Green Light

12" x 12"  oil

Winter......cold......slush.......traffic......

Right about now,  I'm looking forward to spring, and this painting 

gives me no comfort. I can hold onto that bit of sunshine on the side of the semi, 

mentally soak it in and feel the warmth....or not.

Just trying some new ways of putting color down, and keeping myself 

from zeroing in on little details. 

Sheltered

"Sheltered"

8" x 24"  oil 

A parked train down at the ship yard, downtown Anchorage.

The abandoned buildings, parked trains, big old trucks... they are so cool down there!

This will be a great place for plein air painting this spring.  

This train and it's huge black tanks, was gorgeous. 

I'm learning the art of not explaining so much and letting the viewer finish the details.

I have a real habit of trying to say and show everything....

In art and in life.... less is more.  

Thank you for looking!

Line Up

"Line Up" 

16" x 40"  oil

I love city paintings.  I like the idea of trying to create a beautiful painting from the ordinary.....maybe finding a visual eyesore around town, and using it as my subject.  What if I could create something beautiful from something not so wonderful?

 This is a first of what I hope to be a new series of paintings.   

I do love rusty metal things...I have seen some beautiful con-ex containers around town....faded, sun damaged colors...rusty hinges and seams.  Ahhh....kinda amazing really.  A little graffiti and I'm in heaven.  So there, now you know my new mission!

Thank you for looking!  

Tuesday night life drawing sessions....

This is a drawing from last night's session.  Fun evening with a nice group of artists!

Tuesday nights there is a open life drawing session downtown Anchorage, AK.

We meet at 6:30pm and draw until 8:30pm. Come and draw with us! 

AT.... International Gallery, 427 D St.  

Tuesday nights 6:30 - 8:30pm

We would love to see you there, no expertise required, all levels welcome, bring $15 and your own materials. (If more than 5 people attend, the fee goes down to $10!) (UAA students only have to pay $5!) Please try to arrive before we start. See you there!

1970's motocross boots!

Okay....I'm showing you paintings from the past year, give the blog something to look at while I experiment on paintings in my studio.

These are some seriously great boots!  Do you know what attracted me to them?  Yes....the metal shin guards and metal buckles.  Tarnished metal, paired up with old worn leather......it just doesn't get any better than this!  Kinda has a Mad Max flavor don't you think? 

I have a painting in mind for these, but this was a fun warm up for something else down the line.

"Old Flame"

"Old Flame"  

oil painting by Marianne Elson

I painted this vintage blow torch a while back.  I love old metal stuff!  I don't know why.... I just gravitate towards it....a moth to a flame.  If I was in an antique store, and on the shelf in front of me was something metallic and rusty.....and right next to it, was an intricate porcelain vase.  I would zero right in on the metal thingy.  I'd have it in my hands in no time.  Why is that?  What is it about old chrome...rusty tools....and tarnished silver that lights my heart on fire?  I have a small collection of old blow torches....I don't know why.  I just love them.  I love the smell, the touch...the sight, and they don't need to be in great shape....I actually prefer that whatever it is...is old and dented.  It needs to wear it's history.  

Secretly....if I walked into some old farmers garage or barn, my head would spin.  I'd be trying to take it all in at once.  That's an idea!  What if I took my oil paints and easel..... planted myself in some guys old garage and painted for a whole weekend...drag a bunch of canvases with me.....eat out of pizza boxes, Chinese take out and just paint any metal car part, old bike wheel, old metal springs...any treasure I laid my eyes on!  That sounds like heaven to me....

On the flip side.....I have a real thing for polished chrome too.  Old cars, motorcycles and trucks....chrome bumpers, dash gauges, door handles, light assemblies...trim.  LOVE IT.

And don't get me going on vintage toasters and kitchen appliances......  Okay, enough!  I'll stop.  

I could go on and on, but I will show some restraint.

      

Champagne.......

