"April in Alaska" (18" x 24")

Finished.... See anything that needs tweeking?????



I'll admit, this was the most challenging paintings I have done yet. Drying time of a week or so, then ready for shipment.

Trail Road (24 x 18) WIP

Here is today's start on a landscape "Trail Road". This is a rough blocking-in . Glare you see on the midline trees if wet paint. Think I'm off to a fairly good start.

We'll see what happens with this ..............

Highlander #1 (12 x 12) WIP

Here is the beginnings of a series of close-ups of Scottish Highlanders. This is still quite rough and will need to put in highlights and more detail in the hair. My husband was wondering why I would do this series ... don't think he's a fan of cow paintings. But I think they have such personalities - they make me giggle. Anyway, it's an opportunity to practice painting hair. They have a lot of it.

I started working on #2 as this one dries..............Check back again soon to see the latest updates. Sorry about the glare - wet paint




P.S. Thanks to Shayne McGuire of "Myths and Legends Photography" for permission to paint these beautiful beasts. Her website address: http://www.mythandlegends.net/ check it out!!! Beautiful work!!!

Dancing on the Beach

Completed and framed ........................

Scottish Highlanders (36" x 24")

This has been a lot of fun to paint - think I'm finished.

At least they don't look like haystacks with legs..........

Scottish Highlanders (36" x 24") WIP

Started working on Highland Cows again. Think it's comming along pretty good. Check back often to see the progress.


See earlier posting on March 14, 2010 for the beginning underpainting

Dancing on the Beach

Painting is a journey along an inspirational path. Around every turn is a new discovery, a new breakthrough, a new "aha" moment. Painting Mom and Dad "Dancing on the Beach" was just that - a journey. Mistakes are made, as you can see from previous posts, and yet we persevere, we press on. Dad would say, "It's not the destination, but the journey." It's what we learn along the way. It's the feelings and emotions that are attached to our learning experiences on our journey that make the destination ............




Think I'm finished............



Let me know what you think - I greatly appreciate all critiques and comments.

Dancing on the Beach (almost???)

A bit more work this morning - mostly details........



Trying to capture Dad's image. Think it's almost there......???? I notice that his elbow is off and will need to adjust the shadowing. Drying time of a couple days, then I can work a bit more on details and sharpening some edges.

New Oil Paintings Page

I added a new page under the tab on the left "My Art Pages" called "Oil Paintings". Click on the link and you'll find paintings I've done over the past couple years. I hope it's easier to navigate than to find them on the home page. The oldest are at the bottom.

Check back often to see my latest oil works in progress and new doodles. I have several ideas running through my head and blank canvases ready to go. Looking forward to a productive artistic summer.

Panning for Gold

Almost finished!!! I decided to change the background a bit. Thought I needed to refine the trees more.

Panning for Gold - WIP

Nearing completion.

Panning for Gold - WIP (18" x 24")

I started this a couple weeks ago. I've been asking myself - What is the secret to painting a good likeness? What is it about a portrait that jumps out at you and your brain says, "aha - that's Sam". It is that illusive reconizable factor that I am striving for.

First Attempts at Oil Painting (30" x 24")

My journey into the relm of oil painting began by watching Mom. She was a self-taught artist and created many fantastic works. She could work magic with a bit of paint and a brush. I remember going along with her to the banks of the Missouri River where she found a cool bluff she wanted to paint en plein air. I was facinated by how she could look at something and transfer what she saw to a flat canvas. Now, several years later, I'm continuing in the footsteps I followed as a child watching Mom..........Thanks for your inspiration and guidance!!!!

I found several works on the 'net and used them as references to get me started.

Based on painting "There's Always Tomorrow" by Betsy Cameron.


I learned a lot about not overworking areas, having a plan before beginning, and sometimes you have to just let a painting sit for awhile and come back to it. I was really nervous to try oils, but like Mom said "If you don't try - you won't know you can".

Based on a painting by James Daley.



I Wonder what those girls are looking at? I was compelled to paint these two because I believe that inside all of us is that need to find out "What's beyond what I can see?"