windowsill meditations

2011-12-05T23:21:00.001-08:00

Hello Friends,

I hope you all are finding joy in the Season.

Several of you have asked where you can find my work. I'm happy to see you in my home studio on Dec. 10 & 11 from 11 till 4, and any other convenient time by appointment, and I would also be glad to join you at the Solstice celebration being held at the Local 14 pop up gallery

Art Spot in Lake Oswego.

To preview the original oil paintings currently available at the Portland Art Museum's Rental Sales Gallery you can follow this link:

www.portlandartmuseum.org/visit/rsg/artists/Lin-Haak

A beautiful drive out to Forest Grove could be rewarded by a delicious trip to Valley Art on Main Street. A wonderful Gallery, run by friendly knowledgeable caring people. Treat yourself!

2011-09-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

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/

2011-07-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

"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.

2011-05-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

2011-04-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-04-14T04:09:00.000-07:00

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!.

2011-01-27T18:30:00.000-08:00

"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!

2010-12-01T22:21:00.000-08:00

I can't believe we are here at the end of the year already!

2010-04-29T00:32:00.000-07:00

redwings in tulips

22" x 26" oil on wood

Our tulips were so beautiful this year, and always so welcome after our dreary wet winters. I painted these tulips out in my garden, then brought the painting into the studio to paint the redwing blackbirds. I sent this painting with Merrie French today for Valley Arts bird show. I made a nice frame for it out of 2" radiata pine. I oiled the pine and it came up a nice deep yellow that echoes the tulips.
I kind of wasn't ready to let it go. I guess I never am.

2010-04-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

crow moon

oil on isolated wood panel

6" x 16" x 1/2"

I've had a bit of a heavy heart this past few months, bringing Tommy home from Denver, and seeing how ill he is... I guess it's been weighing on me more than I'd like to admit.

When Merrie French asked me to be in a "bird" show out at Valley Arts Gallery in Forest Grove I was a little bit inspired, and painted these tulips from my yard, with a crow visitor.

I feels good to be working again.

2010-01-21T00:20:00.000-08:00

three moon Seattle

18" x 24" oil on aluminum

2009-12-23T12:17:00.000-08:00

These are the Christmas images I made for this year...fun Oregon love stories! I hope you all are having many blessings, as I have been blessed in this season, this year, this life entire. I hope you are looking forward to our future with anticipation and hope. Bless us every one.

2009-12-02T10:55:00.000-08:00

An open studio is just what's needed to inspire a good studio cleanup. It feels so good to get ready for company, and spruce things up!

Dorothy Steele and I have combined forces to promote our east county holiday studio sales. Dorothy has her wonderful organic shaped slab built porcelain for sale at her home studio, and I am offering paintings, reproductions, ornaments, cards journals and combination gift sets. If you can't come during the open studio hours you are welcome anytime, if you give me a call and let me know you're coming.

I have cookies!

2009-09-02T17:10:00.000-07:00

Old Town Christmas

mixed media on 16" x 20" Isolated illustration board

Here is one of the images I've been working on just lately. I'm making Christmas note cards for the Local 14 Women's art and craft show in early October.

2009-06-23T14:50:00.000-07:00

" special"

22" x 28" oil on hardboard

This painting began as part of a peony painting festival I was having all by myself here in the studio. (Oh, they come and go so quickly, and I promised myself to paint them this year.) The mussel shells are from a dinner with new friends, and I liked how they echoed the blues and violet of the curved porcelain tray.

I was working on painting my perfectly ripe pear when the raven image fell from a shelf onto my table, an old photo from Yellowstone. He began to watch me through the window, and I feel he is strong and rough enough to offset the drama queen peonies.

When Howard, steady on sales rep. called to remind me of my promise to provide him with an image featuring the Astoria Megler bridge, I picked up the study I'd been working with. I thought how nice it would be to have this bridge in the distance, the edge of the endless Pacific, the mighty Columbia coming on home . The starfish and the sand dollar discuss the ocean and provide me with stars. Of course I had to use one of my old jars for the bouqet. I chose "special" because that's how I felt about the peonies, and I also liked the "made in the usa."

