#28 Lone Oak, Sunset on Field of Flowers

#28 Lone Oak, Sunset on Field of Flowers, 6x6, oil on panel, Sold, (click here to view)

I love sunsets and flowers — how great is it to paint them together? This is number 28 of the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" challenge. Only 2 more to go!

#26 Lone Oak, Van Gogh Field

#26 Lone Oak, Van Gogh Field, 6x6, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

After a Hot Tamale Day, I've tried to tone it down a bit. When I was finished I decided that it needed Van Gogh's birds.

#27 Lone Oak, April Path,

 #27 Lone Oak, April Path, 6x6, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

After all that spice, here's a bit of cool spring weather.

#23 Lone Oak, Yellow Road

#23 Lone Oak, Yellow Road, 6x6, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

This "30 Paintings in 30 Days" challenge has been on opportunity to try out new processes and techniques. This panel was toned a bright yellow — which worked nicely for a yellow road.

#24 Lone Oak, Spring Meadow

#24 Lone Oak, Spring Meadow, 6x6 oil on panel, (click here to bid)

My new process for this painting was toning the panel black before painting on it. I left little bits of black showing through. I was surprised at how bright the painting turned out. I had the opinion that with all the black on the canvas it would make the painting dark. I proved to myself that I was wrong.

#21 Lone Oak, Nocturnal

#21 Lone Oak, Nocturnal, 6x6, landscape, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

Summer's blue velvet sky -- I've seen it a couple of times in my life. I toned this canvas a bright blue before I started painting. This "30 paintings in 30 days" challenge is a good way to try out different techniques and approaches. When I looked at the bright blue it made me think of the velvet blue skies you occasionally see in the summer. It also reminded me of Maxfield Parrish's paintings with the bright blue in the sky. He used the technique of toning the canvas also.

#22 Lone Oak, High Noon

#22 Lone Oak, High Noon, 6x6, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

A bright summer day.

#19 Lone Oak, Summertime

#19 Lone Oak, Summertime, 6x6, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

A perfect Willamette Valley summer day. My not-so-perfect computer is acting up again — hence, the lost day yesterday.


#20 Lone Oak, The Month of May

#20 Lone Oak, The Month of May, 6x6, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

I love how 'fresh' the month of May always seems. Just made for a drive in the country with all the windows down and the radio blaring with happy love songs.

#7 Lone Oak, spring wildflowers

#7 Lone Oak, Spring Wildflowers, 6x6, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

This turned out to be really cheerful. It's amazing how few "flowers" it takes to give the impression of spring.

I've been having problems uploading my images for the '30 paintings in 30 days challenge' to my blog and have gotten behind. I will post a couple of on each blog and eventually get caught up.

#8 Lone Oak, Dusk, 6x6, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

I started out with a plan for this painting, but as soon as I placed the first spot of color in the field, it was like the painting made another decision for me. This is where it took me. I guess it's all about the journey.

#3. Lone Oak, Autumn

#3 Lone Oak, Autumn, 6x6, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

This is the third in my series of oak tree paintings. Switching to warm autumn colors really makes a difference in the look and feel of the composition.

#2. Lone Oak, Summer

#2 Lone Oak, Summer, 6x6, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

This is the second in my series of a lone oak tree in a field. This was August — very sunny and stifling hot. I didn't linger long though because I was on my way to Lincoln City on the coast where it was cool and breezy.

#1. Lone Oak, Spring

#1 Lone Oak, Spirng, 6x6, oil on panel, (click here to bid)

I'm joining a large group of artists who have committed to 30 paintings in 30 days! I'm a little late starting, but will make it up soon. I've gotten side tracked from my small paintings—plein air painting and larger studio pieces have called more loudly lately. Now that a new year has started, it's time to get back on track.

For a while now I have been yearning to paint the same scene in different ways. I've tried painting a landscape one way and then the next landscape with a new direction, but that hasn't been satisfactory. I want to see how different colors and effects change a scene. So, now is the time to try it out, at least for some of the paintings this month.

This is a scene from the Mid-Willamette Valley area around Salem, Oregon. There are many farms with flat fields and an occasional large tree here and there. I just love the presence they have, dominating the whole field.

