Curiosity

Curiosity 

18"x 24"x 1.5"

oil on panel

$625

Click here to purchase

I can't wait to take pictures at the summer farmers' market. 

(The Beaverton Farmers Market starts Saturday, May 2.) 

I take pictures of people sitting on benches relaxing or eating, standing in line waiting for the food vendors, playing with their children, etc..  

I don't have a plan in mind (maybe I should?), so I take lots of random photos and then I look at them on Photoshop to see what I have captured. 

I took this photo a few years ago. I love the little girl's posture and the way she is looking curiously at.....? 

I wanted the attention on *her* in the painting. Coming from a illustration and a bio-medical illustration background it was hard for me to vary the edges and distort the background. That pink shirt in the middle? It was just too much!  I had to add a little blue and a pink drip down her leg..... 

Here's is a close-up.

I found a new tool I used, the gray Catalyst Wedge . It has a flexibility that I like and I can drag my paint across with a big sweeping motion! :) (not really)

This is another one at the farmers' market: people standing in lines, talking to each other, but not this boy. He is just so curious about his shadow...

Shadow
8"x 10"
acrylic on gessoboard 
$195
Click here to purchase

Listening to while I paint:

Podcasts: 

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fischer

The Nerdist, hosted by Chris Hardwick

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

The Chalene Show, hosted by Chalene Johnson
Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball

Truth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music: 
My iPod

Really helpful!:
I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Pet Sale!

This is a picture of me and my dog Amy. I had her from the day I was born until age 16! I remember her sleeping in the sun; scared of cats; always greeted me with her loving warmth, enthusiasm, and joy!

So, I am having a Pet Sale! From now until the end of August 2014,  I will do any pet painting for 15% off the regular price. Just send me your photo of your pet and then we can decide on the size! I will take requests and photos all month long....

"Lucky"

10"x 8" 

oil on gessoboard

$195

Click here to purchase

Lucky is one of the many dogs that my brother-in-law and sister-in-law have at their farm. They also have 13 horses, cows, chickens, and cats!

"Wally"

8"x 8"

acrylic on gessoboard

$175
Click here to purchase

This is Wally. I took his picture at the Farmer's Market. He was very friendly!

To see more pets click here!

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook: "Moneyball", by Michael Lewis. Narrated by Scott Brick

Podcasts: Big Pop Fun, hosted by Tom Wilson

                  The Lede, hosted by Jerod Morris

                   Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

                  Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner

                  "Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal

Music: my iPod

Really helpful!: 

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check! Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Sketchbooks

Sketchbooks
10"x 8"
Acrylic, mixed media
Click here to purchase

I entered the Daily Paintworks challenge to "Paint It White". Sketchbooks are always on my mind and in my hands, but especially lately.

I have been "following" Danny Gregory, an author and an illustrator, for several years and I  have several of his books: "Creative License", "Everyday Matters", and "An Illustrated Life".
I have enjoyed listening and viewing  his interviews on artists from his recent book, "An Illustrated Journey".

I just finished reading, "A Kiss Before You Go. An illustrated memoir of love and loss.", by Danny Gregory.  

"After the loss of his wife in a tragic accident, beloved artist Danny Gregory chronicled his grief in the medium he knows best—the pages of his illustrated journals. This intimate volume reproduces these journal pages in a stirring visual memoir of Gregory's journey towards recovery. Uniquely sincere, and by turns tender, raw, and hopeful, Gregory's idiosyncratic text and illustrations capture the darkest and lightest moments of his "year of magical drawing." Gregory's process reminds us that creative expression offers its own therapy, and that living each day to its fullest may be as simple as putting pen to paper. Anyone who has experienced loss will take solace in this refreshingly candid look at grieving, while art lovers will marvel at the artist's beautiful celebration of the power of creation."

I really suggest that you watch the 1 1/2 minute video. (I couldn't figure how to embed (?) it on here!)