Late Afternoon Glow

"Late Afternoon Glow"

24"x 24" oil on canvas

The Alaskan winter days have beautiful lighting.  It's either looking like sunrise or sunset most of the day, unless it's plain 'ol darkness...then it's just dark.

This painting was done from a reference photo taken at 3:30 pm.  The sun just rides along the horizon in December.  This glass building was glowing.  If I turned around, I wouldn't be able to see the sun from my vantage point....but this building was reflecting everything from the southern skyline.

Traffic....if your a night lights junkie like me, traffic in the winter up here is pretty beautiful.  

And if I'm not wearing my glasses... all those lights have a large halo effect.  

Cool...

Of course, this painting and the colors are filtered through my heart and mind...

a little bit amped up...... cause that's what I see.

Artists, don't be a journalist with your art......be a poet.  

Show the world your heart.  Don't be scared... show us what you're made of. 

I love that about art.

Thanks for looking!!

 and reading.

Tuesday night drawing sessions

There is a Tuesday night drawing session in downtown Anchorage.

From 7:00 ~ 9:30, nude model, 18 yrs of age minimum....bring your own supplies....no instruction, 

just a group of us 

working on our drawing skills, 

all levels welcome! 

The session takes place at  ACAL, 225 E 5th ave, Anchorage.  Entrance is in the alley. 

Cost is $15 per session, or you can purchase 5 sessions for $50.

It's a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow!  

Come draw with us!

Night painting...

Night painting

 12"x16", oil on panel

Night painting is fun.  There's something really great about being out painting, at night in the dark.

It reminds me of childhood….playing outside in the winter, after dinner…it was always dark.

I used a book light this time.  I pointed it at my canvas and palette…worked great!

Thank  you for looking!! 

night painting

6" x 8"  oil

Tonight I had a small camp fire in my yard.  

I was burning twigs and a broken fence.  I love sitting around a campfire,

just staring at the fire.  Watching ocean waves hit the beach and watching a campfire do the same thing to me....maybe that's my purist form of meditation.  I stop thinking and watch, it's so relaxing.

I had a lot of wood to burn and I did a lot of staring at the fire, but then I had this wonderful idea...

painting by the fire.

 I set up next to my little fire and painted my apple tree and then after the sun went down, 

I painted this view of my house....from my side yard.  It was double relaxing...fire and painting.

Loved it!

Thank you for looking!

Night paintings.....

"Midnight Call"

I love the quiet mystery of night paintings. 

Night time is full of mystery to me.  Walking my dog at night....passing by 

homes and warm light glowing in the windows.  I imagine families settled in for 

the night, kids are doing their school work, families are watching 

movies together, a romantic evening for couples.....I let my imagination drift.

I was alone, on a trip to Washington, a few years back, 

and this lonely phone booth looked like a beacon, 

trying to draw me in......call your husband, he misses you..... 

I went back to my hotel room and called him on my cell phone!  What was I thinking?

How romantic to call him at this phone booth.....

So I painted it.  

Next time I'll call him from the phone booth, and paint it!

A Quiet Alley

"A Quiet Alley"

10" x 20"  oil

I had a nice time playing with the colors on this one....

and I've been trying a slightly different approach

with this piece and few other paintings.

I'm experimenting....I'd like a more emotional feel to my work, so.....

I'm just feeling my way in the dark I suppose.

I'm happy with how this little one turned out.

Thank you for looking!

Watercolor

Another older painting, this was a watercolor done before I started oil

painting.  I made it into a little greeting card and sold them.

It was inspired by my love of vintage trailers.  I had found one about 10 years ago, an "Artisotrat", made in the early 60's.  I bought it from an artist that had been using it as a studio for a while.  He made a real impression on me, although I can't remember his name.  I took my husband downtown to take a look at  the little trailer and we bought it within the hour.  A little gem!  This was the first time I ever talked with someone that I could have sworn I've known all my life, and yet we had never met before.

An interesting moment I'll never forget.

I daydream of finding a little airstream to park in the back yard....doll it out and use it as a guest bedroom in the summer months :)

Night painting

Again..... I was sitting in the parking lot, at the gas station, 

painting this one a few nights ago.

Lighting my pallet and painting at night was my challenge.

More abstract looking.....loose.  I like it.  

Maybe a bright head lamp would do the trick next time.

Thank you for looking!

Midnight Call

"Midnight Call"

24" x 36"  oil

I just love these beautiful little structures!