Making Way

Afternoon cruise aboard working tug "The Joe".  Good times!

Cricket

RIP Cricket, little blue eyed mini-pony off to meet her maker.  Sometimes the vet needs a hug too.

Roadside Attraction

They may not be reindeer and it's good to pay attention, but I'll take the distractions along a country road over the crazy chaos of city driving, especially this time of year.  Get ready for a white Christmas :)

Winter Wren

A small shape with a lovely voice coming from the summer dried bracken fern.  You see the most wonderful things jogging along a country road.

Arranging Summer

sold

A painter never gives up on summer... even, or especially, on these short, dark days.  My friend Donna at Morgan Creek Farm sells the most beautiful flowers during the farmer's market.  This is where she makes all those luscious bouquets.  Light breeze on a warm day, I smell summer!

In Balance

I haven't painted much except for illustration work so it's always encouraging when I start up again and I like what comes off the brush.   The gorgeous old maples on my place are always a source of inspiration, but challenging to interpret.  I'm amazed at the profusion of life that inhabits each tree which is a complete ecosystem of it's own... in perfect balance.  I like the strong triangular shape of the trunks intertwining as they push up against the sky and the delicacy of licorice fern embedded in thick moss jackets draped on the trees.

Edge of the Sea

Happy to report that this painting, "Edge of the Sea" was accepted into the Collective Visions Gallery Show in Bremerton.  It wasn't the one that I thought might make the cut, but there you go.... never wise to second guess the juror.  These were the specs.... 327 artists from 79 Washington cities submitted 896 artworks for consideration by the juror, Alfredo Arreguin. From these, Alfredo selected 128 pieces for inclusion, any one artwork had less than a one in seven chance of being selected for the show.

This one was inspired by the ee cummings poem "Maggie & Millie and Molly & May".... do you know it?  Here's a bit of my favorite part;  "Maggie & Millie & Molly & May went down to the beach (to play one day)"..... they did all kinds of good stuff but skipping to the last verse.....  "May came home with a smooth round stone as small as a world and as large as alone.  For whatever we lose (like a you or a me) it's always ourselves we find in the sea."  

Have you seen all the stones in my house?  I believe May and I must be kindred spirits!

Serious Choices

sold

Life is full of serious choices and we start making them at an early age.  I like mine to be like this.... good or yummy?  Hope you all had a better than yummy thanks filled few days.

...after hurricane Sandy

I'm pleased to report that this painting sold in the DPW auction and that all proceeds have gone to relief efforts in the wake of hurricane Sandy.  Just remember there is a"Calm" that follows every storm... as we westcoast-ers get our first major rainstorm of the season.

Also a heads up notice about ANY web based transactions.  The scammers are out there!  My buyer got a notice from a website that made it look like a PayPal link from the auction.  In most cases your guardian angel is in the details!  Read carefully, bad spelling or grammar, web references that you aren't familiar with or are not explained.... there is usually a hint that it's not what it portends to be.  If it smells fishy, it's likely to be a bottom feeder!   The good news is that PayPal is a great clearing house, they have your back on all transactions through their site.  I was also very happy with David's response and follow up from DailyPaintWorks.... you can count on them to be ethical, dependable and helpful.  

At Anchor

Memory of a peaceful summer evening, last light, flat water, dip, swish..... ahhh.  Memory, what a blessing to have the capability to re-imagine an experience.  I'm thankful to have so many good ones and the tools to enliven them again.

Wild Transparent

postcard painting, see DPW for sales info.

Planted and forgotten, there are apple trees gone wild scattered in overgrown fields near where I live.  Evidence of abandoned homesteads, there are wonderful heritage genetics hidden here and some of the best apples I've ever tasted... of course they always taste best stolen and eaten right off the tree!  I believe this one is a transparent.... the perfect pie apple.

Morning Conversation

Misty the Jersey calf is very curious about the new dog in the neighborhood and not shy about coming up to the fence for a little conversation.  Arna is also intrigued and lays down and eats grass right along with her.  Misty also has a new baby calf buddy, MoJo who causes quite a stir with her cavorting.  Lots to see on the farm during dog walking expeditions.

Barn Help

sold

Comes with his own gloves, ready to work!  This little bundle of cuteness was painted on a textured base (which you can't see very well digitally) but it "feels" like straw so I'm happy.  I also kinda like the "z" composition.  What's adorable in a photo is sometimes devilish to paint from (successfully). Have fun with all your chores this week.

Perky Pup

Just to reinforce my reputation, here is another puppy painting clearly showing the underbelly of life in a revealing and provocative pose.....  :)  I wonder if this one will be considered as risque as the male version I got so much flak about?

Intimate Lunch

Buddies sharing an intimate lunch on a summer afternoon.  Make nice not mean is the rule for most horses... just another thing we might learn from them.  (especially at this time of year... did you see the video of the crying 4 y.o. little girl?  my sentiments exactly!

