Three Persimmons

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These persimmons were in a basket with a sign that said, "Free - Ripe Persimmons...eat like an apple." I've eaten persimmon cookies, but have never tasted a ripe persimmon. Absolutely delicious! Where have they been all my life?

Simple Gifts

Thankful for simple pleasures.

Satsuma

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It's dark and stormy this afternoon, and lights are glittering in the windows of neighborhood homes. These little orange satsumas seem to shine with their own special glow.

Orange Slices with Strawberries

I was lucky enough to be able to take another Carol Marine workshop in early July. This was an "advanced" class (meaning that it was for folks who had taken one of her prior workshops), and we worked on using the color white, painting flowers, and painting glass. Carol is not only an excellent painter and instructor, she's also a sweetheart! The workshop was just great.

I'll be taking two more workshops this year - Qiang Huang at the end of August, and Scott Christensen in early October! I can hardly wait!

Red Pear with Lemon and Grapes

I'm really excited...the countdown to retirement is almost over. I have been a project manager for a health insurance company for 20 years. As you can imagine, I'm SO done with it and now I'm ready to spend my days painting. Although my last day of work is January 31st,  I only have 15 actual working days left. I have the great, good fortune to have a spot reserved in Carol Marine's workshop January 20-24, just the week before I retire. Carol also lives in Eugene, and will be giving her workshop in Eugene's twin city, Springfield. So much to look forward to this month!

This painting is another attempt at fracturing. I love the technique and will keep practicing.

September Challenge #4

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Here's painting #4. Another oak leaf, this time with a Red Bartlett pear.  Local fruit, grapes, melons, pears, etc, have been especially good this year. Maybe it's because we had an unusually warm summer - I'm not sure. It's beginning to cool down now, and I'm looking forward to a crisp, clear autumn.

September Challenge #1

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Today is the first day of  Leslie Saeta's  September Challenge. The challenge is to paint 30 paintings in 30 days.  I'm going to try to stick with it as much as I can. There are no rules; if you miss a day, it's ok - the idea is to get into the habit of painting often. 

I love the idea. Painting is such a pleasure, but it's often difficult to find the time.  Usually it takes a commitment of several hours. If I want to paint often, I think I should organize my studio so that I can paint in short segments of time - maybe an hour before work and an hour or two after I get home. 

I'd like to paint more, but my time is constrained because of my job. I'm sure looking forward to retirement next June!

The Sunbathers

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Let's pretend it's warm and dry, and the sun is shining...