New Artwork

  All my paintings in the past year were done in acrylics, and now I’m trying to ease back into watercolors. Over the years I’ve done many watercolor paintings using a limited palette – basically just red, yellow and blue – such as Jerry Van Music Man and Grandpa’s Fiddle Break. In those cases, I mixed the pigments on the palette to create new colors, then brushed the mixed colors on the paper. Now I’m trying another method: letting the … Read More

I don’t often do a painting just for myself, other than my own dogs’ portraits. This is a special one which I was determined to finish in 2017. It’s part of a series, another atypical characteristic of my art. It’s not a Monet-type of series, where he painted subjects such as haystacks, the Rouen Cathedral, and waterlilies over and over in different lighting and weather conditions. No, my series is very different – I have painted the same vase three … Read More

I remember my first ride in a Volkswagen Beetle. I was a young teen and my friend Cindy’s sister Martha was driving me home in her “bug.” To an impressionable teen, she seemed to be one with her car. I remember the left turn from Main Street onto the street where I lived; with no on-coming traffic she didn’t slow down much as she cut the corner. I watched her pull the steering wheel with her two hands right next … Read More

“Tyson” My paintings cover a wide variety of subjects, but if I had to restrict myself to one, I’d pick dog portraits. Every furry face has its distinct characteristics and I love to hone in on each one’s uniqueness.  I also know how much pleasure I get from seeing my doggies’ faces in the portraits I’ve done, particularly those who have passed away, and it pleases me to be able to do this for others. Maggie Mae The eyes are … Read More

Reference photos from my extensive files After the challenge of “In The Spotlight,” my second recent watercolor painting took me back into my comfort zone:  an old truck, a farm building, animals, and barbed wire. My goal was to incorporate and connect some diverse elements, hoping I could create a path for the eye to follow through my painting. My inspiration for this painting began with the old fire truck, retired from service from the nearby mountain community of Coker … Read More

“Third time’s a charm” was a proverb I hoped would prove true as I decided to capture this scene in watercolor after two previous unsatisfactory attempts. I had taken photos about 4 years ago on an October evening in the mountains with my friends Debra and Mike. When Mike took a seat under the floodlight and started playing his guitar, I snapped a few shots with the intention of giving them to him. Later, when I reviewed the photos, I … Read More

  I finished this painting just in time to have it debut at my upcoming gallery open house (Sunday 1/18/15 at Tellico Art Center, Tellico Plains TN, 1-4pm). The painting is a square, turned 45° so it hangs as a diamond – just for an added bit of distinction. I paint on canvas with Golden Fluid Acrylics, and I paint fairly thin. The fluid acrylics are about the consistency of heavy cream, and made my transition from a watercolor painter … Read More

It’s OK now to post another one of my newest paintings, a portrait of our dog Maggie Mae. This was one of my Christmas surprise gifts for Rick. It was challenging to complete this painting without Rick’s knowledge, since my painting area is part of our large office and we are together 24/7. A few times the canvas was quickly slipped into a large drawer, with the paint still wet! For this painting, done in acrylic on canvas, I used … Read More

It’s safe for me to reveal another of my newest paintings, which has now been opened as a Christmas surprise. This is a new dog portrait of a rescued puppy very dear to my heart, named Hunter. Hunter & Ellie Mae soon after he was rescued. The short version of Hunter’s story is that our friend Kathy found him wandering in the woods over Labor Day weekend 2012, homeless and totally emaciated. Rick and I agreed to give him a … Read More

Yesterday, the last day of November, was sunny and warm here, but many days this past month have been dreary, misty and grey, like my newest painting “November.” Even on such moody days, the tall dried grasses in the pastures and meadows here in Tennessee are striking tones of gold and rust, with undertones of green from the low fresh growth. The scent of the air says “autumn” in the country, perhaps from the damp leaves on the ground. My … Read More