I Close my Eyes in Order to See

This is the same Navajo dancer rendered in watercolor.

Squash Blossom

The beautiful Navajo girl in this painting was a dancer at a Pow Wow in Arizona. She is wearing a turquoise and silver squash blossom necklace. When Indian jewelry is mentioned, the symbol that often comes to mind is the squash blossom necklace. The Navajo word for the "squash blossom" bead is yo ne maze disya gi, which means simply "bead that spreads out." If you double click on the image it will enlarge and you can see the detail of the necklace.

This was my first figurative painting using oils. I also painted a different pose of her in watercolor. I may post that tomorrow.

Larger than Life

oil on canvas; 30x40



This larger than life Gerber daisy is painted on a stretched canvas. The petals wrap around the edges so no frame is necessary. My daughter wanted one giant red bloom for her dining room wall and it certainly makes a statement as you enter her red, white and black kitchen.

Pretty in a Pitcher

This was fun to paint. The antique pitcher was very beautiful. A friend purchased this for her office. We hung it on her wall "just to see" and without hesitation she said "sold"!
oil on canvas

Let's Bake a Pie

This painting brings back memories. Mom baked some delicious pies in this pie pan. The big can of Libby's pumpkin filled two of these pans to the rim. I can almost smell them baking. The old wooden rolling pin has been spinning for years. My son, Gregg, fashioned the tin flour scoop in Shop class many years ago. It resides in my flour canister today.

oil on canvas, 18x24

Soon to be Salsa

I continue to give oils a try. The handle on the pot looks awkward to me but that was the way it looked from my point of view.

oil on canvas panel

A Lemon, a Pear and a Jug, Oh My!

Getting brave now.... two fruits and a jug! What am I bid? Just kidding.

Oil on canvas board

"P" is for Pear

The pear I promised. What more can I say?

oil on canvas board

"A" is for Apple

I have decided to post some of my attempts at oil painting. Watercolors are generally painted from lightest value to darkest; oils are usually developed just the opposite... dark values to light, the highlight being the last icing on the cake. After painting solely with watercolors, this was an awkward switch for me. As you notice, I did not paint a person! I thought an apple would be a good starting place.

I will post some more oils this week. Maybe a pear!

The Heart of a Clown

Fred was a professional clown. His brother sent me a photo of Fred in his everyday attire and also a photo in his clown make-up and costume and requested I paint him using both photos. He wore a red padded heart on his clown suit and if you will look closely, I painted a red heart on his jacket. I love the message on his right hand glove.... HI. I used a full sheet of 300 lb Arches paper. Dick has this painting in his home in Ft. Meyers, Florida, to honor his brother's memory.
Double click on image to see a larger, more detailed view.

Reflections

Narrated by Linda Su, the bride. The photo used for this watercolor was taken during our marriage vows on Saturday, May 26, 2007. It was at that moment, we were reflecting on our life together of five years; reflecting on the odds of us finding each other on the internet while living on opposite ends of the state; reflecting on the memories we made over this time; reflecting on our almost tragic auto accident and how we took care of each other and healed; and, most importantly, reflecting on the loss of our parents who could not physically be there with us on our wedding day, but who were there in spirit. (Karen A. Godshall, sister of the groom, took the original photograph used for this painting.)

Quiet Moments

I gifted the bride and groom two paintings of their wedding day. Since I did not attend their wedding in Pennsylvania, I asked Linda Su to name the paintings and write a brief narrative about each one. Narrated by Linda Su, the bride. The photo used for this watercolor was taken minutes before our wedding ceremony on Saturday, May 26, 2007. We had just walked outside from our neighbor’s house where we had gotten ready for our big day, and we began walking towards the barn where our two horses were waiting for us. I was very nervous, so Brett (without saying a word) took my hand to calm me down; he immediately put me at ease. We walked in silence through the field – the air was humid, the sun was hot, but Brett was cool and relaxed. We could hear the sounds of our 200 wedding guests next door who were awaiting our arrival by horseback. These quiet moments were truly priceless. (Karen A. Godshall, sister of the groom, took the original photograph used for this painting.)

Summer Interlude

One Saturday morning at a Farmer's Market in Santa Fe I stopped to listen to the happy music these musicians were playing. They were sitting in the parking lot in their own little world enjoying the beautiful morning. I knew when I saw them that they would be the subject of my next painting. I was awarded First Place Ribbon in the Fountain Hills Cultural Council's Third Anual Foothills Art Exhibit held in Fountain Hills, Arizona.
Unfortunately, the photographer cut the bottom of the painting off, showing only half the shoes.

A Gardenia for You

This is a small watercolor I did to use for my personal greeting cards.

Let the Game Begin

This was a commission I did several years ago. I love the oversized cap bending his little ears.