Commissioned Portrait, oil on board, 8x10

This is a commissioned portrait that I've been working on. I do love to paint portraits! They're my favorite subject to paint, although I enjoy other subjects, too. It was a joy to paint this portrait which was commissioned by his wife.

In progress, 20x24, oil on canvas

Here's a painting I'm working on. I still have a lot to do on it, but you can tell it's painted from the study, Sisters in Awe of Nature, and the photo taken in the Tetons many years ago.

It's snowing at the moment--yes I said IT'S SNOWING!!! It's dark, so I'll have to wait until morning to take good pictures. I took a picture out the kitchen window of my husband's truck almost covered with snow a few minutes ago. Hope there's plenty to take pictures of in the morning. We don't get snow very often here in East Texas.

WINTER PANSIES oil on board, 6x4

Yes, I'm back! I've been painting, but not every day. I've been working on some larger paintings and will post them later. A friend brought these pansies over and I decided I just had to paint them. The bottle they're in is a Dr. Pepper bottle that I've saved many years. This little bottle was only produced for a short time--maybe a year. Glad I kept this one.

Today is drizzly and warm (70 degrees), but that's supposed to change this evening as a cold front passes through and brings us freezing temperatures and the possibility of snow flurries (yes, SNOW) tomorrow night. It's December--time for some cold weather.

DRIZZLY FALL DAY oil on board, 8x10

11/11/08 I drove to Tyler yesterday and this is an example of some of the scenery along the road. It drizzled, then stormed, then drizzled all day. The mist and fog were beautiful on the gently rolling hills along highway 69 as we drove to and from Tyler.

AUTUMN IN EAST TEXAS oil on board, 10x8

I drive the highway between my home and my parents' often and take pictures almost every trip. This is a scene I've photographed and painted several times. Now, the fall colors make it even more beautiful than ever.

ELECTION DAY oil on board, 7x5

I painted this from Karin Jurick's photo of our Capitol in Washington, D.C. I painted quickly and had lots of fun!

MY BIKE (plein air), oil on board, 8x10

I looked out on my back porch this morning and saw the sun shining on my bicycle. How exciting! So, I moved the bike out into the yard, set up my French easel on the porch, and painted this. What a wonderful morning it was--the sun shining, the temperature about 65-70 degrees, and no interruptions! I got lost in the paint and forgot about everything else. Heaven!
By the way, this is really my husband's bike, but I call it mine when he isn't listening. After all, I ride it more than he does.

I guess you've wondered where I was. I've been painting most days, but I've also been away from home some and not able to paint. I met Veila, a long-time friend, in Ft. Worth and we saw the Impressionist Exhibit at the Kimbell Art Museum last Thursday. It was so inspiring! My favorite was van Gogh's Self-Portrait. I couldn't believe that I was actually 2 feet from the painting done by the hands and mind of Vincent van Gogh! Photographs in books are nice, but they don't show the "real" painting. Another favorite was one by Berthe Morisot which I had never seen before (don't remember the name of it). I enjoyed the exhibit immensely.

Earlier last week, I was also getting paintings ready for the Celebrate East Texas show and competition. I was excited Saturday night to learn I won Best of Show!

BIRTHDAY BOY oil on board, 8x6, 10/22/08

Today is my dad's birthday, so I decided to paint his portrait. Here is the finished painting. He is the kindest, most honest and upstanding man I've ever known and he has a wonderful sense of humor. Wish all of you could know him.

JETHRO oil on board, 6x8

Jethro belongs to my aunt and uncle. He roams with the cattle and thinks he's one of them. He's a very friendly donkey, but a little shy sometimes.

FOUR RED ONES oil on board, 6x6

My Dad's summer garden is still producing peppers! The plants are prettier and have more peppers now than when the weather was so hot during the summer. I picked the red and orange ones to paint and the green ones to eat.

SISTERS IN AWE OF NATURE oil on board, 6x6

10/12/08 I was looking through some old photographs this week and found a picture of my sister and me when we visited the Teton National Park in Wyoming many years ago. So, I just had to do a painting of it. I'm the one in blue. I am planning to do a larger painting of this, so you can call this a study for the larger one.

SUNNY ROAD oil on board, 6x8

I just love it when a painting turns out like I planned! Most paintings don't, but this one did. What fun I had painting this! I used a photo I took last Monday in Alto, Texas. Today, the weather is perfect--about 75 degrees, sunny and dry. I have the ac turned off and the windows of my studio open to feel the cool, fresh air as I paint. I also have wonderful quiet music playing. I'll tell you about the music later.

URBAN SUNSET oil on canvas, 14x18

This was painted from a photo I took last week when we went to visit a relative in Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center in Houston. This was the view from the 5th level of Parking Garage 4 as we were getting ready to leave the hustle and bustle of the city and come home to quiet and peaceful East Texas. Even though this is Houston, a huge, busy city, it had a peaceful look at sunset. The purple on the painting isn't as intense as it is on the photo.

