Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Vase & Urchin

I love the soft color palette of this painting and the way the shape of the sea urchin echoes that of the quirky handmade vase that I picked up at a yard sale.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Salt & Pepper Icons

I've got a salt and pepper collection that was started as a joke by my husband. Because of friends jumping on the bandwagon, it has grown to epic proportions. I especially have come to love the mid-century plastics. These are a couple of my favorites.

Storm's End, Huckleberry Island

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A gray and blustery day at my favorite little island in the Sound.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Sun on the Pampas Grass

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A simple little scene that reverses traditional color logic. The cool whites are in the foreground and the warm ones are in the background. It works well though, and goes to show that there really are no unbreakable rules in painting.

What makes the composition work is precisely that role reversal. The very strong shape of the boat bow would command and hold your attention in the corner if not for the warm, centrally located brights of the pampas grass.

Got Rocks

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I am a (very) amateur rockhound and love going to sites in my rockhound guidebooks when we are traveling. Mostly I find prairie and bubble gum agates, but what I really love about the experience is that it takes us WAY off the beaten tourist track. I absolutely love that. This country is amazing and beautiful in so many different ways. It's a shame that more people don't step outside of their comfort zones of where they live or get away from the known touristed areas, but on the other hand, I'm glad they don't, because these places wouldn't be so wild and beautiful if they were filled with people! 

Anyway, my husband gave me a rock tumbler for Christmas so I could polish up my finds. I have pretty little bits all over the house, even in the fish tank! Several of these square glass jars that used to have scented candles in them line my windowsill filled with stones. I love to look at their variety of color and pattern.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Paper Dragon & Thai Silk

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The gifts of 2 different friends came together in this painting to create some drama. My friend Marilyn gave me this beautiful silk scarf from Thailand and friend Doris gave me this paper dragon puppet. It was challenging to paint the accordian paper body, but it is like anything else, just painting shapes that coalesce into an illusion.

Wall Drug Landscape VI


Here Dobby gets creative with some of his signature characters.