Thursday, December 27, 2012

Isle of Capri Italy

This is a larger version of one of my sketches I posted earlier.  These are very famous rocks that you immediately recognize as being right off the coast of Capri.  This is a very peaceful view (in my opinion) and I felt compelled to paint it again.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Isle of Capri Italy - Church

This is a new painting done from my photo library.  I find it interesting that obviously the Church was built first but right in front of it is a bar.  There's only so much room and you must squeeze in all the necessities.  I'm so glad I took the day trip to this island.  It was truly beautiful in every way.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Positano Plants - Watercolor Sketch

Well, this is my last sketch from the Amalfi coast trip.  This large potted plant was right outside a little cafe on the beach.  It was also a stopping point for a wonderfully luxurious cappuccino.   I can hardly get thru a day now without thinking of those cappuccinos.  There's something different about them in Italy.  I don't know exactly what it is, but I sure do miss them. 

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Window - Watercolor Sketch

One thing that has always fascinated me about France and Italy are their shuttered windows and doorways.  I have noticed over the years that they take great pride in their entries and windows.  There are always fresh flowers and I just want to peek inside.  Porches and entrances are always swept and kept clean. What other neat things are on the other side if they present such a clean attractive entrance or window?  I guess I'll never know unless someone invites me in some day. 

Monday, December 10, 2012

Positano Italy - Watercolor Sketch

Not far from Sorrento along the coast is another wonderful town called Positano.  Of course it had a wonderful church (pictured) and was a beautiful town.  It's very hilly and after a day of walking down to the beach and back up to the town and shops - it was a day!! 

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Isle of Capri - Watercolor Sketch

The next great side trip took us to the Isle of Capri which was pretty amazing.  You must be quite wealthy to live on this little island and it was beautiful.  There's a high and low end to the island and I couldn't resist heading straight to the high end first.  There's a chair lift that takes you to the very tip top of the island where you can see a fabulous 360 degree view for miles.  This sketch is of a couple of famous rocks that are perched right off the coastline and are painted quite often.  We didn't do any shopping here because all the stores were high end designer.  I saw a fabulous pair of shoes in a window but was a bit taken back at the $400+ price tag.  So off we went to the other side of the island.  I have so many photos I'd like to paint - wish I had the time to do them all. 

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Amalfi Coast - Watercolor Sketch

Amalfi is the first town we visited from Sorrento.  This sketch is from the curvy little road that runs along the coastline.  What is interesting about this scene is the little house is backed up and attached to the natural rocks.  Kind of hard to tell from this sketch but I found it fascinating.  I guess that insures you will never have a neighbor behind you. 

Monday, December 3, 2012

Sorrento Harbor, Italy - Watercolor Sketch

I'm baaack!  For those of you that didn't know I was missing - - I just returned from 2 wonderful weeks on the Amalfi coast of Italy.  We based out of Sorrento which is a lovely town.  The Amalfi coast specializes in producing that beautiful inlaid wood you all know and love from Italy.  They also produce the liquore "Limoncello" as they have a coast full of lemon trees.  This year I traveled with a large group of artists - a grand total of 32!  We had a full size charter bus take us to different coastal towns daily.  All nice and easy.  I only did postcard size watercolor sketches while on this trip.  There was just too much to see and do to spend all day in just one particular painting spot.  Some of the artists did just that, but they missed a lot of secret spots I found.  Ha

Monday, November 5, 2012

Collage in Blues - SOLD

This is another little 5x7 heavily textured collage.  Unfortunately the photo of this painting just doesn't represent well.  The original is on display this month at ArtSpace in Round Rock and you'll have a totally different experience seeing it in person.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Collage in Reds I - SOLD

I've been doing a lot of abstract collage paintings lately.  Some are very small like this one (5 x 7).  This was made from painted papers, acrylics, watercolors, oil pastels and whatever else I happened to grab and throw in.  Beginning November 1st there will be the Group of Four exhibit at ArtSpace in downtown RR.  The reception is Thursday, 11/1/12 from 5:30-7:00.  Come join us for wine & cheese if you can. 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Spirit Horse

I'm still playing around and experimenting.  I'm trying to add "spirit" designs to my little horse.  He has spirits within and behind him.  It's a fun experiment and makes an ordinary horse a bit different.  Coming soon - -  Group of Four Exhibit at ArtSpace for the month of November.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Identity Crisis - Collage

This is a collage I did one night wondering what Bevo might look like if he snuggled a giraffe.  This is not one of my "serious" art works but I thoroughly enjoyed doing it.  It's a collage of many pieces of painted watercolor tissues and papers.  Sometimes I just have a great time playing with my imagination.  Hope it make you smile!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Yupo - Agave

I've been painting my little heart out.  This is another full sheet (very large) Yupo watercolor painting.  It's got the wild texture that only Yupo can provide and a bit of impressionistic leaf work.  It was another fun project taking about a week to paint.  Since then I've been working on collage with mixed media.  I just photographed several paintings that will be appearing soon.  Too bad that all the images on my blog are the same size.  You can't tell a full sheet painting from a 5x7.  Oh well.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Yupo Floral

This is my latest adventure I've been working on.  This floral is painted on Yupo paper.  Actually, it isn't paper, but a plastic surface that does not absorb any paint.  The paint "floats" on top of the surface until it dries.  This one's done in watercolor.  The fun thing about Yupo is you never quite know how the paint will dry.  It's a surface that causes you to keep coming back many times to re-wet and re-paint.  In the end, it has a much different quality than painting on regular paper.  Comments are always welcome!!!

