A Lime and a Teacup

Here is another lime, looking more like a lemon, with a little Japanese tea cup. I love these little cups. I've got four of them, two turquoise, one yellow, and one magenta. I've been wanting to tackle them for awhile and the lime seemed a perfect partner.

Mandarin Orange with Leaves #2

I had to do a painting of this Mandarin, or is it Clementine, again. I struggled for a day and had to give up, scraping it off multiple times with no luck at all. But, coming back to it today, voila! Cute little orangey fruit practically paints itself. I just don't get that. Anyway I love how this turned out and hope you do too.

Maggie's Limes

My friend Maggie gave me a bag full of Limes, so of course I had to paint them, accompanied by a small stoneware cup in a traditional North German pattern.

Mandarin Orange with Leaves - Sold

Finally, back to some still life, and a real live something to paint. Here is a mandarine orange I think, with some leaves. I like fruit or vegetables that still have something of the tree or plant that it came from still attached. Super market foods are beautifully alike, and pristine, but I prefer the odd shape, or color, the twig or stem and leaf, the slight bruise or nip in the skin. At least to paint.

Waiting for Avatar

I've been struggling for 3 days on a painting dear to my heart, and it just isn't working. I've been away too long  though without posting anything, so here is a photo I took a couple of nights ago when we went out to the show thinking we would see "Avatar - 3D IMAX".
What were we thinking? Actually it might be a sign of age, not realizing that every human being in Orange County between the ages of 13 and 25 also had the same idea. And all of them were standing in line. So, quick readjustment and we saw "Sherlock Holmes" instead. Which certainly wasn't your or my Mom's Sherlock Holmes, but I thought it was pretty great anyway.

Toby - NFS

This is my sister-in-law's dog Toby. Every year when we visit her he is there to greet us and let us pet him. He has a soulful face, a peaceful heart, and is the perfect companion. He's getting on in years, but still loves to go out. I really love this dog. This painting is for my sister-in-law too, as a thank you for years of hospitality.

Win a Painting

The group I paint with, the Southern California Plein Air Painters Association has been 

given the golden opportunity of having our very own gallery, thanks to the generosity of 

the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum. In order to raise the funds needed to renovate the 

space we've been given, we are holding a raffle in which the 3 paintings you see in the 

flyer (click at the top of the flyer on "full screen" to view the whole thing),will be 

available to win. Also a roundtrip ticket to Catalina, free dinners at local restaurants and 

gift baskets will be available. If you would like to buy a/some tickets just email me and I will give you all of the information. Your support for this would be HUGELY 

appreciated. Thanks

(for some reason embedding this pdf poster has thrown the typing off and the words are

split.???)

Tahoe from Camp Richardson - NFS

This is a commission I've done looking North across Lake Tahoe from Camp Richardson.
It's a summer painting, obviously, since right now the whole beach there is covered in Snow. In fact my husband and I spent New Year's Eve right here at a little restaurant at the camp called the Beacon. If you ever visit South Lake Tahoe, be sure to stop in there. Anyway, I promised this painting ages ago to my sister in law, and now it's finally finished.
It will be coming your way just in time for your Birthday, Syd. I hope you don't mind seeing it early.

High Desert Splendor

Here we are getting close to Bishop. The eastern Sierras are always awe-inspiring to see, and when topped with snow, towering over the grasslands below, I feel like I'm in Tolkien's Middle Earth. Every year we make this trip, I feel like I'm seeing it for the first time.

High Desert Snow

Here is a view of the high desert at it's most beautiful I think. This was taken somewhere on highway 89, heading out of Tahoe via the Luther Pass on our way to Gardnerville and Highway 395.  We chose this way out of Tahoe because it is so beautiful and we weren't disappointed.

Blue Moon Over Mono Lake

Happy very belated New Year!! At long last I am returning to posting a Daily Painting. I hope all of you had a blessed and joyful holiday and a jubilant New Year.

After Christmas my family took our annual trip to Lake Tahoe to visit my husband's sister who lives at the south shore. Everyone goes skiing, while I cook and photograph and rest. I absolutely love it. I also especially love the snow, and the cold, and all the sweaters and scarves and jackets I get to wear. I am convinced that my affinity for the cold comes from having been born in Syracuse New York, and from having lived there for the first 4 years of my life. So here is the first of a few paintings based on photos I took during our drive up and back on Highway 395. This one is of the "Blue Moon" of December 29, just at moonrise as the highway climbs up and away from Mono Lake.