Granny Smith Apples

Granny Smith Apples

I love the color of Granny Smiths and I can actually remember the first time I ever heard of them and bought one at a roadside fruit stand on Cape Cod.  I thought then it was the best apple I had ever eaten.  I still like them, but some are better than others and sometimes they are a little bit hard and a little bit tart.  The color, though is always beautiful and that is 

why I have decided to do a series of these apple paintings.  So...more will follow.  This looks so nice in a wide gold frame that I put it in.  It will be sold unframed unless you specify otherwise.

French Marigold

French Marigold

The French Marigold flower is one of the more amazing ‘beneficial’ garden companions that will help a number of your garden plants to thrive with it’s potent pesticide-producing root system while also offering a rather strong aroma to confuse other pests.  Just be sure not to plant them beside beans. It can have an herbicidal effect on some plants, such as beans and cabbage. I plant lots of them and they are cheerful and hardy plants that bloom until the first frost.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Balancing Act

Balancing Act

These two cherries beside the cup look like they are trying to climb in with the rest but actually they are showing off how well they can balance.  That seems to be what we all strive to do--have balance in our lives.  Friends and family are a big help in keeping us balanced.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

will be available at the Penick Village Art Show
September 30-October 2
Southern Pines, NC

Cut-Ups

Cut-Ups

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Approximately twenty five billion oranges are grown in the United States each year.  Spain also grows a large number of oranges. I never liked getting oranges in my stocking at Christmas when I was a child, but now they are one of my favorite fruits.

Figs On A Plate

Figs On A Plate

These figs have such wonderful colors, both inside and out. They are very mild and sweet and I have found that they are delicious with Blue Cheese.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Cherry Time

Cherry Time

I finally got around to buying some cherries to paint and I was so excited by how much fun they were to do.  I found a tray and placed a few of them on it and  put them under my painting light.  They had such a shine on them that I was really hoping I could capture in addition to the bright color.  I am really happy with the way this turned out.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Brown Turkey Figs

Brown Turkey Figs

This variety is a copper to yellow color when ripe and is one of the most commonly grown fig varieties. We have two fig trees in our yard but they are not quite large enough to have a great number of figs yet. Fresh figs don't taste anything like dried figs, they are much better!

5 x 7 " oil on panel

Happy

Happy

Most of the time it is the little things that make me happy and this is one of those times.  I got a pretty close approximation of the color of the light hitting this flower, but trust me it was even prettier in real life.  Just looking at it made me very happy that what I do is so much fun.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Bananas From Costa Rica

I do not actually love bananas the way some folks do, but occasionally I like to have something made from bananas.  Most of all I like banana sandwiches with peanut butter and a little mayo.  (You never know 'til you try it) and also banana cream pie, which I very rarely have.

I do not like the new nickname bestowed on me by my dear husband now that I am a grandmother.  He is fond of calling me "nana banana". I decided just to ignore him and maybe he will get tired of saying it.

8 x 10 in. oil on panel

Coffee Cup

Coffee Cup

I brought my coffee into the studio today and decided to make it part of my set up.  I have started drinking my coffee the way I used to when I first started drinking coffee in college. I didn't know if I would still like it black, but it actually tastes pretty good.  I have never cared for sweet coffee but I had gotten used to adding milk and now I don't need to.

8 x 8 in. oil on panel

August Zinnias

August Zinnias


I picked these from the garden this afternoon and put them in this little antique teapot.


6 x 6 oil on panel

BLue Flower Box

Best Spot For Reading

Best Spot For Reading
SOLD

Perfect light, perfect breeze, and perfect sounds of the ocean make this the ideal place to enjoy a good book.  I always leave behind any reading that might be tedious or dull and bring books that are purely for fun and enjoyment when I go to the beach. 

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Summer House

Summer House

This house stays empty all winter and one of the first things that lets you know it is occupied for the summer is the sudden transformation of all the window boxes which someone comes and takes care of one morning in May, just before Memorial Day week-end.  It's fun to see all the instant flowers planted around the house because the workers also do all the flower beds around the house on the same day.

6 x 6 " oil on panel

Window By The Sea

Window By The Sea

This window looks out on the ocean and like most of the houses nearby has beautiful window boxes full of Geraniums and other summer flowers.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Playing At The Beach

Playing At The Beach

What could be better than a big straw hat and lots of toys to play with beside the ocean.  This little girl was having fun with her friends at Oak Island, NC.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

SOLD

Blue Door

Blue Door
I've walked by this house hundreds of times and it never seems to change.  It is very close to the road and is only separated from the street by a small fence. The door has been this color for years and there are flowers there every summer. I never see anyone around so it almost seems as if no one lives there. It is in a town that is constantly full of tourists so maybe they just come and go by the back alley way.


