Bunny About to Run, oil on paper, 10 x 10

If interested in this painting, contact Frameworks Gallery.

Hammered, 5 x 10, oil on panel

If you're interested in this piece, please email me.

Still up and going! got the studio back in shape and I am inspired once again. Good thing since I have 2 shows this fall.

Palette Knife, 5 x 10, oil on panel

Please email me if you're interested in this piece.

I feel as though I might actually be back. Truthfully, I was having a hard time finding my rhythm after all the excitement this past month. We're not done cleaning up the mess, but I can finally reallocate time to painting more and more.

I am quite a sloppy painter, I don't like to keep a neat studio. Instead, I move around a lot and play music and dance (no, that won't show up on youtube). Then, the next day I prefer to spend the first hour or so that I am in the studio to straightening up from the previous day's activities. That allows me to find my grove. I also like to have a painting started from the day before so I can launch right in as soon as my paints thaw.

Yarg! Scoundrels about!

Not the Shoe, oil on paper, 10 x 10 available at Frameworks Gallery SOLD Get this! While my Dad was in the hospital, my mother's caregiver stripped my parents checking accounts, started other accounts, stole items from the house, had 5 cell phone accounts created.....it goes on and on. That's why I chose an ASS for my image today. I've been tag teaming with my brother to unearth evidence and generally stop the bleeding. That's why I haven't been around.

At the bank, when I discovered the theft, the police said they were working 3 weeks out. I replied in a sing song voice, "I know where she is this very minute, about 2 blocks away". Suddenly, cops and detectives descended on my parents house and grabbed her up.

I want to say more, but shouldn't until after the trial. I do want to say that my parents are not naive, she was creative. It can happen to anyone.

Out of Town

Hello all. So sorry I haven't had a post in a while. I've been quite busy with life things lately.

I should be back in the saddle this week. In the meantime, check out the new work I took to Bennett Street Gallery recently.

I'll have a new post soon. Thanks for your patience.

"Sunflower", 6 x 8, oil on panel

My trusty jar again.

I have been busy with family emergencies and unable to paint as much as I'd like. Even forgot that my car's check engine light came on yesterday and I needed to fix it today so I can drive home to the see about the parents. Now I have to scramble to get home a different way. It always pays to slow down and take a breath, but especially when things aren't going smoothly. I'll learn one day...
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"Pushing Daisies", 5 x 10, oil on panel

Flowers are everywhere now and so I am trying to paint them more and more. These are from my yard. And I love this little jar. I picked it up at a thrift store down the street. Had no idea at the time that it would be such a cooperative subject!
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"Swiss Knife", oil on panel, 6 x 8

Not much to say...just trying to stay sharp : ) Consistent would be good. I am trying so hard to paint some big ones for a gallery that I am having trouble getting these little ones posted, too. Know that I am trying to do better!
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"Corks", oil on panel, 6 x 6

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That's right, I'm tackling tackle again.
Yesterday, I watched the demo that Carol Marine put on her blog. She is fabulous and her paintings look effortless. What's more, after you see her actually paint one, you get a feel for how very skilled she is. Her acumen with local color is spot on. That part I can't imitate, but for her economy of brush strokes, I tried that. I have a lot of bad habits to break. Not the least of one is reaching for the turps all the time. I was an acrylic painter for years and with that you have to wash your brush out constantly. With oils, it is best to wipe the brush of its excess paint rather than contaminate the brush with thinner. Anyway, if you'd like to see a great painter at work go to her blog and scroll down to her demo video.

"Pencil Shavings: Part Deux", oil on panel, 6 x 6

I could do these all day. They are just the kind of thing I like, unpredictable, light and shadow, lots of parts instead of one or two objects. They are like little landscapes really.
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Speaking of, here is my big one, the one I did the "movie" about. I delivered it yesterday to Bennett Street Gallery here in Atlanta. I am working on more large ones so that one won't be lonely.

Can you see the way that this resembles the daily painting above just a bit. Lots of elements build the entire picture. Some can be edited out of each, but without getting 'too busy', plenty of objects can strategically left in. That's just one example of artistic license. There were many more branches interrupting the view of the river. I just chose one I wanted to leave in to lend some reality to the image and to balance the finished product. By the same token, I didn't count and certainly didn't paint in every one of the chips of colored lead from the pencil. Put in just enough to tell the story.
Hope that wasn't too sophomoric. Maybe I just like to hear myself type.

Fly lll, 6 x 6, oil on panel

The flies have it. They are fun to paint though are a lot of detail I am not accustomed to doing. I've never really used a mahl stick but if I keep this up....
I am having trouble loading my "movie" onto the blog. It is really fun to see the transition my big painting went through to get finished. I'll keep trying. Like I said in my profile, this computer stuff is daunting. Wish I had a 7 year old who could do it all for me.
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Caster, 6 x 6, oil on panel

Whew, I am beat. I've been working on the 36 x 48 piece all day. Almost done and then I can post the "movie".
Went out with friends last night and though I am grateful they do what they do for a living, man is that not for me! One is a Major with the police department and the other is a nurse. Believe me, society is much better off if I stay in my basement and paint! I joke with them and say that just because they may have said as children "I am gonna grow up to be a police officer/nurse" that no one would have held them to it. But they are very good at what they do so I guess we all end up where we're supposed to.
More tomorrow.
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Pepper, 6 x 8, oil on panel

I have been crazy around here, trying to paint as much as I can and have a bit of a social life. I have been bad about locking myself away and not seeing some of my dearest friends. So tonight I am off to see 2 of them and I am so happy. See ya tomorrow.
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Paint Tube, 6 x 8, oil on canvas

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Guess what I have lying around the studio...besides my pups. This was a good painting lesson. For one, the crimps in it were not predictable as they would be with drapery so I really had to study the thing to get it right. Secondly, knowing I was going to write about this, I found I was finally able to put into words why I omit the writing on the object. If it is not necessary, why do it except to practice hand lettering and minuscule details. I am basically a studio artist and I choose to edit a great deal. So even though I painted this from life, I only wanted the impression of the tube, not to convey the brand and all.

I am changing my selling policy now. Prices are down and no bidding involved. If you like it, you can have an original oil painting for $85.

The larger painting is coming along but I am getting too bogged in detail. I need to loosen up a lot more. I'm posting a couple of teasers. I've gone quite a bit farther than this but I don't want to give too much away.


I've intentionally given you a glimpse of the studio. Not really very telling, let me know if you want to see more some time. Lots of people ask to come see it as though it is where the Keebler elves come at night to help me...don't I wish.