Merry and Bright

Merry and Bright
6" x 6"  Oil
SOLD

And, another Christmas ornament.

As in the past, for the month of December, my daily paintings are 25% off.  Those posted in December will have a Paypal button reflecting that sale.  However, if you see a painting from the past that you'd like, please email me and I'll send you a Paypal invoice reflecting the sale price.  And, I'll gift wrap any paintings that you'd like sent as a gift!  All paintings purchased after noon December 16th will be mailed in January.

I have artwork hanging at a new local gallery, G44 Gallery on South 8th Street here in Colorado Springs.

These are the 6 there.  Happily one sold!

Cowabunga - Colorado Cow

Colorado Cow
6" x 6"  Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

I love how cows just stand and watch you.  They are so curious!  And, they are fun to paint.  I'm happy when I paint cows!


As in the past, for the month of December, my daily paintings are 25% off.  Those posted in December will have a Paypal button reflecting that sale.  However, if you see a painting from the past that you'd like, please email me and I'll send you a Paypal invoice reflecting the sale price.  And, I'll gift wrap any paintings that you'd like sent as a gift!  All paintings purchased after noon December 16th will be mailed in January.

Make The Season Bright

Make The Season Bright
6" x 6"  Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

I love painting Christmas ornaments!  I paint some every year.

As in the past, for the month of December, my daily paintings are 25% off.  Those posted in December will have a Paypal button reflecting that sale.  However, if you see a painting from the past that you'd like, please email me and I'll send you a Paypal invoice reflecting the sale price.  And, I'll gift wrap any paintings that you'd like sent as a gift!  All paintings purchased after noon December 16th will be mailed in January.

Three's A Crowd
Oil 6" x 6"
$75.00 + $10. s/h

I've just finished two pieces for a show coming up the first of the year.  I have three paintings in the Denver Square Foot show at Bell Gallery 1573 & 1705 S. Pearl St, Denver.  50% of the proceeds from the sale of paintings is going to charity.  Please stop by if you're in Denver during thee month of December.

As in the past, for the month of December, my daily paintings are 25% off.  Those posted in December will have a Paypal button reflecting that sale.  However, if you see a painting from the past that you'd like, please email me and I'll send you a Paypal invoice reflecting the sale price.  And, I'll gift wrap any paintings that you'd like sent as a gift!

Esfahan Bowl

Esfahan Bowl

6" x 6"  Oil

$75.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

In 1977 and 1978 I lived in Esfahan, Iran.  I taught ESL, English as a Second Language, to helicopter pilots on the Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi Army Airforce Base.  Esfahan was, and I assume still is, one of the most beautiful cities I've visited.  The architecture, the mosaics on the buildings, the wandering alleys in the bazaar.  It was an incredible oasis in the middle of the country.  Like many foreigners, I left Iran due to the revolution and the political problems.  As history has told us, the Shah, the people, and the Ayatollah Khoemini did not see eye to eye.  Anyway, I bought the most beautiful copperware, carpets, and other souvenirs.  This is one of the bowls from Esfahan.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday we went to see Argo.  It was quite stressful and not always easy to watch the history of the time.  My daughter could not believe that I had lived there and only left 10 months before that took place.  When I see something like that movie and hear about Iran on the news, I'm often saddened by what I see and hear.   It's a country with such an incredible history and culture.

I also just finished reading "Iran Awakening" by the Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi.  She speaks of her life as a lawyer and judge in Iran.  It was very interesting.

As in the past, for the month of December, my daily paintings are 25% off.  Those posted in December will have a Paypal button reflecting that sale.  However, if you see a painting from the past that you'd like, please email me and I'll send you a Paypal invoice reflecting the sale price.  And, I'll gift wrap any paintings that you'd like sent as a gift!

Aging With Time

Aging With Time

6" x 6"  Oil

$75.00 + $10. s/h

This painting's title came from Willie Nelson's song "Yesterday's Wine."  Thank you Willie!

As in the past, for the month of December, my daily paintings are 25% off.  Those posted in December will have a Paypal button reflecting that sale.  However, if you see a painting from the past that you'd like, please email me and I'll send you a Paypal invoice reflecting the sale price.  And, I'll gift wrap any paintings that you'd like sent as a gift!