6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Flowers In The Lobby

Flowers In The Lobby

I have always loved the flowers in this Maine hotel  because they are grown in the gardens on the hotel grounds.  There are lots of beautiful old vases such as this blue hobnail one and the floral arrangements are informal and pretty.  I used to go there with my grandmother every summer when I was younger and the guests gathered in the large comfortable lobby after dinner to socialize and play card games. It's different now and still wonderful, so it's nice to have lots of memories there from my childhood.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Window Box

Window Box

These flowers get plenty of sun in this spot and they look so fresh and beautiful all the time. 

I painted a larger version of this several years ago and wanted to try the square format. I love the blue shutters and the shadows under the eaves.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

House In Saint Jean de cole

Saint jean de cole

What a beautiful day it was last September when we walked around this village which is officially designated as one of the most beautiful towns in France. This was a non-painting day so we were all taking photos for future reference. Yesterday I painted a corner of this building and told you that it had two ornate chimneys.  When I looked at my photos, it has three but the third one is not visible in this picture. This painting is larger and would make a great gift for your favorite Francophile. Christmas is coming and so are birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

12 x 12 in. oil on wrapped canvas

Artful Chimney

Artful Chimney

This is one of  the chimneys of a beautiful house that I want to paint.  It is quite large and has two of these unusual chimneys.  At first I didn't notice them because I was looking at the house and its' pretty blue door and shutters. Maybe tomorrow I will paint the house so you can see the whole place.

6 x 6 in. oil on gessobord panel

Reservoir Park

Sold   Reservoir Park

I guess by now you are beginning to see that I am serious about wanting a kayak!  This is one of 

the places where I could use it. This park is very close to our neighborhood and it's also where I walk every morning with my friend Teej.  This is a photo I took in the spring and it was still cold. Hence, the gloves. These women were visiting from Canada and were happy to find a spot like this.  My favorite thing about this painting is the poodle in the back seat. Looks just like my poodle.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Kayaks And Canoes

Kayaks And Canoes

I had fun with this one today.  The name of the first red canoe on the far left is "Heavenly Days" and I think that just about sums up how I feel about being out on the water.

11 x 14 in. oil on canvas

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Big Red Mug

Sold    Big Red Mug

This is my current favorite mug to reach for first thing in the morning.  I painted it for this week's challenge on Daily Paintworks.  I have gotten behind on doing the challenges so I decided to do the current one first and then work backwards to some that I missed.  This week's challenge was by artist Karla Uphoff.  Thanks, Karla, it was fun doing this one!

6 x 6 in. oil on Gessobord

New Flowers

New Flowers

I  call these new flowers because I have no experience with Gladiolas.  I have never grown them or had them in the house.  Bill bought these and brought them home for me to paint and I really like them. They are just beginning to open up.  I have to say they are a challenge to paint. They are  much taller than shown here so I want to do a rectangular painting  showing the full height of them. They have just a touch of orange in the center.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Ocean Kayak

Sold   Ocean Kayak

I decided to paint one of my wishes today.  I have been wanting an ocean kayak for a couple of years and I am hoping to find a good sale on one soon.  Actually, I want two of them so that Bill and I can go kayaking together.

6 x 6 in. oil painting

Bullfrog On The Rocks

Bullfrog On The Rocks

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

There is something  comforting to me about the sound of the frogs, making their loud moo-like noises.  A summer night wouldn't be the same without them.  I look forward every spring to their coming out.  They are very much at home in the pond and can usually be found sitting in the sun  during the day. The circular spot on the side of his head is an eardrum, which is easily recognizable on all Bullfrogs.

Blueberry Pie

Blueberry Pie
I never heard of a state having an official state dessert until I read that blueberry pie made with wild Maine blueberries is the one for the folks who reside in the Pine Tree State, aka Maine.
This is the pie I made a couple of weeks ago and it didn't last very long. (You will be seeing more of this tablecloth that my brother brought back from Paris for me.)
 6 x 6 oil on panel

Peach On A Plate

Peach On A Plate

This peach was really fun to paint and so was the plate.  It is a smaller size in the same set as the plate I used yesterday.  These plates make my white ones seem very boring. 

6 x 6 in. oil