With the rain and darkness, this is that really hard to photograph paintings time of year.  I neeeeeed to get an indoor light box set up, one of these days.... soon.  No matter how good the photography  (I do take pains to represent my work accurately)  it's good to remember that a back lit screen is an entirely different medium than an original painting and this image will never look exactly like the real thing.  The subtleties of reality are lost in translation, "virtual" has  limitations.  Reminds me that I spend too much time in front of this computer.  I'm going outside....you?

Calm

sold

A moment of calm.... dedicated to our friends out east.  The proceeds from the sale of this painting in the DPW auction will go to the Red Cross and their hurricane Sandy relief efforts.  Many artists from the Daily Paintworks Gallery are helping to raise funds to help our neighbors in need.  
Click here to bid on this painting,   Thanks for your support!

Consulting The Sea

6x6 acrylic

Whether you need therapy or not, the seashore is a good place to connect with your thoughts.  Even better when enveloped by a blanket of fog.

Hooked One

7x5"acrylic, see DPW for purchase info. 

The fall fish migration in our area is nothing less than amazing.  The male salmon are like sleek battleships or knights in shining armor in full and single minded warrior mode.

Walk Through Fall

6x6 acrylic

This is what my road looks like right now.  I love the bigleaf maples, they aren't as colorful as the vine maple but their giant yellow and sienna leaves glow against the evergreen forest.  I did a quick internet search to find out that the dark spots with green rims are a fungus called speckled Tar Spot (Rhytisma punctatum).  It's common to see in the late summer, but this year seems to have been a particularly good one for it.  Some of the leaves are covered in leopard spots, but apparently the fungus doesn't cause much problem for the trees.

Bunny on the Bed

sold

One more bunny painting, these are fun.  Tried to simplify the pillow with only semi success, but I like the neutral color scheme.  This bunny clearly owns the room :)

Rain

 Words seem redundant, if you are a true northwest-er you'll know what I mean.

Holding Tight

This piece epitomizes what I think of as maternal instinct, in this case across species, but nonetheless....  It's not just the face, but the whole composition; squared up shoulders - elbow - large hands - grip on a slightly squirming animal.  Soothing, protective and/or subtly stifling?.... it's a fine line :)

Bunny in a Box

sold

Warming up to some domestic bunny painting...  This one is quite content lounging about in his box of timothy hay.

(not just another) Horse Painting

Thunder Pony

An anatomy lesson courtesy of Thunder, RockyBay Equine's (veterinary hospital) very patient pony model.  There are a few tricks to painting in this genera, but the quality of the "canvas" is definitely a priority.  

Fall Finery

This little fellow will be hibernating soon, in the meantime he's showing off his finest fall fashion with a lovely feather boa of a tail.  This is from high up on the east side of Rainier above tree line on alpine tundra.  Everything is a blaze of glory storing up all that heat for the coming winter.

Summer Wings

7x5" acrylic, see DPW for purchase info.

Late summer is a good time to "catch" butterflies.  This anglewing, colorful even on its down side, is harvesting the last bits of summer sunshine.

Cuddle

Love puppies!  Wasn't sure about posting this one.  The sentiment is there and there's parts I like alot but dam it's hard to blend acrylic for a smooth surface.  I got all cocky after the chicken eggs I guess!  I do like this better in person, but it's still kinda whonky in the color department.  Animals have always been more forgiving than humans.

Got Eggs?

7 x 5" see DPW for sales information

Chicken in a box, sharing her eggs, how nice of her after all that hard work!  This is one of Sherryl's chickens, not sure if it's the one that likes to peck Jessie.  Go ahead, stick your hand in there and find out :)  I like the contrast of textural feathers and shavings with the smooth, multi-shaped and multi-colored eggs.

Sliding Through Autumn

7x5" see DPW for purchase info.

I love everything about the autumn season.... even the shortening days give a little extra impetus to getting outside as much as possible.  I know that some are squeamish about snakes, but hey, this handsome striper is gorgeous and not a threat to us at all.  Just meandering its way through the maple leaves, lovely.

Someone To Watch Over Me

8x6" acrylic, see DPW for purchase info

The song, "some-one to waaaatch o-ver me" keeps playing in my head and since I'm a better painter than singer here you go :)  I like the gestural quality and monochromatic color scheme of this... not to mention the "flying nun" shadow on mom's shoulders from her relaxed, sleeping in the mid-day sun ears.  Mom's are guardian angels after all. 

All Curled Up

6x6" acrylic,  sold

Clearly relaxed in her happy place, all curled up, or should I say folded up on the couch.

Drake

6x6" see DailyPaintWorks for purchase information

Here's a colorful mallard drake riding his wake across the farm pond.   We see the occasional widgeon and goldeneye along with mallards on our small pond.  They seem to take turns with the geese, heron, kingfisher and swallows.... not everybody at once.  I wonder who books their reservations.

