The Beauty of an Unkempt Alley

In downtown Charleston, people take their side alleys very seriously. They are clipped and snipped, bricked and manicured... to perfection. When the painting Group was downtown painting last week I spotted this unkempted alley. It had an unfettered and honest beauty all its own...had to paint it.

Ashem Plantation; View from the Trees 8x10 oil on foam board

Morning Light

I tried to keep the shapes very simple in this one because there was a lot going on. I'm not so sure the composition works but I like the simple shapes and clean color. Thanks for inviting us to the farm to paint Anne! What a gorgeous day it was!!

Brenda's Boat 6x8 oil on gessoed board

I wish I could take credit for this charming photo. My sister Brenda took it when she was on Cape Cod last summer. Boats, (especially forshortened perspective) have always challenged me; so it was good to practice painting one that was very simple and straightforward like this.

Shem Creek Boathouse II

The folks at Shemcreek Bar and Grill were nice enough to let the painting group to use their shaded dock to paint today. The sky was particularly beautiful that day. I hope I captured it. So much fun.

Wading Through 24x36

This is so different from what I usually paint, but I have to say, I like painting birds. I think it I would have liked to get the water looking more "reflective." I like the bird though. I think painters tend to do a better job painting things they feel a connection to... and I do feel that with birds. This painting will be for sale in the Columbus Museam Show in Columbus, Georgia. The price will be $2600.00 and 40% of that will go to support the museum. I'm so happy to support them. They are some of the friendliest, most hard working people I've ever met.

A3 24x18 mixed media

sold I may never go back to regular painting again. These mixed media peices are so exhilarating to do. There is an amazing mixed media artist named Michel Keck from Indiana that is the absolute master of this genre. I was very inspired by her amazing art. She sells her originals for upwards of 10,000 dollars. Someday I will own one. I will need to sell a lot of paintings.

She Keeps Her Wisdom in a Box 16x16 mixed media on board

sold Another fun mixed media. Its interesting, I wasnt sure what it was about till I was almost done. The subconscious is amazing. This feels like art therapy! The materials used for this are oil paint, paper, copper leaf, duct tape, and oil pastel. For all my clients who might be reading this...I take my wisdon out of the box when you come see me...tee hee.

Blue Through Me 18.5x24 mixed media on board

sold It was really fun to paint this. I have never done any mixed media before but it is such an exciting process. It is a combination oc oil paint, duct tape, stencil, oil pastel, and copper leaf. Can't wait to do more of these.

Sullivan's Island Beach Path 8x10 oil on gatorboard

soldThis is another one of my favorite places on Sullivan's Island. I can't tell you how many times I've walked this path. Its beauty never fails to captivate. Available on http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/

Heirloom Tomatoes 6x8 oil on gatorborad

SOLD

 This little painting was a joy to paint. I felt like I was in the zone and really just paid down color in a very deliberate way. It ended up looking much more realistic thatn I thought it woild or even intended!

Better Days 16x16 oil on board

I just had to try my luck at an Airstream. I loved the way the light was hitting the scene and tried to capture it from a photo. I was pretty happy with it overall.

St. Michael's Church 16x16 oil on board

SOLD

I have an courious and inexplicable attraction to churches. This one is in the heart of downtown Charleston. The bells were chiming and the sun was hitting the side of the steeple in such a striking way on the afternoon I painted it. It was a lovely site to see and hear.

Wellfleet Dune 16x16 oil on board

SOLD

 This is one of my favorite places in the world. It is in Wellfleet Mass. at the Beachcomber Restaurant

  and bar which overlooks this fantastic beach. We have spent many a summer day climbing up and down this monstrous dune.

Rocks, Sand, Water 8x16 oil on board

SOLD

This is what I see every morning when I walk my much loved dog Stewey. I thought it deserved to be honored with a painting. I like the straightforward simplicity of it. It was purchased by one of my favorite yoga buddies.