PEPPERS AND SHADOWS oil on board, 6x6

I placed these colorful peppers on my drawing table in front of a window and painted quickly before the light changed. The shadow in the upper right is from a vase of dried flowers and a glass of tea also on the table.

BROTHERS oil on board, 6x8

Finally, I've finished a small painting to post! I've been so busy that I just haven't been painting the daily paintings like I usually do. I painted this from a photo I took several months ago. It's really not finished, but I'm posting it anyway. Maybe I can touch it up tomorrow.

THREE WHITE PUMPKINS oil on board, 4x6

This is for Karin Jurick's Different Strokes from Different Folks site.

STILL WAITING oil on board, 4x6

9/24/08 I painted this from a photo I took a few months ago in a doctor's office in the Texas Medical Center in Houston.

TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, HOUSTON, oil on board, 6x6

9/23/08 I painted this from a photo I took a few months ago. This is a crosswalk above Fannin Street to Methodist Hospital. It is a very busy place with doctors, nurses, and many other people walking back and forth. The painting in the background is actually one of mine. Methodist Hospital purchased 3 of my large landscape paintings a few years ago.

IN THE PARK oil on board, 4x6

9/19/08 I painted this from a photo taken by Karin Jurick for Different Strokes from Different Folks. It was fun.

HURRICANE IKE WAS HERE oil on canvas, 6x6

9/16/08 Here's what Hurricane Ike did to our fence. We were very fortunate that this was the only damage we had.

ANGELINA RIVER oil on canvas, 6x6

9/15/08 I painted this from a photo I took of the Angelina River where Hwy 21 crosses it between Alto and Nacogdoches, Texas. I loved painting these shapes and values as the river flowed into the distance.

STREAM ON HYW 21 6x6 oil on canvas

9/13/08 I had fun painting this picture. It was after Hurricane Ike had blown through and the wind had died down a lot, and there was still enough daylight to paint. We didn't have any power, but I just opened the blinds and windows in my studio and painted.

Hurricane Ike

I'm finally back online after Hurricane Ike visited us here on Saturday. We're very fortunate to have power restored and the Internet cable back on now. After devestating Galveston and the Boliver Peninsula, Hurricane Ike plowed up through East Texas before turning toward Illinois. Most of the residents of Lufkin and nearby areas weren't as fortunate as we were to have little damage from the 70 mph winds. We used a generator to keep our freezers and refrigerator running until power was restored. Late this afternoon I had internet access! There are many people in Lufkin and many more in rural areas who still have no power.

We have had the pleasure of having guests since Friday who still have no power in their home. It's been nice to share the fear during the hurricane and the discomfort of the heat and darkness following it, then the joy at having power (and ac) restored!

I've been painting when possible, but was unable to post. Hopefully, tomorrow I will be able to photograph and post my paintings.

BEACH SCENE oil on board, 5x7

I painted this from a photo taken by Karin Jurick.

KARIN'S JACK oil on board, 6x6

This is Karin Jurick's dog, Jack. It isn't really finished the way I wanted to do it, though.

GEM oil on board, 5x7

This RV belonging to my parents, is parked in their back yard. They've only been able to take one short camping trip this summer since my mother has been ill. They love to camp and spent every summer in Colorado for many years.

THREE REDS oil on board, 6x6, 9/3/08

These are peppers I picked in my dad's garden this afternoon. Most everything else in the garden is gone, but the peppers are still producing well. These are two bell peppers and a banana pepper.

A PAIR OF PEARS oil on board, 6x6

These are two of the three luscious pears I painted a few days ago. Yes, I ate the missing one. Yum!

THREE PEARS oil on board, 6x6

SOLD I found these beautiful pears this morning while shopping, and I knew at that moment what my painting subject would be today. Even their scent is beautiful. When I began the painting, I had trouble with the shadow colors, but when the painting was finished, it all worked well. When you look at this, I hope you can smell the wonderful scent of fresh pears.

SAGE AND MOUNTAINS oil on board, 4x6

Sage is plentiful in Colorado. It's a pretty blue green color and you can use it in your BBQ grill. Just lay a few sprigs on top of the charcoal. I painted this using a picture I took in Colorado a few years ago.

SNOW FENCE oil on canvas, 24x30

I used photos I took in Colorado several years ago to paint this on stretched canvas. The study which I painted earlier is the same place, but a different view. I hope you can feel the cool summer air and see the beauty of southern Colorado in this.

COLORADO SNOW FENCE oil on board, 4x6

How I love Colorado! I painted this from a photo I took a few years ago. I believe it was in the southern part of the state. This is a study for a larger painting I plan to do of this scene. I have lots of photos I've taken on trips to Colorado. I think it's such a beautiful place which I hope to visit again one day.

