Saturday, April 30, 2011

Big Pine Cone


Big Pine Cone
I was doing yard work with Bill and picking up pine cones.
Many had fallen during the storms on Thursday.  I decided to do a painting of one.
I'd never tried this,  but I really had fun doing it.  It was 
beside my easel with a  spotlight on it. What a good lesson in
observation!  I think I will do this again just to challenge
myself.  This pine cone is a full  eight inches long, but skinnier than most.

6 x 6 in. oil on museum quality panel










Friday, April 29, 2011

Tulip Interiors


Tulip Interiors  SOLD
Yesterday my son Hampton, and his wife Kim, brought me a pot of tulips in
bud.  By today they were wide open, and I could not believe they went from
bud to such fullness in one day.  Now I realize it was warm in the kitchen causing them
to show their glorious interior colors.  I find it amazing that now as the sun goes down
and it has cooled off, they have closed back up. 
What fun to watch!
6 x 6 in. oil on museum quality panel









Thursday, April 28, 2011

All Grown Up!


All Grown Up!   SOLD
Some of you may remember the painting of the baby lettuce
plants.  I am happy to report that their beautiful green-ness
provided me with another painting-op today.  It rained most of the day
with intermittent bursts of sunshine, at which time I picked lots of lettuce.
This was really fun to paint.


6 x 6 in. oil painting on museum quality panel















Wednesday, April 27, 2011

My Blue Berry Bowl


My Blue Berry Bowl

I guess I am a creature of habit, especially
when it comes to breakfast.  In the cold weather it's oatmeal but when
it warms up I usually go for fresh berries and yogurt.  Just as I have a certain bowl
for oatmeal, I also have this one for berries.  Tomorrow it will be filled with
fresh raspberries we just bought at the market.

8 x 8 in. oil on museum quality panel










Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Kitchen Glamour


Kitchen Glamour   SOLD
These beauties really light up a kitchen.
They look good and they know it!
Most of the other veggies steer clear because they know they
just can't compete with these two.

6 x 6 in. oil on museum quality panel




Available framed at One Eleven Main,
Aberdeen, NC














Sunday, April 24, 2011

"Swan" Iris


"Swan" Iris
The colors of these flowers are beautiful.
They grew in the back yard, shaded by a tree, and bloomed infrequently.
I wanted to get rid of them because they had brown and yellow flowers  (not pretty).
 Bill moved them to the side yard last Fall, where they get sunshine
and they are no longer the Ugly Ducklings of the garden.  They have
completely changed color.  I think I'll be painting more of these!
6 x 6 " oil painting










Saturday, April 23, 2011

Dogwood-North Carolina's State Flower

Dogwood-North Carolina's State Flower

Every N.C. Fourth Grader studies North Carolina history.
I did, and all three of my children have done the same.  It turns out to 
be really fun and some wonderful projects are produced.  As a result,
most of us have pretty good knowledge of our state, well beyond the
state flower and the state bird.  Of course, my favorite story is how N.C.
came to be called the Tar Heel state. 

6 x 6 in. oil painting






Friday, April 22, 2011

Blooming At The Beach


Blooming At The Beach

These daffodils love being surrounded by
seashells in the spring when they start to grow
on the porch.  The ocean air is most
refreshing after being underground all winter.
6 x 6 in. oil painting
NFS



Thursday, April 21, 2011

Chive Blossoms




Chive Blossoms
Chives are so handy for cooking and so easy to
grow.  I have sent countless clumps of chives
to be planted in other gardens and my friends always report great success
with them.  I usually cut off all the buds because it makes for
healthier plants. This year I let a few of them bloom just because
they are so attractive.
6 x 6 in. oil on
museum quality panel


Wednesday, April 20, 2011

We Be Jammin'!


