How many objects have you carried with you throughout your life? This Singer sewing machine has been with me my entire 62 years. My mom made my baby clothes on it; then school clothes, prom dresses, and my wedding dress. She used it for countless curtains, slipcovers, tablecloths and pillow tops. I learned to sew on this machine. After I married, Mom gave me the Singer and I continued sewing for myself and our home. I wish it had an odometer. I'd love to know how many miles it has stitched over the years. I don't sew much anymore. My Singer is tucked in its original sturdy black case. Occasionally I pull it out for a mending job. When I open the case, I'm greeted with the familiar smell of electric motor and fabric lint mixed with a lifetime of memories.
"My Singer", 24"x18", oil on board, Sold
Glads are so showy and exotic. I couldn't resist this combination of bright pink and orange. I gave them a nontraditional twist. Instead of viewing the vase at eye level, the viewer is looking down on the arrangement. The light is coming from behind the flowers which emphasizes the translucent quality of the petals.
"Glads Against the Light", 16"x20", oil on linen
This little guy has been in my studio waiting to be painted for a couple of years. His time has finally come. I painted this cheery composition for The Birds, the Bees, the Flowers and the Trees exhibit at Firefly Trading Company in Cable. It's a homecoming of sorts for the bluebird — that's where I purchased him.
"Bluebird Vase", 8"x10", oil on linen, Sold
My mom had these shoes in her studio. I'm not sure of their history, but a friend told me they were probably made in India. I'm fascinated by their form. This is the second time they have been the subject of one of my paintings.
"Indian Shoes", 9"x12", oil on linen, sold
We live on a lake in the north woods. Bruce caught these pan fish from our dock. The fish in the foreground is a crappie; the one behind is a bluegill. I tried to capture their iridescent colors and wet surfaces. I was thinking of Chardin's kitchen still life paintings that include fish.
"Pan Fish", 9"x12", oil on linen, sold
This painting was inspired by one of my favorite color combinations — lime green and aqua blue. It's fun to choose a color scheme and then find objects to match. I was happy with the painterly quality of this painting and plan to do a larger version.
"Study in Lime and Aqua", 6"x8", oil on linen, Sold
I continue to explore reflections and the play of light through water and citrus slices. The challenge here was to keep the strong focal point of the light through the lemon slice while making the background a medium value instead of dark. You can compare this to the earlier "Glass with Lime Slice" which has a much darker background.
"Glass with Lemons and Napkin", 6"x8", sold
The plein-air group has been gathering on Monday mornings again this summer. I've joined them a few times. They are good painters and lots of fun. I painted this garden nymph during one of our sessions at Big Brook Greenhouse in Cable. A big thanks goes to owners Scott and Sue for letting us invade their beautiful gardens.
"Garden Nymph", 8"x6", oil on canvas Sold
Periodically I switch from oil paints to pastels. It's a good way to freshen my perspective. With the pastels I work more quickly, focusing on composition and flat areas of color. I like to use black mat board as my surface. I try to avoid smudging my strokes and allow some of the black to show through. It gives the painting a graphic quality I like, similar to a linoleum cut. With this series I decided to try a wide format. I have one of my mom's paintings hanging in the space between the kitchen counter and the overhead cabinets. I enjoy looking at it as I'm working in the kitchen. That space was the inspiration for the proportions of these paintings.
"Apples & Glass Bowl", 8"x18", pastel on board
"Carrots & Tomatoes", 8"x18", pastel on board, Sold
"Peppers & Knife, 8"x18", pastel on board, Sold
"Pots of Primroses", 8"x18", pastel on board
