Lil' Wren

 Lil' Wren

6" x 6", pastel

Same little family of wrens and more artistic license to create this painting!

My Best Side...

My Best Side...

6" x 6", pastel

We are blessed with the cutest family of wrens. To be so tiny, they are one loud little critter. They flit all over the porch singing their songs at the top of their lungs. They enjoy sitting high on the furniture, but that doesn't make for very interesting paintings!! So.....a little artistic license was put in play here....

 

Lesser Goldfinch

 Lesser Goldfinch

6" x 6", pastel

We have many various visitors to our birdfeeder, supplying endless hours of enjoyment. These little beauties visit during the warm weather, so we enjoy them while we can.

Peach Sunset

Peach Sunset

12 x 6, pastel

There is something about painting a vertical sunset. I just love them, maybe because they are unexpected, just as the colors of this sunset. It was so pale but with the wisps of clouds that really looked like they wanted to bring rain.......but, alas, it didn't happen.

 

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

Matted to 8x10, watercolor

Watercolor was my medium of choice for 20+ years. Then I discovered pastel..... I still create in watercolor just not to the extent that pastel is used. But some subjects just lend themselves to watercolor and that is just what this dragonfly needed!!

 

Hill Country Scene

Hill Country Scene

8" x 8", pastel

The Texas Hill Country is known for the wildflowers that 'usually' cover the fields and sides of the roads each spring, this year, not so much. They are dependent upon the rainfall received in the fall and winter and not so much of that happened. So even though they were few and far between, I decided that I would paint them from memory. Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes are my favorite. Have to admit that name of the lavendar/ purple flowers escapes me, just know that they are not verbena.

 

Serata Italiana

 Serata Italiana

10 x 8, Pastel

It is hard to believe that it has been almost 10 years since I was blessed to get to go to Italy on a painting excursion! That was a magical 10 days, a once in a lifetime experience! To get to travel to Italy and then to get to paint was a delight. At the time I only painted in watercolor, not pastel, my preferred medium now. The pastels I have created have mostly been of the people I encountered and a few of Orvieto alleyways.

This painting is from the first evening in Citta della Pieve and is the entrance to the pizzeria at the Hotel Vanucci. I just loved the light and the cast shadow created by the lamp and vines. It is available at the Gallerie at Gruene.

Gertrude

Gertrude

6"x 6", pastel

For the past couple of months I have been working on a commission, a rather large commission, 4ft x 4ft. It has really been a fun painting to create. But no matter how much fun they are, commissions carry a good deal of stress along with them, at least for me they do. You see on other paintings, I just have to satisfy me and if I am lucky some one will like it enough to take it home with them!!! But a commission requires that you paint to the satisfaction of the buyer.

Today was the day that the big reveal was going to happen. So, to de-stress, I decided to paint this little chicken!! Years ago a neighbor tried their hand at raising chickens, just a few. They would let them roam the 'hood during the day and cage them at night. They often visited our yard and I took the opportunity of photograph them. This was the perfect painting to de-stress, loved her disgruntled expression!!!

Chilly Chickadee

 Chilly Chickadee

6"x 6", pastel

February was weird month in Texas as far as weather is concerned. A week of freezing temps, even single digits and almost everyone had snow across the state....even Galveston!! We had two days of snow and miserably cold temps, days without heat and water. But as bad as the humans had it, I felt 

bad for the critters that had to stay out in the elements....so very cold. I was filling the feeder twice a day and water only stayed in the liquid form for a few minutes.

This little guy was one of the dozens of birds that frequented the feeder that week. 

Surprise Winter Visitor

 Surprise Winter Visitor

8"x 6", pastel

Just this week we had a bit of snow, quite an unusual happening in south Texas. I kept my eyes peeled for this little fellow. You see, several years ago we had a severe freeze lasting several days. Now I have a bad habit of leaving the hummingbird feeders up. Well, imagine my surprise when I looked out the window and saw this little guy on one of the frozen feeders!!! I immediately set to work to get another feeder out there with thawed food!

He hung around several days as did the freeze, keeping me busy putting out thawed food every couple of hours. He often sat in our lemon bush (where he is in this painting) just a shivering. I have the cutest photos of his little eyes closed, and those feathers puffed up, trying his best to stay warm.

I am sure we will have another cold spell and I will be on the lookout for my little visitor!

Ketchikan

Ketchikan

12 x 9, Pastel

My son had the pleasure of visiting Ketchikan this summer and shared the reference photo for this painting with me. There was much more in the original photo, but I narrowed it to fit this format. He was surprised and I believe pleased with his Christmas present. He shared with me that I failed to include the seals that frequent the area enjoying the local fish (he failed to take a photo of such going on!) This was a fun one!