We Be Jammin'

Yes, the first batch of strawberry jam has been
made at our house and goes best with a nice hot biscuit.
Thanks, Kelley for giving me the idea for this painting!
Guess who ate the biscuit and jam when I was finished painting?
I did not eat one bite of it, but Bill came home right when I finished-pretty good timing-
8 x 8 in. oil on Gessoboard






Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Sharing

Sharing
These two have been friends for a long time and spend every
winter together in my basement.  The wooden bunny is very good-natured
and doesn't even mind when he is made to dance all over the table.
The chick used to have a bag of jelly beans over her shoulder so now
we have to get her new ones every year...but she shares.
6 x 6 in. oil painting







Monday, April 18, 2011

Pencils From Papier+, Paris

Pencils From Paris   SOLD
These are my favorite art pencils because they are fat, soft,
wonderfully bright, and French.(which is most always a nice attribute).
They came from a great little shop on Rue Pont Louis Phillipe,
called Papier Plus. I am pretty pleased with this colorful and lively
painting.  This one and several others will be at One Eleven Main,

the wonderful gift, home, and tableware store in Aberdeen, NC.

6 x 6 in. oil on
museum quality panel



Available framed at ONE ELEVEN MAIN,
Aberdeen, NC


Sunday, April 17, 2011

Tulips


Pink Tulips  SOLD
I don't have tulips in my yard, but found these
bright ones at the market. Looking at this
really makes me feel like Spring has finally arrived!

6 x 6 in. oil on gesso board












Saturday, April 16, 2011

Espresso Set


Espresso Set
Two of my favorite things are Maine Lobster
and espresso.  This was a gift from someone dear
who knows all my obsessions.  There are four little cups
and saucers, the creamer, and a sugar bowl. I love using it!
6 x6 in. Oil









Friday, April 15, 2011

Pink Dogwood


Pink Dogwood      Sold
The Dogwood trees are all in bloom
here in North Carolina.  Ours seem to have
more blossoms than usual.  I always look forward
to April for this reason.
6 x 6 in. oil 
                         













Thursday, April 14, 2011

Local Strawberries Ready

Local Strawberries Ready

So long, limes-HELLO strawberries..
The pick your own strawberry farms are now open here.
Bill and I are going very early next week to pick.
The first year we were married, we entered our strawberry jam
in The N.C. State Fair and won a blue ribbon.
We are planning to do that again this year and see if we can win again.
You never know...

6x6 in. oil painting


Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Who You Callin' Chicken?!!

Sold
Who You Callin' Chicken?!!
That just flaps my wattles.

"Actually, in reality, I am Super Chicken." (81k)

(click to listen)


Okay, I'll admit I had fun with this one.


6x6 in. oil painting
on gesso board
$99 framed














Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Making Salsa


Making Salsa!
We've got the lime juice, got the orange juice, but where
is the mango? We can't make the mango salsa to go on
the fish with no mango.
6x6 in. oil painting on gesso board
   

"Slide"



I saw one of these on Kelley MacDonald's blog, which I love, and it gave instructions but now I can't get it onto the side of my blog-just as a post.  If anyone can help me, I'd love to hear from you!  Thanks

Monday, April 11, 2011

Lovin' Limes


Cut-Ups
This has been a very productive painting day.
Finished a large painting and did three small ones.
Forgot to put the highlights on this shiny bowl but did not realize it 
till now.
6x6 in. oil on gesso board












Sunday, April 10, 2011

Three Of A Kind


Three Of A Kind
I don't care if you are bigger-three of a kind beats
two pear!

6x6 in. oil painting
on gessoboard panel






Thursday, April 7, 2011

Floating Flowers






Floating Camellias
I'm including the photo of the flowers in one of my grandmother's
"ribbon" glass bowls-the bowl is very old and made from pale pink glass.
I threaded some ribbon through the outside edge and found this to be a rather difficult
set-up to capture even though I was painting from life, not from the photo.
The glass, reflections, water, and shadows were all challenging so I look forward to trying
this again sometime. I welcome any suggestions.  I think the values are not quite right.

5x7 in. oil on museum quality panel








Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Curve Ahead


Curve Ahead
This is a landscape painted from one
of Carol Marine's photos she took in Germany.
I will be sending it to the Daily Paintworks Challenge.
It is so interesting to see the different interpretations of the two landscapes 
that are posted for the challenge.
6x6 in. oil painting on museum
quality panel.








Monday, April 4, 2011

Watch Out


Watch Out
Better hide, she's talking about making
an apple cobbler. There's whipped
cream in the fridge.

6x6 in. oil on
museum panel