"Electric Man" is so named because the shape of the angles reminds one of a cartoon character used by an electric company some years ago. The paintingís subject is contrast. I explored contrasting angular and amorphous shapes, textured and smooth areas, metallic, opaque and transparent paint. "Electric Man" fits the dynamic mood and feel of the painting created by all that contrast.
114 - Electric Man, $275 (Acrylic, 12" x 16")
"Three Spires from Heidelberg in Blue" is based on a drawing I did when living in Heidelberg, Germany. Many of the buildings in the older sections of town have beautiful spires and ornamentation and were a source of wonder and inspiration.
115 - Three Spires from Heidelberg in Blue, $275 (Acrylic, 12" x 16")
"Patch of Green" might be about simply dividing a painting into rectangular shapes of different color and texture. Or, it might be about a small, green garden surrounded by a great city at night. The painting is textured and has some metallic paint.
116 - Patch of Green, $275 (Acrylic, 12" x 16")
The inspiration for "Dream" was Picasso's painting "Le RÍve ". The Cubist style face alludes to "Le RÍve"; the rest is my composition. The cat is my muse and I will always be intrigued by the mystery of their expression.
117 - Dream, $350 (Acrylic, 16" x 20")
With "Cleopatra", I was thinking of regal cats and a cat's ability to look like she knows something you don't. I chose the colors because it reminded me of a reconstruction of Egyptian tomb paintings I saw in Berlin, Germany. I wanted to show that "Cleopatra" was a very regal feline.
130 - Cleopatra, $210 (Acrylic, 11.75" x 9.5")
One of my cats, "Georgette" was the model for "Enjoying the Sunbeam". Georgette knew how to love a good nap, especially if her buddy "Bubba", our other cat, was in another room. Somehow, sunny spots always seem to be a cat's best place for a nap.
131 - Enjoying the Sunbeam, $185 (Acrylic, 8" x 10")
Painting "Butterfly Quartet" was a fun challenge. I used layers of paint and texture to build the paintings of the butterflies. I use the colors of the butterflies to create diagonal movement, with light butterflies on the upper left and lower right positions, and orange butterflies in the lower left and upper right positions. I used line, shape and texture to push and pull the colors forward and backward to keep the painting flat and yet energized. Most of all, I enjoyed working the paint and thinking of the grace of butterflies.
134 - Butterfly Quartet, $210 (Acrylic, 11.75" x 9.5")
Which came first? The hen egg cups are from a friend in Sweden. I assembled this still life as I was thinking about drawing birds. What better way to study birds than to start with the egg?
150 - Hens and Eggs, $350 (Acrylic, 16" x 20")
I like working with still life subjects. This painting includes some beach treasures my husband and I have collected on our trips to the beach. I purposely arranged the shells and pebbles to curve down from the crab shell on the right, around the sand dollar, and then back up again on the left. The crab shell is both delicate and humorous. The crab seems to have a scowl.
157 - Beach Treasures: White Crab Pebbles and Shells, $350 (Acrylic, 16" x 20")
The painting 'Wild Flowers' is based on a drawing that I did during a trip to Zion Canyon in Utah. I'd seen some Scarlet Gilia wildflowers in bloom. I liked the shape of the flowers and how they radiated out from a single stem.
161 - Wild Flowers, $150 (Acrylic, 5" x 7")
One winter afternoon the sun was shining just right for a still life. I quickly set up to draw a set of pears, one of my favorite sumptuous fruits. While drawing the fruit I was thinking about the beauty of the shapes, graceful and sensuous. The richness in color was inspired by the fruit.
162 - Three Golden Pears, $150 (Acrylic, 5" x 7")
Gulls out on the beach provide an excellent opportunity to study bird anatomy and behavior. I am fascinated by how they can change their body profile. In this case, the gull had tucked in its head and neck making for a simple, smooth profile. I am especially intrigued by the pink feet tiptoeing on the sand.
168 - Gull Stepping, $250 (Acrylic, 11" x 14")
"Katzen" is one of several paintings about cats and their expressions. Sometimes outwardly reserved and stoic, the mystery lies in what is behind those eyes. This painting is also a study of alternating lights and darks.
181 - Katzen, $275 (Acrylic, 12" x 6")
"Yellow Bird on a Fence" is inspired by birds sitting on chain linked fences. To me, taking a moment to watch birds go about their daily lives is like peaking into another world - the real world of nature that's all around us.
189 - Yellow Bird on a Fence, $185 (Acrylic, 8" x 10")
Sometimes, I paint intuitively. Such paintings are usually the most difficult and risky paintings. I never know if I will be able to bring the painting to completion. This particular painting developed in such a way as to suggest a glow, much as one might find for a fleeting moment at sunset.
208 - Dusk Afterglow, $250 (Acrylic, 10" x 11")
"Lavender Tea Cup" is based on a drawing I did of my Mom's tea cup. It was also used by my Dad as a coffee cup. I painted it thinking of morning light and of the first cup of the day.
247 - Lavender Tea Cup. $175 (Acrylic, 5" x 7")
In this version of "KittyKitty", I fell in love with orange and yellow. Normally, I wouldn't work with such a limited, high key pallet. But, the power of acrylic paints allows the colors to assert themselves. Pale lavender and blue in the white shapes enables this little kitty to glow.