Poinsettia 2

Poinsettia 2
Oil 6" x 6"
$75.00 + $10. s/h

This poinsettia looks like a dancer to me, the way it's twirling around!

As in the past, for the month of December, my daily paintings are 25% off.  Those posted in December will have a Paypal button reflecting that sale.  However, if you see a painting from the past that you'd like, please email me and I'll send you a Paypal invoice reflecting the sale price.  And, I'll gift wrap any paintings that you'd like sent as a gift!

Hallway Light

Hallway Light

6" x 6"  Oil

$75.00 + $10. s/h

I loved the way the light was coming in through the window and highlighting the floor.

As in the past, for the month of December, my daily paintings are 25% off.  Those posted in December will have a Paypal button reflecting that sale.  However, if you see a painting from the past that you'd like, please email me and I'll send you a Paypal invoice reflecting the sale price.  And, I'll gift wrap any paintings that you'd like sent as a gift!

Poinsettia

Poinsettia
6" x 6"  Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

Yesterday was the first of two days that I'm painting during the Holiday Open House at Summerland Gardens at 124 East Cheyenne Road, Colorado Springs.  I made several sales and got a couple of commissions.  Overall, it was a great time!  I'll be back this afternoon again from 2 - 6.  And, for those of you who can't make it, I always have work in the upstairs gallery.  Thanks to those who stopped by!

As in the past, for the month of December, my daily paintings are 25% off.  Those posted in December will have a Paypal button reflecting that sale.  However, if you see a painting from the past, that you'd like, please email me and I'll send you a Paypal invoice reflecting the sale price.  And, I'll gift wrap any paintings that you'd like sent as a gift!

Holiday Open House

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

Summerland Gardens

124 E Cheyenne Road

Colorado Springs 80906

www.summerlandgardens.com

I will be painting in the upstairs gallery during the Holiday Open House at Summerland Gardens on Friday 11/30 and Saturday 12/01.  The Open House is from 10 am - 8pm.  I'll be there painting each day from 2 - 6.  Please stop by for holiday cheer, gift ideas, unique decorations, trees, wreaths, paintings and to see me!  Hope to see you there!  

A few of these paintings are still available.  Please contact me if interested.

Rainy Day

Rainy Day

Oil  8" x 6"

SOLD

I loved the reflections of the rain coat and umbrella on the wet sidewalk.

Rider

Rider
Oil  6" x 8"
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I loved the way this rider's yellow jacket stood out against all of the grays on the road. 

Colorado Sunrise

Colorado Sunrise

5" x 7"  Oil

$100.00 + $10. s/h

And another great sunrise.  I've really got to get up early to see the sunrise now that the time has changed!  Not sure how many I'm going to see; I'm not really an early morning person.

We're getting ready for our kids and friends to be here for Thanksgiving.  Looking forward to having a full house again.  I am thankful that both of our kids have great jobs.  But, those great jobs moved them both out of state.  So, I alway look forward to their visits.

Peaceful Sunset

Peaceful Sunset
5" x 7"  Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

For those of you who follow my blog, you've seen that I paint a lot of skies.  When you live in the west you have incredible, vast, open skies all around.  People who visit from back east can't believe how much sky you can see.  I've been places, in the south, east, and northwest where the trees are so tall and the greenery so thick and lush that you hardly know what the sky looks like!  That is certainly not the case here in Colorado!  Many of my paintings are of the sunrise view from our deck.  And many, like this one, are of the sunset view from our mountain property.  When I look at the views in front of me, I know that I'm blessed.

This afternoon I delivered my painting, Veterans Day, to the veteran who purchased it on Veterans Day!  It was so nice to meet her.  She's in the Reserves and here in Colorado Springs this week.  Tomorrow she'll head home to California. 

Fall Table

Fall Table

12" x 16"  Oil 

$295.00 + $15.00 s/h

I love the fall.  I love the warm colors of autumn landscapes, I love the chilly (but yet still a bit warm) days.  I love the sunrises.  I'm not really fond of the time change and the dark, late afternoons!