 

Little Bit of History

Little Bit of History

10" x 10", pastel

New Braunfels, Texas can boast that it was the home of Ferdinand Lindheimer, known as the Father of Texas Botany. He is responsible for naming a number of central Texas native plants. This is his home and gardens which back up to the Comal River. The home is now a museum and open for tours by appointment.

 

Sunning Hummer

Sunning Hummer

6" x 6", pastel

Have been working on a commission for a bit and was ready to paint for fun. While going through my photos, I came across this little guy....and the rest, as they say, is history!!

It was fun creating this one!

You Can't See Me!

You Can't See Me!

8" x 8", pastel

Couple of weeks ago a mama left this baby at the end of our porch one night. As luck would have it, she didn't come get it bright and early! I was so excited to get photos of him that morning. He was such a sweet looking critter!

During this troubled time it was so refreshing and calming (well sort of) to paint this today, to escape all the gloom and doom in the media. Hope this little painting brings you a bit of joy!

Green Glass

Green Glass

12 x 9, pastel

Matted to 20 x 16

Painting glass is always a challenge, recently I decided that I needed to tackle that challenge again. The fact that it was green made it even more exciting.

To show off the daisies I decided to mat this painting in white...contact me if you are interested in adding this painting to your collection.

Old Home Place

Old Home Place

8 x 10, pastel

This painting has a serendipitous story behind it. I was delivering a painting to the woman whose family had owned this place up until recently. I asked permission to take photos. I loved the cattle and the barn. So many photos are taken and never used for paintings, but one evening I decided that it was time that I attempted to paint these cattle and their surroundings. This was such a fun painting to create, just sort of fell together! Love when that happens!!

You Mocking Me?

You Mocking Me?

8" x 8", pastel

We are blessed with all kinds of wildlife and birds that frequent our bird bath both to bathe and drink. This mockingbird seemed truly surprised to see his reflection.

Evening Repose

Evening Repose

16 x 12, pastel

Sitting here in the house sneezing and hating the gray/tan sky and clouds from the influx of Saharan Dust, I long to see the beautiful sunsets so predominate here. The dust is supposed to provide us with more colorful sunsets. It is just so thick right now.

Painting this subject is one of my favorites to create. I loved the clouds that almost seemed to be iridescent. This painting is available, contact me if interested.

Perfect Ending

Perfect Ending

9 x 12, pastel

I am in need of a title for this painting!!! The sea is not my forte, never been around it often.  Any ideas are welcome.

Many thanks to Ryan Fernandez for allowing me to use his photo to create this painting. This was his view while working one evening I believe......can you imagine????

Out on a Limb

Out on a Limb

10 x 10, pastel

Yeah, I know, you either love'em or hate'em........it is a day by day decision for me. If it is a pose to paint....love'em.......if they are tearing up the feeders, etc....not so much.  I do wish the tree trimmers had not been SO efficient and cut off the limb where they lounged around, prostrate in the summer heat. Those were cute poses!!! Now this twig is all they have!!!!!

Fall at the Horseshoe

Fall at the Horseshoe

20 x 10, pastel

If you are familiar with the New Braunfels area, you know that the Guadalupe River is a main draw of visitors to the area. The Horseshoe is just below Canyon Dam and so very fun to float via an inner tube. This is a view from the 'take out' area, otherwise, it is a multi-hour trip to get to New Braunfels.

Rarely, we have good fall color. Usually, it goes from green to no leaves, but not this past year! Really enjoyed painting the reflections, quite a challenge!

Privacy, please!!

Privacy, please!!

6 x 8, pastel

We have had so many gray rainy days, really makes dealing with this COVID distancing tough! Last week we had a break, the sun was wonderful. The cardinals thought so as well!  Really wanted to paint him getting into the bathing routine, but then he would have just been a blur!!!!

Birds of a Feather

Birds of a Feather

12 x 6, pastel

The sparrows were congregating outside our bedroom window. So I decided they needed to be painted. Really happy with the way this one turned out!! It was fun to create.

Copper and Pomegranates

Copper and Pomegranates

9x12, pastel

This painting won second place at the Anything Goes show at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery earlier this year. The reference photo was from a dear artist friend, Angie Brown. She was such a fabulous artist in varied mediums. I asked permission from her daughter to use this photo for the painting and entry. 

Stay safe!

After the Storm

After the Storm

10x20, pastel

Another painting that I had forgotten to post!!!!  Love the rays of sunshine coming from behind the clouds.....to me a reminder that God's got this. This too shall pass!!!

Most of my paintings are available for purchase should anyone be interested....just contact me.

Stay safe!!