Arcadia Pines

                                                                   

  Arcadia Pines

I enjoy having a goal.  The "Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days" is going to be quite a challenge I'm finding at day 4.  Sometimes there is just no time, no inspiration....and that is what I love about this project.  Just do it!  So far I have completed 4 paintings.  The paintings are small - smaller than 8 x 10, but I hope to complete a full sheet 22 x 30 by the end of the month.   Each painting brings with it learning,  patience building and a new set of challenges, but each one is like a building block....in color, design, texture and perspective.   To view more of my paintings, click HERE

New Year Freeze

It has been very cold here in Oregon...by cold in our area, I mean 20 - 30 degrees, but that's cold to me.  And it is definitely cold to my poor Calla Lilies!  We didn't get to them quite soon enough and the poor things are wilted.  They are hearty, though and I have every hope they will be back in the spring even though their start was rough.  

Every year when they come up, I take my paints outside and do a few drawings and paintings of these graceful lilies.   I have used so many color combinations in painting different paintings.  I love Thalo Green, but it can be rather unforgiving when leaving large white areas.  I love the challenge of painting with staining colors with no masking fluid.  It's always a good exercise if not just plain fun!

So hopefully in a few months there will be another Calla Lily painting, maybe a series, appearing in my blog.  

To see more of my work, click here

From Our Garden...

This still life floral was some hydrangas and lazy susans that my husband had planted. I had a little basket of apples, but they turned out to look more like plums and I actually like that idea better.  My paintwater cup is in the foreground and the flowers are in a crock pitcher...slightly cracked....the afternoon sun coming in the window reminds me of warmer days ahead. 

I have not been much of a gardener, actually it has been best if I just water plants and keep my distance, but this year I do have a goal to learn more about the flowers and plants that I paint.  Hopefully my interest will translate into a better relationship with the garden and me.

 Transparent watercolor on 140lb. Arches paper

Happy New Year - 2015!

                                          Snow Scene Series I


And so I start another year and another challenge....Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days with Leslie Saeta at http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com   There are artists from all over the world participating and I am looking forward to creating along with all the other artists.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year filled with blessings and joy!  

Happy Mother's Day

I will be taking off for a trip to Alaska this Mother's Day.  On the long flight, I'm sure I will be excited to get to my destination, have new photographs to work with, new sketches, but I will most be thinking of my sons Neil and Andrew. One son even arrived on Mother's Day!  I will be thinking of all our grandsons and our dear daughters-in-law, and I will be thinking of my husband who is the rock in my life.  The flight will take all day with lay-overs, but somehow...I think the time will fly by.

Enjoy your day!

Alaska Train Trip to Whittier

Another sketchbook painting - Whittier in Alaska.  It was the most interesting town.  At the time we visited, the only way to reach it was by rail. We drove our vehicle onto the rail car and road for what seemed a very long time to this very tiny town. There were a couple of gift shops and a restaurant and of course, fisherman selling the day's catch.  The great thing for merchants in this little place....they had a captive audience for 4 -5 hours until the next train came through.  I had plenty of time to paint my little blue cabin on the hillside.  The scenery was beautiful!

Travel Sketchbook - Dunn River Falls

This small painting is from my travel sketchbook.  It is very small, but easy to carry around and complete a quick painting without much set-up.  I painted this as we relaxed on our vacation to Jamaica.  It was a family trip with my dad, his lady friend, my brother, his wife and my husband and me.  So as you might imagine, I had little time to paint, but was inspired by so many things, views and wonders.