I love Live Oak trees loaded with moss!  To me they represent the South in a way that nothing else does for me.  I was recently in Port Royal, South Carolina, visiting the Cypress Wetlands with all of its nesting birds, which was delightful and certainly worth the four hour and one half hour drive, but it was the town's Live Oaks dripping with sunlit moss that fed my soul.  Port Royal is a small village outside the gates of Paris Island and little grand housing that I saw, but its character was charming.

Earlier in the year, I was at Edisto Beach State Park  and viewed more Live Oaks in a natural setting.  Their majesty as they have had room to grow to their full potential is magical, and I was motivated to try to capture the feeling and scene.  I think painting a tree is challenging because I did not desire to paint every little leaf, and I also wanted to capture light and volume.  Using artistic license, I created a composition of a large oak with reflections to add variety, and distant grasses and trees to create a feeling of depth.  The Gathering's name was born when I added some of the local Ibis to give the painting additional life.  Did you find all five of them?

I concentrated on the edges of the tree shapes to give an illusion of leaves, but refrained from sharp definition of the shapes within the bigger sections of the tree.  I used cooler and grayer colors to represent distant leaves and warmer colors to establish light on ones that were closer or more lite.  The background was glazed to push it back and the foreground grasses received warmer hues to bring them forward, but not too much definition to distract from the main subject, the big Live Oak. The darks were put in closer to the center of attention for contrast and to help with the illusion that the tree was closer even thought it's on the same plane as the sky and background. The landscape artist always has the challenge to create that feeling of distance and volume on a flat plane.  

The blues and greens of this work appeal to my color sense, but I would like to have your opinion.  Feel free to let me know your thoughts about the 36" square oil painting framed in a floater frame.  I appreciate your thoughts and input.

I branched out of my comfort zone recently and tried a sports figure. Getting into the world of NILs ( Name, image, and likeness) and NFTs (Non-fungible tokens) is not something I could imagine myself being involved with, but here is proof that I did. After a conversation with a sports broker, I contracted to paint this Boston College freshman basketball player, JD Hand. Prints and NFTs will be produced from this painting and eventually it will be auctioned off to a wealthy BC fan to benefit JD and his family.

I truly enjoyed painting the figure, but trying to figure out a background was not fun. Since BC's colors are maroon and gold, I choose those to try to create some movement in an otherwise stagnant pose and to compliment skin tones. Of course like every other painting, seeing it in person is better.

I consider myself a life time learner and with this project I've experienced an entirely new vocabulary and opportunity....nothing ventured, nothing gained!

More than ever I realize how each day is a gift to enjoy and store to memory. Mornings on the beach experiencing the sights and sounds of a new beginning and breath taking sunsets lighting up the sky have fed my soul lately. I just know I experienced the flutter of angel wings in some cloud patterns the other day. Speaking of wings, I've observed some interesting water birds and their antics....what could cause all of that squawking?

It's A Beautiful Morning is a memory of one of those experiences. The light was cool and dramatic on the water, but calm in spite of impending rain. The birds were active and always a treat to see. I gave myself the gift of expressing what I saw on canvas.

As the holidays arrive and gift giving is considered, I hope you will think about art for your family, friends or yourself. Living with an original painting of people, places or memories is a gift that renews itself each day and adds value to your living space and to your life quality. Find a painting you love and discover the joy.

I'm having an argument within my own brain....a dilemma.  Do I make prints of my work or not?  

I did make prints of some of my earlier work and sold some and donated others to worthy causes.  People who appreciate my work, but can not afford the price point were happy to have a print.  I always questioned my decision by wondering how the person felt who purchased the original.  As an owner of original art by well known artists, I can testify to the pleasure it brings to my soul.  I value seeing the intent of the artist, the colors and textures, and especially the individual brush strokes.

The practical side of the question is somewhat complicated.  Getting a quality photo of the original work at a reasonable price is challenging.  Can a computer get the same colors that arise from my palette?  What size print to make?  Smaller or larger?  I never thought I should make the same size as the original, again thinking about the buyer.  Do I have them printed?  What if someone wants a different size or on canvas instead of paper....so many choices.  I have little storage space, not to mention the cost of printing.  Do I offer a print of certain works and then wait to create a size for an interested buyer?  What about taking my time to sell and package and mail and correspond with purchasers instead of painting, which is what I desire to do?  Are you getting a picture of my dilemma?

My website host has somewhat simplified the process by offering prints on demand from my FASO page.  I still have to provide a quality and high resolution image, but they do the work and take just a small percentage.  I just have to activate the service and provide images.  

