Thursday, January 28, 2016

Jenny, oil on canvas, 14" x 11" SOLD

Some of the artists in Alla Prima Portland meet regularly at Medley Tea in Multnomah Village to sketch after the breakfast meeting at O'Connors.  Lots of colorful teapots, cups and crockery to sketch, as well as each other.  The walls are adorned with art work, one time we had a group show there of our teapot paintings. We sip, sketch in pencil or watercolor, and chat about art and anything else, with lots of noisy laughter.
A few weeks ago I got a quick photo of our waitress, Jenny, and painted it afterward.  The photo errs on the green side, there is a lot of rosy pink.

Friday, January 22, 2016


River Reflection, oil on board 8" x 16"

Back to a summer mood from a photo taken on the banks of the Columbia River when the water level was so low you could walk on the sand.  The reflection seemed to float, everything was still.

Monday, January 18, 2016

Fall Glow, 12" x 12" oil on panel board

This one started with a fall mood, fall colors on my palette and a palette knife, then added brushwork.  The foggy sky reminds me of a day spent painting plein air in Forest Park.  I like the warm glow against the cool gray.

Friday, January 15, 2016

April Nude, oil 14" x 11"

This photo of April was shared on the Alla Prima Portland Facebook site by Khanh N. Huynh for our inspiration, and I was inspired!  If orange is the happiest color, is she happy or blue?  She looks a bit cold to me, maybe I should have given her a shawl?  The next one will be warmer!

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Fall Abstract, 12" x 12" oil on birch board

This one just happened.  I started with broad strokes with a large brush from the same palette of fall colors I've been using lately, covering up an old painting that did not interest me anymore.  I expected to put down some colors then find a composition from photos, but then I kept going without a visual reference  The trees and leaves were in my head just waiting to come out.  Sides are almost 2" deep, painted the same red-orange.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Tabor Path, 12" x 16" oil  SOLD

Just returned from where it was hung at O'Connors Cafe where the Alla Prima Portland group meets, is my painting from the Fall, Tabor Path.  It's my favorite path in the park, at late afternoon when the light from the West creates a warm glow.  My camera never quite captures that glow, along with the dark shadows from the trees, so I have to remember the quality of the light.