The Escorts

8x10" acrylic, see DPW for purchase information

It's not uncommon for me to hear "that doesn't look like your work" from people about one painting or another.  It's true, I have never decided what I want to be when I grow up and so I just keep experimenting.  I can't decide if my lack of commitment is a fault or a blessing, but I'm easily led down new trails, so you can continue to expect the unexpected from me periodically.  This painting is one of those.  Although there's plenty of "me" in it, clearly it's a pattern painting all the way when most of the time I try to paint shapes.  I like it, just enough recognizable detail to place me right next to that wooded pond with a ruffle of wings and a whaak, whaaack.....  Not all those who wander are lost.   Welcome to Autumn, an oh so wonderful time to wander :)

Autumn Forest

6x6 see DailyPaintWorks for sales information

The warm, dry colors of fall are creeping through the forest, replacing the greens of summer.  Rustling leaves, a light breeze.... change is in the air, can you feel it?

My "Coastlines" show of paintings inspired by kayak trips around the PNW was a great success, if sales are any judgement.  Thank you everyone!  The show has been replaced by the Peninsula Art League's Fall Show.  Head in to the Kimball coffee shop & gallery to see what local painters have been up to.

Aarrrrrg!

6x6 acrylic painting, see DPW for purchase info.

Ahoy mateys' it's Talk Like a Pirate Day!  Shiver me timbers, he's boarding the Joe!  Man the Yardarm, hard to Port!  (or Merlot if you prefer)  Any way you growl, it's a good day for pirates!

Mishka

This is a posthumous portrait of a well loved broodmare called Mishka.  It's not always easy to get these right with only a snapshot to work from, but this one seemed to strike the right cord.  I told her owner that it's the only time I don't mind making people cry.

Afternoon on a Country Lane

5x7 acrylic, see DPW for purchase information

Enjoying the waning days of summer.  There is a definite hint of fall in the air even if we are close to a record number of dry days... see, we really do have a normal "drought" period in a PNW summer.

On The Brink

Poised on the brink at Glacier View Point on Mt. Rainier.  You can watch time from here where it drifts by in the mist, the mountain appearing and disappearing...  We were treated to a gorgeous day full of wild flowers and sky, a young bear and whistling marmots, what could be better than that?

Making Introductions

6x6" acrylic, see DPW for purchase information

Puppies!  Who could resist that little voice.... "can I pet your puppy?"  Puppies are magnets for all sorts of people from shy little girls, to tough guy biker dudes at the farmers market.  This is Donna's (the flower seller from Morgan Creek Farm) new golden retriever pup.  Smiles all around :)

Upon Reflection

Here is a different view of a pacific northwest coastline... along the quiet back waters where low tide sets the table for terrestrial diners.  Do you see who I'm talking about?  The Kimball Gallery show runs until Sept. 17th, drop by for a look. :)

Good friends make my day!

BABC members Bob Gordon, Miz Jill and the Commodore himself came to see my show of new paintings at the Kimball Gallery today.  We have shared so many extraordinary adventures together, it's a pretty amazing group of friends... including the ones in absentia.  I am blessed.  :)

New Paintings showing at the Kimball Gallery

This collection of paintings showcases our extraordinary PNW coastlines.  Inspired by kayak trips from Haida Gwaii to Vaughn Bay, it's dedicated to my friends, mentors and fellow scalawags of the BABC, you know who you are.  Barely Adequate Boaters Club members have been plying coastal waters for decades, their adventures are the stuff of legend (or at least some great fish tales).  Organizational skills of Commodore, CW "Crash" Clark and his best Mate, Miz Jill, are only surpassed by their fishing prowess.  Our ensign is adventure and we know how to find it.  Pacific Coastlines have much to offer the most intrepid heart and it gives me great pleasure to share a glimpse of it with you.

The show runs from August 21 to Sept. 20 at the Kimball Espresso Gallery  6950 Kimball Drive, Gig Harbor WA  (253) 858-2625

Day Break

From breakers to flat calm at sunrise, being there for the experience it is what it's all about :)

Afternoon Snooze

The Bunsby Islands off the NW coast of Vancouver Isl. are sea otter haven.  The Checklescet Bay Ecological Reserve was set up to help them reestablish their range after being decimated by hunting by the 1800's.  (in 1911 an estimated 500 sea otters remained scattered in small groups from northern Alaska to California)  They are thriving here, enjoying a kelp bed on a hot afternoon, flippers held high to cool off in the light breeze.  Happy otters.  :)

Evening Break

Late afternoon light where a gentle Pacific surge meets volcanic rock.   This has been happening for millennia.... with or without our notice or appreciation.  Comforting somehow, although not always this tranquil.

Tide Pool

Tide pools collect an amazing array of organisms, this one features aggregate anemone and black turban snails.  Bunsby Island beaches did not disappoint.