This blog started with small daily paintings then changed to a more personal sharing of projects, events and photos. Enjoy!

Monday, March 31, 2008

Brownie Hawkeye Camera

This was my Dad's Brownie. My first camera was a brownie--I must have been about ten--the 60's. It's amazing how the camera has changed through the years, from a box with a hole to today's digital cameras. I have no clue as to what happens inside the digital to make an instant picture!
Watercolor, 7"x 7"
SOLD

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Holders of the Hair Beast

Another collaboration. Check out the video of my granddaughter putting down the paint for this and my previous collaboration. At the end of it she says, "It's ready for some salt."




Watercolor 7"x 7"
$120 matted / $160 matted & framed


For international or expedited shipping, please contact me prior to purchase.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Genie and a Drop of Celery Juice

I haven't been able to paint daily--preschool is on vacation, resumes on Monday--granddaughter caught a springtime cold. I sneaked this one in after hours. I haven't worked on a collaboration in awhile, my granddaughter now puts down the paint in a different way. Pretty soon she'll be painting her own little pictures that I won't want to touch!
Watercolor 7"x 7"
$120 matted / $160 matted & framed


For international or expedited shipping, please contact me prior to purchase.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Easter Hummingbird

Happy Easter! Before putting my Granddaughter to bed last night, we noticed a hummingbird flying frantically back and forth outside our kitchen window. This was odd since it was in the dark of night. I thought of my sister Martha who has a connection with hummingbirds and I hoped she was OK--maybe she was in trouble and sent a hummingbird to alert me! (Yes, I believe things like this)After falling asleep reading bedtime stories, I got up around midnight to help the Easter bunny hide a basket. There, in another window was the hummingbird! He looked like he was trying to get my attention! He then flew back to the kitchen window where there's a tangle of jasmine growing up and around it. On closer inspection I could see there was something on his beak and he was trailing a long sticky web that kept getting caught in the jasmine. I put on a jacket and slippers, went outside, the moon was up and very bright. Coyotes were barking and howling somewhere off in the back bay. I reached up and easily caught the bird--it was so exhausted, it almost fell into my hands. I brought it over to the outside light and pulled off the spidery web around its beak and the one that was trailing from his leg. He opened his beak a few times in relief. I went back to the jasmine, opened my hands, but he didn't budge--now I was kind of stuck with this humming bird dead asleep in my hands! (They go into a sort of sleep called torpor?) With some difficulty, (having my hands full with such a light and delicate creature), I went inside and was able to put the bird in a gift box that was handy with a soft rag on the bottom. I woke up hearing some flutter. My cat was on the table batting the box around! Scat cat! My granddaughter and I brought the box outside to see if it would fly away...here's a clip--not very clear.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

My Dad's Old Voigtlander

This camera probably still works. My dad kept his cameras in great condition. This one slowly pops out at the press of a tiny silver button, very cool--I just want to keep pressing the button over and over to see the accordion and lens emerge, but it's old and I better not press my luck.
Watercolor, 7"x 7"
SOLD

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Dandelion

A danelion ready to blow away. Part of it has.
Watercolor, 7"x 7"
SOLD

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Miner's Lettuce

Miner's lettuce is up and growing all around my house. It's a small round of green. You eat the whole top , little flower and all--pretty tasty. I ate these after painting them.
Watercolor 7"x 7"
$120 matted / $160 matted & framed


For international or expedited shipping, please contact me prior to purchase.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Lizard Day

All the lizards were out chasing each other today. It's sunny and warm--the kind of day lizards love. I thought about painting one. I could have caught one with a thin blade of grass, but I didn't want to hold one captive on this great lizard playing day. Then my cat charged across the back yard and pounced on this big lizard. I chased the cat away--the lizard wasn't moving. I thought it was hurt, but it must have been in shock. I placed it on a high stool where it sat very still while I sketched it a few times. It was watching every move I made. It was also aware of the cat lounging in the shade of the car, so this lizard made a great model! It finally jumped off the stool onto a nearby table and made its escape out into the yard, but I had to chase the cat away from it a second time! My cat is a hunter.
SOLD
Watercolor, 7"x 7"

