#%@

"#%@"
8" x 10"
Oil on canvas board
Sold

I had most of this done yesterday, but the paint was too wet to finish.

These rolls have so much personality to me - they all run out differently. Some just fall off the roll and some tear off in streamers - those are the best.

Stovepipe Top Hat

8" x 10"
Oil on canvas board

I smiled the whole time I worked on this!

Spring

7" x 5"
Oil on board

Don't you just love spring time?!

Clouds

7" x 5"
Oil on board

I kept wanting to put something in the clouds - kind of like a René Magritte, but I resisted. Maybe next time.

Beach Shack

7" x 5"
Oil on board

This is the second time I have painted this. I like to paint a painting more than once to see if my style has changed, but on this one it's pretty close to the first one, which is good - I think my style is becoming consistent.

I also thought it would look good in the new gallery since it's a house on Bald Head Island.

Taking a Break

18" x 24"
Oil on board

I painted this image of the black dog a few years ago in a different format and I loved it so much that I decided to put him in a new setting. So, when I was thinking about what dogs to paint for The Woods Gallery (dogs are very popular on Bald Head Island) I decided to revisit this one.

I love how peaceful he looks.

Blackberries in Blue

7" x 5"
Oil on board

I have been lost in glass beads!!

Also, I've been getting 28 paintings ready to go to The Woods Gallery, which I dropped them off today. So far, I've sold three in three days and it's not even tourist season yet.

Speaking of tourist season, I will be at the Farmers Market downtown Wilmington all summer. My first day is April 11th so, come by and see me!

Now, where did I put those?

30" x 30"
Oil on canvas

They are officially done!
Now it's time to decide what I'm going to paint next...

Well, I already sold two small paintings out of the Woods Gallery! I think that's a record in speed selling. Hopefully it will keep up.

Beads

Well, it's not a painting, but it is what I did today.

The marble painting, which is now titled - "Now, where did I put those?" wasn't dry enough to paint, so I decided to make some beads. Boy, it's a lot harder than it looks. Once, I figured out the flame thing and got over my anxiety, I was able to get the glass hot enough to do something with it. not bad for a first timer. Click on the photo to get a larger view.

I am finishing the marble painting today and will send that later.

Marbles (update)

Well, the painting is coming along pretty good - I still need to do the highlight on the bottom marble when it dries more and a few other things. I figure one more session and I'll be done.
I'm really loving this painting.

This is the first painting in a series I'm starting called "Larger than Life" for the Caffe' Phoenix Show in October with Michelle Connolly & Amelia Hutchins.

The meeting with Bald Head Gallery went really well. Shawn picked out a lot of paintings, we signed the contract and off she went back to the island.

If you ever get a chance to go out there it's really spectacular.

Marbles

30" x 30"
Oil on Canvas

I'm working on a big marble painting. Here it is so far. I'm having a little trouble with the bottom one, but will fix it tomorrow. I want it to be like the others, but in a different color.

Sunrise Over Marsh (renamed)

36" x 18"
Oil on Canvas

I'm finally done!
I decided to rename this.. I like "sunrise" better...
meaning new day, new start, potential... etc.

Spring Marsh

7" x 5"
Oil on board

Autumn Marsh

7" x 5"
Oil on board

I guess I'm having my own little Marsh Madness.

Didn't work on the sunset today, but will try to finish it tomorrow...
I have such a tough time finishing things!

The director from The Wood's Gallery on Baldhead Island is coming Wednesday to see the studio and paintings!!

Marsh Sunset

36" x 18"
Oil on canvas

This painting is in progress.
I was recently very moved by Martin Johnson Heade's
"The St. Johns River" painting and wanted to try at a sunset. I'm really excited about this.

I'm also planning some paintings for The Woods Gallery on Bald Head Island.

Cucumber Slice

5" x 4"
Oil on board

Plum with Leaf

7" x 5"
Oil on masonite board
Click to bid

It is finally warm & sunny today!! Summer is coming!

Cut Plum

7" x 5"
Oil on board

I was really itchin' to do another painting today.

My Old Beads

5" x 7"
Oil on board
Click to buy
I am really happy with this painting.
It's strange, some paintings just come to life on their own and you know when it's happening from the first paint stroke. Some struggle so hard.

Some have asked what oil on board is. I use masonite from home depot that has been sanded and gessoed (primed). It's really inexpensive and I love the smooth surface.

Windowsill Blackberries

7" x 5"
Oil on board
Sold
I'm still working on this and should have it done either tonight or tomorrow. I'm having problems with the shadow under the berries - they look like they are floating to me.
Maybe they are magic berries!

Home Grown

9" x 8"
Oil on board
Click to Buy
Glad to be back!! Thought about painting the whole time!

There is an good discussion about making art and money - thought you would be interested in peoples opinions about art and artists:
Artists in Survival Mode as Market Crumble

Plums

8" x 6"
Oil on board
Sold

Really enjoying painting the plums - can't wait to do some cut up - oh, the inside color contrasting with the outer purple - can life get any better??!!

Just letting you all know, I will be taking a break until next Sunday.
I’ll be in the Arlie Garden’s Green Day show Saturday. Hope whoever is close can come!!

