The Cupola

One of the many, many things I enjoy about painting is focusing intently on a scene and really seeing and appreciating it. The more I drew this, the more it wowed me. What a great way to spend an afternoon.

Jadranska Magistrala, Montenegro

Sunset on Nye Beach

On a recent trip to the Oregon coast, this sunset vista greeted us from our beachfront balcony. The awe inspiring scene looked like an impressionistic painting so I attempted to paint it as such, using casein. I haven't used casein before but it was the perfect medium for this and I can't wait to paint more with it.

Gatsby Goes to the Beach

Gatsby's unusual stance appears to be caused by his internal debate on whether to run after the figure to his right.

Common Murre in Its Winter Clothes

I painted this the day after the recent election, when I needed to stop thinking for a bit. In my case, painting can soothe the savage beast. Thank goodness.

Happy Halloween!

Shopping With Cookie Monster

On Her Day

A quick sketch of my daughter from a photo taken after her wedding several years ago. I loved the emotions playing on her beautiful face--happiness, complete peace, and most of all, love.

Hawaiian Drummer

I really enjoyed the drummer's intent gaze as he followed his Hawaiian dance troupe's movements. I wasn't satisfied with my sketch in the previous post so rewet the paper and went at it. Now this feels more like what we saw that sunny Hawaiian day in Waikiki.

Hawaiian Drummer

Dad and I just spent a wonderful week in Hawaii, playing tourists, eating way too much ono (delicious) food, and visiting with family. When I left the islands eleven years ago, I never thought I would return so this trip was unexpected and all the sweeter for it. We serendipitously came upon a hula show in Waikiki and I got this shot of the drummer as he watched the dancers.

Norwegian Boathouses

Mountain Sunrise

Painting life is a lot easier since I began painting wet on wet, rather than dry and in my sketchbook. This is how I used to paint back in the day but had hesitated this time around because I now work on 140# paper rather than 300# and thought it would buckle too much. I solved that problem recently by buying a heavy plexiglass backing board and wetting the paper back and front, which seals it to the plexiglass, totally eliminating buckling. If I'm working larger than the plexiglass, I stick the wet paper flat on my desk, which is glass. Both ways work great so no need to buy the more expensive, heavyweight paper.

Gangway!

That's what my brothers and I would shout when we were barreling towards something and others were in the way. I hadn't thought of that word for some time, but it makes me smile to remember it, and that's what this bird seems to be thinking as he comes in for his landing in the small puddle.

A Girl and Her Dog

Red

Mountain Mist

Watching the morning mist rise from the top of Mt. Thielsen was an experience not soon forgotten.

Ripening Blueberries

I've never really noticed all the colors to be found in blueberries as they ripen. The morning sun brought them out in a dramatic way here.

In the Reeds

Another two-fer, painted for both World Watercolor Month and Virtual Paintout (Cambodia). I was struck by the quiet in this scene, as the old boat seems to be slowly sinking into the still water of the rice paddy.

Lesser Bird of Paradise

This painting is to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, submitted for both Paint Colorful Birds for Fun and World Watercolor Month. (My thanks to photographer Darren Bellerby.)

Pepper

It's fun to try to paint daily for the World Watercolor Month challenge, but I can see where it could get tiring. To give myself a break, I'm planning to do simple subject matter. Here's a pepper I sliced up in a bunch of pieces, looking for the most interesting view of it. I became totally enthralled with this slice of it.

Resting Rhino

Here's another entry for World Watercolor Month of a rhino that I photographed at the wildlife safari last summer. He was fun to paint even though I squeezed him into a small 5x7 sketchbook. Lesson learned on that one!

Ostrich

I'm participating in an online challenge for a brand new national day called World Watercolor Month. Established by Charlie O'Shields (Doodlewash--check it out if you haven't already), the challenge is to paint a watercolor every day in July, or when you can, and use the hashtag #WorldWatercolorMonth when posting your entry. A facebook page has been set up for entries. Aside from being a fun challenge, this year it is a fundraiser for The Dreaming Zebra Foundation which supports underprivileged young artists around the world. For more information, see www.worldwatercolormonth.com.

