Lily of the Valley Paintings

My ritual painting of the lilies. Every May I wait for the Lily of the Valley to bloom as there is nothing better than working directly from life. I pick fist fulls these little flowers and stick them in all manor of tiny vases so that I can get that toad's-eye view that I crave. Here are a couple of the larger works that came out of this recent series. The top piece is ready to sign. The bottom work is just getting finishing touches. Both will be on display at my open house June 7 and 8. Click here for more details.

Getting ready for my Open Studio Event June 7 and 8!

Here is a little glimpse into my process. The ipad has an image of Pink Thistle that I photographed last summer along Stoney Creek Road just a few miles from my house.
The first image shows the subject after I have sketched my composition and washed in a cool red tint. Next come many layers of oil and cold wax applied with brushes and then finished with the knife. I plan to finish this one today...and yes, there are bee's much to my kids' delight!

Wrapping up: Loose Bees

I love the looseness of these little guys! It's time to pull them off my easel before I over work them. The cold wax makes my knife painting really fun.

What's all the buzz about?

Bees, bees, bees...! They are in the news. Bees are on my mind. Growing up on a small farm in the 70's meant that bees were plentiful and sometimes got in your way when you were playing in the milk house or painting the rafters. Who would have ever thought that they would be in such peril. Thus, I committed to paint a small series and see where it leads me. This first little piece is 5" x 7" and it was a little small to work the knife comfortably. I will give these guys another shot on a slightly bigger support. The bees above are a stylized representative of the North American bumble bee.