Jail Break

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

As spring arrives, we are getting more interesting and good looking produce at the grocery store here in Montana. Which makes this gal very happy! : )

Taking Risks

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I've been thinking about the rules of composition lately. And by thinking about them I mean, the fact that I mostly don't. I compose by feel/instinct. As I'm putting something like this together, I am only asking myself - do I like the way this looks? I'll try absolutely anything. If I land on something I like, then I paint it. If it's almost working but not quite, that's when I consult the rules in case any of them might help. If anything they should be called "potential helping tools" rather than rules. I think if I tried to follow all the rules all the time, my paintings could be pretty dang boring. My opinion anyway.

This Little Piggy

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

This cute little pig loves to painting-bomb (kind of photo-bombing, but requires more time). Fortunately he's so cute that the other props are still nice to him.

A Painter's Cups

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I was shooting for something more painterly here, with a variation of color for every stroke. It can be very fun to paint this way, but also time-consuming, as I spend a lot of time mixing.

New Green Bottle

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I got this green bottle recently at our very cool, 4-story, antique mall. I painted it here, above, trying to make friends with all the other props. And then I got a bug to paint the whole thing again, on a black gessoed panel (below). Two different looks. I'm posting them both because I couldn't decide if I liked one over the other.

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Loyal Subjects

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Small cups (and vases) are especially loyal to the sunflower queen. Don't ask me why. They give me all kinds of trouble.

Catchin' Some Rays

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

We've had some beautiful weather here lately in Missoula. I'm really enjoying the sunshine. These sunflowers mirror that feeling. They're just basking!

Standing Proud

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I took a break from sewing to paint a few little sunflowers. My favorite part of this one is the stems in the water. I just love how it turned out.

Hide the Apples

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I bought this fabric a while back thinking I'd turn it into a scarf. I realized today that I can still do that, but just borrow it once in a while for a still life. Duh.

Draped in Purple

Click Here to Purchase - $650 - 10x20in. - oil on panel (click image to enlarge)

Full disclosure: this one is actually just under 10 inches tall. By about 1/8 inch. But it's one of my favorites of late. I've really enjoyed having it in my studio.

Eating is Fun

Click Here to Purchase - $800 - 18x18in. - oil on panel

My Grandpa Roy always said, "Eating is fun." When we visited he would take us kids to the pastry store for breakfast and let us pick out whichever donuts we wanted. And eating them was indeed fun! The resulting tummy-ache - not so much.

Considering Apples

Click Here to Purchase - $800 - 18x18in. - oil on panel

Here's a larger one that I completed before my sewing obsession kicked into high gear (yes, still at it). Maybe it was buying fabric for my still lifes that was the gateway drug. At any rate, dots and stripes abound in this one. And glass, and of course, dots through the glass, which is my favorite part.

Five Things

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

My new, little, square cup wanted to make another appearance. Such a diva, this one.

Looking for Complements

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I found this background fabric recently in my stash. I actually painted the dots on, years and years ago, when I couldn't find what I wanted at the store.

Looking for the Best Cup

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

Hey all, sorry for the total radio silence! I've been sewing again. Apparently it's an addiction. I'm addicted. I'll try to paint again someday.

Meanwhile here's one from a few months ago. I tried several times to paint this striped cup, and this was the only one that worked out. I didn't realize it would be so hard! Also got this cute little square cup.

Fruit Aplenty

 

Click Here to Purchase - $500 - 12x12in. - oil on panel

If you're new to my work, I have a series of online tutorials available. I call them ArtBytes because they are bite-size tutorials, at reasonable prices. A few are free, so you can get a taste of what they're like. And if you pay for one and are disappointed, we have a money-back guarantee. Thanks for checking them out. : )

Converging on Red

 

Click Here to Purchase - $400 - 10x10in. - oil on panel

A while ago I saw an add for some cadmium-free paints (red & yellow) from Utrecht. I figured there would be compromises, but I finally bought some small tubes to try out. And after using them a few months, I am genuinely impressed! They are just as saturated as my cadmiums, and I can't see any chalkiness or other problems in any of my mixes. And if I can be just a little safer with my paint, I'm all for it.

Have any of you tried them? I'd love to hear what you think. (btw, I am not sponsored by Utrecht)

Join the Circus

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I bought the little stripey cup on Temu. It's my only purchase using the site, and I wasn't crazy about it. But the cup is fine. It comes with a matching saucer, and I've tried painting them together several times, but it never works out. I'll get it eventually.

Speaking of bad purchasing experiences, if you enjoy sewing and are considering purchasing patterns on Etsy, beware! Apparently there are a bunch of pattern scams, and I fell for one with my first purchase. After many frustrating hours, I realized the pattern was physically impossible to complete. Here's a video I found about how to avoid these scams. Us makers have to stick together!

Supporting Cast

 

Click Here to Purchase - $300 - 6x12in. - oil on panel

My husband built me a set of amazing shelves to hold all my still life "stuff". They take up an entire wall of my studio, and are shallow so that I can see everything at once (nothing is buried). They vary in height, but the ones for cups are short enough that the one above sometimes casts a shadow on the ones below. I have wanted to paint something like it for years.

My easel is in a pretty fixed location (because of the light), so I recreated the scene in my shadow box, using my new stripey cup as part of the supporting cast. The bounced light was quite a challenge.

Citrus in Sun

 

Click Here to Purchase - $500 - 12x12in. - oil on panel

I got completely obsessed with sewing the last few weeks and neglected painting entirely. Oopsie.

Here's an oldie that I held onto because I really love it. Now it's prepared to find its forever home. Plus I'm home from visiting family for Christmas and ready to paint again. I hope you're all finding new inspiration too in the almost new year!