Happy Holidays!

I wish you the very best this Holiday Season! I know it's going to be challenging with the Covid situation because we won't be able to celebrate in all the ways we have in the past. But we have many blessings and if we remember those we will get through it. Before you know it, life will be back to normal. That is my hope and wish for us all. Best wishes to you and yours for 2021.

"Snow at the Big Red Barn", watercolor and gouache, 8"x 10"

Renee's River

Renee's River

I'm looking forward to an upcoming fishing trip, so I thought I'd post a watercolor painting I made from a photo my friend  Renee took on a river. Renee and I will be sharing some good times soon, and this painting makes me think of her.

"The Range" - Watercolor Painting

This is a watercolor painting I completed recently. I based it on a photo I took while on a trip to Colorado a couple of years ago.  I was asked to put it in a local painting exhibit at the Potaki Center for the Arts in Mission Viejo, California. This center is located at 27301 La Paz Road, Mission Viejo, CA. The phone number is (949) 470-8470. 

The exhibit is up until May 26th. It has some very nice works and I invite you to stop in and see it. Thanks for visiting my blog!

What I've Been Up To...

I have been working on an art quilt the last couple of months but I haven't been able to show it because it's for a competition that won't be revealed until May. So I thought I would show you a couple of other things that I've been doing lately:


Getting ready for a weekend retreat  -  This is the pile of projects I am taking to the retreat. I am bringing way more than I can possibly do, but I never know what I may want to work on.




Finishing up a beaded bird - This is my latest.  I started it months ago and just recently pulled it out again. I'll show photos of this from other views for another post. But it's nice to have it done!

Painting classes - I've been doing a plein air class one day a week, and a studio class one day a week. I'm trying to paint with oils outside and watercolor inside. Here are photos of a couple recently completed paintings:

 Watercolor from a photo a took in the Rocky Mountains.




A plein air oil painting from Crystal Cove ( I think that's where I was!). I started it on site and finished it at home.











Gardening - It's spring and that is a great time to garden.  I've been converting my garden to more drought tolerant plants over the last few years. It's starting to shape up to something I like. 






















I look forward to posting my most recent project soon. Thanks for visiting my blog!

North Umpqua River

Every year I go on a camping and fishing trip on the North Umpqua River in Oregon. This is a beautiful location and the inspiration for many paintings and art pieces.  I have just returned from my annual trip, so I thought I would post this painting of a spot on the river. The location is called "Elevation" and the rock structure there is unique and very recognizable to those who know the river. I did this painting over the summer in a workshop with Judy Schroeder.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

It’s a Wonderful Life – Face, Hair and Hands

"It's A Wonderful Life"

My last post showed how I created the drawing of me holding the fish. Once I had the drawing completed and enlarged, I had to figure out how to create it with fabric.

I decided to paint my face, hair and hands on white “prepared for dyeing (PFD)” fabric using Tsukeniko inks. A Frixion pen was used to draw the major features of my face, hair and hands on the fabric and then I put "No Flow" on the fabric to prevent bleeding of the inks.

face drawn on PFD

The inks were mixed together to create a flesh-tone that is close to my coloring.  I mixed the paints so that I had some light, medium and dark flesh values. The flesh tone inks were applied going from lightest value to darkest value. I am a watercolorist and that is my natural progression for painting.

One Hand

The Other Hand

I added some blue to the shadow areas in addition to the flesh tones. I like the look of the addition of cool blues to warm skin shadows. My lip coloring was the red that I used in the flesh tone mixture.

Face Painting

I didn't have to paint eyes since I was wearing sun glasses, so I mixed some dark blues and browns for the glasses and frames. My hair coloring was a combination of light, medium and dark browns.

The paintings of hands and faces were cut out and applied as you would any other  raw edge applique piece.

I should mention that I mix my inks with aloe vera gel and apply it to the fabric with paint brushes. This method is comfortable for me given my painting background. There are many people who prefer other techniques and that is fine. You need to use what works for you.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Bird Of Paradise is Done

I finished my Bird of Paradise painting. It is done in watercolor. I now have to look for some other tropical subject matter to paint, since I like to do things in a series. I think this may also end up as a fiber art piece at some point.