Valentine Gardenia Tango

11 1/2" x 8 1/2" mixed water media on paper, now framed and selected for my exhibit at Sam's Station in Corvallis, May, 2009. $290 each.

Abstracting Memories and Inspirational Souvenirs

"Reed Sunset" is acrylic on museum wrapped canvas 24" x 36" x 1 1/2". For sale $500
I worked not from photographs but from memories of Tucson sunsets I painted in 1965 and of recent Arizona memories. First I covered the canvas with bright sunset colors and left it for several hours. Then I came back working in considerably more reds, magenta, white and yellows. Last I did the reed-like strokes recalling the reeds I watched from our motor coach. I remembered enjoying the reeds in front of the last glow of the sunset in a dark motor coach because we were conserving our power not having an electrical hook up. There were sounds from the nesting birds but not frogs. Later when we camped in a different location on the lake we heard frogs around sunset time.
I noticed as I was painting that I was unintentionally but pleasantly influenced by an installation in my studio. An earlier post is about the little installation of rocks I did in response to Martha Marshall's challenge to manipulate one of her abstracts.

Yesterday's frustration : today's multiple accomplishments

"Grandma Riding Sea Dragon", acrylic on museum wrapped canvas, 40" x 30" is for sale $400. For while there was a second dragon in the far lower right. As I mentioned earlier the woman talked back to me. Finally she became engaged in riding her dragon.

"Dragon's Shadow" is acrylic on museum wrapped canvas, 36" x 24" x 1 1/2", for sale, $400. "Dragon's Shadow" was at first non-objective. After many starts I became worked up with emotion. I worked towards express myself with energetic spirit. The title came after it was finished when I thought the dark looked like the distorted open jaws of the dragon.

A Peace Rose for Heidel

On Golden Acrylic Absorbent Ground I painted watercolor mixing it with water soluble crayons and acrylic. Then I fixed it with thinned acrylic gloss varnish. Painting watercolor on gessoed wood was an assignment I did in a graduate level class from Frederick Heidel in 1976.

Non-objective Abstract: About Red Oxide

Acrylic with collage on cradled Ampersand hardboard, 14" x 11" x 7/8", no frame required, $120. Thank you for visiting my blog, your comments are appreciated and I will try to answer each in my stories about my work. To purchase please e-mail me.

These non-objective abstracts may in part evolve from the series I am doing of our pasture. I would like my work to flow from one piece to the next, one series to the next in a linear fashion because it would be more cohesive. But my development is more complex. These abstracts also come from a collaboration with my mother four years ago during the last period of her life. We used metalic acrylics on Ampersand boards. At that point her participation was more watching than actively painting. I am sure she would be tickled that I am adding layers over what was started at her side.
One of these collaborations is "About Red Oxide." Three days ago I cut into the painting and applied more layers of paint, texturing it with a net. I used rubbing sticks fallen from our trees as well as brushes. Often I put it on the floor to help me feel like a child again. I like to let my child out to play with the paint but that isn't always easy. We all have this child in us but as adults we have learned to supress it. This painting went through difficult stages where my adult judge said there was too much going on and I want it to have a single statement. In this frame of mind I can destroy distractions but my touch of child's whimsy is threatened. Then it is good to leave the painting and work on another for awhile.

Non-objective Abstract: About Red

Acrylic on cradled Ampersand board, 10" x 8"x 7/8", no frame required, $100. Thank you for looking at my blog, comments are welcome. To purchase please e-mail me.

Went for a drive to Newport and Lincoln City, Oregon. Did some sketches of the Yaquina Bridge and boat harbor abstracting the complexity into horizontal and vertical lines. Then a van parked in front of my view and all the fun began. Their window distorted the bridge and boats. Soon I may use these sketches in my non-objective paintings. At home after the drive my painting is unrelated to what I saw. I don't know why.

Non-objective Abstract: Party Time

Acrylic and paper clay on cradled Ampersand board, 11" x 14" x 7/8", $120. Thank you for visiting my blog and your comments are welcome. If interested in purchasing please e-mail me.

From time to time I have been posting abstract paintings but now I am starting a series.

Expressionist Landscape: "December Sunset"

Acrylic on cradled masonite board, 7" x 5" x 7/8", no frame required, $95. To purchase please e-mail me.

This morning I painted "December Sunset" mostly outdoors in front of the trees. The painting became farther away from what I saw last night as I worked. I remembered the redness of the sky. I remembered the wind moving the clouds. Then I intuitively responded to what the painting said it needed. At first there were blues in the top fifth of the painting and I thought that it took away from the drama. So the sky became even warmer and I was surprised to compare the painting to the photographs that I took last night. This is a painting more about what I was feeling today than the sunset last night.

Abstract Painting, "In Tune"

Mixed media with acrylic, oil bar, and oil paints, on an Ampersand board box, 14" x 11" x 7/8", no frame required, $150. To purchase please e-mail me.
Some bright color feels good when there are so few hours of light. Must run now because the clouds are getting interesting for tomorrow's painting.

Abstract Painting, "December Boggie Woggie"

Mixed media, the acrylics include metalics and interference colors plus oil paints, on a masonite wood box, frame not frequired, 7" x 5" x 7/8", $125. To purchase e-mail me. This painting was started in 2002 and just now going through some of my old small paintings I had the inspiration that the colors and lines could suggest my path in preparing for the holidays. I just lean one way until I almost fall then I change directions in the nick of time to get all the food and gifts ready.

Abstract Painting # 3, "Moon Setting Before Dawn"

"Moon Setting Before Dawn" is a mixed media painting on a hardboard Ampersand box ready to hang, no frame needed, 8"x 10", $185, can be purchased by e-mailing me. (I am in the process of setting up a Pay Pal account.) This abstract has long been in my almost complete pile. Today I brought it out because the colors were like what I saw the morning of December 5th. I was inspired to complete it. It is acrylic with a few brush strokes of oil paint and lines of oil bar.

Rocking Chair at Kyra's Home

This one is not for sale.



















I might make more interior paintings especially during the winter months. I like windows especially so the outdoors is always present in these paintings. In this painting I was charmed by Kyra's hospitality and it shone through my hand. I think I have touched on Kyra's romantic personality here.