Veterans Day

Veterans Day
Oil  8" x 8"
$195.00 + $10. s/h
SOLD

I started this piece earlier this week on Election Day.  It seemed appropriate to post it on Veterans Day.     This is the flag that my dad received for his dad's service to our country.  My dad passed it down to my son.  I have painted and posted it before.

While today, Saturday, isn't Veterans Day, today is the big Veterans Day Parade in downtown Colorado Springs.  We have a lot of Vets here as the military is a strong presence in the town with Fort Carson, NORAD, Peterson Field, Schriever Air Force Base, and the Air Force Academy.  Many Vets stay and make Colorado Springs their home and many Vets return to live here when they retire.  Sunday is the actual Veteran's Day but it is observed on Monday with closures in all of the government buildings as well as our local schools.

I come from a family of Veterans.  I'll introduce you to some of them:

This is my mom, Rosalie Phillips Johnson (1921-1971).  She became a pilot after college.  She served in WWII as a WASP, Women's Air Force Service Pilot.   The WASPs flew new planes from factories to embarcation air fields where they were either flown or shipped overseas.

My dad, Oliver Sidney Johnson (1920-2004), is on the far left in the back row.  He served in WWII as a radio operator and machine gunner on B-24s and B-17s in the 490th Bomb Group flying out of England.

My grandfather, Charles Thomas Johnson, (1890-1964) is the one circled.  He served in WWI and also was a Colonel in WWII.  This is General Patton's staff (you may recognize him in the front row.)  I can't imagine how it must have been for my grandma to have her husband and only child both in Europe during the war.  She also served our country as an ambulance driver taking soldiers from Midway airport to the hospital.

My husband Peter's parents were also Veterans.  They both served in the Navy.  This is their engagement photo.  My father-in-law, Peter Carl Holnback, was a fighter pilot in the Pacific.  My mother-in-law, Olive Hird Holnback, was a WAVE:  Women Accepted for Voluntary 

Emergency Service.

The Sign of Morning

The Sign of Morning
8" x 8"  Oil
Commission - SOLD

This rooster has just been sent off to California.  It was painted for a woman who wanted a rooster piece in her kitchen.  I hope she likes it!  This strutter lives locally at the Rock Ledge Ranch.

Traditionally, in the philosophy of the Chinese Zodiac, one of the symbols of the rooster is showy behavior.  And, that they lead other birds in the flock to the food that they have found.  Hmmm....I think that I would prefer if they were more dignified and pushed and encouraged the flock to search for it's own food.

Fading Away

Santa Fe Fling

Fading Away
6" x 6"  Oil
$100.00 + $10 s/h

SOLD

Here's my Santa Fe Fling post for this Monday!  I love the way the paint on this door is just Fading Away!  Someday it might get repainted, but I hope not!

Last week I was going through another cleaning phase.  My studio used to be our dining room, which means there isn't a closet.  So, everything is on shelves or in china cabinets (the china that we inherited from my husband's grandmother is now in the pantry).  We all need to purge at times, so I was going through the top shelf where I have old studies, workshop paintings and pieces from the past.  When, lo and behold there in front of me was a painting from a workshop about ten years ago when I first started painting...

I think it's the same house!  I was not painting from my own photos, and don't recall how I got this photo, but....the door is so similar.  I guess I've aways loved these old doors.  It looks like there was a bit more paint on the bottom of the door ten years ago.  The tree on the left is gone, there was a car parked there last month.  Interesting!

And, click on Kelley MacDonald's blog to see her weekly Santa Fe Fling piece!  Check out all of her work on her blog!  

Heavenly Blue

Heavenly Blue

Oil 5" x 7"

$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is the second of four sunrise pieces that I painted last week.  I truly am grateful that I look at this view.  This mornings sunrise was a good one, beautiful blue-violets and oranges.  Maybe you'll see it one day!

Sit and Watch

Sit and Watch

Oil  5" x 7"

$100.00 + $10. s/h

On the mornings when I get up early enough, this is the view out of our kitchen deck doors (although, the trees have grown and I do see a bit less than this!)  I don't need to be in a hurry to get anywhere, so when the sunrise is spectacular, as it often is, I try to just sit and watch it while enjoying my morning cup of coffee. 

