Oil Painting - "Moody Blue"

36" x 48"  Oil on canvas.  SOLD.

Merry Christmas dear friends!  I'm down in  Laguna Hills, CA visiting family for the holidays.  This is one of the large paintings I created in my home studio during the month of October.  This is the kind of scene I see when I travel to our rental cabins which we operate during the summer months.  

I hope you are all enjoying the holidays.  Thank you for viewing my blog.  

Salty Man of the Sea!

9" x 12"  Oil on panel.  

This was painted about two weeks ago of my husband!  I didn't really name it "Salty Man of the Sea" but it does seem fitting.  He is a boat captain and he does look a little salty in this painting!  He kindly sat for me in our home for about 2.5 or 3 hours (20 minutes with short breaks)  so I could paint him.  I'm pretty happy with it though the bright spot light was in his eyes a little too much and I did not realize he was squinting! 

Portrait in Oil - "Hana"

16" x 20"  Oil on panel.  Available here.

I painted this portrait yesterday form a live model.  This lovely young woman came to my studio and sat for me.  It took 3 hours for the initial sitting.  Then about an other hour today to make a few small adjustments.  I feel pretty happy with it.  I did add the nose ring that she was wearing.  I thought, why not, just put it in there.  She was a wonderful model, I would like to paint her again.  

Oil Painting - "Clearing Skies"

36" x 48"  Oil on canvas.  Available here.

I don't think my last two postings went out to the in boxes like they were suppose to.  I'm not sure why that happens but when it does I can't seem to fix it.   This is one of the large paintings I was working on in my studio last month.  This scene is form the very end of downtown looking south out to the bay.  The rain had come and gone and the skies were beginning to clear up.  Sunshine was on the distant islands and blue was breaking through the clouds.  It is a challenge to paint large like this. To keep the paint thick enough and the paint strokes fresh.  

Oil Painting - "Resurrection Bay"

24" x 48"  Oil on canvas.  Available here.

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you.  I know I am grateful to have this beautiful landscape to paint.

Oil Painting - "Sandspit Point"

11" x 14"  Oil on canvas.  Available here. 

If you have ever been on one of the boat tours that go out to the Kenai Fjord National Park you most likely went by this scene.  This painting is of a point of land on the east side of Fox Island and is a very interesting landmark in Resurrection bay.  This is a closeup view of the very end of the long sand bar that is referred to as the Fox Island Spit.    By the way..... thank you for viewing my blog.. :)  

Oil Painting - "Reflecting"

12" x 12" Oil on panel.  Available here. 

I don't believe my last blog post went out to all the emails.  I'm not sure why that happens but every now and then they just don't get delivered.  This is a painting of one of my sons that I painted this fall.   I took the photo in February while down in Mexico.   He was in an underground cave with water and the cave was lighted so there was a nice glow and sparkle in the water.   I'm really pleased with this painting.  Doing more paintings with people in them is high on my list.  

Oil Painting in Plein Air - "Street View"

8" x10"  Oil on canvas.  Available here.

Here is a small plein air painting I did about three or four weeks ago.  The fall colors were strong and the after noon sun was still pretty high.  Things are much more winter like now and the fall colors have past.   I am pretty happy with how these mountains turned out in this painting.    This week I have been busy painting in doors in my studio.  I have finished one large painting and started another.  

Oil Painting Portrait - "Pink Robe"

11" x 14"  Oil on linen panel.  

 This is the final portrait I painted in the workshop I took at the Scottsdale Artists' School last week.  The instructor was New York artist Max Ginsburg.   We all had a great week and I feel like I learned so much.  I am looking forward to more portraits.  This photo does not really do the justice.  There is glare due to wet paint and I used my iPhone 4 so the image quality is rather weak. Maybe I will post a better one sometime.

Oil Painting - "End of Season"

6" x 8" Oil on canvas.   Available here.

This is a little plein air painting that I am happy with.  I think it came together quite well.  I painted it just a few weeks ago on a sunny fall afternoon.  These leaves are all gone now and the snow is well down the mountain.  The little sailboat in the distance happens to belong to a friend of mine who was out sailing that day.  

Right now I am on a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona to take a portraiture class at Scottsdale Artists School.  I am really looking forward to it.  It starts this Monday!  I will let you know how it goes! 

Oil Painting - "Front Row View"

6" x 12" Oil on canvas.  Available here.

