Old Mill Stream

Oil on gessoboard. 6"x6"

Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in.

Henry  David Thoreau

Three Cherries

Oil on canvas. 5"x7"

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I think that if you shake the tree, you ought to be around when the fruit falls to pick it up.

Mary Cassatt

Strawberry Gateaux

Oil on RayMar panel. 5"x7"

Stressed spelled backwards is desserts.  Coincidence?

  I think not!

Author Unknown

Rhubarb Tart

Oil on gessoboard. 5"x7"

Well, Art is Art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know. 

Groucho Marx

We stopped for coffee at Metropol Bakery this morning and admired the pastry in the display case. Painting a rhubarb tart might be the next best thing to eating one.

Summer Roses

Oil on gessoboard. 5"x7"

Nature always wears the colors of the spirit. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dublin Bay Rose

Oil on canvas. 8"x8"

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Love and a red rose can't be hid.

Thomas Holcroft

Slices of Summer

Oil on gessoboard. 5"x7"

Watermelon is the chief of this world's luxuries,

 king by the grace of God over all the fruits of the earth. 

When one has tasted it, he knows what the angels eat. 

It was not a Southern watermelon that Eve took;

 we know it because she repented.

Pudd'nHead Wilson

This week's daily challenge was to paint from an upside-down reference photo of watermelon slices. It was a great exercise in learning to paint what I see rather than what I think I see.

Serenity

Oil on gessoboard. 5"x7"

Painting peonies is a wonderful way to relax after a hectic day. Flowers can calm the soul.

Pink Peonies

Oil on canvas. 5"X7"

These are beautiful flowers, but just a bear to paint - however, I'd happily spend an entire day painting peonies!

Peony

Oil on gessoboard. 5"x7"

Beautiful birthday peonies from the Reesors graced the table for Father's Day brunch.

Apple Acrobats

Oil on gessoboard. 6"x6"

This week's Daily Paintworks Challenge is "The Balance Challenge." These apples seem pretty unbalanced...the one on top is ready to take a flying leap!

Purple Iris (102)

Oil on gessoboard. 6"x6"

I was in Bend from Monday through Wednesday. What a beautiful place. It was too bad that my time was spent in an office. The weather was perfect and the sky was clear blue - you could almost reach out and touch the snowy Sisters. It would be a great place to try some plein air.

Pear in a Bowl (101)

Oil on canvas. 6"x6"

Today I worked on a painting of iris. I actually spent several hours on it. It was so frustrating! I finally wiped the canvas and did this painting instead. I'll try another iris soon...after I get over my exasperation!

Iris Gardens (100)

Oil on canvas. 6"x6"

Today was one of those joyful Oregon days - warm and sunny. This painting was done en plein air at Schreiner's Iris Gardens. Schreiner's is just a bit north of Salem. There are acres and acres of iris with a garden for visitors. "Riot of color" is a good description of the place - it is absolutely breathtaking. This painting of one of the garden paths is a bit more colorful than the online photo shows.

This is the 100th painting since I began this blog on January 1 of this year. The blog has been a good way to keep a record of my progress and has been the prod that I sometimes need to continue practicing.

A Pair (99)

Oil on canvas. 6"x6"

I'm trying to get the values right. I know what it should look like, but I'm having trouble painting what I have in mind.

Snoozing (98)

Oil on canvas. 6"x6"

The pear on the right wouldn't cooperate. He insisted on lying on his side rather than standing up with the others. I decided to let him snooze.

Afternoon Tea III (97)

Oil on canvas. 8"x10"

This is the third pass on this painting. I'm still struggling with color.