HOLIDAY ANGEL

Tis the season for ANGELS…unusually mild & gloomy outside my window. A little happy indulgence inside my studio.

CHARCOAL IMPRESSIONS

A very mild December morning. Unusual opportunity for me to go out with my sketchbook + charcoal. 

pines & sky

Charcoal with a hint of pastel is all I needed for these quick impressions. Always seeking the subliminal essence of the landscape.

charcoal & pastel

WINTER MORNING LIGHT

The sun lingered over the pond, then lighting up the mountain with its lustre.

MOURNING FULL MOON

Last week's full moon, known as the mourning moon appeared in all its spherical glory. It's the last full moon before Winter Solstice. It's pure magic to be able to catch the moon sets before 7AM on the western horizon. At the same time, the sun rises from the east, on the other side of my studio. The sky was very clear, so I was able to capture both the sunrise & moon set.

full moon, 6:30AM

moon setting 6:45AM

pink sunrise, 6:45AM

WILDLIFE DESIGN

charcoal sketch

From sketch to a finish design...

appreciation for the precious & quietly beautiful  things surrounding me…from what's outside my window to my little watercolor brush!

Deer with Hearts

EARLY MORNING

contemplating surrounding beauty outside my window….pastel on top of watercolor

a quick wash of watercolor

early morning sky

FALL FLORALS

You gotta love Dahlia, they are still blooming their big floppy heads off!

BROOKWOOD GARDEN, COOPERSTOWN

After a rather busy Labor Day Weekend. It's nice to be able to spend some quiet time in a lovely garden by the lake in Cooperstown. Brookwood Garden is a lovely Italianite Renaissane garden on Lake Otsego, New York.

SUMMER VIEW

There's a kind of hazy beauty in the air …love these breezy summer mornings!

BLACK RASBERRY

My studio is my artist statement… it's set up for ongoing projects. I'm focusing on my floor this morning. The black berry comes from my garden. Wild blackberries are very thorny, but totally delicious!

ROSE SEASON

BY THE LAKE

Can you hear the gentle breezes, trilling birds & the sound of lapping water? En plain air painting with oil pastel, Cooperstown, New York

POPPY SEASON

one subject, many inspiration

The poppy in my garden tend to self seed. Dazzling & carefree, it's always a surprise to see what & where the poppies will show up. These enchanting blossoms only last a few short days. But it last long enough for me to make some hand painted card to add to my collection on ETSY. Spend a few dollars to make someone's day!

just a gold marker

from my garden

5x7 original artcard

SUMMER BOUNTY

From garden to studio…settling down to paint some lovely flowers. Florals & more florals this time of year.

TYPICAL DAY

If there's such a thing, a typical Summer day usually starts in my garden. With teacup in my hand, I soak in the early morning light. I usually find something to put in my sketchbook.

BUTTERCUP

From garden to table to new sketch!

PAINTING IRIS

IRIS, so distinctive … delightful to paint.

SUMMER MORNING

A quiet summer morning with rolling fog. Fascinated by the ephemeral play of light & shadow.

APPLE BLOSSOM-OIL TURPENTINE

Another study of Apple Blossom, this study is oil turpentine on paper. Unlike a watercolor botanical, I get to use big brushes to define the shapes & colors for this study.

APPLE BLOSSOM BOTANICAL

Spending this week on studying apple blossoms … watercolor is great for detail botanical study.

APPLE BLOSSOM MORNING

Pastel is the perfect medium for these soft morning. A great display of apple blossoms everywhere, begging to be painted! Mild breeze & birdsongs make it a joy to be painting on my deck.

GLORIOUS TWILIGHT

Pursuing cloudscapes in saturated tones & vibrant glazing.

NEW FLORAL PRINT

Really like the way this pink & white pastel came out. I posted it on ETSY, for sale,  as a 8x10 print. It would look good in any room.

FRESH BOUQUET

Variations on one theme, bouquet from last week.

Messy pastel, the shape of the pastel stick makes it easy to form the shape of the round Ranunculus.

oil sketch

Digital tricks with photoshop layers: flower fairy & butterfly came from my archive.

NATURE INSPIRED

We have a day of snow on the first day of spring, last weekend. A deer wander into my view. ..

I kind of like my little sketch of the deer.

Wind up spending the day doodling with swirls & winter vines. This might be my last winter design for awhile.