Oak on Old Norcross Road - SOLD

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8"x 10" oil on canvas. Available.

I love trees and this is one I've always wanted to paint. This spring before the leaves appear and late afternoon seemed the perfect time to capture it's majesty. I just started by blocking in color and working the shapes and values (seen in the lower photo), making many small adjustments in the colors as the piece progressed. I kept in mind the play between darks and lights during the entire process, which was the inspiration for this little landscape. The time to complete it was about five hours. I 'm pretty excited because it is one of those break- through pieces that happens every so often and you think "wow, it looks close to want I was trying for!" Good to see some pay off for hard work.

Gondolas in Venice - SOLD

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7"x 10" oil on canvas. Available.

This little painting is from one of my dear photos taken in the fall of 2006. I was able to capture this scene while crossing a little bridge on the way to eat real Italian pizza. The trip to northern Italy and the Greek Isles was life changing in that it was the catalyst to my painting again. I've been at the easel for six months and have now painted from one of my Venice photos for the first time. I simply fell in love with Venice and I was only there a half a day! I haven't wanted to paint my favorite place until I was ''ready" and had the courage. This weekend I was ready and painted it small– 7"x10"– to force myself to limit the detail. I wasn't too successful with that, I just kept picking up that small brush! I really wanted the water to sparkle and I think I achieved that. In fact, I like it a lot and much better than the photo of it! Why can't I ever get a good photo of my paintings? I move the painting every way possible to avoid those light reflections but I always get those little white dots that look like the canvas showing through the paint. If someone out there can tell me how to avoid that, I'd love ya!

Tallulah Gorge Dam - SOLD

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This is oil on canvas and measures 8.25"x10.25'. Available for $125. Sold

Last fall, we took a day trip to north Georgia and I photographed this lovely scene. Last night I painted this piece in three hours–I’m getting faster! I’m working on that "loose", minimal brush stroke ( alla prima ) style–I’m getting closer.

Enjoying Venice - SOLD

This is a photo of my brother and his wife in Venice. Following is a painting from this photo. 16"x20" o/c.


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I've had a request to post a painting that was completed in November of 2007. Upon returning from a trip to Italy last year, my sister-in-law emailed a photo of her and my brother in Venice. I surprised them with this painting based on that photo. I'm including a post of the photo first and then the work in progression. The size is 16"x20" and is painted in oil on canvas.

Vase of Flowers

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This was one of those paintings that I thought I'd never finish. I did have the flu bug, but aside from that, I had a very difficult time getting the values and color hues correct. I think I painted every surface in this piece, three or four times. It was a good learning exercise and the end result approaches the result I was looking for, but the painting's brush strokes became overworked and the paint begins to lose the freshness that is achieved by minimal strokes. Beginning the painting with a pencil drawing, got me off to a tighter path than if I had simply drawn the basic shapes with a paint brush. I fell into the old methods of working from my illustrator days. I started this piece without thinking about all that I've been learning recently. I was painting objects, not shapes and color, and when I started paying attention, I tried to correct my approach with some limited success. I'm pleased with achieving the values and colors that all combine to create the moody filtered light in the room. I am so ready to start something fresh ! Stay tuned.