Beauty on the Pond

Beauty on the Pond 6x6 oil on panel
The warm lilies against the cool lily pads and water seem to glow. These have always intrigued me and always are the center of attention in any pond. This is one variation of two that I have done, I will post the other painting as well in days to come.

Fat Butt

Fat Butt Squirrel  5x7 in. oil on panel
You may think this a not so nice title but am sure the squirrel would be happy with the fact that he has eaten his way into a fat butt  and thereby survived the winter with a little weight to spare I am sure. We have been entertained outside our kitchen window by three of these squirrels for the last several months and they have been more than a hoot in their antics.  Enjoy! and smile with me.

Go on In!

Go On In! 6 x 8 oil on panel
The door is open, go on in.What would you find, remnants of the past life of perhaps several families or just the current residents of critters? Time has past and so have these lives, moved on or gone. But it gives me pause to think that even though this is abandoned property it should be respected. Another part of area history. I hope you will knock before you enter, who knows who or what may answer.

Window into the Past

Window into the Past 6 x 8 inches oil on panel
Windows and doors of abandoned buildings hold me in a quiet trance. I am always wondering of the lives that were here, the sounds of a family in a daily routine of chores and family needs. I can't help but wonder if this was a pioneer family and if so how many generations lived here. Perhaps you will have other ponderings as you look at this... let me know your thoughts

Winter Mood

Winter Mood 5 x 7 in. pastel
I love the  simplicity of  the all over pattern of the trees and background foliage . In spite of the overall pattern I felt I could walk into this woods and be lost, all the random negative shapes would keep me hidden. Our Minnesota climate can be harsh and the fall-winters here can appear colorless and brutal but looking beyond that we have the Mood of the Season.

Sophie

Sophie 6x6 oil on panel
Sophie is our neighbors yellow lab, a real sweetheart. I see her from my studio window out playing and when visiting with our neighbors she comes over to me for an ear or chin scratch. This painting was done as a surprise thank you gift to her owners who clean the snow from our driveway and are just plain exceptional neighbors which I am sure they have an exceptional dog like Sophie. Here in Minnesota the winter especially throws curves at us with severe weather changes , sometimes bringing more snow than our little machine can handle and our good neighbor steps in at the crack of dawn to make sure we can get in and out. So we have two pleasures from these good people, a blown out driveway and a delightful dog to enjoy as well.
How lucky can we get?

Prickley But Pretty

Prickley But  Pretty   Oil  6 x 8 oil on linen panel
I have a love of thistles, their beauty and the pain they cause when trying to pick them, makes you leave them right where they are. In other words they adorn the weed patch where they are. But I love them for their wildness as I do all wildflowers
This painting was done on Senso linen. It comes in sheets in a tablet, sealed with clear gesso and ready to paint on. Economical  because if the painting is not one you wish to save you can dispose of it or if it is a keeper as this one is, I used Yes Paste to bond it to a hardboard panel. The canvas has a medium to coarser weave than I usually use but it was easy to paint on. This might be something you would like to try.