December 31, 2020

 So I've been slowly going back over to my studio this week- I've been weeding through old paintings and pulling ones I've never posted or that were from ten years or longer ago. I brought a selection home on Monday and gave them to Max and Lucas, our resident eleven and twelve year olds, who efficiently and delightfully disassembled them and burnt them up for me. It was rather cathartic.  And it felt good!

I think I'll be going back over again and doing that more. I am also slowly bringing work back to the studio and out of our basement.  The Ivy isn't completely renovated yet, no elevators I don't think, but there is evidence of life there and I'm happy to start thinking about what I'll be doing in that space this new year. 

Here's a few pieces I love and am reducing the price on~ I love winter scenes around our lakes here!

This one is 12x12 and 2inches thick, so it can stand on its own on a mantle or shelf~ and I'm dropping the price to $200 from $285!

12x12 acrylic on wood

$200

click here to nab this one!

Dec 24, Merry Christmas Eve!

 Ah, the delightful time leading up to now!  It's been a hoot, and I've been busy, and here we are now, and I'm kinda proud of myself for getting a bunch of holiday cards and thank you notes to my students in the mail!

Yay! I Hope you are finding some joy and gladness!  We had a lovely snow yesterday, and so this morning was spent with shovels and delivering packages and being out in that brilliant light! The dogs were happy to pop in and out- their delicate little feet couldn't take it for too long~

Here's another commission, that I think it's okay if I post!

I love those faces- such intensity~

Dec 16, A Commission

 Okay, so this one is from last year, because I can't really post too many of the ones from THIS year yet!

But I'm still delighted to be doing them!  WAHOO!

I love the RUFF on this one...

Sold~

Dec 13, Crunchy Smile

Ah, another otter! Perhaps that's what I'll paint this month when I'm not painting commissions!  This is a tricky month for posting images, because if it is a present and the client doesn't want the intended recipient to see it beforehand, then I can't really post it, can I? Hmmm.

So maybe I should look back to last December and I can post some of THOSE paintings...  that's a good idea!

And in the meantime, this is a baby otter from a video my sister sent me- he's eating ice cubes and I took a screen shot as he was looking towards the camera~ I hope that's legal... and I just linked the video there!

Yay! His name is Joey!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75!

Click now and get it in time for Christmas!

WAHOO!

 

Dec 9, A Woodsy Neighbor

 This is a commission of a photo a friend took while walking through the woods. I was thrilled to be asked to paint it! The image was blurry, but that lent itself to the expressionistic style in which I love to paint, and the pose of the owl is just so compelling. That glance over its back can only happen with an owl. I was worried about it being a little monochromatic, with all the purples and yellow browns, but being able to pull the blues and whites in from the background and soften those up adds just that balance of color.

I'm pretty happy with it!

Do let me know if I can paint something for you! 

11x14 acrylic on canvas

sold~

Dec 6, A Commission!

Yes, I'm still here! Sorry, I've had a really busy week- a lot of incredible brain growth happening from an on-line People of Color Convention I attended on Wed through Friday- and you are right, I am NOT the people the convention is intended for, and I have a heckuva lot of my own personal growth to be doing on my own racist perceptions, and I'm working on all of that- so that's where I've been!

And I'm working on new realizations and thoughts and I think my biggest problem is figuring out how to say what is in my heart, you know what I mean?  There's lots of thoughts been happening in my head, pretty much since Nov 2016, when the unthinkable happened with the trump presidency, and now living in Minneapolis and understanding that this is one of the nicest places to live if you are white, and one of the worst if you are a person of color.... what??!  

See, so much learning!

So here is a lovely pup I'm working on right now- and if you are interested in getting your own companion pet painted for the holidays, better get in touch with me soon!

wahoo!!!

8x8 in progress-

I'm realizing I forgot to paint his tags!

Goops!

