Tis The Season

This The Season
6" x 6"  Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is the second of the vintage, non shiny Christmas ornaments that I recently painted.  It was great how so many commenters on my last post talked about the ornaments from their childhood, their mother's ornaments, etc.  What wonderful memories of the past.  I would love to have all, or even some, of the ornaments from my childhood trees to paint.  How many ornaments from your childhood do you still have?

Yule Tide Treasure

Yule Tide Treasure
6" x 6"  Oil
$100.00 + $10.00 s/h

I love painting Christmas ornaments.  I love the shine, sparkle and reflections.  These ornaments are vintage, and aren't regular, shiny glass balls.  They're antiqued and somewhat matte.  I found this a fun challenge.

This is one of my paintings that will be at Summerland Gardens during the holiday season.  This weekend, November 18 and 19, 10am-8pm is their Holiday Open House.   Hope you can stop by and share some holiday cheer.

I also have paintings at Dream Pastries in Castle Rock.  This Saturday is the annual Starlighting event, (the lighting of the star on the castle like rock).  Events and openings will be taking place downtown, so please stop by there as well.

6 Inch Squared Show

I'm pleased that these two pieces, "Make The Season Bright" and "Late Bloom", have been accepted into the Six Inch Squared Show at the Randy Higbee Gallery in Costa Mesa, California.  The Holiday Gala Artists Reception will be held the evening of December 3, 2011.  I hope that anyone in that area will be able to attend.

You're A Grand Old Flag

You're A Grand Old Flag
8" x 8"  Oil on cradled panel
$195.00 + $10. s/h  click here to bid

Last fall fellow Daily Painter Original blogger Karen Werner posted two incredible paintings, Old Glory and Old Glory 2.  They were my inspiration for this piece and I thought it appropriate for Veteran's Day.  Both of my parent's served in WWII, my dad was in the Army and my mom was a WASP.  My grandfather was in both WWI and WWII.

This painting is of the flag that was on my grandfather's grave when he passed away in 1964.  The flag went to my dad,  who later passed down to my son (who was given my grandfather's name as his middle name.)  We don't hang this flag outside, I should probably take it to the VFW and have them ceremoniously fold it.  I'm pleased how this piece turned out.  If I paint it again, I might try to make it look even a little more aged and faded.

"You're a grand old flag,
You're a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave."
George M. Cohan

Warts And All

Warts and All
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This post is for Andy Rooney, who just passed away.  I so enjoyed listening to this cantankerous man.  He was famous for speaking the truth, as he saw it anyway.  So...."Did you ever wonder"  why there are warts on gourds?  As there is a purpose for everything in nature, the purpose of warts on gourds must be so that....animals don't chew on them?....frogs don't jump on them?...princes stay away from them?....any thoughts?  Did the makers of Compound W ever really look at gourds?  Why do you think that there are warts on gourds?   Thank you Andy for all of your humorous thoughts and words.

Oh My Gourd

Oh My Gourd
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I love that there are things growing in the garden that have no purpose other than beauty and display....at least for me.

PleinAir Today/OutDoor Painter: Plein Air Magazines's Online Newsletter

I was thrilled the other day to wake up and see that a photo of me painting on the Colorado River during one of the Quick Draws at Plein Air Moab is in Plein Air Magazine's PleinAir Today "Outdoor Painter" Weekly Online Newsletter.  I've included a link to the article:

http://www.outdoorpainter.com/awards/plein-air-moab-utah-420.html

Plein Air Magazine provided each Plein air Moab participant with a recent magazine.  If you're not subscribing to PleinAir Today Online Newsletter , I highly recommend it.  After all, such great photos are included!  Who knows, one of you might be in it someday, too!

Distant Light

Distant Light
18" x 24"  Oil
$595.00 + $20. s/h

SOLD

I loved the way the distant canyon was lit up with the afternoon sun light.

While in Moab my husband and I hiked to Corona Arch (it is not in the National Parks.)  It was a fun, but challenging hike, and I took lots of photos.  And, here are some of them:

Much of the hike was across canyons.  There are cairns along the trail so you don't wander off the trail.

At one point we had to climb up this ladder to continue.  (It's bolted onto the top of the cliff.)

This is Corona Arch from about 1/2 mile away.  The little dots below and near it are people.

This arch is before Corona Arch.

Here's Corona Arch from very close.  I don't know how this girl could have rappelled 

from it!!  I plan on sticking to hiking and painting!

