Fall Approaching

As the seasons change so does then subject matter for my still lifes. My husband and I frequent his family farm in western Tennessee. It is a rich source of subject matter particularly the cotton fields. I pick the ripe open bolls and the this year for the first time I harvested some of the unopened ones. They are beautiful. The unripened boll is a beautiful shade of purple with shades of rich green. The leaves cupping the bolls are wispy and soft like tender feathers. This was the first time I tried to capture them.

Cotton Bouquet  - 12 x 12 Oil on Linen Panel

Spring Still Lifes

This spring I have continued to explore still lifes both outdoors and in the studio. My focus has been on a particular flower the peony. It has a short season here isn Arkansas and the beautiful shapes must be captured very quickly they change constantly and last maybe two days in a still life setup. Edges are very important on these florals and expressive texture.

Last Peony Pose 18 x 24 Oil on Linen

Peonies and Nectarine 20 x 16 Oil on Linen

Winter Still Lifes

While Arkansas was shrouded in ice the first week of March I went to Scottsdale Artist School and attended a wonderful workshop with Sherrie McGraw, David Leffel and Jackie Kamin. Weather was mild and pleasant. We had the choice to work on still lifes or models. This workshop I chose to focus on building my still life skills. I felt very successful. All three of the instructors were encouraging and informative. Each pushed me to make changes and find the right movement for my brush. This is the first one I completed during my workshop.

Copper Pot with grapes and Tangerines 12 x 16 Oil on Linen Panel

Remembering the Snow

Over New Years I made a trip to one of my favorite painting spots Steamboat Springs, CO. It was incredibly cold -13 degrees on one of the days I hiked to Fish Creek Falls. Only used my sketchbook and camera on this trip but had great time in the studio remembering this special spots.

Bank of Aspens Yampa Valley, Lake Catamount 24 x 24 Oil on Linen

Colorado Mailboxes 16 x 20 Oil on Linen
 

Windbreak 12 x 16 Oil on Linen

Moving to still lifes - Vases, persimmons and color

As the summer winds down the abundance of color and beauty from my surroundings captivates my eye. On my husbands family farm in Tennessee we discovered a wonderful persimmon tree loaded with brilliant ripe and unripened fruit. I was enthralled by the orange and subtle green of the small round fruit with a delightful four leaf top. Pulaski Gardens has yielded a bounty of color with glorious sunflowers, zinnias and lovely chickens. Again on the Tennessee farm purple thistles with tender blossoms reaching out. At the Argenta Farmers Market a great find of Japanese persimmons the size of baseballs. What fun it has been to find these gems to paint.

Persimmons 11 x 14 Oil on Linen available at the Art Group Gallery

Razzle Dazzle Sunflowers II 9 x 12 Oil on Linen Panel
Available direct from Artist

 Summer Thistle 12 x 9 Oil on Linen Panel Sold

Japanese Persimmons 12 x 16 Oil on Linen Available at The Art Group Gallery

Finishing up the Capitol series

This is the last in my series of Capitol paintings. It is large for a plein air work, 24 x 26 inches. It took four different days to get it to the point I could fine tune in the studio. I love painting plein air. My strokes stay fresher and my colors maintain a brightest that only natural light can produce.

Arkansas State Capitol North View 24 x 36 inches Oil on Linen
Available at The Art Group Gallery

Landscapes and Architecture

Life slowed down my painting for a couple of weeks but I am back on track. I have been exploring the Little Rock cityscape and the architecture of the State Capitol. Painting things so that they look like things you are actually seeing with the right perspective and values is a real challenge. Here are some recent plein air works.

Broadway Bridge and Little Rock, AR 10 x 18 Sold

Arkansas State Capitol South View 12 x 24 - available at the Art Group Gallery.