Back To Planet Earth

As I understand it, sometime on the 19th of February, an AT&T worker pulled the plug on my internet access while he was making other changes and forgot to plug it back. It took me 8 days of going through the bureaucracy of tech support, while suffering with three communication giants pointing the finger at each other to take responsibility for my problem. Thanks to a man named Jay, I'm back on planet earth and catching up - including the debut of the paintings now on exhibit at the Morris & Whiteside Galleries, starting with 'Sunshine Boys', one of my personal favorites.

10 x 10"
oil on masonite
sold

These two young men were sculpting roses from palmetto leaves - I spotted them on Market Street in Charleston, South Carolina.

Please click here for a larger view.

All of the paintings can now be viewed here - please know you are invited to the opening reception held on Friday, March 13th from 6-8. I will be attending and it would be my pleasure to meet you. A map of the gallery can be found here - which is the Morris & Whiteside Gallery's new location - and I am thrilled to be their first show in the new space.

One more thing...... I made a little movie of the show pieces which can be viewed here. I hope you enjoy the paintings and the video.

"Smooth Sailing"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Hello to all who check back on a regular basis - the last couple of weeks have been full steam ahead with finishing up the work for my show in March - including varnishing and framing. I'm happy to report I'll be delivering all the paintings this weekend to the new location of the Morris & Whiteside Galleries - I'm excited to see it. The paintings will be posted on my website and the gallery's next week - in addition, I've created a movie of the show pieces that will be posted on YouTube. I'll be sure to let you know when all that is up and on the web.

I had a little bit of wet paint left on my palette and felt it was time for a moment of Zen. And I have to say I thought I had painted everything on the planet, but I have never painted a boat. This was from a trip I took back in November, to Charleston - a view from the water's edge next to Battery Park, as evening was setting.

"Billows"

5 x 10"
oil on masonite
sold

In the midst of working on the show pieces - I stopped and painted this smoke stack. My moment of Zen. I traveled to Asheville last week, a quick trip to drop off new paintings at the 16 Patton Gallery - always a pleasant ride. About 10 miles south of the city, this stunning, strong smoke stack appears above the tree line and it always compels a wow out of my mouth. This billowing, colorful, stormy tower of smoke just floors me every time. And today I had to paint it.

"Pacific Heights"

3-5/8 x 12
oil on masonite
sold

The current challenge for my Different Strokes From Different Folks blog - a Victorian home in Pacific Heights, San Francisco. Architecture, buildings are not an easy subject to paint - frankly, it's much easier to draw. With a drawing, you tend to pay attention to lines and perspective - with a paintbrush you tend to feel the weight of a structure and it becomes more 3-dimensional. My experience, with painting this piece, started with a loose sketch, then I stared at the photo for a few minutes and put it away and painted. It was more enjoyable that way for me. The forms are slightly exaggerated and the colors were more intuitive in the end.

"All In Good Time"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Just a little reminder that the ice and snow will melt and the warm sun will return - and all in good time you'll be back to the sand and surf.


Also I just wanted to mention I've been working hard on the new paintings for the upcoming show in March - there will be around 30 pieces showcased with the majority being new work. Those paintings will be debuted both on my website and Morris & Whiteside Gallery's website the week before the opening reception, which will be held on Friday evening, March 13th. If you want your first taste of sand and surf, make plans to join us on Hilton Head Island - I would love to meet you.

"Mischief Night"

8 x 5"
oil on masonite
sold

It felt somewhat right to paint the Jefferson Memorial on the night before the Presidential Inauguration - Washington DC is on my TV as we speak. I was in the city last October, a beautiful time to visit - this scene was captured as night fell on Mischief Night, the eve of Halloween.

Good Publicity Almost By Accident

American Art February 2009 Issue

I'm still in disbelief. Really. I would have never thought I would be featured in this magazine - the same one my mom had stacks and stacks of back in the 70's and 80's. And under the heading 'You never know where things will lead to', this opportunity was a result of my entering a painting in the magazine's Portrait Competition last summer. I didn't make the final cut, but the editor, Bob Bahr, emailed and asked me if I'd like to be featured in the magazine some time down the road. Gulp. 'Yes I certainly would be proud to' I typed, as I'm totally flipping out. A couple of months later it was a done deal. I got their attention, all because I entered a competition. Mind you, there's never been a day when I entered my work in a contest and thought 'I'm definitely gonna win this'. Never. But I do it anyway. A big Thank You to Bob Bahr for noticing my work, for writing a really nice article, for spelling my name correctly (inside) and for landing me on the cover. I am very proud.

For a readable view of this article, click here.

Southwest Art January 2009

My Different Strokes From Different Folks blog was included in the Southwest Art magazine - part of the 2009 Guide to an Artful New Year. The blog itself goes under the same heading 'You never know where things will lead to' - back in September, my dog Jack died. I posted a photo and a painting of him on this blog and within a week, over 15 artists had painted Jack from that photograph and emailed me their images. In fact, every day I got another one and another one, and they were all very different. The idea that one photograph could inspire so many artists to paint or draw was unexpected and heart warming. So in five minutes, I created the blog and posted the many versions of Jack. And that's how it got started. Thanks to the editors of the magazine for taking notice. I do appreciate it.

