This is an older one, and while it’s not particularly skilled, I really love the ruffled petals and bold colors in it.

I’m a little salty about how these salt flowers came out.  I guess trying a new thing means failed experiments, too.

Maybe in my next version, I’ll include a dragon.

I think this might be my favorite piece of my own work.

One day, I am going to get to see northern lights in person.

I feel like this really captures the cold, wet feeling of autumn.

I used guache for this one. I really like how the dark background forces your eye to focus on the subject with more intensity than you might otherwise.  

I generally paint in watercolor.  I painted this with gouache (think watercolor and acrylic paint had a baby).  I did two versions – I think I like the second one better.          

I focused on the depth of color and texture here.  This is just practice, but I really like how a few of those turned out.

The dragonflies in late summer are really fun to observe.  They were one of the first insects to inhabit the planet 300 million years ago.  They fly backwards.  They can see almost 360 degrees.  What’s not to love?

Happy August!  Here’s a giraffe.  Not pictured: the giraffe’s giant purple tongue that can grow to be 20 inches or 53 cm long!

I am going to be honest.  I am grumpy about this cactus.  I have done all the things you’re supposed to do after you finish a painting – walk way, look at from another angle, and I’m pretty sure there is nothing that is going to change my mind.  I’m really happy about the flowers,…

Bokeh is a photography technique where a lot of the image is blurred out, leaving only part of the image in focus.  I thought it would be fun to try.  It reminds me of a summer evening when the light starts to change and maybe there are some seed pods floating in the air.

Georgia O’Keefe’s Canna Lily Series were the first pieces of art I really fell in love with.  Not just “Ooh, that’s nice,” but really needing to spend some time looking at the painting, turning my head sideways, noticing the nuance of character that a color can embody and how its effect changes even with a…

I’m not sure if this is my all time favorite, but it’s pretty close.  I keep thinking about how nice it would to be if you could be small enough to curl up in the soft, velvety orchid petal toward the bottom.

Everyone.  Everyone knew.  I know.  I really can’t get over how fun this is.

I have been doing a terrible job of waiting for spring.  Hopefully, you all did better than me. I SO DESPERATELY WANT TO PLANT ALL THE PLANTS.

Here’s another rendition of space.

Here’s another painting from the galaxy series. 

I painted a few versions of the night sky.  This was, by far, the loosest.  More galaxy portraits to come…

The February Hare is modestly more agreeable than her cousin.    

I think my favorite part of this painting is the part was not painted. The darkness of the black paper leaves so much room for possibility; like visual room to think.

Wishing you warmth, joy, and a little bit of glamour as the daylight and temperatures change.

I experimented some more with color and shape.  As a rule, in painting, it is frowned upon to have perfectly vertical or horizontal lines.  I broke the rules a little here to see what it felt like.  It’s paper, I’m allowed (and so are you).  I think the petals that I liked the most are…

I had colored the goth glue leopards, but, man, I did not like how they came out. I think with that kind of project, a looser style is better and that is not what my brain wanted to do. So I tried again with this lovely lady.

Sometimes, it’s important to slow down and do something small.  This floral experiment feels complex when I look at it, but simple from a technical perspective.  I love the colors and I feel a strong sense of emotion when I look at this.  I find it fascinating that something with such little detail can still…

Dear, sweet Matilda – so gallant, such grace – Those stately horns, and your thick, wavy hair, suit well your steady physique and discerning taste.    

Take pride in Pride.  Happy June!

Well, I won’t be winning any awards for these, but they do make me happy.  If it makes you smile, you get to share, right?