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Canyonlands After The Rain

Canyonlands After The Rain
18" x 24" Oil
$595.00 + 20. s/h

SOLD

Our first day in Utah was cold (39 degrees) and rainy.  Because of that the next day gave us Maynard Dixon clouds.

Canyonlands National Park is very appropriately named.  Around every bend in the road and across every vista is another incredible canyon.  Here are a few:

Late Bloom - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 91/100

Late Bloom - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 91/100
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

I was working in the back yard this morning, raking and pulling out the dead annuals.  We have one last, lonely hollyhock happily blooming away.  I'm sure that it'll be gone by Wednesday as we're expecting possible snow and 19 degrees overnight on Tuesday.  We've had such a gorgeous fall;  I'm not looking forward to cold and snow.

Plein Air Moab 2

Near Canyonlands
9" x 12" Oil
$195.00 + $10. s/h

This is the second plein air painting from my recent trip to Moab, Utah.  We stopped painting around 4:00  because we wanted to head further down the road to photograph the late afternoon shadows on the canyon walls.  At the time, I thought I'd come back and add more to the piece, but now, I'm not going to.  It works as is.

Here I am painting away...I know, my umbrella should be all white on the outside and gray on the inside.  But, my all white umbrellas is so large (it covers my easel, me, anyone who's looking) that I use it only in my back yard.  This one was left over from when the kids were small, and being my frugal self, I'm using it!

Here are some of the spectacular views in Canyonlands National Park:

We spent our 29th anniversary in Moab, and to celebrate went 4-wheeling.  We drove across the bottom of one layer of the canyon:

You can more or less see the 4wd road (going diagonally across.)  Then, we headed up the canyon:

Believe me...it was not pleasant going up!  I think that I deserve the what did you do on your anniversary award!

Plein Air Moab

Late Afternoon On The Colorado
11" x 14" Oil
$295.00 + $10. s/h

I just got back from a 10 day trip to Moab, Utah.  It is an incredibly beautiful location and should be on every one's bucket list.  It's like Disneyland for the outdoorsman with 2 National Parks (Arches and Canyonlands), hiking, touring, mountain biking, river rafting, 4 wheeling, ATVing, OTVing, so many photo ops;  the list goes on and on.  

Moab is about 7 hours from Colorado Springs.  We took 1 1/2 days to travel each way stopping numerous times.  

While there I participated in part of the 2nd annual "Plein Air Moab."  It's a week long event where artists can paint within a 50 mile radius and be involved in 3 Quick Draw paint outs.  This was my location, and painting, for the first Quick Draw which was held at the Red Cliffs Lodge Winery which sits along the Colorado River. 

 The event was from 3:00 - 6:00.  At 2:45 there was a line to get your canvas stamped.  By 6 you had to be back in line with your painting framed.  When they said "quick" they were right!  When plein air painting you have to capture the light and shadow at a particular moment and not change it.  You don't want to chase the light.

Every where that you looked was a painting waiting to happen!

The Year of the Buffalo

The Year of the Buffalo
6" x 8"  Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I love it when we're up in the mountains and drive by a herd of buffalo.  That's when I know I live in the west!

Not As Curious

Not As Curious
6" x 8"  Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This guy didn't seem at all interested in me!  Much more in interested in his meal!

You Gotta Love Her

You Gotta Love Her
6" x 6"  Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h
SOLD

It's great how cows just love to look at you.  They are so curious!

Rose Garden - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 90/100

Rose Garden - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, 90/100
6" x 8" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

This piece is from earlier this summer.  Just now realized that I'd never posted it.  My plein air group, Garden Artists, painted in the most beautiful garden that day.  I love the way the light and shadows created a pattern on the fence.

Sit A Spell

Sit A Spell
11" x 14" Oil
$295.00 + $10. s/h

This rock is on our property in the mountains.  When our kids were little, we'd climb up on the top and "sit a spell."  We decided that if we were a mountain lion, this would be our look out!

Paint The Parks Top 100

Afternoon Light

16" x 20" Oil

I'm thrilled that my piece, Afternoon Light, got juried into the Top 100 of the National Parks Show, Paint The Parks.  The exhibit celebrates our country's national parks, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the National Parks Foundation.  The painting will be a part of the Paint the Parks National Exhibition, as well as presently in the PaintAmerica online gallery: www.paintamerica.org.

Those of you who follow my blog know that my husband and I love to travel and as often as possible our trips include National Parks.  This light house is from Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego.  I just happened to be there when there was an incredible sunset and the light was right on the light house.