248 - KittyKitty in Orange and Yellow, $250 (Acrylic, 8" x 10")
With this composition, I wanted to impose an "L" shape down the middle to divide the picture plane. That the eggs, timer and spoon link to form a circle was unintentional. Notice the much cooler temperature of this painting in contrast to the previous version. Yet, the color pairing is similar!
464 - Three Minute Egg V10, $650 (Acrylic, 21" x 14")
With this composition, I wanted to impose an "L" shape down the middle to divide the picture plane. That the eggs, timer and spoon link to form a circle was unintentional. Notice the much cooler temperature of this painting in contrast to the previous version. Yet, the color pairing is similar!
465 - Three Minute Egg V8, $450 (Acrylic, 14" x 10")
In version nine of the Three Minute Egg series, the forms of the subject re-assert themselves. You might notice that I'm paying close attention to the orchestration of my two dominant colors: blue and yellowish.
473 - Three Minute Egg V9, $450 (Acrylic, 14" x10")
I like pairing my souvenirs and nick nacks in still life arrangements. For example, the coffee cup depicted here was a gift from one of my sisters. The rabbit Netsuke replica I collected when visiting Berlin, Germany.
481 - Coffee Cup and Rabbit Netsuke, $250 (Acrylic, 10.5" x 8")
Espresso Time-R is a "spin-off" mini-series derived from my "Three Minute Egg" series. I was playing with the theme of "time" so I paired up my favorite espresso cup with the kitchen timer. This is a "just for fun" painting.
491 - Espresso Time-R, $175 (Acrylic, 6.5" x 9.5")
The "Man on the Bench" series was started as a demonstration exercise for the Watercolor Society of Oregon. The first drawings were after a photograph by Oregon artist Chris Stubbs. What I found particularly intriguing is the question - what is the man doing on the bench? In this case, keeping time, naturally!
500 - Bench Time, $450 (Acrylic 10" x 14")
Sometimes, one just has to let go. The espresso cup and kitchen timer have such great shapes to explore. Plus, I like espresso. The alternations in lights and darks add a since of rhythm that I like. Though, come to think of it, maybe it suggests just a tad too much coffee?
501 - Espresso Time-R #2, $450 (Acrylic 10" x 14")
503 - Study, NFS
Imagine starting your day with a favorite beverage. It is a personal moment before the demands of the day intrude. A little milk in the tea helps enhance the richness of the beverage. Or, fortifies one to face the day!
504 - Irish Breakfast Tea #3, $500 (Acrylic Over Watercolor, 11.5 x 10
This painting is about sharing a moment with a friend. And, it's about enjoying a nice, warm cup of cappuccino. To show this is a special moment, I organized the painting using the "Golden Rule". Hence, the golden milk pitcher.
505 - Cappuccino for Two, $500 (Acrylic, 10 x 14)
"Anxiety" was inspired by the early days of the COVID-19 experience. There were so many unknowns about the disease. Especially of concern was how to avoid getting sick. Sometimes, trying to keep a safe space around me seemed to box me in. Meanwhile, I watched as the world outside of the box seemed to be out of control.
507 - Anxiety, $500 (Acrylic Over Watercolor, 18 x 13)
Imagine a dance between circles and spirals. The possibilities maybe endless. But, in this case, they dance in colors yellow, blue, violet and orange. The dance starts with a spiral, then another joins in and soon, the paper is filled with circles, spirals, lines and shapes. Just for the joy of the dance.
508 - When Circles and Spirals Dance, $650 (Acrylic on d'Arches 300lb Cold Press Paper)
While creating this composition, I was focused on the contrast between the geometric and organic shapes. And, yet, it was the smaller shapes that reach out to the corners that attracted my attention. The colors remind me of New Mexico, one of the four corner states in the United States. It's New Mexico's blue sky and the warm tones of the earth.
509 -Four Corners, $650 (Acrylic on d'Arches 300lb Cold Press Paper)
This is the second in a series of geometric paintings of similar design. And, the title refers to New Mexico, my childhood home state. The blues and oranges in this particular version remind me of the sky and landscape of the desert southwest and New Mexico in particular.
510 - Four Corners #2, $650 (Acrylic, 10" x 14")
When I draw and paint, I sometimes get lucky and discover something. With "Arms Wide Open", a figure that I had not intended revealed itself to me. The figure's arms are flung wide as if getting ready to embrace someone or something. Or, is it a landscape with a deep chasm? What do you see?
512 - Arms Wide Open, $650 (Acrylic, 14" x 24")
Cats are one of my favorite subjects. Having lived with cats, I appreciate their attitudes and personalities. "White Kitty" was based on a doodle of a cat that I did. It reminds me of when we would sometimes see our kitties staring at a wall or corner and wonder what was going on in the cat's head. You will notice, the shape that suggests a window is not where the cat might be looking. If it were awake, it would be staring at a wall. But, who knows, the cat might be asleep.
67 - White Kitty, $245 (Acrylic, 11" x 13")
To me, the strong colors and interesting shapes of kites make a good subject. In this painting, I imagined them as if I were viewing them from above as they are flown above our beach. To me, they are as bright and cheerful as spring flowers.
75 - Kites, $275 (Acrylic, 12" x 16")