Thosewho know me best already know there are stars caught in my curtain lace.

Astoria Megler bridge study, with stars

12" x 16" mixed media on clayboard

oil, paper and foil stars.

2009-06-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

bridge city of roses

24" x 36" oil on isolated wood panel

I've been working on this painting off and on since early this year. I wanted to bring the rose garden down to the sea wall...then started wanting more. The heron image was a gift from a friend, and seemed to want into this painting; then the salmon started showing up, not to mention the dragon boat! I see so many things come and go in the work as I paint, but more and more and more I want to keep it all.

2009-06-03T23:03:00.000-07:00

Willamette roses

oil on 14" x 14" wood panel

It's hard for me to accept that it's been over a year since I posted....sometimes I just fall out of the world it seems.

2008-03-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

Made in Oregon moon study

11" x 14" oil on isolated museum rising paper

I am interested in working with Portland images again, but find myself resisting literal interpretations. This made in Oregon sign is above the Burnside bridge.
I imagined the crescent moon, the swirling sky, the river of stars.

2008-03-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

clementine moon

7" x 12" (aprox) oil on recycled anodized aluminum, wood.

Knight visions gallery, Bothell, Washington

red pear moon

12" x 12" cold encaustic on aluminum leaf, birch

Knight visions gallery, Bothell, Washington

crescent moon salmon

10" x 20" mixed media on isolated paper

Knight visions gallery, Bothell, Washington

I sent these three paintings to Lori Knight last month. I enjoyed working on them, and continue to spend some time each week working with cold encaustic on small wood supports.

2008-02-14T08:35:00.000-08:00

blackbird sunrise

plein air oil on galvanized steel 24" x 36"

I painted this when we spent a couple of days in summer with my husband's brother in Burns, Oregon. I painted a sunrise and a sunset. When I was there, you could stand at the edge of their yard and see forever. Right now they have so much snow it's a challenge to get up their driveway.

2008-02-05T08:51:00.000-08:00

foxglove moon

24" x 36" oil on aluminum

here is another crabby salmon piece...gone to live in Anaheim.

2008-02-04T19:04:00.000-08:00

starcatcher

20" x 30" oil on aluminum

the sky, the sea, the moon, the stars; what else is there?

2008-01-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

I am feeling a little bit caught up, and relieved. The sun is shining, and though it is bittercold, my heart is lifted.

Today I am preparing a couple of painting panels, getting ready to deliver work to Childhood's End in Olympia, Washington. I've heard so many things about this gallery over the years, and they represent some artists I know and like, so I'm looking forward to meeting the owner, Richenda, and having her see my work. Here is one piece I'm bringing.

teapot roses

13 1/2" x 13 1/2" oil & wax on birch & pine cradleboard.

I've been working on with a little bit different media these past couple of months. We've been doing some work on our house, and after producing close to seventy paintings last year, I confess to needing some down time. These little wax paintings have been making me very happy. This medium produces a very matte surface that holds a strong compact color, and holds every brush mark.

My teapot sits bravely in the face of the dark. Her roses and fruit, (both sweet and sour,) are her strong defense. The velvet darkness is singing to her, the spinning stars are waiting.

She smiles, she watches, she wonders and waits, but she will not go into the darkness.

not yet.

2008-01-23T10:54:00.000-08:00

a few of my friends have spoken to me about my blog recently, and here's the thing.

The holidays have passed and the New Year is well begun.

I'm trying to prepare catalogs for this year's line of greeting cards.

The 2009 calendar designs are due early next month.

The sales reps need new samples.

My wonderful Alaskan distributor is waiting for new 8 x 10 giclees, (past due.)

I have paintings due this week at two galleries.

More than one friend is waiting patiently for work I've promised long ago.

More than one Chrismas gift is lying on my kitchen counter, undelivered.