Jaguar XKE and Flower 8x16 oil on board

What can I say? Still lifes can get boring. You have to mix it up and have fun.

price: 275.00

Ashem Plantation; Color Reflections 8x16 oil on board

SOLD

Another painting from the Ashem property. This was so much fun to paint. I really just looked at shapes and color and laid them in and did not olook back. It was purchased by a dear friend. Thanks Janny

Ashem Plantation; Upriver 11x14 oil on Gatorboard

SOLD

What a magical place this was to paint. Ashem Plantation is in Charleston SC and is now owned by Charleston County Parks. The Lowcountry Open Land Trust held the property and sold it to the county -- a deal that had the blessing of its former longtime owner, the late Emily Ravenel Farrow. Thanks you Elizabeth, for inviting us to paint here. It was unforgettable!

My Pool 8x16 oil on board

SOLD

This painting was bought by a friend at the Charlestonartistcollective.org live show. He said it reminded him of David Hockney. Thanks Rob. That is high praise! I ended up taking the ladder out and it actually really improved the painting (thanks Ian). I dont have a photo of the improved version though.

Dreaming 16x16

SOLD

 This idea for a painting actually came to me in a dream. The style is much tighter that I usually paint. Its more like I painted 15 years ago. I think its about feeling your limits and accepting them but still wondering about the possibilities. price 550.00 unframed.

Cool Cubes 8x10 oil on linen board

soldThis painting will be available on http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/ after 9/1/11. Its amazing how much there is to see in an ice cube! It was over 100 today and I jsut had to stay inside and paint something cool.

Daisy with Vase 11x14 oil on linen board

SOLD

 This painting will be available on http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/. Not a great photo of this painting. Ill try to reshoot it. Trying to get the hang of paining glass.

Go Swim. 5x7 oil on paper

This painting will be available on http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/ after 8/1/11. Its so hot outside! I had to stay in the ac and paint the pool for our water theme this month. Lots of fun memories of parties and kids with this pool. These days, Stewie, our dog is about the only one who uses it. He jumps in on the command, "go swim". Hence the name of the painting.

Kiawah Creek no.3 5x7 oil on paper

SOLD

This painting will be available on http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/. Another artist painting marathon at Kiawah. This time with Mark Horton and Chris Groves; two incredible artist from Charleston, along with the regular gang. Thanks to Mark for giving me some small, paper "canvases" to try.

Round Vase with Flower 11x14 oil on linen board

SOLD

 This painting will be available on http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/ on 9/1. I love the varied colors that you can find painting glass. I have not mastered it but I keep working on it!

Shem Creek Boathouse 8x10 oil on linen board

SOLD

This painting will be available on http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/ on September 1st. Beautiful day on Shem Creek painting with my lovely friend and painting buddy Mary. Thanks to Shem Creek Bar an Grill for allowing us to paint under the shelter and out of the hot sun.

Onion and Cherries 8"x10" oil on linen board

This painting is available at Thecharlestonartistcollective.org

Sold

Blue Vase and Hydrangea 8"x10" oil on linen panel

This painting is available at Charlestonartistcollective.org

Monet's Reeds 8"x10"

This one was painted a while ago but I retouched it. It was painted on location at the most beautiful beach path on Sullivans Island. It will be on the Charleston Artist Collective site for the month of May. http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/

On the Creek 6"x8" oil on foam board

Ok. Well this one... well I just dont know about this one. I was going for loose and it kind of got away from me. The colors are nice though!

Open to the River 4"x6" oil on board

soldThis piece will be in the SKIRT Postcard show on May 11, at the Halsey Institute at the College of Chareston.

Village House 8"x10" oil on foam board

SOLD This painting was sold to a very dear and long time friend who decided to support the Charleston Artist Collective and buy this off our site! Thanks so much Jim. I hope you and Caroline enjoy the painting. It was painted in the Old Village of Mt. Pleasant in SC. The theme for CAC this month was "Impressions" so I decided to make it look very impressionistic by using a palette knife. It was a beautiful day and a joy to paint.