 

I have posted many morning sunrises on my blog.  I painted this sunrise, and 3 other skies last week.  It was the perfect time for me to paint them as it fit in with the DPW weekly challenge, which was "skies".  And, I sold 5 sky paintings at Summerland Gardens, Gifts and Gallery.  All in all a good week!  Beautiful sunrises here in Colorado Springs, great sales, and time to Sit and Watch!

Old Wooden Door

Santa Fe Fling

Old Wooden Door

Oil 6" x 6"

$100.00 + $10. s/h

I loved this old house and door on Canyon Road in Santa Fe.  Canyon Road has lots of great galleries, but it has wonderful architecture.  Every building is unique, every tucked away garden makes you want to sit and rest, every door makes you want to push it open.

In case you missed last Mondays intro to our Santa Fe Fling, here's a re-cap of what I posted then:  Santa Fe is famous for many things, one of them being its' old adobe architecture and wooden doors.  I've been there many times, it's just under five hours from Colorado Springs to Santa Fe.  I was there most recently several weeks ago for a workshop.  While there I headed to Canyon Road several times.  I photoed doors and buildings on that road as well as in several neighborhoods while driving around with Kelley MacDonald.

Kelley and I became friends four years ago in Santa Fe at a workshop, saw each other again two years ago in Austin at a workshop, and again last month.  (Many of the same people were in all three workshops...we planned it that way!)  We both love the doors and buildings, said that we wanted to paint them, got to talking about it and we're both going to be posting our Santa Fe influenced pieces every Monday.  So, hope you like these doors, and look for our next "Santa Fe Fling" paintings next week!

Here's Kelley's door:

Early Fall Morning

Early Fall Morning
Oil  9" x 12"
$195.00 + $10. s/h

This is about the same spot as the painting I posted on September 23rd.  There's a spring that bubbles up out of the ground making the soil spongey and soft.  The water then flows to meet up with the South Platte River.  I love the warm fall colors.  I think it's my favorite time to paint.

Let's Peek Inside!

Santa Fe Fling

Let's Peek Inside!
8" x 6"  Oil
SOLD

Santa Fe is famous for many things, one of them being its' old adobe architecture and wooden doors.  I've been there many times, it's just under five hours from Colorado Springs to Santa Fe.  I was there most recently several weeks ago for a workshop.  While there I headed to Canyon Road several times.  I photoed doors and buildings on that road as well as in several neighborhoods while driving around with Kelley MacDonald.

Kelley and I became friends four years ago in Santa Fe at a workshop, saw each other again two years ago in Austin at a workshop, and again last month.  (Many of the same people were in all three workshops...we planned it that way!)  We both love the doors and buildings, said that we wanted to paint them, got to talking about it and we're both going to be posting our Santa Fe influenced pieces every Monday.  So, hope you like these doors, and look for our next "Santa Fe Fling" paintings next week!

Here's Kelley's door!  But you've got to go to her blog!  Her paintings are wonderful!

Great September Day

Great September Day

Oil  6" x 8"

$100.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

Autumn is my favorite season.  I love the weather.  I love the cool Colorado nights.  I love the warm colors in the landscapes.  September is usually gorgeous here, and this year was no exception.  October has been equally as beautiful.  We've had incredible, warm days for several weeks!

Jewel of a Flower - Coreopsis # 2

Jewel of a Flower - Coreopsis #2
6" x 6"  Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

I often paint two or three of the same subject at a time.  That certainly makes sense with flowers, as they're blooming at the same time.  I think that coreopsises (not sure what the plural would be...coreopsisi?)  look like little jewels dancing around the garden.

While there aren't many flowers left in our yard, the weather here in Colorado Springs has been unbelievable this week.  Our altitude is 6,000 feet, so October can be beautiful, or it can already be winter!

We live right next to Bear Creek Park, an almost 700 acre county park.  This is what it looks like right now:

I love this sign!   Do the park officials really think that the deer will stay on this path??!!