I'm still missing Autumn.

18" x 24" oil on aluminum

2007-12-10T20:35:00.000-08:00

LIN HAAK

DEC 15, next Saturday! 10 till 4 call or e mail for directions, or to see me at a different time by appointment.

2865 NE Juniper Ave.

Gresham, OR 97030

503-492-1229

I've been promising myself for years that I would have an annual studio sale and let go of some of the work that hasn't found a home throughout the year, talk to people about my work and show them my process...

every year I say I will do this. every year it is a resolution. every year so far I have failed.

That's why I'm extra happy to invite you...

to My First Annual Years End Open Studio !

I'm brushing out the studio corners!

I'll have newer work, older work, odds and ends, experiments, even a few paintings!

and

I'm making cookies for you.

or buying some for sure.

2007-10-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

blue pitcher moon
26" x 36" oil on aluminum

2007-10-19T17:27:00.000-07:00

dried pepper moon
26" x 36" oil on aluminum

2007-10-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

gladiola moon
26" x 36" oil on aluminum

2007-10-19T17:24:00.000-07:00

iris pitcher
26" x 36" oil on aluminum

2007-09-08T14:14:00.000-07:00

garden
26" x 36" oil on aluminum

2007-09-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

thirteen stars relish
26" x 36" oil on aluminum

2007-09-08T14:10:00.000-07:00

fruit moon
26" x 36" oil on aluminum

2007-09-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

three crow moon
26" x 36" oil on aluminum

2007-08-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

night song
26" x 36" oil on aluminum

my friend Nancy Becker made this beautiful glass bowl.

2007-08-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

yellow bird
26 x 36 oil on aluminum

2007-08-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

hold back the night
36" x 50" oil on aluminum

for Heather's approval.

2007-08-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

three star night
26" x 36" oil on aluminum

for Heather's approval.

2007-08-09T20:32:00.000-07:00

three drink minimum
26" x 36" oil on aluminum

for Heather's approval

I'm having a wonderful time painting large still life's for a restaurant project. I have been used to doing smaller work when painting still life, and hadn't quite adjusted to the windowsill arrangement in my new (two years !) studio. Heather has given me a jump start, inspiration wise, as this project has a very short deadline. no time to second guess myself. My family and friends are helping take care of me so I can do this, and I appreciate them.

2007-07-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

papaya
9 1/2" x 14" oil on linen panel

2007-07-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

two cherries
9 1/2" x 13" oil on linen panel

2007-07-16T19:13:00.000-07:00

nectarine
oil on linen panel, 10 3/4" x 13 3/4"

my patron has asked to see some work that is abstract, vibrant, hip, contemporary. She said to "think fruit." I'm really enjoying this challenge, even if I'm cheating the abstract part, just a little:)

2007-07-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

three dragonfly salmon
mixed media on 20" x 30" aluminum

2007-07-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

dark star dungeness
mixed media on 20" x 30" aluminum

2007-07-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

dark of the moon dungeness
mixed media on 22" x 28" aluminum

2007-07-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

fifty stars dungeness
mixed media on 22" x 28" isolated museum board

2007-07-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

dark star shellfish
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

2007-07-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

lobster
22" x 28" mixed media on isolated museum board

two lemon oyster
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

peony steelhead 2
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

peony steelhead 1
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

these two peony/steelhead paintings feature the first peony to bloom in my garden, and a steelhead that my brother in law Jim caught and loaned to me.

star heart dungeness
22" x 28" mixed media on aluminum
I recently heard that crab hearts really are shaped like stars. makes sense to me.

star heart salmon
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

seven stars lobsters
22" x 28" mixed media on aluminum

dark sky salmon
20" x 30" mixed media on aluminum

2007-06-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

three kings
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

I have been ignoring my blog this past couple of months, but I have been working, overwhelmed in fact...I did a wholesale card and print show in Las Vegas last month and it ended up completely eating my life for the entire spring.
I'm going to try to be more diligent about keeping up, and working on what is important to me.

