Venderly Bridge

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 20x20

oil on canvas

This is the Ron Venderly Family Bridge at Purdue University in Fort Wayne, IN. The impressive footbridge spans the St. Joseph River.  PFW happens to be my alma mater but I'm more sentimental about the river because we like to kayak and this is one of our favorite stretches. I painted this from a photo taken on my phone while paddling under the bridge. The gorgeous cloud filled blue sky was a bonus on this particular day.

Market Day

11x14

oil on canvas

I love our downtown farmer's market on a sunny day. This is maybe the third full painting I've completed from this general location. This year they changed their awnings from a nice, rich red to the tan and black striped numbers depicted here. I loved the bright red against the green trees, but there's enough color to satisfy the chromaphile in me. And the sunflowers are always the star of the show.

Hats off to Degas

12 x 9

oil on canvas panel

This painting is about observation and appreciation of artistry. These two young women are studying Edgar Degas's "The Millinery Shop" which hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago. The subject of Parisian women and their hats was a favorite of the Impressionists. Women wearing hats, women  making hats, women visiting milliners or working in the shops, are all revisited again and again in the works of the most notable artists of that period. Degas completed around two dozen pieces surrounding millinery themes. What was happening in this particular Degas painting is interesting because at first glance it appears a woman of means is in the shop and trying on a finished hat. She is wearing the clothes of the well-to-do customer, an expensive dress and leather gloves. But through an x-ray examination of the painting, it's discovered that Degas repainted the image, obscuring the woman's features and refashioning her to appear more as the hat maker, possibly holding pins in her mouth. I wonder if it began as a commissioned portrait. Whatever the reason, I find it compelling that he changed the story. It's a magnificent painting with a composition and staging that is daring.

Good Listeners

9x12

oil on panel

I don't know if I posted this before. This is a recently re-tweaked painting of a garden outside a favorite local coffee shop. I repaired some things I didn't like about one of the figures among several other do overs. It's a cheerful little thing.

Morning

oil on canvas

20 x 28

Sometimes, nature strikes a pose so amazing that it's almost hard to believe what we are seeing is real. This represents one of those moments, reflected in our pond, as the sun was coming up. At this hour, there is sparse traffic but I included a solitary car, making it's way on the quiet road on the other side of the water. The tight row of fir trees cannot be seen on the horizon because of the taller trees behind them, however, they are lit and reflected by the light in the sky.

The Memory Keeper

8 x 10

oil on canvas board

I've been lately inspired by David Kassan's incredible portraits of elderly survivors, so when we visited my husband's aunt, I thought, what a perfect subject. Last spring we celebrated her 100th birthday where she was the life of the party. Although she lives in a retirement center, she's still almost completely independent in her daily routine. Sure she's a bit more wobbly than she was when she was say, only 99, and no doubt owing to this, she just recently took a tumble and buggered up a hip. When we saw her last weekend, she wasn't in her full makeup and jewelry, but she was otherwise her loving, entertaining, and positive self. Her expressions are so animated and dear, I tried capture some by taking her picture on the sly, but she's quick so this is as close as I could get. She wouldn't be happy to be caught without her makeup, but I think she's beautiful.

Joyeux de Vivre

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6 x 8

oil on panel

I couldn't wait to paint this baby's portrait, commissioned during my September campaign. This is from a photo provided by the baby's mother. What a cutie. She clearly embraces life with unrestrained glee.

Northern City, Western Light

11 x 14

oil on board

This was begun earlier en plein air and finished at home last night. The Well Street Bridge, an example of a "whipple through truss bridge", is considered one of the most important surviving historic bridges in Indiana. It's no longer used for car traffic since the road leading to it was removed and rerouted to a newer bridge that crosses the St. Mary's River, connecting the old north neighborhood to downtown. But it's charm and importance to this community continues as it's new functions include a space for weddings, yoga classes, outdoor movie nights, and a favorite subject of artists. I'm way behind on my intention to paint every day during this very busy month, this being day 24 and only my 13th painting, but it's more than I usually produce and has been a rewarding project. I've raised and sent my donation to Hurricane Harvey Relief and have taken on 10 commissions, thus solving the question, "what should I paint?", for the time being. I've also agreed to another live wedding reception painting (gulp) and to do a portrait demo early next year. It's all good.

I Love October

6 x 8

oil on board

October is my favorite month. My son is an October baby, I'm an October baby, many of my favorite people are October babies, and it's the month we got married. When I was a kid, I always associated my birthday with Halloween, which I also loved back then. It's fun when the time rolls back around to pull out the decorations and I rediscover pieces old and new. One of my oldest and most favorite is the little girl figurine in this painting. When I came upon her this morning, I thought - there's my painting for today, so I surrounded her with a few of my newer favorite pieces for this little Halloween vignette. The piece on the left is a small painted gourd made by Rosey Bolte of The Uncommon Gourd in Nashville, Indiana. It's so cute it stays out through the fall and ends up on my Christmas tree.

Bacon?

8 x 6 

oil on gessoboard

I'm loving these little doggy portraits. This is another one of Grace, peering up with those big, hopeful eyes. I love her. I can see now I'm not going to make my goal of finishing a painting every day. Big, busy weekend ahead and I doubt that I'll even paint at all. So this is day 13. Maybe I can catch up next week.

Good Boy!

8 x 10

oil on board

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I have to admit, it's hard to keep up with painting and posting every day. I started this guy last night and didn't get back to him until tonight. But I did love painting this big, lovable, sweet face. And am very happy to say I've met my goal to make $1000 for Hurricane Harvey victims with the sale of these daily paintings. So thank you to everyone who has bought or commissioned one.

Clara

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8 x 10

oil on board

For Day 9 of my attempt to paint every day. Clara's grandmother and I have been good friends, since our early days as nurses. I did a little portrait of this youngster's mother when she was about the same age. I'm so taken by her pink highlights, I'm thinking of doing the same thing.

Metea Morning

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8 x 10

oil on panel

I didn't paint this one today although I did paint all day. I did a portrait and thought I had it nailed right up to when I thought I was finished. I took a break, came back, and bam, something is off. I'm hoping it won't be a total do-over but my brain is too tired to tackle it tonight. So for Day 8, I'm posting this one which won 2nd place at the Kekionga Plein Air Paint Out.

Alexis

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8 x 8

oil on board

My friend's little angel, Alexis. Day 7 of daily painting for the month of September.

Grace

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8 x 10

Oil on panel

This is a quick and gooey painting of my happy doggy niece, Grace. Such a good girl! Daily painting day 6!