For a readable view of this article, click here.

"Chadd's"

5 x 8"
oil on masonite
nfs

A friend of mine sent a photo of John Chadd's house, from Chadd's Ford, Wyeth country. She's spending the day remembering Andrew Wyeth - she had the pleasure of meeting him months back when filming a documentary. I know this area so well - I grew up in Bucks County, not too far from Delaware County. My mom painted and sketched the landscapes and the quinessential stone houses. Those long drives are easy to recall.

You could say my alter-ego painted this piece. I used a wide, flat monster brush and let it go. A joy after completing a 2-day painting for the March show. I love my job.

The Passing of an Idol

'Winter' by Andrew Wyeth

I raise my glass to one of the greatest American artists, who passed away in his sleep at the age of 91. He has been and will always be a great influence in my life.

”Oftentimes people will like a picture I paint because it’s maybe the sun hitting on the side of a window and they can enjoy it purely for itself,” Wyeth once said. “It reminds them of some afternoon. But for me, behind that picture could be a night of moonlight when I’ve been in some house in Maine, a night of some terrible tension, or I had this strange mood. Maybe it was Halloween. It’s all there, hiding behind the realistic side. I think the great weakness in most of my work is subject matter. There’s too much of it.”

Here's to a great man and a extraordinary painter.

"Chin Up"

4 x 11"
oil on masonite
sold

As I'm reading my own words in that article, I realized I wasn't practicing what I preach - to not zoom in on the reference photo too much - it makes me nit-pick. And I end up drawing with the brush, rather than painting. I'm trying to hard. Time for an exercise. After going back to the other painting I was nit-picking at, it started to flow. Oh that flow.

A little girl standing before (under) Claude Monet's 'Stacks of Wheat', which hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago.

"Charlotte"

8 x 8"

oil on masonite
sold

February 7th - 28th, the 16 Patton Gallery will be holding an informal group show titled 'Best In Show' - featuring paintings of dogs and coinciding with the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. A portion of the gallery sales will go to local animal shelters.

This sweet little hound/beagle mix named Charlotte will join three other paintings of mine - please mark it on your calendar and stop by the gallery during February.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Easy Riders"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Folks - I've begun working on a collection of paintings, about twenty, for a solo show that opens March 13th at the Morris & Whiteside Gallery. The tough part is, they won't be revealed until the date nears - I'm already bursting with anticipation. Meanwhile, my moments of Zen will come at the end of the day when I've finished a piece and let loose on a smaller panel. It gives me the chance to try out some ideas and play with the color combinations - it's very beneficial. And I'll do it as often as possible.

From Savannah, Georgia - tourists enjoying the sights while someone else does the driving.

"Either Way"

12 x 12"

oil on masonite
sold

Children go into a museum of art with little concern of how profound it is to be in the company of the original pieces - they only know what speaks to them visually. Not too different than most adults. And not a bad thing. Degas didn't paint Woman Viewed From Behind for the purpose of admiration - I'm pretty sure he hoped the viewer would respond to his interpretation of the moment. I can go either way. There are times when I stand frozen, in awe that I'm looking at a painting that I've loved all my life, but only in books - and many times when I'm pulled in simply by the image. Either way, it's always an experience.

From the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

Please click here for a larger view.

Edward Burton's Portrait of Me

Speaking of portraits, my current New Year's challenge on my Different Strokes From Different Folks blog involves 130 different artists painting each others' portrait - and a very talented artist, Edward Burton, was selected to paint me. It is beautifully done - thank you Edward.

And thank you to Katherine Tyrell, for the honor of giving my blog The Best Art Blog Project of 2008 Virtual Challenge Cup Award. I'm a huge fan of her Making a Mark blog - I read it religiously.

Meself

12 x 9"

oil on masonite
nfs

Chalk this one up to watching a documentary on Francis Bacon. He used oils for what they were meant for. Each stroke is deliberate, each color is decided. He said something about embracing the happy accidents that happen when the stroke of one color meets another. When I look at one of his paintings, I can imagine where he began and where he ended - those are the paintings that inspire me the most. That's what thrills me about Lucian Freud's work. They made me want to paint when I was a little girl and still do. Perhaps I'll do a self portrait in the beginning of every year, from now on.

"A Date With Art"

12 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

This is one of those paintings I've wanted to do for a long time but didn't think I could pull off that carved seating without getting too tight in my brush strokes. Painting is for the patient, that's for sure. In these museum settings, sometimes it's all about the artwork or the figure and sometimes it's about the space. I think this is a little bit of all three.

From the sculpture gallery in the American Art wing, in the Art Institute of Chicago.

Please click here for a larger view.


