"Tickled" oil on masonite 6x6"

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Was she really this cute? YES! and her willingness to look right at you without any unease was so refreshing. Who gets hair like that? Totally unfair.

"That Parker Woman" oil on masonite 6x6"

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We have these friends, the Parkers. They are a large group. Fun and frolic all of them. We are lucky enough to be included in some of their celebrations. This beautiful youngster is the daughter of one of the many brothers. Her face and features just beg to be painted. I seriously hope this is not the last study I do of her.

"It's All About the Hat" oil on masonite 6x6"

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That little glow of lip hair "had me at hello". Sometimes what we don't see is as important as what we do. Did I get that backwards? Oh well. It was fun having so little to work with but seein potential. I was very please with the end.

"Best In Show" oil on masonite 6x6"

This beautiful little guy is Otis. He's one sharp cookie! He's also my son's best friend after the wonderful woman he married. I have forgotten how old he is. His face never changes so you just don't think of him as getting older. He's also smart as a whip......wait! has anyone ever stopped to wonder how smart a whip is? Strange things we humans say.

"Another Girl With a Pearl" oil on masonite 6x6"

Funny what a split second will do. This young woman is actually quite attractive. This look may not play well for her but it was great fun to paint.

Long days journey

Well! Last week I took "vacation". Translated that means I did not go to my day job. Instead I stayed at the old homestead and cut, clued, clamped and wired 58 frames. Two were 30x42, 0ne was 24x36 and the remainder were 7x7". Since I had never done this before it was quite the adventure. Ross and I purchased a frame cutting system last year and this was the maiden voyage. Let's say I will NOT be giving the local frame shop any competition. However, they are not bad! My brother Greg is a finish carpenter and came over one day to observe and give advice. It would have been so easy to just let him do it but then again I would have missed an opportunity to expand my skills. He was very helpful. My technique with the saw needed some serious work. Even with good equipment you have to pay attention to all your movements. I guess it's not that much different than a good sable haired paint brush.

Anyhoo...this was all in preparation for mounting a show at the local City Hall. We live in a very small town and have been making a concerted effort to become more involved with the visual arts. Though it is not a traditional venue when they asked I didn't hesitate. These images give you an idea of what we ended up with. Thank goodness for laser levels and a few other tricks I used. They may not be 100% level through out but I think it's pretty good.

"Master of the House" oil on masonite 6x6"

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When we were in Astoria, Oregon we stumbled on the most wonderful little art supply store. The two men that own it were both there, ever enthusiastic to share information about the wonderful array of product they carry. I think we visited 3 times in two days! needless to say our truck was NOT empty on the ride home.

"Lass Lost" oil on masonite 6x6"

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This little one attended a wedding at our place. It was so interesting to see her with different faces on. You wouldn't think it was the same child when she was smiling. She and her sister both are stunning young women. I'd love an opportunity to paint them together.

"White Hot" oil on masonite 6x6"

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We were in this dim lit little cafe with granola like menu. Everything we ate was magnificent! The staff was all female with two delightful YOUNG women waiting the tables. They were that kind of sweet, simple college tonality that you encounter in any town that harbors a university. However there was no college in this town. Way back in "back" of this eatery was a fish tank. When the waitress would pass by they took on an eerie glow of red. I think she was embarassed for the attention.

"All About Me" oil on canvas 30x42"

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If this looks familiar it's because it is. This image was the first study Idid for the commission. The only difference? SIZE. This devil is 30x42" Yep. Those are some mighty big choppers. I wish the photo was better. After 35 years working in dentistry the teeth have every reflective surface right where it should be. I'm not convinced I could have pulled it off without that background. It would be easy for them to look like big, white pillows. At this point I'm totally hooked on these larger-than-life paintings. If it wasn't so annoying to stretch and prime canvas they would come more quickly.

