Bridgeport

Title: Bridgeport

Pen & ink with watercolor, 10/2008

Image: 7" x 5.5"

This should be considered more of a doodle than a painting. The color could have been darker in some areas, runover in other areas and edges softened. Yet on first glance, the eye goes where I wanted it to go.

2nd birthday

Title: 2nd birthday

Watercolor, 10/2008

Image: 7.5" x 9"

After attempting to paint several different poses of my granddaughter, I'm ready to concede that painting portraits of kids is harder than painting adults! With that said, I do have several other paintings drawn in hopes of painting them in the near future.

Exhibit: WSU Vancouver

Top photo: two paintings hanging on right sidewall are mine.

Washington State University - Vancouver

14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue
Vancouver, WA

Administration Building
November 17 - January 8, 2009
Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday

I was one of ten artists showing their work in the WSUV show. I may have been the only alum.

Tiger: the lump

Title: Tiger: the lump

Watercolor, 6/2008

Image: 10" x 14" Mat/frame: 16" x 20"

This twenty-two pound 'love' lives with my daughter and her family. Tiger's aim in life is to eat, sleep, receive affection and sit in sun beams. He is at ease around people which allows many photographs to be taken of him. Next time I'll attempt to paint the eyes open.

This painting was another in the trio used to become a juried member of the Southwest Washington Watercolor Society.

3 pears: 2

Title: 3 pears: 2

Watercolor, 6/2008
Image: 5.5" x 9.25" Mat/frame: 11" x 14" SOLD

Watercolorists tend to paint pears - a lot. Their color mix and round shapes can aid a directional flow.

This painting was one of a trio used to become a juried member of Southwest Washington Watercolor Society.

apple cup: 1

Title: apple cup: 1

Watercolor, 6/2008

Image: 5.5" x 9.25" Mat/frame: 11" x 14"

This cup is one of many I can choose to use for drinking my morning coffee. One morning I sat it down next to other fruit and thought about the rivalry football game we play each November. As a Washington State University alumna I'm an avid college football fan (and also of boys basketball). Go crimson and gray! Go COUGS!

This painting is part of a trio of paintings used to become a juried member of Southwest Washington Watercolor Society. Preparing for the jury process can be equated to master's orals.

twigs & Silver Falls

Upper Title: twigs

Pen & ink with watercolor, 3/2008

Image: 2.5" x 4.5" Mat/frame: 5" x 7"

Lower Title: Silver Falls

Pen & ink with watercolor, 3/2008

Image: 6.5" x 4.5" Mat/frame: 10" x 8"

Upper painting: For as small as it is, this painting critiqued well due to value and color changes.

Lower painting: I was there but the weather didn't cooperate for painting on site. With snow still on the ground, thank heavens we were in the Conference Center within Silver Falls State Park near Silverton, Oregon. The park is known for its ten magnificent falls.

even on a cloudy day

Title: even on a cloudy day

Watercolor, 2/2008

Image: 21.5" x 14.5" Mat/frame: 29" x 23"

Received "Honorable Mention" at 2008 Clark County Fair's Fine Arts Show.

Always on the search for new subject matter, sometimes using shared resources. This painting is of a 17 foot catamaran and is based on a race my son-in-law attended. He races a 16 foot, two person Hobie Cat catamaran.

c.p. & shells

Upper Title: c.p.

Pen & ink with watercolor, 1/2008

Image: 4.5" x 2.5" Mat/frame 7" x 5"

Lower Title: shells

Pen & ink with watercolor

Image: 5" x 3.25" Mat/frame: 7" x 5"

These little paintings were created free-hand. Since I prefer tracing or transferring using a projector, this was a real stretch.

geometric - curves

Title: geometric - curves

Pen & ink with watercolor, 11/2007

Image: 3.25" x 6.25" Mat/frame: 5.75" x 8.75"

A workshop focused on how to use found (math and engineering) shapes to create designs and movement.

self-portrait 2006-08

Title: self-portrait 2006-08

Watercolor, 2006-08

Image: 9.5" x 8" Mat/frame: 14" x 11" Property of artist

This was a class exercise and it was amazing that over half of the class skipped this day. Many gifted professionals recommend that a self-portrait be painted each year but my last attempt went to the scrap heap!

black straw hat

Title: black straw hat

Watercolor, 8/2006

Image: 9.5" x 7.5" Mat/frame: 14" x 11"

Ever since I started painting with watercolor, I've considered doing a series of hats. It still may happen. I like that painting the hats allows for various textures to be seen.

fedora & red belt

Title: fedora & red belt

Watercolor, 8/2006

Image: 9.5" x 7.5" Mat/Frame: 14" x 11" Property of artist

The mystery of this resource drew me to paint it. The tweed was enhanced by the use of salt.

3 pears: 1

Title: 3 pears: 1

Watercolor, 3/2006

Image: 7.5" x 9.5" Mat/frame: 11" x 14" Property of artist

This painting was one of the first paintings I completed from my own resource - pears laying on slate table's bamboo runner.

Artist's statement:

My work in traditional translucent watercolor painting reflects a study in simple shapes and textures. I prefer to paint directly with colors mixed primarily on the paper rather than using many layers of glazed color. Using this method allows me to have more control over hard and soft edges while still giving me the option to add more color after the painting is dry.

A newly revisited technique deals with pen and ink along with watercolor. Strong value statements may be made with inclusion of ink. Add to this traditional watercolor and the result is a bona fide mixed medium.

...in the beginning

…in the beginning – no I don’t think we want to go back that far. We need not discuss a variety of art projects in high school, first time around in college and private gallery lessons.

Fast forward to 2005 when my husband announced he would definitely retire as soon as he was eligible. The upside was he wanted me to join him in retirement – to be available to travel, go to lunch or shopping, run errands, etc. whenever we chose. The possible downside was filling an enormous amount of time.

Not wanting to be like many I’ve known in the workforce who said, “I’ll do it when I retire,” and then not doing anything, I began thinking about what could fill a large portion of my retirement.

Art has always been a part of my life – even drawing me back to college mid-life. Watercolor had always been there as something to explore further so with retirement I signed up for my first class.

I’m still at it and still delighted to be painting, taking classes and learning.