Confetti Meadow - 16" x 20"

These two pieces were among the many paintings to find permanent homes during my open house/studio event this past weekend. Thank you to all that made the trek to the country on such a beautiful day. I am truly grateful for all of the interest and support of my work!

It's Always Summer in My Dreams - 24" x 36"

Poppy Patch at the Farm - 30" x 15"  Original Oil Painting of Poppies and Barns

This piece was inspired by a photo from a friend. It combines my recent fascination with landscapes and my passion for poppies. I have a series of small poppies underway. Sort of a warm up for a larger scale commission that will find it's final home in Quebec City, Canada. This is my first international commission. Quite exciting!

Red Barn Romantic - 18" x 24" landscape of red barns and a pasture filled with wild flowers

This title is as much about the artist as the subject. Growing up on a farm in rural Michigan, I am a sucker for old red barns. One of the saddest days of my life was watching the eventual owners of my family's farm side the perfectly patinated barns with shiny red metal siding..low maintenance and functional.... like a big gold tooth!

That said, my idea of a romantic landscape includes an old barn or two!

Pining for Spring - 18" x 24" Lily of the Valley - Original Oil Painting

I created this piece on the first day of spring as an homage to the new season. Then, I took off to NYC for the International Art Expo to do a little business and have a little fun. I met a lot of great artists, publishers, printers and galleries and came home super-charged with my creative bucket full!

So now, I am just catching up with my posts ...and it still does not feel like spring is here. The up side of that is more time to paint! Stay tuned ;)

Poppy Painting Installed

This 3' x 4' painting was created last summer just for this spot. Working from paint and fabric swatches and a photo of this buffet, I created this for a great couple that I met at the Ann Arbor Art Fair.  I never got to see it installed until my clients sent this picture last week. What a nice surprise!! Chris and Hank, thank you for sending!

Purple Cow Parade

Another playful pasture with this little group of cows. I never knew painting abstract cows could be so fun. I like taking recognizable organic shapes and breaking them down to their most basic planes. When I simplify the forms, it seems like I can push the color a little farther without making the piece go over the top.  Working on slightly abstract flowers this week hoping to inspire Mother Nature to get with the program. It was 22 degrees here this morning...no foolin'.

"After the Rain"  -- 11 x 14 Inches

  

Like all of us in the north, it is that time of year when I am itching for spring. I can almost smell that clean smell of the earth after it rains. Happy Spring everyone!

Reflecting Pink

This piece is the largest of my "Rural Imaginary Landscape" series. At 4' x 2' it is quite large compared to the others. Since it is also painted with the knife, the paint is thick and requires me to work while it's wet or at least while the area I am working on is wet. I started at the top and worked my way down. All of the changes in the land feel like a roll-a-coaster to me and then my eye rests on the sheep in the flowers.  This would be my kind of roll-a-coaster as my hubby knows that I am terrified of the real ones!

 You will be able to see this piece in person at my house on Saturday, May 21, 2011. I will be sending out a save the date soon. However, if you have read this far about my painting, you must be one of my dedicated followers, so I am pre-inviting you to my studio open house event, where I will have my home/studio filled with new work from the long winter!! More to follow on this soon ;)

Light Blue Barn at the Tree

This piece started out as a way for me to play with the sheep. They are so fun to paint with the knife because the only way you can paint them is by making little loose abstract shapes but your eye reads them as sheep just the same. I love the variety of color on this piece and the way that the pale blue barn contrasts with the high chroma oranges and pinks in the foliage of the trees. Blue and orange are complimentary colors so taking advantage of their contrast gives this pastoral piece a lot of energy and a contemporary edge.

24" x 12" canvas with wrapped and painted edge.

Three Sheep at the Pink Shed

 

 This little landscape is another post of a series of imaginary rural landscapes that I have been working on. I am having fun inventing the color all out of my head as I look out my windows and see nothing but the white snow everywhere! The work makes me think of warmer days when nature is bursting with food, flora and sunshine for all of us!

 

24" x 12" canvas with a canvas wrapped and painted edge