2007-03-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

compass rose crab

22" x 28" oil on aluminum

for Heather

I liked the complicated nature of this painting, and the way the comapass rose refers to the hope of all fisherman and crabbers, to find their catch, and the hope of abundance.

2007-03-12T14:26:00.000-07:00

thirteen citrus salmon

24" x 36" oil on aluminum

for Heather

2007-03-12T14:22:00.000-07:00

twelve star crab

22" x 28" oil on aluminum

for Heather

2007-02-25T14:15:00.000-08:00

dark star lobster
22" x 28" oil on aluminum
for Heather

2007-02-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

thirteen lemon lobster
22" x 28" oil on aluminum
for Heather

2007-02-20T11:09:00.000-08:00

painting the dark

Dark

how necessary, strong and beautiful.

I often fall in love with a painting at this stage,

in the dark,

when anything seems possible.

2007-02-19T11:40:00.000-08:00

two raven moon
36" x 48" oil on aluminum
$2200.00
RiverSea Gallery
Astoria, Oregon

I'm happy and honored to be one of the featured artists at the RiverSea Gallery in Astoria. It is a beautiful Gallery, filled with artists I admire.. My work is being shown to coincide with the fisherman poet's convention being held this month in Astoria.

2007-02-17T10:54:00.000-08:00

evergreen
16" x 20" oil on aluminum

$750.00

I've reworked this painting, which i was calling rainy day dream. I straightened up the arch, and ended up making some significant changes in color. I was trying to include many icons of our life here in the Willamette valley, and Portland in particular, the city of roses.

2007-02-16T17:16:00.000-08:00

thirteen stars snapper 2
22" x 28" oil on aluminum
for Heather

here is my comanion snapper. I think they would look nice hung near one another.

2007-02-16T17:11:00.000-08:00

thirteen stars snapper
22" x 28" oil on aluminum
for Heather

When I was at the fish market I found these amazing red snapper. Their faces are unbelieveable, otherworldly, but somehow weirdly human looking. They are so dramatic, I wanted to put them in a dramatic environment. I painted snapper companions.

2007-02-16T17:05:00.000-08:00

golden trout moon
22" x 28" oil on aluminum
for Heather

I found these golden trout at the pike stree fish market in Seattle. they looked so remarkable I had to bring some home to paint, because I wasn't sure I would trust the photographs I took. They seemed almost albino, almost transparent. so delicate, I painted them all in high key, to accentuate their very fragile seeming beauty.

2007-02-02T16:59:00.000-08:00

seven starfish halibut
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

for Heather

I enjoyed painting this halibut. The challenge was to accept that they are camouflaged in life, and to find a way to try to show the pebbly way they lay on the bottom.

2007-01-27T21:38:00.000-08:00

compass rose salmon 2
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

for Heather

I'm off to Seattle this weekend to do an artist meet and greet for the Taku Graphics booth. I'm meeting up with my friend Shane. We're going to walk the show together, join in any artist gatherings we can find after the show, then head back across the water by Ferry to spend the night at Shane's in Port Townsend. We hope to take in some galleries on Monday before I get ready to head back home. I'm nervous about all the driving, but think it's going to be fun.

2007-01-27T21:37:00.000-08:00

compass rose salmon 1
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

for Heather

2007-01-26T15:41:00.000-08:00

dolphin fish moon
20" x 30" oil on aluminum

for Heather

These are large beautiful iridescent colored fish. Their color is gone as soon as they die. It's as though the color is a part of their spirit.

2007-01-25T09:48:00.000-08:00

lemon slice flounder
22" x 28" oil on aluminum
RiverSea Gallery, Astoria, Oregon

I have been working hard, though it may be hard to tell from my blog. I have several new images to show for it, that I will be sharing over the next few days.

2006-12-29T14:46:00.000-08:00

Journey 6, sunset
18" x 30" oil on aluminum

The final painting in this series. I really enjoyes doing this, and plan to do some more painting sets in the near future.

