This painting was done in Corolla, North Carolina at the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge.  The site includes sandy beaches, grassy dunes and fresh and brackish water marshes.  I was concerned that the view I had selected had too many green elements.  The addition of the blue sky and water relieved the intense green foliage. My granddaughter Cora, named it, "A Grasshopper's View."

While we were at our home in the Northwest this summer, I became entranced with "stick" houses.  There are many examples that run up and down the passage close to our house.  I took photos while bouncing up and down on our runabout and the result was this small study.  I am using it to paint a larger canvas.  Obtaining the correct perspective of the houses was complicated and frustrating.

In October I took a workshop from Henry Stinson at the Scottsdale Artists' School.  It was just terrific - he is a great teacher.  Henry uses a very vibrant palette, similar to what I have used above and which I have incorporated into some recent landscapes.  Before beginning a painting, he tones most of his canvases with "cerulean blue hue."  This painting is aptly named, "In The Hood."

My dear daughter and her family were here for Thanksgiving and we had the rare opportunity to paint together, with my friend Bruce Stam.  Heather paints in watercolors - our aim was to paint all three grandchilren, we finished two.  On top is my painting of Wyatt and the one below is Heather's painting of Amelia.  Cora's is still in the works.

This painting, "Rocky Bottom" was selected by the Scottsdale Artists' School as part of their recent fundraiser Beaux Arts.  The painting below, "Snow Falling on Cedars," has been selected for SAS's Best and Brightest Show in January, 2013.

I am enjoying my participation in the Mesa Arts Center Gallery. 

My friend Bruce Stamm gave our granddaughter and me a lesson in watercolor portraits.  He makes it seem so easy!  This is the one I did of my husband George - it does not quite capture his kind face and sweet smile, but it was fun to do.

Last day of Joni Falk's Workshop at Scottsdale Artists School.  It was terrific painting with some old friends and of course Joni is amazing, as is Linda Dobkin her assistant. 

Pears with Blue Bottle

I have been working on these pears for a few weeks, I finally finished them yesterday.  I am not happy with the juxtaposition of the leaf with the middle pear.  The background was a tapestry like material.



Dancing Pansies

When I came back to painting two years ago, I gravitated toward still life and plein air.  As a friend of mine said, "like growing older, painting flowers is not for sissies."  She is absolutely right.  This painting took three days and each day the pansies drooped more and more.  Learned my lesson to take more photos of the setup and paint more quickly.