Getting close to being caught up now.....yaay.......Coincidentally when I got back from Monhegan this challenge was posted on Daily Paintworks and happens to be Black Head, Monhegan Island, ME. A view I know well...a challenge to paint all of those rocks.  My response to The Monhegan Island Challenge.

Black Head

Oil on Board

6 x 8

I love foxes....full of personality, intense and opportunistic.  This fox is named Lucy and she comes to visit a friend of mine on San Juan Island.  Lots of foxes on the island. Lucy was sitting on the porch railing for this shot.

 The Eyes Say It All

Oil on Raymar

8 x 10

SOLD

Crow with attitude....couldn't resist....My partner took a shine to this one so it lives with us.

 Struttin'

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

One Stands Alone

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

Pears are so voluptuous and I'm partial to the red ones.  

 Quite Time

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10
SOLD

Another view of the estuary.....

 Last Light

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

My daughter sent me this picture of a sunset at Bodega Bay.  I thought I would give it a go...there were so many subtle colors in the water even though it was very dark.  I haven't painted many ocean scenes and I don't think I quite captured the subtleties that I would have liked to....but it was a good exercise.

Late Afternoon on the Ridge

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

SOLD

A Daily Paintworks pick of the day....another favorite walk on Fawn Ridge. This particular spot always appeals to me.

The crow paintings below are part of a series I'm working on from some photos I took of a crow doing the strangest dance.  Hoping from side to side and jumping into the air.  So funny. There are a couple of more that I would like to do for this series.

 Almost There

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10
SOLD

Catching Air

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

 Hop Step

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

The Dancer

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10
SOLD

 Camellia

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10
SOLD

Always fascinated and admiring of skulls, bones, the beauty of decaying things....wabi, I'm starting a series of skull paintings, and painting bigger for the first two anyway.  This is the first one.

 Don't Fence Me In

Oil on Canvas

16 x 20

Another shot from the estuary, a birder's paradise.   

 I'm Talking to You

Oil on Raymar Board

10 x 8

My response to the Daily Paintworks Premix Challenge....premixing all of the colors you will use and then working on each item individually.  I had never done that before and it was very challenging.  It helps you keep your colors clean and keeps you very thoughtful.  I had never painted peppers before, and I was pleased with the outcome.  Learned a lot here.

 The Peppers Have It

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

Never get tired of painting the estuary.

 The Estuary, Looking East

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10
SOLD

My response to the Citrus Challenge.  We had a bumper crop of Meyer's Lemons this year in spite of some hard frost.  I love those lemons...and was happy to have an reason to paint them....not that I need one...

Three Sweet Tarts

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

Whew.....that brings me up to date except for one painting that for some reason won't load.  Maybe I have learned to stay on top of this....but probably not.  Have to laugh at myself.

In September I was assistant to Tim Horn on Monhegan Island, ME.  He is a great instructor, painter, and a kind and generous person.  It was my second experience of Monhegan Island, which is a painter's paradise.  The light is lovely and it has quite an extensive history of famous artists' painting there.  There is a wonderful small museum up at the lighthouse where you can find works by Hopper and Kent Rockwell...and many more.  The sunsets were great, too.

And a couple of other views

That's Tim on the left

And of course the lighthouse.

I was happy with the work I was able to get done there too.  All of the structures have some history attached to them and anyone on the island is happy to fill you in.  I've painted on this hill twice, the second time much more successfully.

Horn Hill

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

SOLD

Two Tarts

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

Something new for us to do....a twenty minute exercise and a still life.  Different for Tim, and fun to do.

Monhegan Light

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

SOLD

A response to a The Raven Challenge on Daily Paintworks.  I love the challenges, always learn something, and get a sense of community from other participating artists.  This was a particularly enjoyable challenge for me and I had a great connection with the person who purchased it. 

 Right At You

Oil on Raymar Board

10 x 8

SOLD

Here again at one of my favorite and most frequented walks, the estuary.  

 The Estuary

Oil on Raymar Board

8 x 10

SOLD 

An oasis in Napa at the diRosa Museum and estate.  Amazing collection of art, lovely views, history, a great place to visit.  The Secret is number 9 of the series.

The Secret

Oil on Board

6 x 8

Here I am back at it.....I am participating in the Marin Open Studios the first and second weekends in May so no more procrastinating.....sometimes deadlines are helpful.  Its getting more challenging to reconstruct, forgetting what I've already posted...heheh.  This painting is from a photograph I took on one of our morning walks at the estuary.  I loved the positioning of the legs...the watchful eye.

 I'm Watching You

Oil on Board

6 x 8

SOLD

I love corvids and like to paint them quite often, as I'm sure I've mentioned.  This one was strutting along the beach full of attitude....he looked like he was marching to me....to his own drummer, no doubt.  This is number 11 of my not 30 days paintings.

 Steppin' Out

Oil on Board

6 x 8

One of my personal favorites, also from a photograph I had taken, as are most of my studio works.  I love the ocean and have never lived far from it.  It is a healing place for me in all ways. Number 10 of the series.

Infinite Blue

Oil on Board

6 x 8

SOLD

Okay....I've been putting off updating my "daily" blog for way too long....so here I go now.  It's always difficult to go backwards and reconstruct, but I also think its a good process for me, and in the end maybe I will be better about keeping up with it, for myself if nobody else. I mean, seriously, almost a year ago I had just finished a plein air workshop with Tim Horn...which was fabulous, as ever...always learn so much.  I think that View From St Vincent's was the best piece from that experience.  I've done several of the Daily Paintworks Challenges and I have no idea of the order anymore....so I will just post what I remember...Some things are coming back to me now.....I also started to do a 30 paintings in 30 days series, a great exercise, and found the challenges helpful for inspiration.  This was my response to the Paint The Moon challenge, and was # 13 of the 30 days series.  By the way...I only made it to 15.....I'm going to try again this year.

Moon Shadows #13

6 x 8

Oil on Board

SOLD

My second Moon entry and coincidentally the last of my unfinished 30 days series.

Full Moon Rising #15

8 x 6

Oil on Board

This is coming up from Goat Rock, CA, a favorite beach. 

Sunflower #5

8 x 6

Oil on Board

This was my response to the Paint the Sunflower challenge.  Followed by

Front and Center #6

8 x 6

Oil on Board

I was really trying to stay loose with these and while I didn't succeed so well I learned a lot and it was a fun exercise. I love sunflowers....happiness.

Apricot Morning

8 x 10

Oil on Board

SOLD

The apricots were really good last year and I had just purchased this vase specifically to paint it....I thought it had such an interesting shape and a great color.  

I went on a little food binge so here comes some tomatoes.

Three Hotties

6 x 8

Oil on Board

I had never painted tomatoes before and I wasn't too happy with the results....but I learned some things so it was worth the effort.  These never made it to the Daily Paintworks page. 

MacIntosh x 4

9 x 12

Oil on Board

This, however, did make it to the Daily Paintworks site and is one of my most commented on pieces.  This was my response to the Four in Four challenge.....I was able to stay pretty loose with the apples.  Happy with them and it was a fun challenge too!

Calla #1

8 x 6

Oil on Board

This was for the Composition Challenge.  It was also the first bloom I had from a calla lily bulb my daughter had given me....so pretty! 

Sitting in the Sun #2

8 x 6

Oil on Board

In the meantime here is number 2 of the NOT 30.....paintings.

This sits in front of a house in my neighborhood, I pass it quite often and the light was so great I had to take a photo.  I may try this again in the future.  

I have to take a break now.....get to painting.