COMING SOON - 100 PAINTINGS IN 100 DAYS CHALLENGE - "INSPIRATIONS FROM A BACK YARD"

'Back Door Garden'
Oil 36 X 48

I've been fascinated by the 100 paintings in 100 days
challenges, and finally came up with an idea as to how
I want to do mine. In a time when most of us are finding that
we have to pinch pennies and make some sacrifices,
staying home and finding entertainment in our own backyards
is a excellent way to return to a time of simple pleasures. When I
was a child growing up in the 60's, my entertainment did not
involve a computer, a Nintendo DS, a cell phone, or any of the
other technological wonders that I find are a 'necessity' in my life today.
Instead, my greatest joy was found in climbing trees, riding my
bike around the neighborhood, making mud pies,
looking up at the stars at night, following an ant trail,
finding a baby blue robin egg,
and picking a tomato fresh from the vine for an afternoon snack.



So...I am going to take these one hundred days to explore and
re-examine my everyday surroundings. It will be like taking
a magnifying glass to my own metaphorical back yard and creating
one hundred paintings in one hundred days from what I see.
I hope that you will join me in my journey that will be beginning
soon...stay tuned!

If you would like to see more of my work, please visit
my website. Thank you.

SUMMER CURVES (Dix Hill Farm, Perry County, PA)

'Summer Curves'

Oil 16 x 20

This is a view of part of the Dix Hill Farm along

Route 34 in Perry County. It was a gorgeous, hot

Summer day, and the sky was so blue - but it was

that curving hill that caught my eye and made me

want to paint this scene. There's a great red barn to

the right of these fields, and there are usually sheep

grazing in the barnyard...so I don't think
I am done painting this farm just yet!

If you would like to see more of my work, please

see my website or my blog. Thank you.

COURTSHIP

'Courtship'
Oil 6 x 8

The light falls softly down upon the loving pair...he
whispers sweet nothings into her stem...and she
blushes...
Oh that life were always this sweet...

If you would like to see more of my work, please
visit my website. Thank you.

VIRGINIA BLUEBELLS

'Virginia Bluebells'
Oil on 6 x 8 Stretched Canvas

I look forward to these Virginia bluebells blossoming
at the far end of my yard each year. I planted them
in the corner under some large hemlock trees, and
enjoy the range of blues and pinks they display when
they bloom. The blossoms don't last long, so I know
there's a very limited time-frame to get them painted!

Started this today. See a couple of small things I may
tweak before I call it completely done.

If you would like to see more of my work, please
visit my website. Thanks.

A Sticky Situation

'A Sticky Situation'
Oil 6 x 6

This is my submission for Alice Thompson's
Calypso Moon Artist Movement Challenge blog. The challenge
for April was to paint a food that we love to eat, but which we also know
isn't good for us...
I immediately thought of a nice, ooey-gooey sticky bun, running
over with sweet stickiness and loaded with lots of walnuts on top.
So much fun to paint...so hard to resist!

If you would like to see more of my work, please visit my
website. Thank you.

BARTLETT PEARS ON MARBLE

'Bartlett Pears on Marble'
Oil 6 x 8

I did this painting as part of the online painting challenge
Paint and Draw Together, which was started by artist
Lela Stankovic.

I loved the lighting on the pears, the soft
and hard edges, and the reflected light that the photo
reference offered. However, what really grabbed my interest
were the beautiful reds and oranges on the left pear...
probably the most challenging aspect of the painting altogether!

If you would like to see more of my work, please visit
my website. Thank you.

HAPPY EASTER

Happy Easter, everyone! This is a painting of my
granddaughter, Madeline Claire, when she was around
18 months old (she is three and a half years old now).
Won't be a painting I will ever sell, but just sharing it
as part of my Easter wishes to all of you.

Here in Pennsylvania we are having gorgeous weather -
a perfect day for an Easter Egg hunt.

If you would like to see more of my work, please visit
my website. Thank you.

PUSSYWILLOWS

'Pussywillows'
Oil 5 x 7

A sure sign of Spring...had to paint these
quickly before they popped beyond their soft
greyness. These always remind me of my childhood,
and knowing that warm days were coming when
we started seeing the pussywillows bloom.

If you would like to see more of my work
please feel free to visit my website.
Thank you.