Bamboo Forest 16x12

This painting grew out of numerous layers of demonstrations. Many of my paintings begin life in the workshops I teach. This particular panel had several different techniques layered onto it. I painted back some areas to give it some breathing room. I then gave it a thick layer of gel matte. I began working on top of that with more layers of color and collage. Some shadows and a final coat finish it up. It has already found a wonderful home. Thank you Ellie and Steve.

Tip for the Day

Here is an easy tip for applying metal leaf. Cut a piece of wax paper slightly larger than the metal leaf sheet. Place over the leaf and rub on top of the wax paper. This will create friction and allow you to easily pick up the leaf. You may then place it on your ready adhesive, gold leaf down and rub. Remove the wax paper and you're ready to go.

Golden Glow

Golden Glow 10x10

This is a new painting that began life as a demo while teaching a workshop. All my small paintings begin there. Sometimes there may be a few paintings lurking underneath. I find this makes for an interesting texture. I built on this texture with more paint and I even put gold leaf over some of the texture and painted on top of this. This is an 8x8 painting that is framed in a black floater frame to a size of 10x10 and it is available for $350. The gold really does glow!

Time Warp

Song of the Water 12x12

Somehow I missed June. I apologize for the time warp, but I am back and I have some new work. This painting is created using acrylic pours, gel transfer, collage and glazes. The sound of flowing water is music to my ears. I will be teaching some new workshops in AZ in August and TX in November.

November Gratitude

Floating Stones 16x20

Lately I have found myself wanting to paint landscapes. Now my landscapes aren't what you look out the window and see, they are more like what you see in your dreams. That is where all my paintings come from, my dreams. I love waking up and having the solution to a technical issue solved or the vision for a new painting. My best work is done in my dreams. I think I will start on a new series called Perspective.

This painting is called Floating Stones because the stones want to join the sky and the sky is cracked like the veins in the stones. The green bands are the Earth's energy waves.

The Nest

Australia is still resonating with me. Cheryl and Helen are here visiting from Braidwood and all the good memories of the opening in April come flooding back. I am very grateful to both of them for being such great gallerists and good friends.

Cheryl chose this painting to add to her collection. It is called The Nest and it is painted on venetian plaster. The initial layer of plaster had pigment put in while still wet. This is a fresco technique. I then layered images and glazes. A transfer of the nest like image was added and more layers of mediums. Reverse painting collage was the final layer, then more acrylic mediums and finally varnish. The painting looks like it is made from wax, but it is all acrylic.