Just a few thoughts to share on this last day of the year ~ I'm one of those people that plans out at least six months ahead. Not so rigid it can't be changed, but I often think in terms of what I am ready for, what needs to be different, what I need to shed. A year ago, I was wanting to try to teach a workshop or two ~ and did ~ but I realize it's something I've got to take more time to plan and get it right, before I officially go down that road. Perhaps in the second half of the new year. A year ago, I was sure I wouldn't commit to any solo shows ~ and I didn't ~ I joined in on group shows and a dual show, which was just right. It allowed me to explore different subject matters and grow a little more in terms of skill, with less pressure on my time.

Speaking of a date with art, I've got a couple of solid plans to tell you about ~

~ I will be presenting a solo show, taking place at the Morris & Whiteside Gallery in Hilton Head Island, opening March 13th. I'm concentrating on scenes from two southern cities, Washington DC and Charleston, South Carolina - including museum patrons, cityscapes, night scenes, interiors and beachscapes. If you want ... need a nice break from winter, please make plans to come to the opening ~ it's a lovely setting and it would be my pleasure to meet you.

~ I will be in a dual show, taking place at the Howard/Mandville Gallery in Kirkland, Washington, opening May 9th, with Fred Calleri. Talk about a lovely setting, you can't beat Seattle/Kirkland that time of year. Please pencil me in for the opening night, I'd be happy to meet you.

~ I will be participating in the various group shows at the 16 Patton Gallery, in Asheville, North Carolina, like this past year - I absolutely loved the different themes and hope to continue that in the new year. You can always get information on those shows on their website or on mine. That little city is a pleasure to visit any time of the year.

One change to note is that I have left the Cohen-Rese Gallery in San Francisco and the Twinhouse Gallery in Atlanta. Cohen-Rese, after years of a good relationship, chose not to pay me for a painting sold after I announced to them I was leaving the gallery. That's what some art gallery owners do to artists. I hope people take a cue from that experience.

I wish all of you a Happy New Year and thank you for your continued interest in my work, and all your comments and emails. That, above all, drives me every day.

"Big Boned"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

I remember this woman - she towered over me. She had quite a presence, much like the figures in Picasso's 'Three Women at the Spring, Fontainebleau', which hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Bay Breeze"

8 x 8"
oil on masonite
sold

I suspect the Ferry Building and the weekend market is a ritual for a lot of people who live in San Francisco. You couldn't pick a nicer spot to read the paper, sip a cup of coffee and take in the breeze from the bay. In the distance is the Oakland Bay Bridge, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Strawberries & Plaid"

work in progress

I've been obsessed with drawing and painting people ever since I can remember. As a child, I would copy the drawings on the sewing pattern covers, tear apart my mom's magazines and draw the people in the ads - as a teenager, I filled up sketchbooks with hundreds of drawings of people on the commuter trains. We, as physical forms, are fascinating. Add the clothes and we become more so.

I've also been spending my holiday time watching the epic movies ~ Ben-Hur, Lawrence of Arabia, King of Kings, etc. Gasp when I say it, I don't mind - television is a constant source of inspiration for me as a painter. Take 'Lawrence of Arabia' - the figures and camels against the blinding desert with long shadows. There's hundreds of paintings in that movie.

My work today may be altered, don't know yet. I'm gonna go watch a movie.

Unwrapped

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
nfs

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
nfs

Now that they're unwrapped, here are a couple of personal gifts given to my extended family.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas.

Painting Us Different Folks

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
gift to the artist

I've got this interesting project that just got started ~ on my Different Strokes From Different Folks blog ~ 130 artists, including myself, will be painting portraits of each other. All from photographs they've submitted to me. I put all 130 names in a hat, randomly drew a name for each artist - presumably someone they've never met - and they are to paint that artist and that artist is to paint them. This handsome man is my victim.

My blog got a nice mention in the January issue of Southwest Art magazine as well. I'm very proud.

"Proof"

8 x 8"

oil on masonite
sold

Well, before I became a paintaholic I did a lot of gardening. My boots are proof. This subject is also the current challenge on my Different Strokes From Different Folks blog.

"Charleston Dusk"

5 x 7"
oil on masonite
sold

Maybe it was the big breakfast. Maybe the five cups of coffee. I had the most productive, wonderful day of painting today. Not one, not two, but three paintings were done. And they're all loose, expressive and yummy. I cannot show you the other two yet - they're gifts. This is one of those days when I finish up, thinking this is what oils are meant for. I love that. While I'm on the subject - I recently tried out a brand I hadn't bought before - Williamsburg oil paints. They're wonderful. I want to be their spokeswoman.

This little piece is a street in the charming city of Charleston, South Carolina. The city of steeples.

"Map Quest"

12 x 12"
oil on masonite
nfs

If you're paying attention to my postings, you'd know I painted this piece, posted it then removed it the next morning. It's a rare occasion for me to rework a painting - but there I was, in my pj's the morning after I finished it, wiping off parts that bugged me. I had to. The scene is from the welcome/assistance desk in the National Gallery of Art.

This painting is a gift for a good friend.