Sanctuary

Sanctuary

Dallas Arboretum Series

16X20

Oil

Depths of Blue

Depths of Blue, 16X20, Oil

Inspiration for Depths of Blue

Depths of Blue is another in my series from the 2008 Dallas Arboretum paintout. When I was painting depths of blue, I could hear my former art teacher Vicki McMurry in the back of my head directing me. She was saying things like, "It worries me that you are making that flower so bright near the edge of the canvas..." She really is a great teacher. I worry about me, too, having all these voices in my head when I am painting. Must have something to do with the aging process.... Vicki has one of the best books on painting I ever read. She is a master of beautifully rendered color and she has the added distinction of being a Texas gal.

Meditation and Pug Napping

Meditation, 11X14, Oil

Inspiration for Meditation

The plants on the deck and in our garden are in full bloom now, even though the temperatures are up in the high 90s. Meditation is fashioned from one of my favorite flowers, geraniums. The decorative screen behind this pot of geraniums looks like aged stone, and I wanted to see if I could capture its delicacy without letting it dominate the painting.

Angel Wiggles, Howie and Java in the sun.

Puggy Footnote: Spied out the window yesterday afternoon - Howie went out the doggy door to nap on the deck. A few minutes after he laid down, Annie came out and plopped down next to him and settled her head on his rear. Then Java came out and lay down and put his head on Howie's belly. Howie can now add "professional pillow" to his puggy resume.