Skipanon river morning
extended plein air oil on isolated wood panel
11" x 14"

David & I have been camping on the North coast for most of this past month, he doing a little fishing, I painting for every single  minute I could get away....  I spent a few memorable mornings on the Skipanon river in Hammond, Oregon.  I enjoyed the constant movement of the water, as the ocean tide pushes in.  The water is rough sparkle in the breeze.
I met a very nice family while painting here, who've lived and worked in Hammond for over forty years.  Their family business, the Skipanonbrand fish co. sells their fresh caught & smoked fish at local farmer's markets, and on the internet as well.  The boat in my painting is theirs, operated by son Paul; the building is their old cannery space, now replaced by an updated building a few feet from the river's edge.
Visit their website http://www.skipanonbrand.com/

"New leaf greenhouse"

en plein air oil on isolated wood panel

15" x 15"

I so enjoyed my recent visit to New Leaf Greenhouse in Cornelius.  Ginger Steele is the amazing woman who created this beautiful nursery.  She has the strength of a potter, & a green thumb you won't believe.  She shares some of her horticultural secrets on the New Leaf Greenhouse blog newleafgreenhouse.blogspot.com

I know you will also enjoy seeing the complex geometric designs in Ginger Steele's salt fired stoneware . insomniapottery.com

We had a lovely lunch at Ginger's with Merrie French of Valley Art Gallery in Forest Grove.   If you haven't been to this wonderful gallery, you owe yourself a trip!

Valleyart.org

 We laughed and let our minds wander...then we laughed some more.  Ginger took me on a colorful tour of her amazing studio & nursery.  I painted there for hours, belly full, laughed out, blissed.  I'm still smiling.

Thank you, ladies.



gingko moon

11" x 14" oil on wood panel

I found these two gingko leaves the last time I saw Tommy. He'd been released from the hospital on an afternoon pass. We went to see some of the shops on Hawthorne street. The ground was golden and wet shining beneath our feet. He was looking for a bracelet, or a perfectly round stone. I tried not to cry.

It felt like a day in Paris, though I have never been

oil on linen panel

Here is the painting I began at the reception the Portland Art Museum's rental Sales Gallery had earlier this year. My friend Dorothy Steele loaned me these three beautiful vases, I filled them with flowers and set them on a linen table cloth. This was such a fun experience, once in a lifetime for me. If you would like to see more of Dorothy's work visit her website at http://www.dorothysteelepottery.com/

Please join Dorothy and I this Fri. eve. for a reception at the Gallery to celebrate their spring show. I'm tickled that they have accepted this painting. David has made a beautifu frame for it our of wood that Uncle Ted and Aunt Marianne gave us. We will be there before six. The reception goes until eight, but I expect I will not be able to last that long!.

"bridge city of roses"

oil on wood 24" x 36"

I'm excited to be one of five featured artists this month at Portland Art Museum's Rental Sales Gallery. I will be showing several of my narrative landscapes.

There is a reception on Saturday from noon till three. The most exciting part for me is that Jennifer Zika (gallery director extroardinaire) and the wonderful volunteers at the gallery are making a place for me to set up my small easel and paint during the reception. What fun, to share my work in such a beautiful space, and in such excellent company.

My friend Dorothy Steele http://www.dorothysteelepottery.com is loaning me one of her fabulous slab built porcelain vases. I think I will put some flowers (pussywillows maybe?) in Dorothy's vase, with the RSG gallery window for backround. I'm looking for a tall panel that will fit on my small easel.

Wish me luck:) I'll post pictures when I can.

Saturday Jan 29th 2011

Portland Art Museum's Rental Sales Gallery

12 noon till 3

1237 SW 10th Ave.

Portland, OR

503-224-0674

There will be snacks and friendly folk, and so many wonderful artists are represented... stop by if you can!