Two Plums

7" x 5"
Oil on Board
Feeling a little better - so I thought I do another.
I really enjoyed doing this painting.
Sold

Green Pepper

7" x 5"
Bid on this item
I have been battling a cold - they are calling it the "Carolina crud". I've been sleeping a lot - hopefully it will pass quickly.
I wasn’t completely thrilled with this, but I spent quite a bit of time on it in between sneezing and coughing, so I figured it deserved some recognition, since it went through so much.

Oil Carafe

8" x 10"

I was looking for a poem for olive oil and came across this, which I thought was funny and decided to use it instead...

There once was a gal named Olive Oil,
Who makes me blood rise to a boil,
She sets me heart poundin,
With her shrill voice soundin,
Nee'r was there a more sexy goil!

Beach Access

6" x 4"
Oil on board
Sold
I know, I know, this is such a typical beach painting, but I'm really missing hot, beach days.

Mullet Fishing

6" x 4"
Oil on board
I used to go down to a park in Jax, FL and watch the women fish for mullet. They would be lined up on the bulk head sitting in their chairs with colorful umbrellas - it was like going back in time.
A batch of cat food, chicken and cornmeal (or something like that) would be mixed up in these big buckets and then they would throw balls of this bait into the water then drop a line in and pull out a big mullet over and over until the fish bucket was filled.
Because this park was in a rich part on town it was renovated - the charm and simplicity was replaced by iron fences and expensive benches. The mullet fishers were no longer welcome.
Later, I had heard that the fences were lowered.

Capt. Charlie's Station

Sold
7" x 5"
Oil on Board
Capt. Charles Norton Swan lived on Bald Head Island, NC lighting the lamp to put the new Cape Fear Lighthouse into service in 1903 and then running the Cape Fear Light Station for 30 years.

The three wood-frame dwellings overlooking the wide beach were built in the early 1900s, with one housing Cap'n Charlie and his family and the others occupied by his two assistants.

Shrimp Boat Update

Shrimp Boat Experiment

I'm starting an experiment - I have a 32" x 48" BW photo on canvas that is stretched and I'm going to paint it. This might be a total disaster or really cool, but you can follow along in the progress.

Right now I'm just breaking down sections and deciding the style I want to use - realistic or illustrative - I'm leaning towards illustrative.

Blue Crab

7" x 5"

The total size with frame is 10.25in x 8.5in.
Oil on Board

Sold

Reaching

10" x 8"
Oil on Board
I wish summer was here - I miss it.

Taken from "Sea Fever"
By John Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
All I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the seagulls crying.

Traps

10" x 8"
Oil on Board
This painted from a photograph that was taken near Sunset Beach in South Carolina.
Sold

The Race

7" x 5"
Oil on Board
Well, I guess I needed to do something expressive to get me out of this "block".
I had a lot of fun with this and I feel much better.
This is from a photograph of Banks Channel last summer - what a great, warm day!

Bluejay Feather

6" x 4"
Oil on Board
Been having "painters block". Very frustrating.
$65.00

Wasp

6in x 4in
Oil on Board
Framed
Click to Buy
Well, I went back to to get more of these frames and they were all gone except one!! Buuutttt, they had other awesome frames. So, you shall see more paintings with frames. I'm really gettin' in to this!

I also got a large gold boroque frame (slightly damaged) for $5 at the photo store down the street, so I think I'll be doing a large piece in the near future.

I'll be showing at the Arlie Gardens Green Day Show, March 14th. Here is the info:
(click to enlarge)

Just Bee

6in x 4in
Oil on Board
Framed
Sold
I found this awesome frame the other day and thought a bumble bee would look good in it. I think I'm going back to get more - I like the victorian look to it.

Iggy

11in x 17in
Oil on Canvas Board
This is a commision for a friend that recently lost her dog.

Pepper

6in x 8in
Oil on Board
$65
email to purchase
I have discovered that pepper is not an easy thing to paint.

Salt

6in x 8in
Oil on Board
$75
email to purchase
Maybe pepper next?

Jar O' Pickles

6in x 8in
Oil on Board
Sold
Mmmmmm pickles!

Spurs

8in x 6in
Oil on Board
Sold

Water's Edge

6in x 8in
Oil on Board
A friend of mine's dog died recently after an attack by another dog. She is terribly sad. It made me think of my own dog, Chumley and how sad I would be if I lost him. Here he is at the beach.

Big Pepper

6in x 8in
Oil on Board
$75
email to purchase
This is from one of my photo shots. I love the little "tail" coming off the seeds. Not sure what it is, but it does make it interesting.

Pear

6in x 8in
Oil on Board
$75
email to purchase
Here is the redo of the "Bad Pear" I'm happy with this.

Good Brush

13in x 5.5in
Oil on Board
$75
email to purchase
These are my most favorite brushes. I buy them one at a time with my half price coupon at A.C. Moore. Which is a really good deal.

Mushrooms

6in x 7in
Oil on Board
$75
email to purchase
I used to do a lot of food photography and I thought I would paint some of my old shots.