Dec 2, Bubble Trail

 I did paint an otter today! It's been really busy, and I haven't had a lot of time, but there are few things that allow me to focus like painting. It really is something I need to do every day, or I don't quite feel right. So I feel much better now, thank you!

This was from a few weeks back when we went to the Zoo (masked, and had to register for a time slot) and I bought all of us Mn Zoo sweatshirts, and the otters were absolutely performing! They were just great-  I think they maybe missed all the people coming through as much as we missed them!

This is from that photo session~

6x9 acrylic on wood

$98

click here to purchase!

Dec 2, Artistry Gifts in the Gallery ONLINE!

It's been a great Thanksgiving weekend, and I meant to post all kinds of things about "check out my gallery page!" and " support local painters- order a pet portrait" things, but I was just a bit pooped, and this  week has been a lovely but full one at Breck, and it isn't over yet.

One thing I would like to tell you is that Artistry's popular holiday sale, Gifts in the Gallery, will be online, and that there are DOOR PRIZES for patrons who make purchases! It opens for online shopping on Dec 7th, next MONDAY and the Link is here~

I'm also popping in the postcard here for you!

Nov 30, Nostalgia Can Be Home, Too...

This is a painting from several years ago when we went on a trip to Ireland with my mom and dad and both my sisters met us in Dublin. I painted a whole series from those photos and this is from the castle we stayed at on Dad's birthday, March 22, and it was Ashford Castle. And this is one of the urns out in front- it was an amazing trip- there were horses and falcons, and mom and dad stayed up late the night of his birthday, dancing and talking to people and listening to music.

Really amazing- 

So there's a bit of home right there!  And I'd thought I'd lost this painting, as it had fallen behind and under our printer...

Whew! Oh and now HOMEvember is over, I'll be making another donation to Simpson's for us!  And if you are hoping for a holiday Pet Portrait for you or someone else, let me know soon and I'll get it done for you in time for Christmas!  Wahoo!

8x10 acrylic on wood

NFS

Nov 29, Reid's Dad's Cabin

 I think Reid said this cabin actually burnt down, and so this is in memory of that place. It looks pretty darn awesome. Can you see the boat to the far left? The reference photo was rather blurry so the details were fuzzy, but that's always fine with a painting because I get to be even more expressionistic than ever!  I loved getting the reflections in there, and the sky over those immensely tall trees- beautiful!

6x9 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

Nov 28, Lorrie and Phil's

 I'm a bit tired as I'm posting this, so it'll be short.

This is the amazing self-designed, selfimagined home of our friends, up north, which is why it is difficult to see it behind the trees~

Beautiful place with a beautiful heart~

Nov 27, Barb's Home

I really am getting a kick out of these places that are real people's homes, where they live! There is a value on something where life happens. I imagine walking up those steps, past those friendly fuzzy fir bushes, tapping on the door with the gentle stucco all around. And there's such a comfortable guard of tall trees behind the house too, those protecting, covering beings. I love trees.

And I am sorry I didn't post anything yesterday, but we were a bit busy, helping mom with her Christmas decorations and eating a turkey dinner in the garage~ it was really sweet, actually. I hope you were able to find a way to celebrate with family.  We all watched "It's A Wonderful Life" together last night on Zoom, with the help of Amazon Prime Video-  it was fun because we all could talk while watching it~ and I always tear up at certain parts of that movie!

I'm thankful for all of you and for being able to paint too!

6x9 acrylic on wood

Sold!

Nov 25, Violet's Childhood Home

I know this house quite well, and have had my own share of fun and memories here, and it also happens to be where Violet has spent most of her childhood and recently had her graduation party (outside, safety consciously last summer). It's a great house, with a great room in the back with a fireplace and a friendly big kitchen, and a huge backyard with mature trees, and that lovely birch in the front.

Ah, I do like painting houses I know!

6x9 acrylic on wood

sold!

