Joining the Welcome to Livermore series

This cluster of ripe oranges were right at eye level, on one of my daily walks in Livermore. 

'Low Hanging Fruit', 6x8 watercolor on Yupo.

Art catch up

I've been painting quite a lot lately. Here are some of my newest pieces.

These two are from 'Oregon Coast Memories' series.

It IS easy being green!

Little Red House on the Lake

Sometimes I just need to play. 

These two mixed media (acrylic, watercolor, collage) pieces were done on illustration board. 

The first is titled 'Heading Home', and the second is 'Follow Me'. 

This type of work comes from intuition, from the heart, letting the painting itself lead me where it wants to go.

Heading Home

Follow Me

At Long Last!

I have these five paintings in the Livermore Art  Association Spring Show! 

All the years we were fulltime RVers, I didn't enter shows or exhibit in galleries. Now that I'm a Livermore resident, it seemed fitting to join the local art group and enter this show. 

I helped check in work and, trust me, there's some mighty fine art in this exhibit of 260 creations. 

If you are anywhere near Livermore CA, please drop by the Bothwell Center on 8th street this Saturday & Sunday April 20th & 21st, 10:00 - 4:00. I'll be there Saturday afternoon and for a while Sunday too. Hope to see you!

Paz. Shalom. Amani. Aquere. Peace.

Moving On

Broken Promise

 

 Conundrum 

When the Kids Go Out To Play

 

More new art

 The California poppies are really popping here now - huge fields of them!

5x7 watercolor on paper

I think I missed posting this earlier, part of the Oregon Coast Memories series.  

Stars of the Tidespools, 5x7 watercolor on Yupo

Recent paintings

For the first time ever, I can spend as much time as I want working - and playing - in my 'studio'. I have never had that luxury before and I am enjoying it.

In recent years my paintings mostly consisted of places we visited and loved, mainly landscapes. In the past I also did a lot of abstracts, explorations, and experimental techniques. I am getting back to that now. These two pieces might be submitted to the Livermore Art Association Spring Show. 

                 When the Kids Go Out to Play, 12x12 mixed media on Gessobord 

                                        Moving On, 15x7 watercolor on Yupo

More tide pooling

 Okay, I admit it. I'm just having fun!

Adding this to the Oregon Coast Memories series. 5x7 mixed media on Yupo. 'Sea Anemones'

Another Oregon Coast Memory

 Kayaking on Tenmile Lake, the largest of the Oregon Coastal lakes, Jamie and I discovered remains of an old bridge way up one of the many arms.

This joins my Oregon Coast Memories series. 'Bridge to the Past', 8x10 watercolor on 140# paper, with a fair amount of rice papers added for texture.

Welcome to Livermore #2

I grew up in South Dakota and spent most of my adult life in the Rocky Mountain West. I have been amazed at all the blooming flowers - ones I would expect to bloom late May/early June - when I take my walks. Winters are very mild here, and I do like that! 

I did this series of five and framed them together, as you can see in situ.

Welcome to Livermore #1

My son Geoff and daughter-in-law Jenise got a sheepadoodle puppy in October. (He's adorable and ever so smart.) I painted my first pet portrait as a gift for Geoff's birthday in January. I am very pleased that my painting really looks like Brewer!

Oregon Coast wildflowers

Jamie and I loved Cape Blanco. The state park there has really nice RV sites, and there's a great hike along the coastal cliff. 

Last spring the wild irises along the cliff hike were in their glory.

Adding to the Oregon Coast Memories series

The Oregon Coast, especially the South Coast, has pristine rivers. This one culminates at Winchester Bay, one of Jamie's and my very favorite places to park our rig, fish for salmon, go Dungeness crabbing, visit with delightful people, and enjoy the views. Jamie was soooooo at peace here!

'Up the Umpqua', 8x10 watercolor on paper.

Another Oregon Coast Memory

This is one of Jamie's and my favorite views from the cliff hike at Cape Blanco State Park Oregon. I took my reference photo sitting on a park bench that was conveniently placed to just sit and watch the ocean, listen to the breezes, and relax. Jamie loved this spot and so did I --- how I miss that fella and how I miss the OR coast!

High Tide at Cape Blanco. 16 x 10 watercolor on paper

New painting!

 Fresh off the easel:

I've had a hankering to do a Dungeness Crab on Yupo for a very long time. This joins my Oregon Coast Memories series.

'Washed Up', 10x5, watercolor on Yupo.

Painting again!

Every February my friend Billie Colson sponsors a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis research at her Independence Gallery in Loveland Colorado.  The Gnomes I painted at Christmas were so much fun, I decided to do a Gnome and Gnomess, following the Rose theme, to donate this year.

I have such wonderful memories, with Jamie, of the Oregon Coast. I promised myself that I would capture favorite subjects & places and hang the series in my new apartment in Livermore CA. These will always bring a smile, often a tear, when I think of the great times Jamie and I had together and wish for them to be continuing now and for a very very long time. How I miss that guy! 

So here are the first couple: Wild White Foxglove we happened upon on a hike up the Chetco River on the South Coast, and Wild Iris on the Cliff Hike at Cape Blanco.

My son Geoff got an adorable sheepadoodle puppy in October, named him Brewer. Geoff just had a birthday and I decided to try something I'd never done before as his gift - a pet portrait. I'm happy to say it turned out pretty darned good, looks just like him.

My sister-in-law Barb Bethel was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is in the fight of her life. I painted mini Nurse Gnomess to be with her during treatment and give her courage and strength. 

Now I'm caught up with my posts. Back to the studio and another Oregon Memory!

2023 Paintings

I didn't do much painting in 2023. Here are the few I managed to crank out.

We loved camping at the South Monticello park near Elephant Butte NM. This is the view we had from our rv site. Jamie & I loved sitting here and watching all the birds on the lake.

 

Another favorite place: Cape Blanco State Park near Port Orford Oregon. 

And the ever present wild foxglove that grows everywhere along the South Oregon Coast. 

I painted miniatures to use as Christmas gift tags for family; they do double duty as tree ornaments. The Gnomes were especially fun, and very well received.

My final 2023 piece was pretty special. My daughter-in-law Jenise is a great gardener and has a masterpiece yard. This is her agave, the photo taken by Jamie many years ago when the plant was just a baby. I painted it for Jenise, from Jamie & Me --- need I say there wasn't a dry eye in the house?