New England home in Autumn

New England home in Autumn

11 x 15

Commission completed Dec. 20, 2008

I finished painting this Canton, Connecticut home on Friday after many long hours. If you recognize the house, please don't rush out and call the owners because it is a surprise for one of them! The person who commissioned it hasn't even seen it yet. Jeff just taught me how to take a photo of the painting with indoor lighting, and here it is. I thought I was going to have to wait for the snow to stop to shoot outside like I have done in the past. Thanks Jeff!

Sorry for the lack of posts this month. Thanksgiving, lots of no school for the kids and a zillion other things have limited my painting time. Now I'm ready to paint more and the kids have 12 days off of school in a row starting 1:10 on Tuesday! I WILL paint anyway! Now that this painting is done I am going back to the birds. I am almost done with a Yellow Warbler. :)

The Three Bears

Backyard Forest

12 x 16

2006
This was an attempt at a plein air painting of the woods in my back yard. I started outside and then spent weeks in the studio tightening it up. I never really liked it much. It didn't have a center of interest.

I finally realized that what the painting was missing was bears! Several weeks ago, Momma bear and her cubs visited our yard and spent the evening in the neighborhood. It was too cool! I was inspired.

Revised painting:

The Three Bears 2008

12 x 18

$295 with mat and frame

After I added the bears I changed the shapes of some trees and branches, added texture to the bark, and worked on the foliage and the sky. It was challenging to get the bears in over the foliage without having them look green. That is why they are so dark.

On the left: Momma Bear with her fancy ear tags.

On the right: The three cubs, posing on our street. They spent a lot of time in a neighbor's trees but the pictures didn't come out.

Sorry for the blurriness.

Tri Color Heron

Tri Color Heron
14 x 11
Sold
2008

I finished this painting today. Photo reference by Alan Wilson at Naturespicsonline

Stellar's Jay

Stellar's Jay

10 x 8

2007 - 2008

Sold

Reference photo by Jared Hobbs

I painted this in December 2007 and never have been happy with it. One day I lightened the dark head and added some color. Today I did some finishing touches and finally have a prettier bird perched on the birch.

Flowers

As the weather gets colder and winter approaches, I thought it would be nice to post some spring flowers. The reference photo for the crocus was taken in Farmington, CT, by my friend Sherry Perrie. I took the photo for the pansies in Rheinbeck, NY.

Purple Crocus
8 x 10

2007

Sold

8 x 10 signed giclee print: $55

Note card: $2.50

Pansies
5 x 7
2007
Sold

Note card: $2.50

Another German Shepherd Portrait

Sophie
16 x 20
2008
Commission



I finished Sophie this week and my customer seems very happy. This photo was taken when it was cloudy out and she looks better in the sun.

Loon Lake

Loon Lake

9 x 11.5

2008

I finally finished this painting. It started as a plein air painting in July at Loon Lake in the Adirondacks. I do not excel at plein air painting. The painting is only complete because it is a gift to our friend Jeff who lets us stay at his lovely camp, and this is the painting that he wanted. Many hours in the studio pretty much salvaged this attempt at a plein air painting. Jeff says he likes it so I guess that is all that matters.

Sophie, the next German Shepherd is close to being done!