Nov 24, Terri's Cabin

 Here's another fun one, where the light is really important. The cabin is white-ish, so there was a lot of shades of grey I had to create and play with, and then all that hot green, so nice!  This could be another place I'd like to spend some time in~ like in that red chair sitting out front!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$45 starting bid!

Click here to join the auction!

Nov 23, Cat's House

 And here's another lovely Minneapolis home! I love the greens and the sky and the trees and that white picket fence and all the sweet plants and the Adirondack chairs out front~ looks like another place I'd love to walk up and knock on the door and say HI!

I like the low view of this one too, because the house looks so much more dramatic!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$45 starting bid!

Click here to join the fun!

Nov 22, Kathy and Bob's House

Here's a sweet place in Wisconsin, with a big sky above. I really played around with that sky!  It took probably more time than the house, because I kept going back in and needing to adjust it all~  skies are fun!

And so I'm kicking out these last few for the end of November!  But if you are interested, I am also painting commissions for people for Christmas gifts too!  Be sure and get those to me soon, so I can get them painted before the big day!

Wahoo!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$45 starting bid!

Click here to join in the fun~

Nov 21, Connie's Bath House!

 Another sweet little structure in lovely light! Rather irresistible! I like the oars in front there too, and the little shingles and the pot of flowers on the delicate legged stand by the door~ I want to see inside it too!

And here's what Connie, whom I met when she came to take Painting Lessons, says about this little building~

 "How exciting that you like it!  I grew up with an out house at our wonderful cottage.  When we needed a bathroom we built this with a tub that looks out a window for moon Gazing. " 

6x9 acrylic on wood

Sold

Nov 20, Britt's House

 I really love light. Don't you? Like how light makes shadow, how you can see the rest of the world through the shadows?

Do I know what I'm talking about? Maybe... but it's Friday night after a long week, and I'm not sure any more...

I do know that I love the shadows and the light and all that dappling on the front there...,

6x9 acrylic on wood

Sold

Melissa's Sister's House

 Whew! I'm kinda hitting a crunchy time... as in things are happening at work and at home and I'm trying to get a whole bunch of things done without biting anyone's head off, if you know what I mean. I'm feeling like all of us are living in an alternate universe at the moment, with events suspended and new meanings coming at us daily...  but I can still enjoy popcorn while Max tells me about more Starwars Lego sets...

SO this lovely house is somewhere on the east coast, I believe, and I'm loving the light and I hope I was able to get a bit of the feel of that time of day, and the glow and reflection from the white banisters and siding... there was just so much fun in there!

6x9 acrylic on wood

sold~

Nov 18, Donna's Abode

 And this is my friend Donna's house, and she has an amazing garden and I was torn between trying to paint the garden in or trying to put in the beautiful tree so I opted for the tree.  It's such a cool house, with a huge wide porch, screened in, and those fantastic pillars with the brick and stucco detail!  I've always loved loping up those steps to say hi!

Oh and it is Give to the Max Day on the 20th, which is Friday (right?) so I'll be making at least a $1000 donation to Simpson's Housing on that day because those donations are MATCHED!!!  I haven't been paid for all the paintings people have claimed yet, but I trust that we'll at least get up to that grand!  So thank you everyone who has bought their painting, and thank you those people who have bid on and won an auction!  I believe there is one auction that has not gotten any bids... you can pick that one up cheap!

6x9 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

Nov 17, The Meathe's

 These are the houses of my hometown. Suburban Minnesota. Nice mature trees, big unfenced yards, not many sidewalks to speak of. And this is the house of another wonderful couple of old friends of my parents', and they still keep an eye out for my mom, bringing her communion on Sundays and dropping off dinner for her. They took her out to eat often after my dad died.  It feels proper to be painting their house.

It looks like another friendly place.  I think that's a little angel sitting on the front step...

Nov 16, Katy's Place

 Dang, people!  Thank you so much! I sent out that note last night and I've got a pile of houses to paint!  I really appreciate this! I haven't even actually told Simpson's that I'm doing this project to make a donation... I keep meaning to mention it but then I run out of time.