We are having beautiful fall weather right now and I have been doing some plein air paintings whenever possible.  I have also been working on larger paintings in my studio.  This painting is a plein air piece that I did in August of this year.  The coastline of our small town is called  "Waterfront Park" and it is set up for campers to come and park here along the water's edge.  A coastal trail runs along in front of these campers for people to walk or ride bikes.  The view is phenomenal with mountains and glaciers right across the way.  Boats come and go and wildlife is frequently scene swimming by.  

Oil Painting - "Vacation View"

8" x 10"  Oil on canvas.  Available here.

This oil painting was painted in plein air during the later part of September.  Campers from all over the United States come to camp along the water front in the sea port town of Seward, Alaska, where I live.  Mt. Alice is the majestic mountain in the background and the body of water is called Resurrection Bay.   By late September most of the campers have headed home.  It was a beautiful fall afternoon when I painted this.  

At the Helm

             11" x 14" Oil on canvas. 

Some of you may not know that I have 3 grown sons.  This painting is of my oldest son as he was captaining a 115 foot sightseeing vessel named the Star of the Northwest.  There are many boat tours that leave form our seaport town to view glaciers and to go whale watching in the Kenai Fjords National Park.    I am really happy with how this painting turned out.  I have never tried anything like this but knew I wanted to paint him in this way.  I took several photos of him and then used information from all of them to create this.  

Rocky Shoreline

9" x 12"  Oil on panel.  Available here.

My busy summer has prevented me from posting but now that the season is over I plan on posting regularly once again.  The time off was much longer than I expected it would be but I do have some new paintings ready to share.  This first one I painted plein air the first week of September.  I was on one of our decks out at our cabins.  Fall was in the air and it was a lovely bright day.  I hope those of your who enjoy these posts will give me some feed back now and then.  It is such a help to know you are there.  I am painting every day now (most everyday) so I am eager to share what I'm working on.  When the weather is good I am trying to paint outside.  I am also working in my home studio on larger or more complicated pieces.   Thank you for viewing my art!     

Peaks

6" x 8"  Oil on panel.  SOLD

This is a plein air painting I did about 4 weeks ago.   It found a new home before it was even dry! 

Simon

16" x 20"  Oil on panel.  

 This is my youngest son, Simon, and my first posting of a portrait.  I have a strong desire to paint portraits so hopefully I will do more.  This was painted from a photo that I had on my iPhone taken about four years ago.    

Adam Street

 6" x8" Oil on panel.  SOLD

  This is a plein air painting I made less than two weeks ago here in my home town of Seward, Alaska.  

Daybreak

15" x 30" Oil on gallery wrapped canvas.  

This painting was inspired while on my recent vacation to Cancun, Mexico.  My husband and I shared a casita with one of our sons.  When I woke one morning I took this picture of my son thinking it might make a nice painting.  

Let's Take a Look Around

8" x 10" Oil on canvas panel. SOLD

     I never expected to be away form this blog for so long.    I have been painting a quite a lot so I have several new paintings to share.    Here is the one of them.  

Best Friends

                     

8" x 8" Oil on canvas panel.   SOLD

This is our neighbor in Humpy Cove with his beloved dog, Harry.  They rowed over in their blue dingy for an afternoon visit.  Mike is a great supporter of my art and often brings his friends over to our gallery on the island.  Harry is a loving,  and elderly golden retriever. 

Jack Tar

6" x 6" Oil on canvas board.  SOLD

Meet Jack Tar,  a friendly dog that loves sailboats and good company.  This little fellow belongs to a good friend of mine.  

Kiko

6" x 8"  Oil on canvas panel.  SOLD

The flower paintings were such a nice change in the middle of winter.  I'm getting more confident each time I paint them.  I hope to paint some pansies this summer when I have them in pots.  They are one of my favorite flowers.    For the next couple of weeks I am on a trip but I will still keep posting!  This cat is a golden Bengal and has stunning green eyes.  Her name is Kiko!

Happy Valentine's Day

These last two weeks have been a lot of fun for me.  I appreciate each one of you who have been following my painting blog.  I also appreciate hearing from you when you give me supportive comments or share your thoughts.   One painting titled "Be Mine" sold this week so the winner has 6 paintings to choose from.

