A Sunday on La Grande Jatte', is sooooo complex, sooooo detailed - I have to go slow. I have to pay attention to everything Seurat methodically included. It's an amazing work of art.

To quote my favorite art critic, Sister Wendy, "Seurat spent two years painting this picture, concentrating painstakingly on the landscape of the park before focusing on the people: always their shapes, never their personalities. Individuals did not interest him, only their formal elegance. There is no untidiness in Seurat: all is beautifully balanced. The park was quite a noisy place: a man blows his bugle, children run around, there are dogs. Yet the impression we receive is of silence, of control, of nothing disordered. Even if the people in the park are pairs or groups, they seem alone in their concision of form - alone but not lonely. No figure encroaches on another's space: all coexist in peace."

Please click here for a larger view.

Wishing you a Happy 4th ~

"Rafters"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
nfs

In between painting, I am occasionally lured into a swim at my good neighbor's pool. The reward goes without saying, added to that, it rejuvenates me enough to continue painting longer into the evening. Gotta love that.

My neighbor poms - Taz and Ginger floating on a raft in the sunshine. A gift to my friends.

A Benefit For Animal Lovers

The Howard/Mandville Gallery is hosting Art To The Rescue - a Benefit for Pasado's Safe Haven, an animal rescue outside of Seattle. This organization saves and rehabs dogs, cats and farm animals, most who have been neglected or abused. Three of my paintings will be included in the show - a portion of the sales will be donated to those animals in need. Hats off to them.

Companions For Life
sold

Rescued For Life
sold

Pampered For Life
sold


For a larger view of these paintings,
click on the title below each image.

For information regarding this Benefit Event - please click here.

A Painting for Me

30 x 10"
oil on canvas
nfs

Yep - on canvas. Something I rarely do. And it's large. And it's for me. You may recognize Petey and Jack - as they were cuddled under the blanket on a rainy, cold day out in my studio. Just had to paint it.

For a larger view, please click here.

"Dog Show"

each is 6 x 6"

Real quick....... before I hit the road....... here's a couple of little dogs I bumped into at a local dog show. I hope to have a set of six, for an upcoming group show at 16 Patton, in Asheville.
Even more will be going in a few other galleries. Hope you enjoy them.

Please click here and here for a larger view and purchase information.

Happy Trails - I'll be back with something new Monday night.