Daffodils

Each February and March I look forward to the small bunches of daffodils that appear at my local Trader Joe’s. They are friendly faces, greeting me during the cold, windy winter days.  These funny faces get me through February and March, until I see the ones in the ground begin to pop up and show themselves to the world.

Daffodils 1, 12 x 12, oil on panel.

Daffodils 2, 14 x 14, oil on panel.

Cyclamen in Winter

We received this beautiful cyclamen from a dear friend who came over for dinner. I have tried to paint cyclamen twice before, but the images were stiff and kind of tough looking. This time, I think I did a better job capturing the way the blossoms both bounce and then curve. I love how the blossoms cascade over the leaves. The pale pink contrasts nicely with an earthy brown background. My new winter bloom to love!

Cyclamen in Winter, 16 x 16, oil on panel.

Two Takes on One Bunch of Flowers

When I look at flowers in the store, sometimes I am certain how I am going to paint them. They may benefit from a full interior around them, a cool background, or a deep, dark warm color, wrapping itself the flowers like a blanket. But, often as naught, I usually don’t know what I am going to do with them. The flowers can surprise me, behaving differently with different surroundings. Here is the same bouquet of flowers, one painted on a large panel with the light environment surrounding the blooms that are settled into a tall vase. Next, the bouquet, cut back, fits right in a square vase, and sits in one of my paint boxes, with just a bit of light spraying over the tops of the flowers.

Big Mixed Bouquet, 36 x 36, 2019. Oil on panel.

Daffodils, Sunflowers, and Gerbers, 14 x 14, 2019. Oil on panel.

Winter Bouquets and Light

January light is bright, yellow white, especially during the afternoon hours in my studio. When I’m finished working on larger, longer projects, I really enjoy placing small, tidy little bouquets on a table and putting them next to the big windows that bring in the light. I see very bright splashes of color, alongside dark shadow areas. Harnessing the color and shadows into a tiny painting can be very satisfying, when it works. Here are two examples from the weekend:

Red Carnations and Purple Staff, 8 x 8, oil on panel.

Rose and Carnations, 8 x 8, oil on panel.

Three Orange Roses

Painted on a grey, rainy day in December. Roses nestled in my painting box with a little bit of light.  

12 x 12, oil on panel. 

October Colors

One of the nicest things about October is grey. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy crystal clear blue skies and crisp, cool air. But I love how overcast, smokey grey days enhance fall colors. They become rich, full hues and offer a visual vacation from the eternal green of summer. 

here are a few small paintings from the weekend:

October 2, 11 x 14, oil on panel.

October 1, 8 x 8, oil on panel.