Autumn Show

14 X 11
Reference photo by Linda Yocum
Oil on Linen Panel

I've been learning some layering techniques that require using only the point of the brush. I worked and worked to get the fine structure of trees without leaves, layering it like I thought I was supposed to do. A friend came by and I excitedly showed her the work I had done and, behold, as it had dried all those layers dissolved into one. Boy, was I disappointed! So, I went back to work layering the leaves on the aspens and pines, and putting in the stick structures of the trees without leaves. The trees without leaves are still not structured like I wanted, because I have great difficulty using only the tip of the brush. However, I like the layering on the aspen trees and the grasses. I'm learning.

Shallow Water

24X12
Oil on Linen Canvas


Reference Photo taken by Daniel Edmondson

Painting bare ground, or almost bare ground, is confusing because you would think white should be added to the green to get there, but that isn't really true.  I took a few liberties with Daniel's photo and made another bend in the river so it didn't just go off the canvas and the flow was better through the painting. Painting rocks in the water was an interesting exercise as well. I tried a new technique to paint the grass. It will add more detail and make the grass look more real as I learn to do it correctly. Right now I'm still not able to use just the end of my brush to get the right effect, but when I actually learn how to do it well, my paintings will be better.

Onions in Ancient Bowl

10X20

Oil on Canvas

Reference Photo Taken by Daniel Edmondson

Painting onion skins is definitely an abstract idea. They are so transparent when my brain likes solid better.

Sierra Blanca from Apache Pass

16X12

Oil on Linen  Panel

Reference photo taken by Barbara Cooper

This is the view everyone in this area of New Mexico loves. To my family it means we're almost home. There are many, many trees, and we treasure the amounts of snow that we get. Skiers would like more. When we've had lots of snow and it begins to melt, the shape of an Indian Chief in full headdress can be seen on this side of the mountain. When I took the picture on the way back from Kids Club in Mescalero it was almost dark.

We have a pastel of this same scene done by Ted Robertson that is calm and beautifully snowy everywhere. His was painted right after this cut was made and the road was built. There are not nearly as many trees in his painting.

Because of it's many moods, I'm sure I will paint this scene again.

Coop's Water Lot

14X11

Oil on Linen Panel

Reference Photographer Barbara Cooper

This photograph was taken from my father-in-law's front porch. The angled line on the hill to the left of the windmill is a road that actually gets used by 4-wheel drive pickups in the compound gear. I have actually driven up it myself a very long time ago. It takes a long time to drive to the top of that hill if you have to drive out to the main road and back into the ranch from another side road toward town. My family says I must have taken this photograph during a green or rainy year. Other people think it looks so barren and dry. 

Brandywine Roses

8X8

Oil on Canvas

Reference Photographer Daniel Edmondson

When Daniel sent the Brandywine Roses photographs to paint I thought there was no way I even wanted to try them. After a few days I began looking at sections of the roses to see if any small section would be appropriate. I found this one and decided to paint it only after I cropped and flipped it. Then I painted on it several hours, but didn't like the way I had designed it and s the roses were much larger in my painting (5 inches across for the largest one) than I was expecting. So... I scraped off as much paint as I could thinking I would gesso it and paint something else sometime. Daniel looked at my cropped picture and said 5 inches would be about right so I dug out the canvas and started again. This time I didn't try to redesign it with well-shaped roses, I painted it with the spent rose, which probably adds a little character. Daniel said putting the green leaves in the middle rather than at the edge as I did heightens the drama. I like that description.

Bluebird at Dawn

14X11

Oil on Linen Panel

Reference Photographer is Lawrence Splitter

I painted this bluebird on a much bluer background some time ago and gave it to a friend. So many people have asked if I would paint it again so I have. This time I tried to copy the foggy morning as well. I don't know that I like it better, but I didn't want to paint it the same. 

Egret

14X11
Oil on Linen Panel

Reference photo taken by Jodi Newell

I love the photograph this was painted from. You can see the early morning sun coming up as this California  Egret slogs along in the water. The painting did not photograph well. It is a sunnier picture than this photograph shows.

Lone Sunflower

12X12
oil on canvas

Reference photo taken by Sandy Roenspies

This is the first time I've painted a single sunflower. Each time before the sunflower has been part of a group. People seem to want sunflowers because they are so bright and cheery. One friend has planned a big wall of them.

It seems strange that the shadow of yellow is red.