SO this is Katy's house, and I've been there a couple times-  I think the last time was last winter, and we all got to sit around in her living room and listen to a musician by the name of Humbird, which was a lovely and intimate way to spend an evening with a group of people, and I think that was one of the last times I was in a space filled with people.

I can't wait til we can do that again!

6x9 acrylic on wood

Spoken for!

Nov 15, Julie's Cabin

 Now, I know I'll get to hang out at this cabin at some point in the hopefully near future!  This belongs to my old friend Julie (and her sweetie Jeff) and some day we'll get to hang out on that deck and watch the bear family trot by on their way down to the lake. Isn't it just great? I love the red shutters and that star and the red garage door and everything!

And the snow, and the blue shadows, and the pines, and the sky, and just,  yay!

6x9 acrylic on wood

sold

11-14 Alana's House

 And here is today's sunny little house. It look like another one I'd love to stop by and sit on that front stoop and have a cup of tea and share some laughter.

Yes, that will happen!

Wahoo!

6x9 acrylic on wood

sold!

 

Nov 13, The Polta's

 This is our friendly neighbors' house, across the street from mom, and we've known them ever since we moved into the "new" house, when I was 9. In 1977...  so it isn't a NEW house anymore.

They are the nicest people, and help mom out whenever she needs it. Sometimes they'll walk Star, mom's dog, so she doesn't have to wobble down the street.

And today is the 5 year anniversary of my dad's sudden death. Always a strange day. It's been a hard and weird five years. The administration didn't help my grieving process any. It feels better now.

I really like the tree in the front yard in this one.

6x9 acrylic on wood

sold

Nov 12, Joy's House

 Doesn't this look like a house you'd want to go into? Like if you knocked on the door to say "trick or treat" you'd get a full can of pop or a king sized candy bar? Or if you were dropping by for a gathering and had never been there before, and you felt welcome as soon as you realized this was the house?

Something about yellow houses...

Oh, I guess ours is a yellow green, with yellow trim...

So fun to paint this one!  Thanks Joy!

6x9 acrylic on wood

Sold!

Nov 11, Jennifer's House

I really love the light on this one!  Isn't it great?  And front porches are so friendly, especially open ones like this, where you can sit and swing your legs free...

This is a great time of year to see houses looking kinda like this, with the sun setting earlier and earlier and the windows lit up warm and cosy.

6x9 acrylic on wood

Sold!

 

Nov 10, Minnesota River Valley

We went for a walk here on Sunday afternoon. It was just too nice of a day to not do that. And now there is about 4 inches of snow out on our back deck... hmm.  This is a Minnesota Fall, isn't it?

I love the Minnesota River Valley- it's wide, open, wet, marshy... there's birds and beavers and rushes and air. Feels like home.

This one is another auction!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$45 first bid!

Click here to join the auction~

 

Nov 9, Maryanna's Cabin

 I love this photo. Maryanna sent me a couple others, and maybe it's because I saw this one first, but there's something about that bench to the far left, looking out over the view, and the door with the rake and brooms, and being able to see through the windows to the far side, and those pines filling the sky with air~

I love this place and I've never been there!

6x9 acrylic on wood

I think it's taken!

Nov 8, Welcome Home Joe!

 Well, I didn't ever think I'd want to paint the White House. 

Somehow, my feelings about it have changed...  and I like this view. Yes, things can change. Whew!

I have really hated not feeling connected to my leaders, and I've hated feeling embarrassed and ashamed of my country because of the actions of my leaders. 

I'm feeling a bit better now!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$45 auction!

click here to join in the fun!

Nov 7, Laura's House!

 Okay, I got a bit distracted yesterday and I DID paint this in the morning with my glorious painting crew out back in our driveway where we heard the news and were totally distracted and full and happy and teary and vibrating and feeling ourselves moving in new and freer ways, and then we had a super fun Open Air Art Fair and said hi to many people walking and biking and driving in our neighborhood and then we had family over for a backyard pizza supper and that was great and then it was late and we were worn out and it was time to go to bed and I didn't get Laura's painting posted!

