Roses and My Underwood

Lovely roses - must be hothouse roses?! So beautiful, I couldn't leave the store without them.

Here is the latest woodcut I am working on, it's the first time I've ever done a print of a previous painting. The painting sold last year and I loved it so much, I thought a print would be a nice re-visiting of it. You may be wondering where are the daily paintings? Since I have 2 shows coming up in April - one especially for my prints - I am focusing on them right now. But, the daily paintings will return soon...

Chasing Light

Woodcut 9 x 12 in.

Here's a brand new woodcut for Spring! I took the photo a few years ago walking in a beautiful park by the beach through a rose arbor- hugely pregnant! I was a slow mover but, managed to be in the right place at the right time for many inspiring photographs.

I'm playing around with this green color... usually I prefer darker color for contrast but, I was printing on linen fabric the day I pulled this one - on paper.

Steamer Trunk and Traveller

Acrylic on wood 12 x 16 in.

Started this yesterday, still working on the sand among other things... Have you seen the Georges Seurat sketchbooks at the MOMA? Paris Breakfast.blogspot has a nice and easy link... you can view and turn the pages in 4 of his sketchbooks - it's worth a peek!

Staircase to Unknown

Woodblock Print , hand painted. Image size: 4 x 4 in.

This print was inspired by a photograph I took on a trip to Nelson, B.C. It was taken in one of the fabulous old buildings there. I have a fascination with staircases, because you never know where they may lead... to some place magical, a secret room, an 'eye full' of the unexpected... who knows?! 'No Admittance' signs are especially alluring in these situations.

Jewel Box Borders

Here's some beginnings of the sides of the jewel boxes. I love to paint these because it's simply doodling with paint.... plus I love pattern... must be the quilter in me. what could be more fun?

Maybe I could get a job as a textile designer, wish - wish!

Santa Monica Pier

Woodblock print 4 x 6 in.

I took a photo of this lady reading a book sitting on a bench at the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles. She looks quite average here, but in real life she was absoutely eccentric... dressed in a tube dress and low heels, about ??? 70-75 years old. I caught a glimpse of her and knew she was a painting waiting to be painted! (perhaps in the painting I plan on... I can capture the 'real lady')

Upswept Hair

Here's another, I have started the underdrawings for the sides of the jewel boxes... you'll see them soon! These ladies are constantly evolving... one day, I'll post them again when they are all done.

One of the' Big 10'

Another Jewel Box painting, this young lady is a 1937 High School girl from Montana.

Upswept-Hair Ladies

8 x 8 1/2 in. Acrylic on wood.

Well, it's official, I've decided I have to do a series of Upswept-Hair Women... inspired by the Bobbed-Hair Women, of course! I am loving working on the jewel boxes (wooden cigar boxes) and will venture out to buy more today.

More Ladies

Here is another lady... just an underdrawing but I can't wait to paint her... she reminds me of an old friend.


Here's some progress from yesterday. She is actually a teacher from a 1937 photograph... of course I have altered her as I like to do when I work from photographs. She doesn't really qualify as a bobbed hair woman, she's more of an upswept hair woman. (these jewel boxes are wood and 8 1/2 x 8 in. and 1 1/2 in. deep.)

Jewel Box Painting

Here is one of several jewelry boxes I will be painting for an upcoming show. I used my favorite Venetian Red Gesso (from Daniel Smith). I love a change, painting on a dark background as opposed to white gesso... it makes the skin "pop". This is just the beginning of this painting... there will be borders, backgrounds - stay tuned.

Woman with a Fan

Here's no. 3 in the Bobbed-Hair Ladies series. 8 x 8 in square, acylic on canvas.

My Paint Tray

I'm working on another bobbed-haired lady at the moment... so here is a photograph of my sparkling H2O's paint tray. I love to use these to hand color my prints... although I don't always use watercolors. Maybe tomarrow I'll have another lady to show you all.

Waterlillies at Giverney - continued

Here is a painting that is nearly finished, I still need to add some highlights but, here it is! I like the dark and medium blues in the water. I think waterlillies are such a great subject, and it seems so many people have paininted them at some point. It 's hard not to think of Monet and waterlillies together. There is a breathtaking exhibit of Monet's waterlillies at the Musee de L'Orangerie in Paris. They are huge and displayed in an oval -shaped room. If they have a website, it's worth checking out.

ADDENDUM:

There is a website... click on "Les Nympheas".
www.musee-orangerie.fr

Night Sewing - continued

Night Sewing 5 x 7 in. Acrylic on Clayboard

I took yesterday off because I was quite busy making ugly paintings! This is a painting on clayboard (which I've decided I won't use for acrylic anymore... it makes one's life so very difficult!) and I posted a corner of it last month. I was trying to finish this one, but I have just turned it into crap and will have to put it away or just paint over it. I'm sure we all have those kinds of days...

Boy in a Streetcar

Crayon Rubbing of a Woodcut, colored pencil.

This little boy was being held by his Mama, but, I did not include her in the composition. I fell in love with the hat he was wearing, it looked so old world, and sitting in the wood interior of this street car in B.C. Canada... I felt he looked timeless!

To test woodcuts, I often rub the surface (paper placed over the matrix) with the side of a paper-free crayon to show how it's looking before I even do a test print. Sometimes the rubbings come out pretty good and I save them for... ??? who knows, experiments like this one. :) (this is a page in a book I'm making)

The Dissapointed Gardener

acrylic on canvas 10 x 10 in.

This is the 2nd in a series of Bobbed-Haired Women. I imgine she has just noticed her roses are covered in aphids again and she doesn't have any more tricks up her sleeves.

A little sidebar... anyone else not able to use spell check, bold, italic etc. on blogger posts?

Lunch at Jean's Deli

10 x 10 in.Pastel, watercolor and gesso on wood

This is a great, old friend of mine, isn't she lovely?! We were having lunch in my hometown at a deli that used to be an old church. The building was moved a few blocks down town and 'recycled' into a resturant - hence the gothic window behind her. This one could use a few finishing touches!