Here are 2 recent paintings. The crow is an experiment in technique and composition.  I decide to put the crow right in the center of the painting, and see what I could do with the rest of the layout. I don't think I will do it again, but feel that I learned a lot from it. 

I just got started on this one. I've been stalking trains all summer and fall, so it's time to use some of those photos in paintings. I'm looking forward to continuing on some of the other ideas I have. This one only has it's first layer. 

I've also been making some blank books, sewn with the coptic stitch. This one is 8" x 9". 

The cover is Rives BFK paper, and the front cover is a dry point I did years ago, and the back is painted with acrylic and some red ink stripes. I've put a nice 55 lb. vellum over the cover to protect it. The interior paper is Arches text wove, Canson charcoal paper, and some Strathmore drawing paper. There are 50 pages. Cost is $55.

I also have smaller ones, all have 50 pages, and quality paper, including those mentioned in the previous book. I used the coptic stitch because the books lie flat when they're open. They're bound with hemp thread.  The small ones measure about 4" x 5". They're cost is $15, some with nicer paper and covers are $20. 

These are paintings I'm working on right now. 

This one of Willow and Foxy isn't quite done, but I'm not sure what else needs to happen. So this is where I let it sit and I look at it, while I'm working on other things. 

I've done 2 passes on this barn, and it's closer, but also needs some fine tuning, in the edges, things are too clearly defined right now. 

And this is from an idea that's been going around in my head for a while. This is the first pass, where I put in the composition, the general shapes. I like some of the colors and some of the shapes, the edges. I really like the composition. 

New paintings, from the summer. Dogs.

It's fun to paint dogs, and instructive too. Trying to get the form and depth, making it look like the dog I know.

New work at the gallery

1. "Allies" 16 x20 NFS

2.  "Colleagues" 18 x 24 $375

3.  "Conferring Silence" 16 X 26 $450

4.  "Equilibrium" 16 x 24 $ 350

5.  "Observing Play" 16 x 24 $350

6.  "Star in Hand l" 16 X 24 $350

7.  "Star in Hand ll" 18 x 24 $350

8.  "Swiftly" 18x 24 $350

These are my most recent paintings - they're all oil paintings. 3,4,5 and 6 are on birch board with rabbit skin gesso and calcium carbonate as the ground, and the others on canvas.  These are featured at Sequoia Gallery this month, along with pastel work from Christy Perrine and found object sculpture from Elaine Treadwell.

This is from last week.  I want to have her standing in night, an invented setting,  kind of a fantasy. The tree with a personality, responding to the sparkler light.

It came together pretty quickly, in 1 session. Though there is still some fine tuning to do, including the sparkler. 

I've been working on getting things together for my featured show in July. This painting of the dolls in the wagon started out for a beginner's oil painting class that I've been teaching at Sequoia.  I've painted dolls before and think they make captivating subject matter. What personalities!  - I'm continually attributing feelings and thoughts to them while they're set up in my studio. It's kind of strange, and funny.

I still need to finish a few areas, the shadow to the brown haired doll's right. Straightening out the line of the wagon side. Aligning the front axle stuff, it's not lined up very well. 

Here is the finished piece. 

Still life

I started a still life while I'm waiting for the other to get to a dry enough stage to work again. I want to keep it low key and limited palette.