Delta 4"x6" oil on board

soldAbstract + palette knife = FUN! This little painting will be for sale at the SKIRT Postcard Show on May 11 at the Halsey Institute at the College of Charleston. Check it out: http://charleston.skirt.com/content/postcard-show

Bright Sun, Blue Sky 6"x8" oil on board

Another view through the famous "key hole" at Vanderhoist. I have been having fun with the palette knife again. Available after May 1st on the http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/

Azaleas and Oak 8"x10" oil on board

The sun coming through the trees onto the grass was the inspiration. The azaleas were at their absolute peak. And the narly oak made the whole scene complete.

Susie's House 6"x8" oil on board

I will probably work on this a little more. The goal was to create a clear forground, middle ground and backround. The palm on the right was in shadow though which confused things a bit. for now it will do.

Spring Bouquet

11x14 oil on board

Its all about the blooms! I didn't even have the patience to finish the details in this painting. The flowers are the main event!

First Rose

8x10 oil on board

It is so good to see some color! This is from the first bloom of our rose bush in the back yard. Thanks Jerry, for taking good care of our roses.

Pansies Against Bamboo

8x10 oil on board

The first pansies of the year came as a welcomed burst of color since we had so much cold and gray this year.

sold

Camillias

8x10 oil on board.

This one went a little abstract but I like the way it turned out. The pitcher was actually back-lit but I didn't like the way the shadow looked in the front of the pitcher so I gave it may best shot at "creating" the shadow and made the light source look as though it was coming from the left. But, I didn't want to loose the cool sliver of bright yellow light on the back of the table so I left that. It probably doesn't make logical sense but...I like it.

SOLD

Charleston From a Distance

12x8 oil on board

This was painted from Sullivan's Island on our Wednesday painting day with Mary and Anne. The trees against the hazy sky and the way they framed the city really captured my attention.

sold

Misty Trees

6x8 oil on panel

Available on www.charlestonartistcollective.org

The theme for the Charleston Artist Collective Group this month was, "Between the Fish and the Tree" which, quite honestly had me stumped since I rarely think of trees and fish in the same...thought. Merging the two ideas on one canvas just tangled up my brain in a knot! After a lot of struggle, I decided to just paint trees, which I love.
sold

Winter Tree

6x8 oil on panel

for sale at www.charlestonartistcollective.org

sold

Forest Fog

6x8 oil on panel

Available on http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/

sold 

Quiet Lake

6x8 oil vignet on panel

Available on http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/

sold 

Angled Light

9x12 original oil

This painting is for sale on the Charleston Artist Collective website. http://www.charlestonartistcollective.org/

sold

Working Farm

8x16 original oil on canvas

This painting is for sale at the Island Gallery on Sullivans Island

SOLD

Abstract color study

9x12 original oil on canvas board

200.00

This was a great exercize. I'm not sure if you can see it but this painting is composed of about a hundred rectangles of subtle shades of different colors which gives it a sort of pixilated look. Each color/rectangle was studied in the landscape and then mixed separately (which, really...isnt that what we're always suppose to do?) It took about 4 hours! It really makes you see the gradation of colors, the intensity of colors, and all the different values. It was not meant to actually be a painting but I liked it so much, and it got so much positive feedback from the painting group, that I decided to post it for sale. Some smart person with a very good eye decided to buy it. I love that!

SOLD

Floweres on My Mantle

11x14 original oil on foam board, 350.00

One of my clients gave me these beautiful roses. The backround is of my new glass tile fireplace. I love the contrast of colors and textures. Painting glass is always interesting. It amazes me how little you actually have to"paint" it to make it resemble glass. When you're painting impressionistically, its always a challenge to have the object read as glass without looking too realistic. I was pretty happy with this one. There is room for improvement though.

Windswept

9x12 original oil. Framed. 350.00