Title: “Tools of the Trade – II”
Medium: Oil on Panel
Dimensions: 6″x6″

I have a ton of little objects around my studio. I am intimate with this knowledge after unpacking for what seems to be weeks. Every paint brush, every tube of paint, every pen and pencil. There’s just a lot of “stuff”. The trick is good organizational skills, which apparently I have to force myself to do. Several years ago I was interviewing for a job and they gave me a phone interview with a psychological exam. You know the kind where they fit you into four boxes and determine if you are a good hire based on “known” performers of that position. It was a bit nerve wracking at first, but I’ve done several of them since and I love to see the results and match them up against my own perception. One of the tests came back and said I had terrible organizational skills. I was shocked that they could determine that from a phone conversation, and never was there a direct question about my organizational capabilities – but they were dead on. They wanted to hire me anyway so I guess it wasn’t a deal breaker. Ever since then I’ve been acutely aware of my apparent weakness and compensate by making a direct effort to be organized.

While I was organizing my minutia, I found something intriguing, and this was it: A small container of medium (my own special recipe – ha ha) and a paint brush, balanced in an unnatural way. I thought it made an interesting and dramatic composition.

This painting is sold but if you are interested in something similar please let me know by sending me an email.

This painting is sold however I may have others which are similar. If you are interested, please send me an email.

Title: “Lipstick II”
Medium: Oil on Panel
Dimensions: 6″x6″

This painting is sold however I may have something similar. If you are interested, please send me an email.

Title: “Iron Chef”
Medium: Oil on Panel
Dimensions: 12″x12″x1.5″

I love to watch a chef prepare food. They are always so intense, and completely focused on the tasks at hand. Not only when they are cooking but also when they are plating. It’s as if they concentrate so much on the plate and how things are placed, they could sear a hole clear through it with their eyes. If there is an open kitchen, I always look in to see what’s going on. So much energy and organized chaos. After watching Iron Chef on TV I mentioned to my husband – I wonder how my paintings would turn out if I painted with that much energy. I’ll have to try it sometime!

We had an opportunity to attend a local Iron Chef competition, and they allowed me to take some pictures of the process. All in all there were about 8-10 chefs in the kitchen, divided into two teams. They prepared and plated we walked from one kitchen set up to the other. It was great fun we tasted, and rated!

If you would like to know more about this image, please send me an email or contact the Green Rice Gallery in Charlotte, NC.

Title: “Dandelion #4″
Medium: Oil on Panel
Dimensions: 7″x5″

This painting is sold

Title: “Today’s Exhibit”
Dimensions: 12″x12″x1.5″
Medium: Oil on Panel

I call this painting “Today’s Exhibit” but I could also sub-title it “Tribute to Cy Twombly”. The inspiration for this painting was a visit to MOMA in NYC. In the background you see a reference to a huge(?? 20′ x 15′) Cy Twombly painting. It actually looked like a gray painted canvas with a chalk scribble done all over the canvas in a rhythmic pattern.

I’ve got to admit after seeing a lot of Cy’s work in person at various museums, I’m not sure I get it. This is an artist I need to read about to get a better understanding of. Some of his other work makes me scratch my head and wonder….what the heck?? But maybe that’s the reaction he was after; after all? In addition, it’s far better to scratch your head and wonder than it is to yawn and walk away.

At 80 years old he is still creating – go Cy!

MOMA has these big deep red cubes you can sit on, or lie on as some patrons did when they were tired and needed a cushy spot to rest. This person found their own private space and was studying the floor plan for the days attack.

Please send me an email if you are interested in finding out more about this painting.

It has been a long time since I last posted, part of the reason is because we were really tied up getting things finished on our house. Then our move took way more time than either of us anticipated. Now we’re in our new/old home again and it feels soooooo great to be back.

For those who are new readers of my blog, we had a fire in our house in October of 2007. No one was hurt, and the house didn’t burn to the ground, but there was a huge amount of smoke damage. After 9.5 months of reconstruction, we are back in! Is it back to the way it was? Not quite in some areas but overall we’re really happy to be cooking on our stove, eating in our kitchen and sleeping in our own bed.

I’m not fully unpacked yet, but I’ve cleared enough space in my studio to get working again, and in short order; organization will be present, and I’ll be painting up a storm just as fast as I can conceive the ideas. Oh I have a few new ideas for some videos too.

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $425 USD plus $12 USD s/h
Or, send me an email

Title: “Dandelion #3″
Medium: Oil on Panel
Dimensions: 6″x6″

This painting is sold

Title: “Blue Morning”
Medium: Oil on Panel
Dimensions: 12″x12″x2″

You may be wondering why I paint a seemingly frivolous subject matter such as a lollipop one day, followed by what appears to be a darker deeper emotional work the next. The range crosses a spectrum as vast as the Grand Canyon.

I guess it’s because I tend to paint what ever inspires me, and that inspiration goes far and wide.

My life experiences reflect back in my work, and my life is far from being singular.

In my lollipop paintings, it’s not so much an image of a lollipop as it is a recollection of a childhood memory. If you connect, your senses awake with sweet flavor enveloping your mouth and nose – the savoring and joy a simple lollipop brings.

In Blue Morning, it’s not so much an image of a woman holding her head, as it is of a recollection of a point in someone’s life. It’s up to you to determine why she has her hand over her head. Is the sun to bright? Possibly. Did she have a rough evening the night before? Does she have a migraine now? What is her relationship to the woman in front of her? Has she recalled a painful memory? Is her heart empty? Has she suffered a recent loss?

Whatever you choose, you’ll likely base it on some of the multi-faceted life experiences which have shaped you.

I’m sorry, this painting is already sold, however I may have something else you may be interested in. Please contact me.

Title: “Wild Lion”
Medium: Oil on Panel
Dimensions: 12″x12″
Price: $275 USD

Oh maybe you know me by now….this is not your typical still life.

I bought a bunch of these chip clips, and when I’m not eating chips, I use them in my *studio for a multitude of tasks; everything from attaching mini panels to my easel, to grouping papers together. The plastic has a slight transparency which beckoned me to include it.

When I select a subject to paint it’s no surprise I want to delve in a little deeper. While investigating Dandelions, I tripped across an amazing site called fxcuisine. The author François-Xavier happened to write a beautiful article about Dandelion Syrup. I had never heard of such a thing, but thought it was worth sharing.

I hope you enjoy my painting as well as the fxcuisine site.

* I have dedicated clips which never leave the studio.

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $275 USD plus $8 USD s/h
Or, send me an email

Title: “Blow Pop #1″
Medium: Oil on Panel
Dimensions: 7″x5″

This is not the “classic” tootsie pop – it is a blow pop. It’s filled with bubble gum instead of chocolate tootsie roll. A few key indicators to it’s identity are:

1. the oval shape
2. the band in the middle runs perpendicular to the stick
3. the bright intense color

These pops were originally manufactured by The Charms Company but in 1988 was acquired by Tootsie Roll Industries. I guess they bought out their competition!

This painting is sold.