She said she really loves her pine tree behind the garage there, so I hope it worked!

6x9 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

Nov 6, Naldo's World

 As soon as I saw this photo I was reminded of Andrew Wyeth's painting, "Christina's World" from 1948. And I wanted to see if I could play with the composition and get the same feeling going~ and I like it!  That grass expanse with Naldo's attention focussed across to the flutter of the gazebo curtains gives just the right depth...

I'll be making this one an auction too!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$45 AUCTION!

click here to join in!

Nov 5, Sue's Garden

Isn't this the sweetest house? Its one of those ones I couldn't resist wanting to paint! I mean really, cute little pink house, lovely green trees, those chunky soft bricks, and the wide variety of growing things!  YES!

Thank you for sending it to me, Susan!

6x9 acrylic on wood

Sold!

 

Nov 4, Sears Midtown Building

 I actually know a number of people who live in the Sears building, and I know I was actually in the store way back when it was actually a Sears. And I love the market in there, and have tons of great memories of events there- we had a fabulous art car parade one year when Harrod Blank was in town with the Camera Van, and we had a sew-a-thon fundraising thing one year where each team was given a bunch of recycling and some old clothes and had a few hours to create an ensemble... I think I still have part of it in my closet! And we had several Barebones Parties up there too- such a great building!  Mina sent me the photo and said that Harry Waters Jr lives in the apartment with the giant red A... can you see it?

I love Minneapolis! Oh and if you missed Barebones Halloween Extravaganza this year (because it didn't happen) you can visit any of the sites listed on the page here through this Saturday, Nov 7~

6x9 acrylic on wood

another AUCTION!

Starting bid is $45~

click here to join in!

Nov 3, Cheri's Cabin

 Wendy sent this photo in for me to paint for her friend- I am in love with this cabin!  Isn't it the cutest? If any of you have a cabin you'd like to sell me, let me know!  I'm looking! Here's Wendy's story~

"So my fellow quilting BFF Cheri has owned her cabin for over 30 years. Originally it was to be a part ownership between her and her sisters, but the sisters backed out, and Cheri decided to go for it on her own and has never looked back. It’s such a cute, tiny cabin, with 3 tiny bedrooms, one of which she turned into her up north quilt studio (note the “barn quilt” at the peak). And it’s bare-bones up there. No internet, no TV. It’s such a big part of the allure, to be away from all the media madness. And I have been lucky enough to spend several weekends in this little gem over the years. Thank you Cheri💜"

6x9 acrylic on wood

Sold!

Nov 2, Kris' Lake View

So my friend Kris lives up in Cook County on a lake and sent me a lovely pile of incredible photos that made me supremely envious and drooling... and I picked this one for today. I think that may be a paddle board? and I can't quite tell if it is sunset or sunrise, but I'm making this one an AUCTION! and we'll start it at $45 for a starting bid, and you can bid on it for a week!

How exciting!  I haven't had an auction in a while!

Wahoo!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$45 starting bid!

click here to join in the fun!

Nov 1, Homevember for Debra

So today is the start of November, and also of my HOMEvember project for 2020. I'm needing a space for my head and painting is that for me, and I also love the idea of raising money for a good cause, so all these house paintings are raising money for Simpson Housing Services here in Minneapolis.  There are a lot of people needing some help these days, and Simpsons does really good stuff.

SO this is the first house!  It is a surprise, I think, for Deb's son, and I'm hoping to keep it that way! I hadn't actually planned a show of these paintings for later this month, so I suppose I can send them to the new owners right away too!  Hmmm!

Yes, I feel a little less organized with this project this year than in previous years~ but ah well!  We are all doing our best these days, aren't we?  And it may not be the best we were able to do a year ago, but we're still doing it!