Because I'm still considering the ethical side of the question, I would appreciate your input.  If you have purchased an original piece from me, what are you thoughts?  How interested would you be in a print instead of an original?  Please take a minute and let me hear you thoughts and thanks for any help you want to offer.

Having a passion for the mountains and growing up inland, I never appreciated the marshes until visiting Bald Head Island and eventually moving to the Cape Fear.  Marshes are ever changing, full of life and a natural beauty that is only appreciated if time is devoted to observation.  After living on the marsh for fifteen years, I can testify that everyday is different.  The grass colors change with seasons and daily light.  Clouds create ornaments to enhance the scene and then lay shadowy shapes on the earth's surface.  Sounds and smells fill the air with sensations that I grew to love.

Morning Marsh,  an 18" x 24" oil on linen, was a scene I witnessed one morning at Wrightsville Beach after spending sometime near the ocean.  The early morning light just lit up the grasses with a glow that made me pull my car over, get out, and just soak up that colorful majesty.  When I have a visual experience of awe, I want to translate it onto a canvas, to capture and preserve the moment.

Color was my first consideration, but then value contrast to express the areas still unreached by the sun.  The sky was still faintly tinted by those early morning colors and reflecting onto the visible water.  Distinct diagonal shapes created by the light, aided the composition and created a sense of movement.  The illuminated homes provided variety in subject matter and added some humanity to the scene.

Although reproducing nature is impossible, I feel Morning Marsh, captured a brief moment that is worth remembering and viewing in a special place.  Maybe your home!

Exploration for the artist is exciting and intimidating.  If new subjects, methods or materials are not tested, the artist limits personal growth with her art and ends up repeating the same paintings over and over.  She starts something new, gets into the middle of the project, hits a wall and now what?  Problem solving time!  Artist solve problems with each painting.  Time to make a decision and just stick with it, right or wrong.  Next time a different decision can be explored.

Gallery Citrine, a new local exhibit space in Wilmington, invited artists to create nocturnal inspired works.  Artist were limited to the time between sundown and sun up and there were so many different interpretations.  The show is up until the 26th of December, so treat yourself to a visit.

I had never painted a nocturne, so exploration began. The challenge was to create sufficient darkness to feature the lights without completely obliterating the information in the dark areas.  Cool colors were needed, but then the opposite warms were use in small spots to create  complementary color schemes and express the lights.  I entered First Light, a 16" x 20" x 1.5" and Midtown Evening, a 10" x 8" x 1.5" oils on linen.  Because I painted a study for First Light, it's available in a 8" x 10" linen panel as well as its larger size.

First Light, features the horizon as the sun is several minutes from appearing.  The marsh and oysters beds within the grasses begin to emerge.  Midtown Evening, is a scene from my apartment complex. It caught my attention because of the light refections on the tree and surrounding area and well as buildings, cars, and the light post in the distance.  I also loved the waxing crescent moon naturally positioned in just the right place on the canvas.

Having enjoyed creating these two paintings, I'm searching for the next inspiring nocturnal subject that offers a new challenge.  Any suggestions from my readers?  Always open to comments.

I'm on a sky roll!  One would think I live in the West where the skies are endless, but I'm finding our local ones fascinating!  Morning, evening, and even when I'm driving during midday, I'm looking at the shapes, colors, and values...no accidents yet!

Of course I'm drawn to the orange that  is witnessed most mornings and evenings in the sky and every day on a wall in my studio!  Did you know that orange  gives energy and is considered a happy and positive color?  In the last nine years I've embraced it and much the better for the experience!  I need all the help I can get to be happy and positive during this era!

Cay Sunset is a 16"x20"x1.5" enlargement of one of my four small studies with which I've been busy lately.  I've been trying unique color palettes for me as well as compositions that have been challenging.  Always trying to improve my artistic language!

I observed this view for about 16 years and it's embedded in my brain.  The Cape Fear and its environment is never repetitive, but always inspiring.  Some evenings are just breathtaking and I think I've captured one of those special moments!  I could never replicate the Master's brush strokes, but I tried to repeat the shapes, colors, and value differences.  

Another sky painting is coming.  This one is entitled First Light (I think).  I'll know the name for certain when it's complete.

I'm trying different color combinations, usually three primaries, a yellow, red, and blue, but seldom the same ones.  Pretty amazing the unique feelings I can achieve with unrepeated color choices.  Let me know what you think about Cay Sunset!.