Back to portraits...

I decided to go back to my idea of working on portraits every week, and took a 20x16 canvas, divided it up into quarters, and do a small one everyday. I think it's like doing the scales of the piano, you just need to practice over and over again - without the commitment to having a finished piece. That way I can just paint, experiment, be loose and work my way through the process.

The bad thing is that they are done from photos right now - the good thing is, when i rope someone into sitting here for a couple of hours, I'll have done my practice.

To the right - my daughter Sam

10x8

"Best Friends"

I am finishing off my last painting before packing for vacation - a much needed one for both John and me. Not even sure if I am taking paints with me so I can take a break, but not sure that's possible. I know there will be one day that I will regret not having them with me, and the FInger Lakes are really beautiful this time of year. I can't wait to sit at the end of the dock and dangle my feet in the water, see my friends, and have fires at night by the lake.

Wanted to post this painting done of a couple's dogs I painted a few weeks ago. My first dogs - and very happy they looked so much like them!

"All Things French"

Company is gone, and I am back in the studio getting ready for the show in Greenville, NC this week. Most of the small paintings are shipped but I'm taking the big ones with me, and really excited about the show being hung. Jennifer Young is the other artist who has done traveling and painting in France so it will be nice to see and hear about her travels.

The work is a collection of places I've been, painted on location, or things I've bought in flea markets in Paris - preview on line at City Art Gallery

Stop in if you are out and about in Greenville this Thursday, August 5 (6-8)