Be good to yourself!

6x9 acrylic on wood

Sold!

Bean Hangs Out

You can't have just one Axolotl, I imagine. They seem such cheerful little fellows that it would be sad to make one live alone~ I'll have to ask Rachel more about how well they get along!  And painting these two is making me think about getting a couple for my classroom, once we're all back in school... maybe I should ask for them for Christmas!

Oh and I just did a google search, and no you shouldn't have two unless they are older because they can be cannibalistic towards younger axolotls. And you shouldn't handle them because that could damage their skin, but dang!  They are seriously cuter than a wombat!  And that's saying a lot!

This is Bean!

I loved playing with that nearly transparent skin... ain't she CUTE?!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

click here to buy!

Unless you are Rachel!  Then just text me!

Sharkey's Smile

 And now, for something completely different!

So my friend Rachel lives in Wisconsin with her husband and a few wonderful dogs and a pair of enchanting axolotls named Sharkey and Bean, and I've been watching this pair on Instagram for a while now, wanting to paint them, and NOW is the time. Aren't they incredible? This is Sharkey, and I am just enamored with his smile~ they have such huge mouths and those sweet eyes are so far apart on that wide forehead with those delicate little hands and that crazy gill mane thing!

Too fun!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

click here to nab!

Sunset on the Rocks

Yes, very clever name, I know...

This was my landscape demo on Saturday for my Paint Love class, and I didn't have to fix it too much... I enjoyed painting the light on the water, and playing with the sky~

Now, this could qualify as part of my HOMEvember project, couldn't it?  It's a place, it could be home, and feel like the place that is the most home-like for you~ yes!  Send me your photos!

Wahoo!

8x8 acrylic on wood

$130

click here to buy!

 

Otter Up!

 We are going to the MN zoo on Sunday afternoon and I am hoping that the otters will be active. This photo is from a few years ago, and I am really hankering for some otters to paint!  I'm also embarking on this year's HOMEvember project (more info HERE) and will be gearing up to paint YOUR Home photos!

As for this critter, it's one of those paintings that I had to make myself STOP dabbing at- I couldn't tell if I'd managed to get the face correct until I stood WAY back and looked, and then I was like "Wow!  it WORKED!" which is one of the best places to get as a painter.

Hope you had a chance to enjoy the sunshine this afternoon!

10x10 acrylic on wood

$198

click HERE to nab this one!

A Commission!

Here's a pup I've been working on last week~ sweet face!  Huge eyes! Which reminds me to let you know that I am always happy to help you with a personal painting of your beloved four-legged friend too~

Just send me an image and check out my sizes and prices on my list here~

Wahoo!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

Otterly Bent

Okay, not the greatest title ever, but I thought this one kinda looked like a potato, and I'm not sure that Otter Tater would work.... though maybe Tater Otter? 

Hmmm....

I had a much more mentally pleasant day today. I wasn't terrified about the drive home for one thing, since it seemed to be much more seasonal and not the freezing rain we usually have in March which makes stopping not so much of a sure thing as a wish~ so I was able to get home safely and then walk the dogs and paint and make a giant snowball in the front yard with the kid and other neighbors~

Lovely!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

buy here!

"Arise"

 I haven't painted the otters in a while, and the last time we went to the zoo they were napping. I guess it's time to take another trip there! I've painted from this photo before, but its interesting to do it again because you see different things each time. It's like that saying, you never step in the same river twice. I've had clients ask me to repaint a sold painting and it always turns out slightly different each time.  I'm not a photocopier, thank goodness!

And I just needed a little otter-ness today~ I do love snow, the light of it, the change in the landscape. But I wasn't expecting it until closer to Thanksgiving, to be honest, and it feels like a bit of a time warp to have  it now.  We haven't raked our leaves yet. They aren't done falling off the trees.

