"Hint of Fall" 16X12Oil on BoardAvailableTo me, this is so North Carolina. At least where I live...the piedmont part of North Carolina. Lots of beautiful trees. My daughter and I went on a photo hunting junket one day last October and this is one of the scenes I shot. Fall was very late this year and the day was really beautiful as we walked around this lake. Only one tree had begun to undress and change to the blush of fall.....A lot of fine tuning went on today besides finishing the lake and reeds. The reeds and various plants at the edge of the lake are actually my favorite part of this painting. I toned down the heat....took some yellow out of the grass and focused more on reflections and contrast. Hope you like it. :-) FramedClick on either picture to view a larger version.
"Bohicket Drive Revisited"7X5Oil on Gessoed BoardAvailableFramed in a Gold Leaf Plein Air FrameClick on either picture to enlarge it!Someone reminded me recently about a painting I did of Bohicket Drive last year, which I did as a Christmas present for my mother-in-law. Ever since I did that painting I have thought I wanted to do it again....bigger or smaller...either way or both. This vision of Bohicket Drive is such a happy image in my mind. I put myself in a little red sports car and toodle off to Seabrook with nothing but leisurely moments ahead of me; walks on the beach, dinner at the club, looking for seashells, sitting on a screened porch and breathing the sea air, watching the sea birds, etc. etc. No worries, just hanging out and feeling no pressure from the grind back in real life. My commission of Annie was held up this week as her owners are working on getting just the right pose for her portrait. So while waiting a bit for that, I remembered that the Gaston County Art Gu
"Edge of the Marsh"9X12Oil on Gessoed MasoniteAvailableContact me!This is from a photo I took the last time we visited Seabrook. Just as we were leaving I stopped the car and took a picture across the marsh, one last look at Marsh Point where my husband's parents used to live. Their house was like this one, hanging over the edge of the marsh.
"Grand Pampas"9X12Oil on Masonite PanelAvailable from the artist$725.00When my son, Matt, still lived with us as a young man he helped with the yard chores. And every spring in North Carolina we are obliged to cut back the monkey grass and the Pampas grass. You can use the mower to cut down the monkey grass and it just pops back up with lots of new growth. But the Pampas grass is no easy cutting job. One year Matt went outside with the shears in hand to do this chore and after a while he showed up back in the house with a big sigh, covered in sweat, asking me for a bandaid. I asked him what happened. Matt informed me that if the little stuff was "Monkey Grass," then the big stuff that has sharp leaves and is such a pain to cut must be called "Gorilla Grass." So from here on, in our house, Pampas grass is known as "Gorilla Grass." This is what I thought about while painting this...and missing my children. Matt is a Major in the Air Force now and has even bigger "Gorillas" to worr
"Oreo in the Field"18X24Oil on CanvasClick to EnlargeDriving you crazy with this jump in styles and media? If you think it makes you nuts, you oughta see the inside of my brain. On second thought...This was the big guy in his domain...our North Carolina trees and sky. This picture of the painting is a little blurry. Sorry. As you may know, this is the third version. One was an 8X10, one was a miniature 5X7, and this one is the whole scene 18X24. You can tell it is the same Oreo as before, same position, etc. I think I'm done with him...no more versions of this particular guy. For the moment, I am finished with the "Apple project" and looking around for the next subject to paint. Hopefully I will land on something inspiring in the next day or so....the winter landscape here right now is not doing it for me. Guess we'll see....
"Make Hay"16X20Oil on Canvas$575.00Contact for PurchaseClick to enlargeThis is the second painting of the farm on New Hope, from photos I took just before the land was purchased for a large church project. So this was the very last gathering of hay at this farm. The house is a bit farther off to the right and just out of this scene. This time I just wanted to think about the way the farmer left the hay rolls, some lined up in rows at the edges of the field and some were left lying where they were gathered. Shredded wheat..for very large cows.
"Make Hay II" 12X16 Oil on Linen PanelThis is a redux, in case you think you are having deja vu. There is some glare on this photo...sorry. Wet paint, you know. The linen gave this one a more subdued feel, as opposed to the canvas support on which I painted the first version. Found a frame with a wheat motif which seemed to bring it together as a theme....thought you might like to see it framed. I plan to enter this one into an upcoming show..if not sold there, it will be available here. The other 16X20 version is available as well. I want this!
