Art Museum Steps

oil on board
6"x6.5"

sold

Here is a woman sitting on the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, enjoying the December sun, and the backside of a begging man- two people who are not likely to cross paths again.   Forgive me the melodrama, but I can't help but think of the Longfellow quote:

Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing,
Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness;
So on the ocean of life we pass and speak one another,
Only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence. 

One more thing.  One of my portraits was nominated for best blog portrait in 2011.

Happy Run

oil on panel
6"x6"

sold

This little girl has just left the art museum and breaks into a happy run at her sudden freedom. 

Recumbent Knight

oil on panel
6"x6"

sold

I've been inspired by the painter Karin Jurick to paint scenes of people in museums.  Here is my first attempt, a young girl contemplating weighty matters like time and mortality as well as the mystery of this unknown life, represented by an effigy. 

It's dark and rainy again, so this photo was taken inside.  I think the colors are better than this, but as the rain will continue for a while I'll get a better picture taken in a few days .

Thanksgiving Walk

oil on panel
7"x7"

I took pictures on Thanksgiving like a crazy woman.  I was lucky to capture this evocative moment, which seems to me to speak of larger things than a simple walk to work off the Thanksgiving dinner.

Daydreaming at the Cafe

oil on panel
7"x 7"

sold

For some reason I found this devilishly difficult to pull off but now I'm happy with it.  This is my lovely daughter, Julia. 

Joel

oil on panel
7"x 7"

sold

There is always a little more you could do in a portrait of someone you know...a little more to the nose, to the ear, the eyes- but I try and stop once I feel like the person is there rather than just brushstrokes.  Hmmm...maybe the lips.

Moving Toward the Light

oil on panel
7"x 7"

sold

The light in this parking lot was stunning.  I could have titled this an unpoetic "Young Woman with Poise Walking and Two Children Goofing Around in the Wissahickon Valley Parking Lot", but the way they move toward the sharp afternoon sunlight is the real subject. 

This was a challenge.  I have not painted from photographs of people in silhouette before, and I wasn't sure I could make it work.  I'm glad I tried- every painting teaches me something. 

November

oil on panel
7"x 6.5"

sold

I could have titled this "Sarah by the Wissahickon Creek", but I kind of like the more poetic "November".  As a matter of fact, I'd like to paint a figure representing each month of the year, so I'm already mulling over possibilities for December.

Leah at Sea

oil on panel
6"x6"

sold

This is my sister Leah, always at home on a boat.
I like painting with a large brush, and I like painting by simplifying form.  This can be a problem when I paint someone I know, because to try and get a good likeness it seems I have to resort to my size #1 and #2 brushes.  I am looking forward to getting back to my size #10 and #12s!

Patience

oil on panel
6"x6"

sold

This beautiful Andalusian horse, waiting for the next command, seems to embody the essence of patience and nobility.

I'll Follow

oil on panel
6"x6"
sold

I love the upright tail feathers on this chicken, and the way her chick has the same effect on her as a rudder steering a ship. 

Bridled

oil on panel
6"x5.5"

sold

This close up view of a horse's face was difficult to paint, to put it mildly.  It was a challenge to have it work spatially without showing the entire structure of the head.   I do like this extreme close-up and searching view though.

A Respectable Bird

oil on panel 6"x6"

A turkey is an odd looking creature, with an almost reptilian head and those crazy jowls below!

As for the title, Ben Franklin came up with that. "For in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America . . . He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."

Family Reunion

oil on board
7.5"x 10"

sold

While on vacation my mom asked me to take a picture of my brother's shorts (because she really liked them) and I got an unexpectedly dramatic composition.  I think it also captures something of the continual busyness of our large annual reunions as well as the quiet, separate thoughts people continue to have in the midst of a large group.
I've been preoccupied with this for several days.  It has felt good to be working larger, but I'm already wanting to get back to some quicker pieces.

Protected

oil on panel
6"x6"

sold

Watermelon Bowl

oil on panel
6"x6"
purchase

I've never painted watermelon before, and I wasn't sure I'd like the subject because I like interesting shapes, not just pleasing color. Once I cut up this watermelon I realized that the wedges can make quite interesting compositions.
The last couple of weeks I've been trying to concentrate on the business end of things, and I've learned something- the business end of things can completely take over if you let it!  I'm traveling to an island in Maine for a couple weeks, and am excited to paint there, but in the midst of packing and running last minute errands I felt that I HAD to do a small painting or explode.  I limited myself to three hours, which stretched to four, then five.

July Bean Harvest

oil on panel

6"x6"

sold

This was fun and satisfying to paint.  It reminded me of the time I painted an artichoke, in that the structure had to be constructed piece by piece, like a jigsaw puzzle.

