Drawing: Venetian Stripes

Venetian Stripes 24 x 48 Charcoal on brown craft paper

Thanks so much to everyone who came out to Gale's Restaurant for the opening reception last night... it was so great to see old friends and meet new ones. I so appreciate your support and enthusiasm.

For interested art lovers, the exhibit will hang at Gale's till Aug 8. Restaurant Hours and Directions are on their web site here. Go there, eat great food and see some art.

Graphite: Clarissa

Clarissa 5x5.5 Graphite pencil on Bristol paper
Aailable for sale here.
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A closer look at mark-making.

In process on the patio this morning; Strathmore Bristol paper, a Berol 2B pencil, a Cushi 0.5 technical pencil with soft lead, and a kneaded eraser. And coffee.

Watercolor: Carolina Chickadee on an Allium

Carolina CHickadee on an Allium 10.75 x 4.25 Watercolor on Strathmore Bristol paper
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My paternal grandfather was a mechanical engineer & an inventor. The maple trees in his back yard were adorned with bird feeder prototypes, and hundreds of birds, like fluttering ornaments on a Christmas tree. As a girl, I used to hold seeds in my out-stretched hand, and tiny chickadees would grasp my fingertips to eat from the bowl of my palm.

Watercolor: Waiting for the Punchline

Waiting for the Punchline 8x10 Watercolor & carbon pencil on Ampersand Board
Available for sale here.
Experimenting with color and media on gesso coated board.... the reference was a snapshot of a family eating together al fresco, with a life-of-the-party Dad telling jokes all afternoon.



My show at Gale's Italian Restaurant in Pasadena opens this Sunday with a reception from 4-6pm. Gale will taunt your taste buds with delicious hors d'oeuvres and generous goblets of wine, so come and say hello if you're in the area. I've got 50 originals displayed in her lovely space, and I'm excited to meet old and new patrons, friends and family. (P.S. The restaurant will be open for dinner after the reception.)

Watercolor: Monterey Coast

Monterey Coast 10.5 x 13.25 Watercolor and Colored Pencil on Bristol
Available for sale here.
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I've been experimenting again with different media on assorted paper. This was Canson 2-ply plate finish bristol. The watercolors sat on the surface pretty well (see the early washes below) and lifted easily if they weren't staining colors, but the paper was spongey & fragile after a few glazes. I opted to use colored pencil on the dark areas rather than risk pilling the surface with a wet brush while lifting color.

Collograph: Plotting a Course

Plotting a Course 4.5 x 6.5 Glue Collograph with Watercolor & Colored Pencil
Process shots begin at the bottom of this post
This is a portrait of TC, from a twenty-year-old photo. We were getting ready to sail the Inter-coastal Waterways in Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay, and he was checking the maps. This collograph was created using the same method as this one if you're interested in more details on the process.

Watercolor: Dora Waiting by the Hedges

Dora Waiting by the Hedges 5 x 4.5 graphite & watercolor on aquabee paper
Available for sale here.

Watercolor: Cat Sitting

Cat Sitting 4.75 x 6 watercolor on Strathmore Bristol
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This one is dedicated to Grommit. Rest in Peace, little girl.

Watercolor: Eucalyptus Canopy

Eucalyptus Canopy 11 x 16 Watercolor on Aquabee paper
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This was fun to paint loosely with a fat Winsor Newton 1.5 inch series 680 brush (see process shots with the brush starting at the bottom of this post). I should have used Arches or Fabriano paper because the Aquabee didn't like the brush when the paper was still damp from a previous pass of color. It would have pilled if I hadn't stopped layering glazes.

Starting to add shadows and a path for the eye to follow the lights and darks.

Laying in rough shapes in big paths of color.

Monotype: Dreaming About Tomorrow

Dreaming About Tomorrow 6 x 9 Monotype with watercolor & colored pencil on Arches Cover paper
The reference photos for this series are some of my favorite poses with MKH. The peacefulness and placement of her hands are a pleasure, and the memories of that chapter in time are precious to me. This isn't the last time I'll paint this pose.

This monotype, in the early stages of layering watercolor. After many more glazes of pigment, I let the image dry overnight before adding arbitrary selections of colored pencil to it this morning.

Watercolor: Modern Matriarch

Modern Matriarch 3 x 4.75 Watercolor on Bristol paper
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Process shots begin at the bottom of this post.
The reference for this painting was a photo of a friend with three kids. She's dynamic and beautiful. The cool lavender gray wall behind her was a last second addition, to use as a foil for her auburn hair and warm skin tones.

This mini watercolor will be available for purchase at the exhibit this Sunday - By the Artists' Hand; a Four Woman Show (see the post card below). We'll have a special display area where you can select from several dozen original miniature and daily paintings from all four of us.

Watercolor: Watching Closely

Watching Closely 2.2 x 3.3 Watercolor
Process shots start at the bottom of this post
Available for sale here.
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Watercolor: Roses for Stars

Roses for Stars 4 x 9 Watercolor on Bristol paper
Available for sale here.