Flight into Egypt

What a frightening experience for Mary and Joseph as they escaped genocide and became refugees in Egypt.

Christmas 3: Flight into Egypt
6x6"
Oil on panel

Christmas 2: Adoration of the Shepherds

 Good news and great joy for plain people.

"Adoration of the Shepherds"
6x6"
Oil on Panel

$60 (plus $5 shipping)

Christmas 1: Mother and Child

The birth of Jesus brings joy to the world.

"Mother and Child"
Oil on Panel
6x6"

$60 (plus $5 shipping)

Advent 4: Joseph

This is the lectionary portrait for Advent 4: Joseph. I'm imagining him when he wakes up from his encounter with the angel, who tells him to take Mary as his wife, because her pregnancy is from God.

"Joseph"
6x6", oil on panel

$60

Advent 3: Mary's Praise Song

Mary was a virgin who became pregnant. She went to visit Elizabeth, her cousin, an old woman who also became pregnant. When they greeted each other, they both burst out into songs of praise. Mary's song of praise to God is called the Magnificat. It begins, "My soul magnifies the Lord!" Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months, when John was born.

"Mary's Praise Song"
6x6", oil on panel
$60 (plus $6 shipping)

Advent 2: John the Baptist

This is the second in the series of Lectionary Portraits. John the Baptist (really it should be John the Baptizer) is a fascinating character who proclaimed a gospel of repentance and baptism. He announced the coming of Jesus, his cousin. "Prepare the way of the Lord!"

"John the Baptist"
6x6", oil on panel
$60 (plus $5 shipping)

Lectionary Portraits—Advent 1: Jesus Returns

I'm starting a new series of portraits of biblical characters for the covers of our church's weekly liturgies. The church liturgical year begins this coming Sunday with Advent. My goal is to make expressive images connected to the lectionary readings for each Sunday. And I hope to capture something that enriches our worship. The first image for Advent 1, "Jesus Returns." is actually a pallette knife painting I did several years ago. I would love to hear your feedback, so I can improve throughout the year. (Yes, 52 portraits—Yikes!)

"Jesus Returns"

8.5x8.5", oil on paper
$60 (Plus $5 shipping)

Townsend Park

We stopped for a couple hours to take in the warm, late fall light. I finished the painting today, trying to capture the peaceful, resolved feeling.

8x10"
oil on canvas

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Be Brave

If we can bloom in the darkness, then darkness is nothing to fear.

(original photo image from LaShawn Wiltz, IG @lashawnwiltz)

 "Be Brave"
8x8in
oil on paper

$50 (+ $5 shipping)

Lighthouse—Acadia NP

We visited this lighthouse in October, but there was no place to set up an easel. So I worked from a photo and finished today. The rocks are pink granite, breathtaking!

8x10"
Oil on panel

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Japanese Bridge-Meijer Gardens

Lovely time of year to find vivid colors at the Gardens, one of our favorite spots. 

8x10" on cradled panel
$65 (plus $5 shipping)

  Sold

Dimples

Oh this gorgeous little babe... growing too fast for my liking. 9-months-old and determined to walk aready.

I think my colors were too muddy, and the background can't make up its mind what it's doing, but it was good to get back to human subjects and a fun exercise in staying loose.

"Dimples"

9x12in

oil on canvas

$150 (+ $5 shipping)

Autumn Offering

There are huge majestic chestnut trees in our neighborhood, and the kids and I can't resist collecting the conkers.

I love the contrast between the dark and polished mahogany of the nut, and the leathery ochre of its spiky jacket. Those spikes were way more finicky to paint than I'd thought...

"Autumn Offering"

8x8in

oil on paper 

$50 (+ $5 shipping)

SOLD

Blueberry Wastes—Maine

Traveling through Maine, we came across these beautiful wild blueberry fields... very low growth, changing colors with the trees.

Blueberry Wastes—Maine
9x12" oil on panel
$65 (plus $5 shipping)

Color of Quince

There is a quince bush on our court, and every year it produces these wonky little fruits that usually rot on the branch or get eaten by bugs. They're not much to look at from the outside, but look what's inside! I especially love how the flesh is somewhat translucent and lets the light through.



"Color of Quince"
8x8in
oil on paper

SOLD

Acadia Rocks

Today we found a nice spot with a sparkling scene in Acadia NP. The park is so full of visitors, it's hard to find parking.

