Broken Pot

Re-awakening my dormant artistic self these last few months has been a challenge. The more I study, the more I realize I have to learn.

When I was having breakfast this morning I noticed my broken pot lying on the wet deck. I thought it would be a good study, playing with warm and cool colours.

4" x 6" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas - $45. incl shipping

Venice Window

One of my resolutions this year is to learn how to make use of those snatches of time I have in a busy day , so I squeezed in a little painting time between work, supper and playing "Settlers"with my family.

I decided on another Venice painting. I love windows and wanted to try a more traditional painting of Venice.

It's a beautiful city!!

5" x 7" acrylic painting on canvas panel - $40. incl shipping

Venice Bass

Another good memory from Venice. I built up the background with a lot of paint and texture that was such a part of Venice.

Last night we watched "A Few Days in September". It was a good movie and had lovely views of Venice and Paris. When seeing the places I've travelled in movies, it always brings back that wonderful nostalgic feeling.

(Be warned there were a few scenes that weren't for the squeamish.)

8" x 10" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas - SOLD

Venice Packpackers

This painting is a good example of what happens when one is too eager to paint rather than taking the time to plan the composition and the values. There is no real focal point. I then spent a lot of time trying to create one. 

Lesson learned, hopefully!!

I guess I could blame it on my daughter. For Christmas she gave me a gift certificate to the local art store, so I went today and bought new paints and brushes. I couldn't wait to try them out.

8" x 10" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

Fisherman

A loose study of a weathered face.

4" x 6" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas - $40. incl shipping

Boxing Day Shoppers!

I never thought I'd see the day when I would go shopping with all the men in my life. We actually didn't do a whole lot of shopping we exchanged a game, went for coffee, enjoying the walk downtown.

We topped the day off by having a supper of nachos with my husbands homemade salsa and we ate all of 8 cups of it. I think it was a reaction to the turkey.

It was a good time.

Happy New Year!

6" x 6" acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas NFS

Paperwhites

It was great to be able to have some time to paint after the last few busy weeks.
These paperwhites almost literally grew in front of my eyes. I started to paint them against a white background, but it wasn't working quite the way I had planned. I ended up painting Quinacridone Gold and Quinacridone Red in layers, adding Cerulean Blue at the end. I quite liked the contrast of the white petals against the rich colours.
6" x 6" acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas

Poinsetta with Candles

I have been getting into the Christmas Spirit. The painting seems to have an old-fashioned feel about it.

5" x 7" acrylic painting on Gessobord Private Collection

Opatija Sun

I saw this woman in Opatija, Croatia which we visited in May of this year. It was a beautiful spot, not a lot of tourists yet and this woman who was a local seemed to be enjoying the warmth of the sun.

There was also something familiar about her, she resembled my mom and my aunts, it made me miss my mom very much.

I actually painted this picture earlier this summer but I'm still undecided about the backround.

6" x 6" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas NFS

Japanese Mandarin

When I was growing up, one of the first signs of Christmas was getting a box of Japanese oranges.

Yesterday when I bought this box and peeled my first orange of the season, the smell brought back all those childhood memories.

4" x 6" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas - SOLD

Bird of Paradise

It was a frustrating painting day, the painting I had planned just didn't come together.

So I did a quick loose painting of the Bird of Paradise that I had received on a special occasion

6" x 6" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

In Search of Gauguin

When I studied Paul Gauguin in university, I didn't appreciate his art as I do now. It's interesting how as we change and grow, so does our taste in art.

The pot is from Oaxaca, famous for its "black pottery". While painting, I was reminded of good times spent in Mexico.

6" x 8" acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas - SOLD

Coffee Table Collection

One of the perks when I worked in a bookstore was ordering books out of a catalogue for a very good price, needless to say I have a whole collection of big coffee table books.

I almost always chose the book for it's cover.

6" x 8" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

Indulgence

This painting is about indulgence, an expensive half bottle of wine on our recent trip.

It continued (the indulgence) today, my day off, with coffee, the cat and laptop in bed. I then wandered over to the studio and painted all day, neglecting to pay the bills, do the laundry and grocery shop.

I started the painting in a much more realistic detailed way and after taking a break decided it wasn't working for me and loosened up adding more colour and taking out the detail. I like it much better.

8" x 10" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas - NFS

Thirst Quenching

On our trip to San Francisco we were treated to a beautiful room on the ocean. The glass of water came with room service, I indulged and it was wonderful.
This painting was a bit of an experiment. I painted the glass and table with depth while leaving the curtains and chair as decorative backround. I was quite pleased with the outcome.
8" x 10" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

Fisherman with Pelican

This is a quick painting of the pelican waiting for his treat. It was a cool, misty day on the pier.

6" x 8" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

Pelican

He was the star on the pier in Santa Cruz. We don't have pelicans where I live, so I found him quite fascinating. He strutted around and posed for people taking pictures.

He also waited for treats from the nearby fisherman. If I can get my act together, you might see that tomorrow.


6"x 8" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

Venice Musicians

When we were having lunch in Venice, these two musicians showed up and played for us. I am quite pleased with this painting, there are a few things I would like to change but thought I would leave it for now as I'm going away for a week.

I am tagging along on a business trip to San Francisco, I hope to be inspired, have some fun and check out some of the art galleries while I'm there.

8" x 8" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas - SOLD

Venice Alley

I was very fortunate to be able to spend some time in Venice this past Spring.

This painting is a more traditional painting and the warmth of the Venetian sun that day, found it's way into my studio on a rainy Saturday morning.

8" x 8" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas - sold

Masks of Venice

It's probably not what most artists paint when they visit Venice, but I have found it always interesting to watch people. This group was looking at the kiosks of masks that were being sold.

It is one of my regrets that I didn't buy a mask. I had one all picked out that I found in a little artisan shop but it was the beginning of the day and I thought I'd pick it up on the way back. It never happened.

I painted random bright colours as an under-painting and then filled in the masks and people.

6" x 8" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas