Olana Pastel

I spent the day at Olana State Historic Site in Hudson NY with the Mohawk Valley Region Plein Air Painters. I've been teaching myself how to work with pastels for the past several months in preparation of painting outdoors this summer. I've made the decision to work in oils in my studio and pastels outdoors. It was a beautiful day and great to be outdoors.

Big Bok Choy

This bok choy was so big it deserved to be painted on an 8 x 8 panel and I used the red napkin to help create a long perspective. I worked on this painting over several days and I wasn't sure if it was going to work out but it did, and I'm happy with the results.

Violin and Piano Sonata

You may be asking why am I posting this piece of music? Well it isn't just a piece of music; it's  Beethoven's tenth, and last, violin and piano sonata. I took this image at The Morgan Library & Museum in NYC. This grounds me and helps me feel connected. That I'm not alone in all my revisions and scratch offs. Beethoven was a genius but he struggled to get it right.

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Cubanelle Peppers and Apple Slice

Let me apologize for the rain drizzled image of my painting. It's been raining a lot but I wanted to post. I'll take another picture on a nicer day to replace this one. I'm feeling liberated by painting larger, by this I mean 8 x 8 inches.  I'm not dabbing in small little places but using bigger brushes and brushstrokes. I've finally finished all my major outdoor projects so there are excuses not to paint.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend.

Spring Flowers in Vase

Every year with the blooming of my lilacs, I start to paint my garden's flowers. I paint lilacs, then daisies, cone flowers and finally Rose of Sharon. I paint them as light, shape and color. My goal is to paint their impression not likeness. I knew from the start of this painting I needed to work bigger, maybe that's a spring thing too.

Ducks

This was one of many images recently taken at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs provided by Trudi Smith. These resident ducks are a attraction with visitors and locals. I especially enjoy the duckling families waddling around during the summer months.

Yellow Pepper on Floral Cloth

This painting is definitely a feminine take on a daily painting. I'm moved by the wonderful weather we're having and I feel renewed.

Happy Birthday

I painted this for my friend's 76th birthday. 

Happy Birthday Larry.

Three Strawberries

I'm trying to stay loose and not get too fussy. If one area doesn't work I wipe it off and start again. There are places painted over but that's to define the shape. Maybe when I've completed 500 small paintings I'll have mastered this technique. For now I'm almost half way there.