So here's my first entry, from a photo I took last summer when my dad and I drove through a wildlife park.  This tall, curious, brazen fellow pecked at our windshield relieving us of smashed bugs, and then came to the open window begging for anything else we might have on hand. I have wanted to paint him and other animals we saw there so this is a great push to do it.

Deer Path

I have been spotting deer everywhere in the last couple of months, irl and now virtually via google maps. It is always a thrill. This one was in the middle of the road in Napa, CA, but I moved him to the lavender hillside that he had probably just exited.

Dusky Lory

I almost hesitate to title this post by the name of the bird because it is very, very loosely based on the dusky lory. The quick sketch was really all about playing with a box of Inktense pencils that had been my mom's. I really enjoyed the process, especially spraying the drawing and watching the ink flow and darken, and drawing wet into wet. From what I understand, the ink pencil stays put after it has been wet, so adding watercolor doesn't disturb it.

Midnight Muffin

My daughter is a genius in the kitchen (and pretty much everywhere else!). After cooking a healthy and delicious dinner last night, she put together a late night snack of a flax chocolate brownie with smashed fresh raspberries. It was too pretty not to paint, so I attempted to paint it in a quick loose style, not my usual way but lots of fun.

Above the Fray

Although the creek bed is nearly dry now, the stones on the bank give witness to seasonal battles with rushing water.

In the Green Forest

Gallery Storefront

Finally painted a little larger and on watercolor paper rather than in my sketchbook, which allowed me to work wet on wet. Boy, does that make a difference. This was a lot of fun!

Spring on Meadow Road

This house reminds me of the one my parents used to point to as we drove along the highway to the coast as being the house where our little family began, way back in the day. It isn't that house, as this one is in Maine, but it evokes the same feeling, set back from the road with a mad jumble of colorful flowers surrounding it. It looks like a happy house to me, one in which a family could put down strong roots.

Diamond Lake

Dad and I spent several days at Diamond Lake Lodge last week, attending the annual conference of the Northwest Outdoor Writers Association. Dad and three others founded the group 43 years ago, and it has grown its membership to over 200 writers, so of course he was an honored guest. One morning while Dad attended a meeting, I sat at the window in the dining room of the lodge with a small pot of tea, my sketchbook, fountain pen, and a limited palette of watercolors and worked on this little sketch. It had snowed earlier that morning and was still very cloudy. The scene was at such a distance I couldn't see whether the fisherman was standing in a boat or on a dock but I didn't care. I will probably make this into a greeting card for Dad for Fathers Day as a reminder of the special time we shared at the lake.

Rag Rug

Hanging in the strong tropical sunlight, this humble rag rug shone like a jewel.

Coconuts

Blue Boat

We are off to Sri Lanka via Virtual Paintout this month. I decided to plunge in and sketch everything that catches my eye, and this was the first. I haven't looked around the island much yet but I have noticed the men tend to wear wrap skirts or very loose pants, while the women tend to wear long, flowing dresses. I'm hoping to find the time to sketch more of these colorful garments.

Dad Under a Salmon Sculpture

Dad and I spent a wonderful afternoon at the local park recently, people watching and sketching. Afterwards, we went to Jose's Tequila Factory for happy hour and enjoyed some delicious margaritas and super nachos. A perfect day all around.

Hoffman Farm Store

Found this farm store while on a sunny drive out in the countryside of Oregon a couple of years ago. Painting it yesterday brought back the memories of a happy day with family.

Where'd We Park?

Path, Blue Mountains

This sketch is from a virtual walk in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. I was hoping to see some wildlife but no luck. I'll keep looking.

Four Amigos

What better way to pass the time than chillin' at the town plaza with your best pals. This is in Majorca, Spain.

House on the Cliff

Into the Castle

So many beautiful castle ruins to see in Scotland. I especially enjoyed virtually walking all around and inside this one, imagining the life inside it "back in the day."