What's new, cupcake?

Chocolate with Sprinkles

Oil with a palette knife on cradled artist board

4" x 4"

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SOLD

You may remember a similar painting that I submitted to one of Karin Jurick's Different Strokes From Different Folks challenges. I enjoyed "icing" the cupcake so much that I went back and painted two more. This time, chocolate! Here is the trio of cupcakes as well as Karin's reference photo.

And finally, a chunky delicious close up. 

Yum.

Sepia toned palette knife painting

Clara, Park, Lavonne, and Chunky

Oil with a palette knife on artist board

10" x 8"

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SOLD

Kristin sent me this wonderful old photo from her family album and she told me that she remembered the photo being of a sepia color so I tried to replicate that with my paint color choice. What a great photo to paint and what an inspiration for Kristin too. Here is what Kristin had to say about her photograph:

“This photo shows my grandfather (the older boy, Park), his sister Lavonne, and their little brother Paige Wilbur, who went by the affectionate name of “Chunky” for his entire life. The mother in the photo is my great-grandmother Clara. The characters of Oscar, Lavonne, and their little brother Morris in my book called The Book of Story Beginnings, are based on Park, Lavonne, and Chunky. Park, like Oscar, was born in 1900.”

For those of you not yet familiar with Kristin's first book, here it is.

She also has a new children's book out that you might want to scoop up for early Christmans gifts.

A little Christmas in May

Christmas Morning

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board

12" x 9"

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SOLD

This painting was done from a photo submission to my Call for Inspiration back in January. This photo was in black and white but I could picture the color of the the wrapping paper, the decor, and of course the pink hair rollers, so I thought I'd try to recreate the scene in color. Thanks Sherry for submitting this nostalgic photo reference. I hope you don't mind that I rearranged your family's living room a bit, but I really wanted to paint that great TV without the rabbit ears coming out of your head. I hope you enjoy it.

For the show in June, I've asked people to write me a quick memory of their photo so I can have it posted with each painting. Here is what Sherry had to say about her picture.

"Sparkling and blinking lights and tinsel, anticipation and excitement and the smells of the dolls. Is there any stronger memory than the plastic smells of dolls in the early 1960's? I can see too that my mom was battling my frizzy hair even way back in the day! If I've learned nothing else, it is that sponge rollers do not work in my hair. And still, I get excited by the glittering lights and the tinsel and wake everyone up on Christmas morning because I cannot contain my enthusiasm!!"

She is quite the writer. If you haven't checked out her blog, she did a wonderful post today about her painting and, well, it made me feel so great. It's flattery like that which fuels me, keeps me going, knowing I'm moving in the right direction.

Large Boston painting reveal

Looking up Berkeley Street III

Oil with a palette knife on 2" cradled board

36" x 24"
SOLD

This past week I took a couple of days off of work so I could have a two day self imposed painting marathon. Although I was completely fried by Friday night, it was worth it. I was able to finish this large painting I have been working on for awhile now, phew. As well as finishing up a few others that will appear in later posts.

I had previously posted several stages of this painting and this time I was hoping to get a better sense of the size of this painting when I photographed it. The one above is on the easel which kind of shows the scale, but then I recruited Polo and shot this one too. What a hoot. Here is my painting with a hat and legs.

And here is a detail.

And an abstract close up.

It's now ready for it's debut at our June 4 art reception and show. 

Happy 50 Lynnie!

My sister Lyn turned 50 this year. Woo hoo, sister. She still has got the spirit and energy of a, well I don't know, someone MUCH younger! She lives in Texas and recently got certified to teach adaptive yoga. She wants to help war veterans and others who can still benefit from the healing and strengthening powers of yoga, but might need adaptive versions of the yoga poses . There is no holdin' this sister back!

This week, our family surprised her with this painting, called Tri Yoga, by the talented artist, Jill Pankey, also from Texas. It's large, 3' by 4', and so full of color and energy, just like my sister.

Jill had done a similar painting which is currently hanging in a gallery in Santa Fe so she offered to do another version as a special surprise for my sister's birthday. Check out Jill's website and her other paintings. They celebrate woman of all shapes and sizes and well, they are just so much FUN.

Thanks Jill.

A few Mini Masters for Mothers Day

Mini Morisot

Oil with a palette knife on unstretched canvas

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$65 unframed

Mini Cassatt

Oil with a palette knife on unstretched canvas

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$75 unframed

Mini Renoir

Oil with a palette knife on unstretched canvas

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$50 unframed

Mini Renoir

Oil with a palette knife on unstretched canvas

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SOLD

In honor of Mothers Day, I thought I would gather a few selections from my Mini Masters series to showcase today. Have a great day all you mothers out there.

Our house is ready for summer!

Our House in Summer

Oil with a palette knife on unstretched canvas

6" x 8"

Click on the image to enlarge
NFS

This past weekend was an amazing taste of summer in New England. It hit 90 degrees on Sunday. We were lovin' it. It inspired us to wash the deck, unload the deck furniture out of the shed, and get set up for the business of summer.

I did a quick patch job of two different photos here cuz I wanted to get in the thermometer that was reading almost 90. Despite the heat during the day, it cooled down enough in the evening for us to fire up the chiminea for it's inaugural burn.

I JUST LOVE SUMMER!