2006-12-29T14:41:00.000-08:00

journey 5, waning moon
18" x 30" oil on aluminum

So sorry for the long delay...My camera had some issues, then Christmas, now illness. My wonderful Christmas with all my children and their families has left me with a cold that's led to a sinus infection. ouch!
The journey series has been delivered, it went to Boca Raton after all. I hope to get pictures of the installed work. If they remember to do that, I'll post them.

2006-12-06T12:28:00.000-08:00

journey, panel 4
18" x 30"
oil on aluminum

2006-12-06T12:27:00.000-08:00

journey, panel 3
18" x 30"
oil on aluminum

2006-12-06T12:26:00.000-08:00

journey, panel 2
18" x 30"
oil on aluminum

2006-12-06T12:24:00.000-08:00

journey, panel 1
18" x 30"
oil on aluminum

2006-12-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

here are the six drawings for journey. Each panel is 18" x 30". The completed work will be 18 inches x 15 feet! more than that, after framing.

2006-12-01T17:22:00.000-08:00

notes for journey I have a wonderful new opportunity that I'm very excited about. I've been commissioned to paint six paintings that will hang in a row in a new restaurant in Burbank. My client has given me a free hand and it's been fun planning them. They will end up telling one story in six panels. The working title is "journey." There will be seven salmon swimming against the current, through the starry night from sunset to sunrise. The center panel will be the dark of the moon, chosen because these paintings will hang on a custard yellow wall, and the deep blueish violet will really pop. Panels 1 and 6 will be the sunrise and sunset, panels 2 and 5 will offer waxing and waning moons. This allows me to speak of the passage of time in a larger sense than just one day. Each panel will have thirteen stars, just to make me happy.

I thought it might be interesting to show my notebook, it kind of shows my thought process in developing the work. I have all six panels drawn and will post them tomorrow.

wish me luck:)

2006-11-30T19:42:00.000-08:00

shell wave moon 4
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

This finishes my paintings for Boca Raton...

2006-11-30T19:41:00.000-08:00

shell wave moon 3
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

2006-11-27T14:35:00.000-08:00

lobster wave moon 2
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

2006-11-27T14:26:00.000-08:00

lobster wave moon 1
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

2006-11-25T12:59:00.000-08:00

shell wave moon 2
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

2006-11-25T12:25:00.000-08:00

shell wave moon 1
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

this is the first of four shell wave moon paintings, to hang together over a doorway. They will be going to Boca Raton, along with two lobster paintings I am working on today.

2006-11-15T13:38:00.000-08:00

yin yang yellowfin
30" x 48" oil on aluminum

This fellow is also sold; I think he is going to Boca Raton with the trout and twelve star wahoo.

2006-11-15T13:35:00.000-08:00

full moon trout
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

These four trout will hang together in a new McCormick and Schmick restaurant in Boca Raton.

2006-11-15T13:34:00.000-08:00

dark of the moon trout
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

2006-11-15T13:33:00.000-08:00

waxing moon trout
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

2006-11-15T13:32:00.000-08:00

waning moon trout
22" x 28" oil on aluminum

2006-11-15T13:29:00.000-08:00

twelve star wahoo
32" x 48" oil on aluminum

2006-11-10T12:06:00.000-08:00

star dungeness
24" x 38" oil on aluminum

Again, for the backround I travel around the color wheel, adjusting intensity. I started with the yellow stars, ended with the violet sky.

2006-11-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

three salmon sunrise
30" x 40" oil on aluminum

after my last post I realize! This is a view of Mt Hood, that means I'm looking east, (just trust me on this) my viewpoint being from the middle of the sea towards my mountain....making this a sunrise after all.

2006-11-04T13:43:00.000-08:00

three salmon sunset
30" x 40" oil on aluminum

what alot of big fun this one was! I loved doing the whirlpool, the three fish, the mountain, the star wave and the sunset. The red sun seems more suggestive of sunrise, but I'm a west coast girl, so I say sunset.