"Speak Not" oil on canvas 24x36"

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For those of you that have followed my blog (thank you), you know who this is. My poor neighbor Sarah has no idea she is, yet again, plaster over the internet. It was really interesting how different it was to render her so large. There are now 4 of these oversized facial canvas in my studio and it really has become fun to live amongst them. I really don't know how to best describe it. As a painter I find myself staring at them and disecting parts of the canvas; trying to remember how in the world it got there. At this juncture my brain is so full of ideas for more of these giants that I can't paint fast enough. That, topped with the fact that I have to stretch and prime the canvas.........YUK.
Okay! off to watch college basketball :)

"The Promise of Magic" oil on canvas 30x42"

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Yes, you have seen this gentleman before. However, since I'm still mesmorized by his face you just have to deal with it. The biggest (no pun) difference between this image and the ones before is the size. This image is - GASP! - 30x42". Yep. One very giganto face.

It started with the commission for the African children. After doing several of those at this size I was seriously hooked. It's really kind of fun to be in my studio with all of them surrounding. If anyone out there can explain that to me please do.

Since doing so many of the smaller, daily type paintings transitioning to the large canvas is somewhat daunting. Everything is different. The brushes needed for sure and then trying to control the thickness of paint! wow, that's a big one (again, no pun) You almost have to ask yourself to think of them as to different disciplines.

End? can't wait to do more.

"Book Smarts" oil on masonite 6x6"

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I really don't know why I do this to myself. Any time there is so much of one color in a composition I KNOW it's going to challenge me. Who knew there were so many colors of PINK?!?!? That poor shirt was painted, repainted and repainted again. Thank goodness I wasn't painting the walls of a room. Couldn't live with it but sure as heck wouldn't want to have to paint over it.

"Richard" oil on masonite 6x6"

It wasn't until I set them side by side that I realized the mammoth differences between this portrait and the last one. Everything about this was light. Interesting; Richard is NOT a small "light" fellow. Much like my son, he is barrel chested and much a man's man. However, he is thoughtful and intense in his work. It doesn't matter if it is cooking, casting, making wine or working on his property.

"Jeff" oil on masonite 6x6"

Wow! painting is easy. I just got a new camera based on a piece in an art magazine written by a photographer that I highly respect. This is the first piece I have photographed with the new machine. Getting it to download to my computer was a nightmare. I'm happy with the image but daunted by the process.

Anyway...this is my son. If you haven't noticed, he's a handsome devil. At 6'3" and 200+ pounds he has the disposition of a pussy cat. The truth is he looks more like my older brother's offspring than mine. I was really surprised at how easy the likeness came. I hadn't intended to leave it at such a rough stage but I just couldn't put my brush to it again.

"Market Share" oil on masonite 6x6"

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Wow! too funny. I painted this over the weekend. Today I visited my sister in-law, Amy who has an earlier version of the same shelf. It is amazing how much looser my work is now. I like the first painting but this feels free. It would be fun to see them side by side.

"Ah, But Were It Spring" oil on masonite 6x6"

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A funny thing happened on the way to the studio. My gears got all twisted and torqued. This was not at all what I had planned and yet it felt very right. Everyone in Seattle keeps talking like Spring is here. I say it is not so. My garden journel suggests that we have a ways to go. Some years that "ways" is riddled with random snow. However, there are crocus in my yard. The tips of other bulbs are squeezing up through the cold soil. Just for a few hours it was good to think like the masses.

"Another Take" oil on masonite 6x6"

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There is something so sci-fi real about these mannequins. I keep expecting them to march off the edge of that platform and do.........what? Some days it's difficult for me to decide between the portrait work and the fashion images. I've recently completed another 30x42" face. Well, completed might be a bit ambitious. Today was a fresh look and I think it will need some tweeking. However, it's darn close to what I invisioned. We'll see what happens.

"Rear View Mirror" oil on masonite 6x6"

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Something about this made me think "how silly" but the colors and reflections grabbed hold and there it is. My time in the studio has been somewhat compromised lately so it's really hard for me to decide between "paint small, paint large". Today was small - TOMORROW IS BIG.

"Inside Out" oil on masonite 6x6"

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Reflective images have this magical edge all of their own. The things we don't notice really make the whole. Plus the fact that I would have purchased and worn this skirt! (okay...all you who know me stop laughing) I really had to look hard to see what drew me to this in the first place. The "figure" sits back so quiet and yet the most important element in the framework. It was a challenge but fun to do.