GOING HOME oil on canvas, 14x18

Here's the painting yesterday's study was for. As usual, I like the study better than the bigger painting. Studies seem to always come out looser and nicer. I used photos I took near Graham for the horse and rider and most of the background. I used artistic license for the rest.

RACING THE SUN oil on board, 6x6

This is a study for a larger painting. I visited a friend near Graham, Texas about a year ago and we happened by several cowboys practicing roping as the sun was setting. What a photo opportunity it was!

COWS AND CALF GRAZING oil on canvas, 24x30

Here's what I've been working on the past 2 days. I painted it with a palette knife while looking at some photos I took at my parents' farm a few months ago. So, it isn't exactly a certain scene, but parts from 3 photos of the same general place. It is such a beautiful, peaceful place that I just had to try to convey that to you viewers.

SELF-PORTRAIT 5 oil on canvas board, 14x11

I painted along with Susan Carlin this afternoon. What great fun!!! My self-portrait isn't finished. I mean, there are several things I see that I want to do, such as finish the eye on the left. But, I wanted to go ahead and post it and I'll post a new photo when I'm done with it. I used a palette knife.

I've done a little more to this. I could work on it forever and make it look better, but I don't want to spend any more time on it since it's a self-portrait. Like Susan Carlin said about hers, who'd want it but maybe my mommy? So, it's officially finished!

ROW OF TREES oil on board, 4x6

Here's another scene I photographed along the highway between my parents' house and mine this summer. I painted this using a palette knife--so much fun!

365 Daily Paintings

I've achieved my goal of painting a small painting every day for a year. I will continue to paint every day, but I may not complete and post a painting every day. I began on Aug. 10, 2007, but skipped Aug. 13, and began again Aug. 14. (I've actually painted 370 daily paintings.) So, yesterday, Aug. 13, 2008 completes one year of continuous daily paintings. I still plan to post "almost" every day. It's been hard, but not as hard as I expected, to have the discipline to do this. Some of the positive outcomes of daily painting are: learning a lot about painting and about myself and meeting new artist friends. I encourage any serious artist to become a "daily painter". You'll be amazed at how much you learn from these little paintings.

BUCKET OF TOMATOES acrylic on board, 6x6

I used a palette knife to do this painting. It is done from a photograph I took of this bucket full of tomatoes my Dad brought in from his garden a few weeks ago.

EMPTY JUICE BOTTLES acrylic on board, 6x4

These are some of the juice bottles that my mother has emptied. I thought they were too pretty to throw away before photographing and painting them. I did this painting with a nylon brush. The painting is smoother than I wanted. I should have used a bristle brush!

MORNING MIST WITH COWS acrylic on board, 4x6

This is another scene from my parents' farm. I took the picture early in the morning while there was mist over the lake and the pasture. I painted this with a palette knife.

MISTY POND AND COWS acrylic on board, 4x6

8/10/08 I painted this with a palette knife. It's from a picture I took at my parents' farm. It was early in the morning and there was a mist over the lake and pasture.

WELL-WORN MEMORY oil on board 6x6

This softball looks like it was very well worn. I can imagine someone playing with it for years. No, it wasn't me.

EGGPLANT FROM LUCILLE'S GARDEN oil on board, 5x7

8/8/08 My neighbor who has the beautiful flower garden also has a vegetable garden. This is one of the eggplants she brought us.

BY THE LAKE oil on board, 6x6

8/7/08 Here's another scene on Highway 69. You can see just about this much from the highway. Once I stopped and got out of the car and walked closer to see the lake and a house up on the hill.

I'm finally back!

It's good to be posting again. I've been painting every day, but I wasn't able to post. Here's what I've been painting the past 13 days.

RED CUP WITH FLOWERS acrylic on canvas board, 14x11

This was the demo for today's painting class. It's the same cup as before and the yellow flowers are the same ones. But, I bought the purple and white flowers this morning.

BOWL OF FRUIT acrylic on canvas board, 11x14

8/5/08 This was also a demo for the painting class. I love painting and I love teaching painting.

DUCK REFLECTION acrylic on canvas board, 11x14

8/4/08 This was done as a demo for a painting class I'm teaching. I used a brush for this and I may do a little more to it. It isn't quite finished.

LEMON COUPLE oil on board, 4x6

8/3/08 Fruit again! Yes, done with a palette knife.

GAVIN READING oil on board, 6x6

8/2/08 This is my great-nephew. I used a palette knife to paint this from a photo I took in May.

SUMMER PASTURES oil on board, 5x7

8/1/08 This was done from a picture I took along the highway between my parents' house and mine. It's just a beautiful drive!