2006-11-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

twentyseven stars steelhead
30" x 40" oil on aluminum

2006-10-30T16:53:00.000-08:00

October
16" x 24" oil on aluminum

There is so much color in October! My birthday month, my favorite month of the year. So many things achieve their greatest beauty just before the winter takes them. I gather them all up, but cannot save them for long. Tonight will be cold, our first frost.
I'm shivering .

2006-10-17T23:48:00.000-07:00

Deep Creek at Juddhaven
22" x 28" extended plein air oil on aluminum

2006-10-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

I've been painting out at Deep Creek these past few days. It's like working in a Cathedral. I watched a salmon struggle past. It took him a couple of hours to work his way past me. He was a thing of wonder, a bit of God. A blue heron rounded the curve of the creek, and turned away in mid-air at the sight of me. I didn't blame him. A little garter snake wound his way through the water, worthy of an Andrew Goldsworthy portrait.
Every day I feel the rain getting closer, and I'm howling!
not yet!
not yet!
just one more day, I'm begging here.

2006-09-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

three moon crab
24" x 38" oil on aluminum

We've been crabbing a couple of times this month, and I decided to paint a Dungeness before he was cooked. They are the most beautiful violet red, with yellow green and yellow orange here and there. I surrounded him with greens, both cool and warm... stars, moons ocean, sky.

2006-09-26T21:38:00.000-07:00

steelhead wave moon
40" x 40" oil on aluminum

The colors were fun to figure out on this painting. I went all the way around the color wheel on the fish himself, then for the backround I decided to use both primary and secondary colors.

2006-09-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

100 stars marlin
24" x 48" oil on aluminum

I had a wonderful time painting this blue marlin! The backround travels around the color wheel from yellow green in the front wave to the violet sky. The stars are each colors compliment. I kept everything the same light value to keep it secondary to the fish himself. This fellow is going to Florida, so I wanted extra bright colors.

2006-09-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

three star seaside
12" x 16" oil on panel

I ran away to the beach earlier this month with my friend Shane Miller. We got to our room just as the sun was setting and I challenged myself to try to paint the color I could see after the sun had set; to paint the colors of night, before the darkness blotted them all out. This kind of painting has to be done quickly, which leaves little time to worry about mixing this or that color... I had to work quickly, and am very fond of the result. Sometimes less is more.

2006-08-27T21:51:00.000-07:00

mean 55
40" x 60" oil on aluminum

This finishes up my car series, and it has been quite a challenge. I loved working on this one, I meant to work in the driveway of the fellow who owns the car, but came down with a miserable cold, the Captain's father moved in with us, and I decided I'd better work from the photos. I moved the easel out into the garden in the evenings and painted the car into a corner of my garden at sunset. I could work on this one as a lifetime project, it has been so interesting and satisfying...but I think it's time to let go. I'm delivering them all tomorrow, and I think the studio is going to feel a little empty for a few days.
We are going down south for a couple of days to visit Uncle Ted and Aunt Marianne, and to visit my friends Lane and Mike. We got the word that Mike is at the very end of his long battle with cancer. I want to go and paint there with them in Lane's beautiful garden as we always planned. I look forward to seeing everyone.

2006-08-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

Suzanne's garden
10" x 10" oil on aluminum

I spent a couple of afternoons out of the house with my friend, Suzanne Kirkpatrick. She shared her peaceful garden with me.

2006-08-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

seeking peace
12" x 24" oil on aluminum
plein air, Burns, Oregon

We were gathered at the Captain's brother's house in Burns. The day before was 105 degrees. The three brothers are grieving for their mother, making hard decisions about Dad's care.
They are angry, sad, beautiful, brave.

2006-08-16T22:57:00.000-07:00

Corvette moon
40" x 60" oil on aluminum

2006-08-02T20:33:00.000-07:00

Starlight woody

40" x 60" oil on aluminum