Getting Oriented

As I continue to make changes in my new work space I brought in a table I have used for still life set- ups many times in the past and put it near the north window. With a few D'Anjou pears and a hard-working linen table scarf I began the process of getting comfortable with the work area. It will take some settling in but this is a good beginning. This watercolor still life is 6"x8".
SOLD

Rose Study

Here's a study of a pink rose from a photo I took last summer. I had no idea how fun this was going to be playing with all those layers of soft reds. This watercolor piece measures 6"x6".
Sold.

Mountain Meadow

This watercolor is a sketch of a meadow up on the mountain. Richly shadowed clouds pass over the pale blue sky and the air is rich with the scent of pine and sage.

Ducks

Three mallards at the town park posed with the sun shining on the pond behind them. This watercolor is 5"x7".

Two New Watercolors

SOLD


Two new watercolors today. I started the tomatoes over the weekend and finished it today along with the pear study. Tomato study is 6"x6", pears are 5"x7". SOLD

Cherry Bowl

Here's the first image of a still life I just started. The bowl is my favorite blue willow one and this is going to take some time but I'll chip away at it and post progress from time to time.

Backlit Iris

I took a photo of this iris about a month ago. It was an overcast day and this was the only blooming iris in the garden. Photos were coming out decidedly dull when the sun broke out momentarily, making the bloom glow with a brilliant late afternoon light. I plan on doing a larger painting of this study before long. This study is 5"x7". Sold.

June Iris

This year has not been a big year for iris, at least not yet but this one blooms bravely. Daffodils and iris seem to be among the few bulbs the ground squirrels leave alone so they are a standard in mountain flower beds. This one is a pale velvety violet.
This study is watercolor on paper and measures 8 3/4"x 6 1/2".

Cherry Study

This study is the first, I hope, of many cherry pieces this summer. They're great summer eating but painting them is even better. The rich colors of this batch are just over the top.
This watercolor on paper is 5"x7". SOLD.

First Columbine

In the rain-soaked garden I spotted this the first of the columbine blooms of the year. They are such beautiful and delicate flowers, yet so undemanding and reliable. I've never seen them in the woods or open areas around here but these came from the eastern sierras years ago, and planted in the flower garden they have done well year after year. The rain has been one of those gentle all-night and off and on all day deals, soaking the drought-plagued forest and filling the air with the incredible fragrance of pine and sage and all rain-soaked things. Um....wet dogs too but I hardly add that one to the fragrance list.
This study is a watercolor on paper and is 7"x5".

Still Life with Glass Pitcher

Yesterday I got started on doing a little work on this still life I did a few years ago. I had stripped the varnish and just needed to work on one small area but one thing led to another and before I knew it hours had slipped by and I had reworked several areas I had thought were fine. Fiddling with a finished painting can be disastrous but in this case it seems to have been just what it needed. Just what I needed too!