Summer Delights revisited

Summer Delights, pastel floral still life, 16 x 20, NFS

I'm submitting this again. For some reason it did not show up on the main page of my auction. This won a First Place in the pastel floral category at the North Clackamas Arts Guild Annual Show at the end of September. It is the first pastel that I've completed. I really enjoyed painting with pastel which was a big surprise for me. For some reason I have avoided pastels in the past. I plan to do more in the future.

Lavender Field & Farm

Lavender Field & Farm, 8 x 10, oil on panel, starting bid $135

This is the Jackson School Lavender field on Old Jackson School Road in Hillsboro, Oregon. It is just a few miles outside Portland but it seems like a hundred miles. It's such a rural, quiet  setting. This is the second painting I did that day. The first one was posted Oct. 1,  and it won a First Place in oil landscapes at the annual North Clackamas Arts Guild last weekend.

Melody in Purple

Melody in Purple, 6x6, oil on panel, $75

This is the first plein-air painting from the Lavender fields. I thought I'd try just a small one first. There were poppies growing around the edges of the field. It was a really hot day, close to 90-degrees. Luckily, there were a lot of trees lining the road, so, guess where I parked my easel to paint?

Lost Lake

Lost Lake, 18x24, oil on stretched canvas
auction starts at $395

(click here to view larger or to bid on painting)

Lost Lake is another large painting from last winter. A quiet scene — a lake that is the headwaters for a small stream and a snow covered mountain watching over the valley.

First Cast

 First Cast, 18x24, original oil painting on stretched canvas
auction starts at $395
(click here to view larger image or to bid on painting)

Here's another large painting from last winter—another painting about stillness and tranquility. What could be more peaceful than that first cast from a boat on a quiet morning?

Egg cup and shells

Egg Cup and Shells,  5x5, oil on gessoboard,

SOLD (click here to view this painting)

This little painting managed to hold it's own against many larger still life paintings in the Portland Fine Arts Guild competition earlier this spring. It received Honorable Mention—not bad for a little 5x5!

To Let: English Cottage in Woodland

oil on canvas, 18x24, $395
(Click here to buy this painting)

This is another painting I entered into the Lake Oswego Festival of Arts last weekend. It's based on the small painting I posted on June 8. The little thatched roof birdhouse has been a favorite of mine for a long time. What could say "English" better than a thatched roof birdhouse?

Sunflower Duet

 watercolor, 8 1/2"x12 1/2" image—14"x18" mat/frame, $135

(click here to bid on painting)

The Lake Oswego Festival of Arts Show was last weekend. I entered five pieces, four oils and one watercolor. The watercolor is titled "Sunflower Duet" and has a double mat: dark green with a sliver of white. I'll have to take a photo of the artwork with the mat and post it tomorrow.

This One's for Mom, 6x6 oil on gessoboard, May 23rd blog, SOLD

I also entered two of my small blog paintings: "This One's for Mom," a daffodil; and "The Sky is Falling," three little chicks. I'm happy to announce that the little chicks found a good home. They had won two second place ribbons in two miniature shows this month.

The Sky is Falling, 6x6 oil on gessoboard, SOLD

I'll post the other paintings over the next few days.

Tom's Garden Shed

(click here to bid on painting)

$75
What a garden shed! Only Thomas Jefferson could come up with a design like that. He must have seen some beautiful sunsets from this perfect viewing spot.

Pretty in Pink

(click here to bid on painting)

$75
The only thing I don't like about the iris is that it's only around for such a short time. Usually a pink iris is not a very dark pink, but this one has a really deep color. You would think that if they can hybridize one this color that they could create many more with deep shades, but alas, that hasn't been true. So, I enjoy this one when it blooms.

Foxy Glove

(click here to bid on painting)

$75
Don't you wonder who came up with these names? And just what were they thinking? I love foxgloves and always let them go to seed. Then I take the stalks and sprinkle them over my flower beds — kind of like a fairy wand. Then I just sit back and wait for them to bloom next year. The last couple of years we've had such mild winters that some of my plants are 3 or 4 years old and have a half a dozen or more blooming stalks. Talk about heaven!