 

 

"Champagne" 

11" x 14"  oil on canvas

 

Ahhhh........champagne.

 

Isn't champagne wonderful?  So bubbly, my tongue fizzes with each sip.  Its too bad 2 glasses is my limit.  Perrier water has the same effect.....my new drink of choice!

First Friday Show...

 

 

 

I'm hanging 14 paintings on Snow City Cafe's sunny, yellow walls!

Artist reception will be this Friday, September 7th 

5:30 until 8:00pm

 

The paintings will be up and for sale until October 3rd.

 

 

 

 



Float plane shacks...

 

 

 

"Float Plane Shacks"  oil

8" x 10" canvas

 

There is a lake not too far from my neighborhood.  It's a take off and landing strip for float planes.  I used to take my boys there when they were young....we would eat our little sack lunches and watch the planes take off and land.  We were right there on the edge of the lake....and you could feel the engines rumble in your chest as they blew by.   Wow, nothing better than that with little boys.  I'd watch their faces while a plane would be taking off....my oldest son would talk and point the whole time, I couldn't hear a word over the engine noise, but I shared his excitedment.  My younger son would just shake with excitement and point. 

 

This painting is at Lake Hood, these adorable little shacks are at each float plane "slip" as they call it, Like a water driveway for a plane.  It's parked next to it's little shack.  People plant flowers and paint these little shacks fun colors....the lake is like a small community of tiny houses, very Hansel and Gretel.

 

I had fun painting here that day!

Thank you for looking!



Vintage cooler....

 

Coolers on a bright sunny day. 

This was an odd summer, it just seemed to fly by.  Maybe it was the late start.....maybe more rainy days than sunny ones?  Maybe I was distracted.  Anyways, this little painting puts me right back on the day it was painted...a warm, bright, long Alaskan day.....and a little sunburn on my shoulders.

It was a good day.    

 

Thank you for looking! 

Drawings....

 

 

 

 

 

There is a life drawing session each Tuesday night here in Anchorage. 

These are a few of my drawings from these sessions.

 

If you are interested in drawing the figure, it's open to anyone....

there's a  $15 drop in fee for the 2 hour session.  Go to the Upstairs Studio at

406 G Street (the door next to Phil's Deli-above Side Street Espresso).

We draw from 6:30pm until 8:30.

 

 



Bar and Lounge

"Bar and Lounge"

30" x 40"  oil

Another neon sign.......even in daylight, they still fascinate me.



Midnight Call

"Midnight Call"

24" x 36"  oil

I just love these beautiful little structures!

Club 25

"Club 25"

24" x 48"  oil

I have a thing for neon signs......

Look to the sky.....

Just before sunset...

Pullman, WA at sunset

I've had clouds and sky on my mind these past few months.  I seem to be engaged in a totally different task when I look up and see some incredible sky hovering above me........just flaunting itself in front of my eyes, while I carry in the groceries or check the mailbox.  As if to let me know a beautiful painting is always waiting for me to paint....every day....any minute, I'm just not making time for it. 

The two paintings above were done on a hilltop in Pullman, WA.  The sun was setting and we grabbed all our gear and raced to catch the last of the light and color of that evening sky.  Fun!  I loved the speed and immediacy of these paintings.....color only!  My last lesson of the trip and I had no idea it was going to be taught. Thank you Henry for teaching me these past few years, I have appreciated all you have taught me. 

4th Avenue

"Fourth Avenue"

30" x 40"  oil

This painting is from 2006, but it's dear to my heart. 

This one marked the start of me taking oil painting seriously.

Soon after this painting, I created space in my home for a studio, and gave myself permission to buy lots of canvas and paints!  And that's where all the fun began!



Wild rose

"Wild One"

12" x 12"  oil



Apple in warm light.....

"Warm Light Apple"

8" x 10"  oil



Still life....

"Cinderella's Disco Shoe"

12" x 12"  oil



Waiting.....

"Sara's Waiting"

oil