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?"