But Otters are just the thing-  I need a reminder every so often (which is more often these days) that life is meant to be enjoyed and experienced and relished, all the bits of it you can touch and reach, like the water around an otter. We are in it, like it or not, and this is what we got, so love it while you can! It's worth loving, this life~

6x12 acrylic on wood

$150

click here to grab this one~

Velvet Gaze

Yes, another buck... this one is more velvety~ and I wanted to play with the background a bit too... I'd been reading and thinking about the idea of playing with areas for a bit of spark, trying something a little different.  It doesn't actually look that different, I don't think~

I'm also playing with the idea of doing another Daily Painting Project in November for "Homevember", painting people's homes with most of the proceeds for any sales going to the homeless here in Minneapolis. Because there is a huge need... and driving home today through the snow at 4pm, heavy as it was, and slick, and scary, I was worried about the encampments at area lakes, and people attempting to live in tents in this kind of Minnesota weather.  We have never had snow this early, in my experience as a living Minnesotan!  I think most of us were expecting a little more warm weather.  Lots of leaves hidden under the snow...

It is nice to see it though!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

click here to buy~

 

Bright Eyes

Have you ever seen the animated version of Watership Down? And they have that song, Bright Eyes? It's pretty short, and Art Garfunkel sings it in the 1978 version...  its one of those songs that yanked my heart into my throat when I first heard it at age 11 in 1978... And this was before Youtube, or Prime Music, or Apple Music, or any of these things where you could find it and hear it over and over. You had to REMEMBER it and listen closely, and then sing it to yourself as often as you could.

Anyway, that song makes me think of this deer... or maybe it's the other way around~

Here's a link to the song for you~ 

Your welcome!

6x12 acrylic on wood

$145

click here to own this one!

Nokomis Waves

 The water was steaming yesterday as we crossed the bridge over the lake- snow was falling and the water was warmer than the air. I painted this from a photo I took in late August while standing in the lake~ I wasn't sure I could get that repeated pattern feel of the waves, and I believe I managed it!

I'm really pleased with the pink...

6x12 acrylic on wood

$145

click here to make it yours!

10/14 Fall at the Creek

I was able to do some plain air painting last weekend, and this is another one from then. I do find that once I'm back inside, I touch up some areas that I wasn't able to get to outside. The time spent out painting goes really fast! And there's also the quality of the light- it's often crazy bright, especially right now in the fall, at that wonderful crazy angle, getting in windows and under canopies! So once I'm back indoors, some of the parts I thought I'd painted really bright aren't showing up that way and so I need to pop them again.

This patch of the creek had tons of fall leaves in it, under and on top of the water. Since I'm more of an impressionist than a realist, I wasn't trying to get the individual leaves but more the sense of the variety of colors and values I was seeing.

I do love the movement in this one!

6x12 acrylic on wood

$145

click here to purchase~

Nubs

 This is one that I've been wanting to get to for a while... that face and those little nubby bits!

8x8 acrylic on wood

$130

click here to buy

10/11 Minnehaha and 16th

 I hope you were able to get out and enjoy the incredible gift that was yesterday! It's not hard to feel good on a day like that- with the sun blasting at such a dramatic low angle and the trees tossing off fireworks of leaves overhead~ dang! I spent as much of it outside as I could, and my painting crew and I enjoyed the sun angling in under the tent in the backyard during our morning class. SO great!

I had to get out and paint more, so I ran some stuff over to the Goodwill on Nicollet and came back along the parkway, scanning for a likely spot to get close to the water and have some light. There were SOOOO many people out! On bikes and walking dogs and wandering around in the sun, so great!

I found this spot on Minnehaha and 16th Ave which is the bridge I painted here-  I've included a shot of my easel.  I'm getting really fast at setting that up and taking it down again!

The reflections in the water are just amazing.

And I'm offering this one at half price~

10x20 acrylic on canvas

usually this would be $400, 

but because I'm loving painting these scenes, 

I'm dropping this one to $200!

click here to buy!