Five Things

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

My new, little, square cup wanted to make another appearance. Such a diva, this one.

The Importance of Variety in Dishes

 

Click Here to Purchase - $750 - 12x24in - oil on panel

This wide format never looks great here, so please click on the image to see larger. I'm quite happy with this one.

A Matter of Life and Death

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I got this little skull a while back with no idea that it would be SO hard to paint. The transitions are super subtle, but I think the hardest thing is that we know what a skull is supposed to look like, so even with it super sketchy like this, everything has to be in just the right place. I've had to wipe off quite a few versions for each time it's been in a painting.

Everybody Wants Grapes

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I took a nice, long trip with my husband and dog, which was so wonderful after the year I've had! The great thing about trips for me is getting out of my routine and attaining a broader perspective on my life and my work. This is especially true when we are camping, because it gives me lots of time to stare at the scenery and contemplate what I'm doing without being pressed up against it as I am when I'm in my studio.

Another benefit of trips for me is that eventually I get bored, and new ideas start popping into my head. I had quite a few this time, and mostly they revolved around larger paintings. I have a handful of small works left that I will post (like this one), but I also have some big ones that I was holding onto for I'm not sure what reason, and have dusted off, varnished, photographed, and will soon post as well. The prices on these will be good as my main motivation is to move them out of the way for new work.

As for my neck and healing from surgery, it's going great! They say it takes a year to get back to "normal," whatever that means after essentially 20+ years of neck trouble. My muscles in that whole area are still angry, and that certainly hampers what I can do, but it's improving steadily, and everything is so so SO much better than it was before!!!

Conspiring

 

Click Here to Purchase for $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Thank you all SO MUCH for the outpouring of love and support after telling my story a couple of days ago. An artist's life is mostly solitary, and I can sometimes forget I'm not alone.

You make me feel loved. 💗 And it is very much appreciated.

Collections

 

Click Here to Buy for $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Everywhere I go I keep my eyes peeled for things to paint. I have a pretty big collection by now. Here are just a few of my favorites that I think make a nice team.

Standing Together

Click Here to Buy for $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

We have a fabulous little junk shop in downtown Missoula with bottles galore displayed in the front window. We walk by it pretty regularly, so I get to see any new additions. I just acquired this tall, skinny one from there for my collection. You'll definitely see it again.

Oil Painting Supplies

 

Click Here to Buy for $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Here are a few of my art supplies. I don't often think to paint them because ... I'm using them. Haha. But it's fun to do occasionally.

Seeking Love

 

Click Here to Buy for $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I went to the store and found these adorable, little, orange bell peppers. I thought they would be a cinch to paint, but they put up a fight. It took me an hour and a lot of frustration just to come up with this one. Maybe they are teenage bell peppers. That would explain a lot.

Relaxing Red

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x8in. - oil on panel - starts at $100

I noticed that I was leaning towards "cool" collections of objects, so I forced myself to go "warm" for a change. Someone told me many many years ago that warm paintings sell way better than cool ones, which is absolutely NOT why I did this experiment. But I wonder if that's true. What do you think?

Organizing Orange

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel - starts at $100

Happy New Year to everyone! Here's to happiness and good health for us all in 2024. And many joyful paintings. : )

Blue Finds You

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel - starts at $100

With these recent still life paintings I've been trying to slow down and be more deliberate with my strokes. A downside to this is that it takes longer, and I risk running out of steam before I finish. Also if I slow down too much then I find myself getting tight. And so, like with many things, I find a balance needs to be maintained. Ahh, but if it were easy it would be boring.

Standing Guard Over Yellow

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x8in. - oil on panel - starts at $100

I have this one little piece of yellow paper, and the cups seem to love it. I think it may be an unhealthy obsession.

Encore

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil - "Encore"

Well, the roses convinced me they needed to finish with a bang, so here they are, numbers 12, 13 and 14! Give it up.

Oh, Which Dress to Choose

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil - "Oh, Which Dress to Choose"

I read an article this morning about the Oscars and what people wore. Apparently the big hit was the "naked dress." Which is what this rose is considering. I guess you would call it a very fashionable rose.

Hogging Green

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil - "Hogging Green"

The blue bottles are hogging the green because it's an awesome color. It's always been my favorite. Can artists have favorite colors?

I think this combination of painting/collage is funny since I painted paper in both. Haha. : )

Buy Now - $45 - 4x6in. - collage - "Earth and Sky"

Hidden Behind Glass

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil - starts at $100

The last of my tomatoes, even though I think in hindsight they look a little like gumballs. But that's ok - they can be anything you want them to be. : )

Ruby Red Goodness

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil - starts at $100

I'm particularly happy with this one, and I got lucky because I was actually filming it! So I made another short video and put it on youtube. Enjoy!

See Through Three

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - oil - starts at $100)

There is a junk/antique store in downtown Missoula that has all its glass treasures in the front window. We walk by all the time and it is by far my favorite window shopping ever! The bottle on the right is my latest purchase.

Red Cup, Blue Shadow

 

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - bid starts at $100)

This is the one still life I did recently that made me realize I have to wait longer to do more. I had it set up in my shadowbox and just turning my head back and forth from it to my painting hurt my still recovering neck - specifically looking the left. I might try to reconfigure my studio, but I'm having too much fun painting flowers and animals. Hopefully by the time I get tired of them, I'll be able to look left again.