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Orange Pears

I'm trying to get caught up on my posts.  As usual, I'm behind.  This is the 2nd of the 3 different colored pear paintings we did in class.  Pears are so much fun to paint!  I'm currently working on some large Yupo watercolor paintings - so stay tuned.  I am working you know.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Pear Glow

This is the subject I used while teaching my beginning watercolor class.  I painted it several times in different colors.  This is the yellow green version. 

Saturday, August 4, 2012

"Retro Rouge" - SOLD

I've painted this room once before several years ago.  It's the upstairs portion of a French restaurant where we dined several times in Provence.  The public was downstairs, the room upstairs was bright, sunny and quiet.  The first time I painted it in oils, this time it's a watercolor.  It is currently on exhibit at Round Rock ArtSpace, 231 E. Main Avenue, Round Rock for the month of August.  Thank you Cathy for purchasing my painting for your home.  You're the BEST!!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Seven Stars - Watercolor Class

I recently taught a beginning watercolor class at ArtSpace.  These are my graduating students holding their beautiful paintings.  I was immensely proud of each and every one of them who proved that you can paint even if it's the first time you've ever picked up a brush.  Way to go!!!!!

Textured Abstract - Encaustic

This is the last of my encaustic paintings that I'm willing to post.  This one has embedded papers and paint as well as some colored wax on top.  It was fun and I hope to some day pursue this further.  For now, that's the encaustic collection!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Swimming - Encaustic

This is another encaustic I did in the workshop where the technique was embedding.  After laying down several layers of wax and doing some painting on the different layers, I embedded objects into one wet wax layer.  A final thin wax layer was then added to make sure everything was secure and not going to pop off.  Encaustics should be viewed "live".  It's very difficult to represent them accurately in photos.  Once again, these are not great works of art by any stretch, but an opportunity to try a new medium.  With much practice they CAN be beautiful pieces.  Not there yet!  Ha

Monday, July 9, 2012

Flower Power - Encaustic

I just took a weekend workshop in Encaustic painting.  Encaustic is an ancient art form involving painting with melted wax.  This was my introduction and first attempt!  I drew a quickie flower and used colored oil sticks for color.  I melted the colors with a torch and fused them permanently to the board.  The last layer is more non-colored wax which gives a translucent uneven look.  Once everything is fused with heat, it is a very permanent art piece.  No worry about it melting on a hot day (which I asked).  I will show you my other works from this weekend in my next posts.

Monday, July 2, 2012

"The Genius"

Hello Bobby!  Here is one of my favorite poets that I've loved since I was 15 years old.  That was a couple of years ago.  This image is too small to read the calligraphy on the painting, but the words are all from "Subterranean Homesick Blues" (which is the first song I slaved over trying to write each and every word).  I just didn't get it -  I'm still trying to figure him out all these years later. 

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

"New Hope, PA"
This is a full sheet pastel on velour paper.  The dreaded, can't make a mistake, velour paper.  I took the reference photo while on vacation in PA last year.  There are so many wonderful quaint towns full of historic buildings.  I was surprised at just how scenic it was.  This scene could easily pass for a place in France or Italy.  Enjoy!

Friday, May 25, 2012

Tiger Lilies

Yesterday I enjoyed a fun filled day at a mini-workshop given by my best bud and mentor Rae Andrews.  We had so much fun slinging paint.  I got a good start on this but didn't finish it until late this afternoon.  It's a watercolor consisting mostly of negative painting, leaving lots of the white paper and drawing with charcoal pencils.  I got so much enjoyment out of doing this.  It looks very easy and freeing but in reality it will strain your brain big time trying to accomplish!  Thanks Rae!!!!

Tuesday, May 15, 2012




Sunflower III

This latest sunflower is done on velour pastel paper.  The surface is so rich and holds the brightness of the pastels very well.  I've definitely been in a pastel mood lately.  This is the second of four recent paintings done in pastel.  I've worn my sticks down to nubs now and need to go shopping!  

Friday, April 27, 2012

                                           "In Bloom"
I've been out of town painting with friends on Lake Buchanan.  What fun - a girls slumber party and paint out all at the same time.  This is a pastel on velour paper.  It's the first time I've painted on this surface and it is so luxurious.  It's a challenge because you can't erase anything once you've touched the pastel to the surface, but the reward is how the pastels glow on the surface.  Hope y'all like it.

Friday, April 20, 2012

"Family"

I went away a couple of weeks ago to a fabulous workshop given by Nick Simmons.  I managed to finish 3 paintings and this is the first one.  This was painted entirely in acrylics but used in a watercolor technique.Hope this post works since BlogSpot has once again changed formats and it looks totally foreign to me now.  Oh well.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

"Frost Twilight"


I snapped a photo of the Frost building one night from the 6th floor of the Hilton. The sun was setting and there was some great bounce of colors and light hitting the building. I decided I needed to do another Austin skyline painting from a different perspective. This one has just won a Merit Award at the Waterloo Watercolor Society. The exhibit will hang at the Corridor of Arts in the old Chase Bank building downtown from mid April to June.

Friday, March 30, 2012

"Medicine Man'


Well here's something different! There was something special about a guy who's willing to wear a dead bird on his head. He captured my imagination and off I went. I'm back to experimenting again with some different techniques. You never know what I'll come up with next. Stayed tuned. This one is a half sheet watercolor.