"Acadia Rocks"
8x8" oil on panel
$65 (plus $5 shipping)

Mahone Bay

It was gray and hazy today so I wanted to capture the muted colors of this fall scene.

"Mahone Bay"
8x8" oil on panel
$65 (plus $5 shipping)

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Spry Bay

We found this peaceful bay on the south shore of Nova Scotia. Then I had to work fast because the afternoon was fading and a family was launching their fishing boat where we were sitting.

"Spry Bay"
8x8" oil on panel
$65 (plus $5 shipping)

Robinsons Island

We've been on a road trip to the Atlantic provinces in Canada. This was done at the seaside on Prince Edward Island. I enjoyed trying to capture the shadow colors and the red sand.

"Robinsons Island"
8x8" oil on panel
$65 (plus $5 shipping)

Two Sides of the Same Coin

I often marvel at the colors and textures inside fruits and vegetables when you cut them open... so soft and subtle. The spaces and pith inside this pepper were way more fun to paint that the smooth exterior.

"Two Sides of the Same Coin"

8x8in

oil on board

SOLD

Gladiolus

It was a challenge to make time to paint these flowers before they disintegrated... I considered working from a photo, but the camera did not do justice to that saturated color. 

"Gladiolus"

8x10in

oil on paper

$50 (+ $5 shipping)

Little Sip

I'm trying to get this little guy to send out some roots...

"Little Sip"

6x6in

oil on canvas

$50 (+ $5 shipping)

SOLD

Apple and a Half

I'm pushing myself to work faster and with less detail... My tendency is to try to render every value and every striation, which quickly leads to overworking.

Funny how it's more of a challenge to do less.

"Apple and a Half"

6x6in

oil on canvas

$50 (+ $15 shipping)

 

Goldenrod at Meijer Gardens

I was struck by the fleeting beauty of goldenrod in bloom a couple weeks ago. Today I painted it like a golden tide coming in.

"Goldenrod at Meijer Gardens"

10x8"

oil on panel

$70 (plus $5 shipping)

Savory

My sweet cherub of a baby is suddenly a terrible and unpredictable napper, which means it took three separate days to complete this painting, instead of just one morning session.

I had to contend with the paint drying in patches, a muddied palette, and multiple interruptions. All of that led to a kind of irritated determination that I'm going to call Painting While Pissed. So I kind of see this piece as a lesson in what NOT to do. (See also: keep the cloth one simple color & don't attempt a fussy pattern)

Yay learning!

"Savory"

8x8in

oil on canvas

$75 (+ $5 shipping)

Salad Days

Robin inspired me to paint produce from our garden. I love the intense primary colors.

"Salad Days"
10x8"
oil on panel

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Little Blue Bowl

Here in the UK, eggs don't get washed before they are packaged and sold, which means they can just sit out on the counter instead of taking up space in the fridge. I've come to love seeing them in a bowl or basket -- they're so pretty, they're almost decorative. 

It was surprisingly hard to get the hues just right for these... Much warmer than I thought at first. And it's tricky to reserve the straight white for the tiny highlights, but I love how they pop!

"Little Blue Bowl"

8x8in

oil on canvas

$75

SOLD

One of These Things

It's harder than you might think to arrange a still life with what you've got in your kitchen... But you can't go wrong with complementary colors. And this plum was too pretty to ignore.

"One of These Things"

8x10in

oil on paper

$60 (+ $5 shipping)

Reston in Bloom

We visited Reston, VA, this spring when the cherry trees were in bloom.

"Reston in Bloom"
8x10"
oil on panel
$65 (plus $5 shipping)

Summer Passing

Yesterday, a little girl asked me if I was going to put the sun in my painting. Today I did!

"Summer Passing"
12x9"
oil on panel
$80 (plus $5 shipping)

Sunset Montague

I wanted to capture the rich, vibrant colors of sunset. I used a vertical format in order to get the very dark blue at the bottom of the image and still maintain a gentle, peaceful gradient.

"Sunset Montague"

9x12"

oil on panel

$110 (plus $5 shipping)

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Hummingbird and Trumpet

Painting on the deck at our cabin. The hummingbirds wait for us to come back and fill the feeder.

"Hummingbird abd Trumpet"
10x8"
oil on panel
$50 (plus $5 shipping)