Art Supplies

oil on panel
6"x6"
sold

This is my entry into this week's Daily Paintwork Challenge, to "paint what you paint with".  This painting went through all the usual stages.  It took forever to set up, then it went along swimmingly, then I started to get bogged down in details, then worked super hard to stay loose.   The brushes didn't give me much trouble, though- they were really fun to paint.

Three Shy Apples

oil on panel
5.5" x 6"

sold

One apple is peeking out, and two are seen behind a jar of water.

Yesterday I finished an intensely detailed still life, which I won't post because I find it insufferably dull.  Today I decided to keep it loose, and I had a good time painting again.  I'm resisting the urge to clean up edges and add more detail, and that's a challenge.

Submerged Rose and Green Bottle

oil on board
5.5" x 6"
purchase

I'll be honest- I dislike the last painting I posted.  I felt that I was getting too nit-picky, too logical and worried about everything making sense.  By "making sense" I mean I was too worried about edges and boundaries and how everything fit together, instead of just observing color and light.  I tried to be a little quicker with this painting of a white rose under water, and I'm happier with it, but I still think I need to loosen up some more.  It may look like a quick painting, but it took me two days.

Red Leaf Lettuce Crop (2nd day)

oil on paper
5.75" x 7"
bid
I really did think I was finished, but this morning I headed back to make a few changes.

White Turnips

oil on board
6" x 6.5"
sold

I had thought that I might be finished with painting vegetables for a while, but that was before I started helping out at a local CSA farm, and bringing home freshly picked, organic produce each week.  I couldn't resist painting these turnips.  I had to begin with the leaves, knowing they would wilt quickly.

Trees Obscuring Oil Tanks

oil on paper
5.75" x 7"
purchase

I love painting on paper, and for some reason find it the supposedly casual aspect of the surface very freeing. Although the paper is smooth, I don't sand the gesso much and so there is a nice tooth to the surface that grabs the paint so nicely. I use a good quality archival paper (currently Stonehenge) with several coats of gesso.  As long as the painting remains flat (don't fold it!) the finished product is just as stable as a painting on canvas or board.
A steamy day today, the humidity already softening edges and colors. Summer is around the corner.

Radicchio Lettuce

oil on panel
5.5" x 6"
sold

Cactus in Red Pot

oil on panel
6" x 6.5"
bid

I bought this cactus plant to paint many weeks ago, and it seems it's been glowering at me for some time now to get on with it.

Grapefruit

oil on panel
6"x6"
sold

Oil Tanks Behind State Road, Late Afternoon

oil on gessoed paper
5.5"x7"
sold

I'm still entranced by this view of three tanks, but this time late in the day. I'm happy with the way this turned out, but had some bad luck while working on it. I backed up to get a look at my painting, bumped into a large rock, twisted my knee and now can barely walk! It doesn't hurt too much, just doesn't do what a knee is supposed to do- bend! Painting outdoors never seems to be simple.

Packaged Strawberries

oil on board
6"x7"

sold

I've never painted strawberries before. I enjoyed this, but it was a challenge to get the right red colors and to include some of the detailed surface patterns without going overboard.

Upright Carrots

oil on board
6"x6"
sold

This is my third painting of carrots this spring, and I'm finally happy with what I've done. Whew!

Miniature Daffodils in a Jar

oil on board
6 and 5/8" x 5"
sold

I enjoyed this one because I was successfully able to avoid much detail- always a struggle for me.

Upright Artichoke

oil on panel
6"x6.5"
sold

I've never looked so hard at an artichoke before. They are beautiful but complicated little devils.

Three Leeks

oil on board
6.5"x6"
sold
I like finishing my paintings in one day, even if it takes me 8 or 9 hours, because then I am not so likely to get bogged down in worries and over thinking. These leeks just gave me too much to do for a one day piece, so this morning when I went back to them I tried my hardest to keep it feeling fresh.

Daffodils on Kitchen Table

oil on board
6"x6.5"

sold 

I spent the morning painting the glorious insides of a purple cabbage split in half. Unfortunately I didn't know how difficult it would be! It seemed so hard to simplify, and impossible to put in all the detail without going fairly crazy. So I wiped the painting off and spent the afternoon on this kitchen scene instead.

Large Turnip

oil on board
5.5"x6"
sold

Guess what's for dinner?

Three Beets

oil on board
7"x5"
sold

I spent all day on these. I didn't find them easy to paint, but the colors were subtle and beautiful.

Bok Choy

oil on board
5"x6.5"
sold

I had to paint quickly to beat the wilting of the leaves.

Radishes on a White Plate

oil on board
6.75"x5.75"
sold

A friend of mine suggested yesterday that I try and paint vegetables. I slept on the idea, and woke up ready. I went to the supermarket at 7 to get a subject, and painted these babies all day. I tried to stay loose, and had a lot of fun with it.

Two White Flowers

oil on board
5"x6"
sold

This morning I spent two hours trying to orchestrate an interesting composition, but wound up with just this very simple one.