I’ve been painting some still lifes lately and am really enjoying doing them. They too are “painted from life”, but without the hassle of dragging your equipment outdoors and dealing with the elements, bugs and changing light during the plein aire painting process.

Painting from life is so important, as you see much nuance of color, light, shadow and depth that is lost in a photograph, even with today’s great technology.

Tangerines and Sunflowers is an oil, 12×16.

#stilllife, “studiopainting, #sunflowers, #tangerines, #oilpainting

In the north country where you have memory of what winter can be, summers are especially appreciated by both man and beast. This mallard is enjoying a beautiful summer day in a favorite place, a lily pad cove.

Sweet Summer is an oil, 11×14, and will be for sale at the Coeur’ d Alene Gallery’s Miniatures by the Lake Show on September 21, 2019.  

Mallard, #lilypads, #waterscape, #Coeurd’AleneGalleries, #Coeur d’ Alene, #Idaho

Many deer share this home place with me, and I never seem to tire of painting them. I loved the lost and found aspect of this subject, as the late light of day did it’s best to camouflage the subject. Ah, but for that last bit of light.

“Twilight” is an oil, 16×20

#muledeer, #mulie, #sdoe, #oilpainting, #wildlifepainting, #landscape, #wildlife

For some reason these old vehicles call out to be painted. This one was no exception. I played up the blue and orange dynamic, and was interested in the dormant line of trees behind the truck. I tend to like landscape subjects that offer good, level horizontals, as does this. I often exaggerate that as well, feeling that the horizontal is important in tying the subject to the ground.

Out to Pasture is an oil, 18×18.

#oldtruck, #landscape, #autumn

I can appreciate this painting more now, a month or so past our Winter From Hell. The five weeks of very cold temperatures and lots of snow became too much here! This scene is not near home however. It’s on the west slope of the Tetons, near Driggs, ID.

Winter Comes Early is an oil, 12×16.

#winter, #Idaho, #snowscene, #landscapepainting

Mule deer are one of my favorite subjects. While there are both mulies and whitetail on the ranch, I am partial to the mulies, who have the beautiful big mule like ears. The whitetail tend to claim the best ground for grazing, and often run the mule deer up into the rockier areas. I guess I usually root for the underdog!

On this piece, I used both gold and silver metal leaf. I am happy with the effect and feel it works well with my deer pieces for some reason!

“In the Tall Grass” was one of the pieces I sold at the Out West Art Show this month in Great Falls, MT. It is 24×24, oil,  and gold and silver metal leaf on board.

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#muledeer, #oilpainting, #wildlife, #wildlifepainting, #metalleaf

This is a rework of a painting I’d done earlier, from  photos taken during a modeling session in my studio. The first pass of “Luminaria” was pretty static and monochromatic. I am liking it better now!  This piece is an oil, 30×15.

#oilpainting, #figurativepainting, #womempaintingwomen

Steamboat Springs, CO. in June sounds good to me! I am happy to announce that this painting, Treeline, was juried into the National American Women Artists annual show, to be held at the Steamboat Art Museum, May 24 – September 2, 2019. I am honored to be included, and will be attending!

I have painted this band of trees three times, all paintings being of that time at the end of day, as the silhouette of trees become one graphic shape that is sculpted by the Montana wind.

Treeline is an oil, 24 x 32.

#landscapepainting, #trees, #oilpainting