Sunday, March 16, 2008

South Side of Hollister PaintingII

This painting goes along side (on the right) of my previous post, South Side of Hollister.
Watercolor, 7"x 7"
SOLD

Saturday, March 15, 2008

South Side of Hollister

I hiked up Chumash trail--found a spot. The winds were strong up to 40mph gusts. I was on the top of a little crest. I had on extra layers, but the wind was going right through me. In my art supplies, I found an old rag large enough to wear as a scarf. Under my jacket and under my husbands flannel jacket, I had on a sweater with a cowl neckline. I pulled that halfway up the back of my head (wishing it was a hood!) Then I found an old hair stick I hadn't finished whittling, I whittled a point and pinned the sweater neck to my scarf. I buttoned the wrists of my jacket. I had an almost empty bottle of pink soap (I use this on my masking fluid brush). With my apron tie, I fastened the bottle to my waist, so the wind wouldn't blow it away. It was pretty handy having the bottle right there at the ready and it was nearly empty so nothing came out when I bent over. I may do that again on a still day. Later, after packing up and tying my things to a three wheel baby stroller and heading out to a main road, I almost forgot I had on this makeshift headgear and really didn't want to take it off and how ridiculous that I did, because here I was pushing this stroller full of stuff, might as well have on some strange head gear. This is one of two paintings that go together. I'll post the other tomorrow.
Watercolor, 7"x 7"
SOLD

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Old Doll with Dress

I had to try painting this doll again. I wasn't satisfied with my first attempt and I think I captured a little more of how she looks in this painting. I've got to say that painting dolls or maybe it's just this one, takes awhile. Could be because it's a figure.
Watercolor, 7"x 7"
SOLD

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Old Doll

This doll was given to my daughter many years ago. It was old then. My daughter gave it to her sister who brought it over to a friend's house and left it there. There it stayed for many years. A few days ago the friend brought over this doll and two others that had also been left behind. She said she'd been meaning to return them. She's moved five times and kept the dolls through all this time. I'm amazed to see them again. My granddaughter is thrilled. Here's the oldest of the three.
Watercolor 7"x 7"
$120 matted / $160 matted & framed


For international or expedited shipping, please contact me prior to purchase.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Bee

My husband brought this bee home for me. I get my bees mixed up. Is this a honey bee or a wasp?--I know it's not a bumble bee--those are the furry black and yellow striped ones. Again, I used a magnifying glass.
7"x 7" Watercolor
SOLD

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Windy Cove

This is looking down on Windy Cove from standing just outside the heron rookery. My first pass through windy cove was sunny and still--no wind, which is unusual. Then suddenly the wind came in strong, and dark clouds covered the sun. It went from warm to cold. I put on my extra layers and when the sun peeked through, I'd lie down in a sunny spot on a bed of eucalyptus debris.
Watercolor 7"x 7"
$120 matted / $160 matted & framed


For international or expedited shipping, please contact me prior to purchase.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Bug Lady with Children

I missed a few days due to a bug in the family, so here's a collaboration of a family in a bug or being carried by one...what does this mean?
Watercolor and color pencils, 7"x 7"
SOLD

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Bird Bones

I found this bird bone today on my walk. Since I dreamt something to do with bones, I thought I'd pick this up and try painting it. I think this is a breast plate with the wish bones up by the neck. It's extremely lightweight.
Watercolor 7"x 7"
$120 matted / $160 matted & framed


For international or expedited shipping, please contact me prior to purchase.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Eucalyptus Leaves III

Leaves from a different Eucalyptus tree---rounder and a more silver color leaf.
Watercolor 7"x 7"
$80 matted / $120 matted & framed


For international or expedited shipping, please contact me prior to purchase.