And the winner of the floral painting for  

Valentine's Day 2014

is 

Gretchen Fiorella   !!

Rose Buds

8" x 6"  Oil on canvas panel.  Available here.

I goofed on Wednesday's post and it did not go out to your email like it should have.  I trust this one will be seen in your inboxes on Thursday.  Of course you can still view Wednesday flower on my blog.   Here is a bouquet  of rose buds for you to enjoy.  

Soft Touch

6" x 8" Oil on canvas panel.  SOLD

 I hope you are enjoying the flower show!  Just two more paintings to post after today and then someone will win a flower painting of their choice.  There is still time to join my blog to be eligible for the drawing.  Place your email address in the sign up field and follow the directions.  The last step is to click on a link that is sent to you by Feedburner that verifies your request.  

A Rose For You

6" x 8" Oil on canvas panel.  Available here.

I have enjoyed painting these roses though their soft petals and subtle color changes are not easy to paint.   Unfortunately the photo on this one is not too good.  Looks like I have reflecting light on it but it is too late now for me to take more photos and post.   In Portland, Oregon there is a wonderful public rose garden that I have visited a few times.  The rose garden is very large and has rows and rows of every kind of rose.  There are all sizes and colors and you can walk along and smell them and view the delicate beauty of each variety.   Here in Alaska we grow Sitka Roses.  I should remember to paint them this summer when they are in bloom.  I have two different verities in my yard.     

Be Mine

6" x 6" Oil on canvas panel.  SOLD

Joy

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8" x 8" oil on panel.  Available here.

There are more to come.  Please share with a friend.  Someone will win a flower painting on February 14, 2014!  Thank you for viewing my blog.

On another note, the artistry in the opening ceremony to the Sochi Olympics was just fabulous!  What beauty and creativity was shown to all!

Love Story

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6" x 8" oil on panel.  SOLD

Yesterday

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8" x 10" oil on panel.   $250 purchase info here.

Dear friends and followers,  it is time to start posting flower paintings!  Like last year, to show my appreciation to those of you who have signed up to receive my blog in your email,  I would like to give away one of my flower paintings on Valentines Day!  I will use Random.org as a third party to draw the winner from all of the email addresses that follow this blog. So invite your friends to join and, even if you do not win, you will receive my paintings in your inbox.   Your friends and family can join anytime before the final drawing day which will be the evening of February 13 so I can announce the winner on February 14.  Ok, I better get busy! 

Winter Light

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15" x 30"  oil on gallery wrapped canvas.  SOLD

A crisp winter day with low winter light, ….. just the kind of scene that really catches my eye.   The two houses on the left are across form our local post office.    The views are so powerful here that taking a simple drive to retrieve the mail can be woefully humbling to me.     If I can just capture a bit of what I see and feel I would be happy.  

Dramatic View

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15" x 30" Oil on gallery wrapped canvas.  SOLD

Dramatic views are pretty much a standard around this town but I thought this particular one was surely worthy of the title.    This street is lined with houses whose occupants see this fabulous view on a daily basis.  The changes in light, clouds and colors are beyond imagination.  I have to say,  I am grateful to live where I can see such beauty.    

Icelandic Sheepdog

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6" x 6" oil on panel.  SOLD

Meet "Jonah" an Icelandic Sheepdog.  This handsome dog is alive and well and lives here in Seward. 

( I know what you are thinking…. don't I have a son named Jonah?!   Yes, I do and the two Jonah's are NOT related!)  

Cody

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6" x 6" Oil on panel  -  SOLD

This is Cody, my sisters dear cat who passed on last year after a long and happy life in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  The background design is from the rug on my sister's living room floor.   I am really enjoying painting these pets.  My cat Coco is curled up next to me right now in full support.   

Quiet Exploration

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8" x 8" Oil on panel.  Available here.

Here are two kayaks quietly exploring the north section of Humpy Cove.  This view is taken form Orca Island Cabins, a few hundred feet away.  

Tranquil Cove

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8" x 10"  Oil on panel.   SOLD

   Once again I take you to a serene location in Humpy Cove,  an ideal venue for kayakers to explore and enjoy.   This is a scene I am very familiar with because it is right by our summer rental cabins. 

Coco

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6" x 6" Oil on panel.  Not for sale.

Here is a painting of my pet, Coco.  Coco was a pound kitty and is a cozy, cuddly, lovable house pet.