"Abraham Lincoln Statue" (oil on linen; 8" x 8") sold

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The marble statue of President Abraham Lincoln inside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC is always an awe-inspiring sight. I am wondering whether I should have made the head a little bigger.  What do you think?

"Lincoln Memorial Nocturne" (oil on linen; 6" x 8") sold

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I have painted the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC many times, usually against the deep blue night sky, because the marble Doric-temple of the memorial then glows like a gem.  I, however, never painted it as small as this--only 6" x 8"!

"Lincoln Memorial Reflections" (oil on stretched canvas; 8" x 10") sold

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The Lincoln Memorial shimmers in the dusk.  Of all the great monuments in Washington, DC, I must say that the Lincoln Memorial is my favorite.  It is an elegant structure dedicated to a great president.

"Mount Rushmore" (oil on linen; 28" x 32" x 1 1/2")

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I always share this favorite painting of mine on the Presidents Day.  From this unusual vantage point, one can see only George Washington and Abraham Lincoln fully; Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt can be just glimpsed.  As it happens, these are four of my top favorite presidents.  Thank you, Gutzon Borglum!

HAPPY PRESIDENTS DAY!

"Lincoln Memorial Nocturne" (oil on linen; 8" x 12") sold

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"Lincoln Memorial Nocturne" is the third of my mini-series of Washington nocturnal scenes.  Again I had to let it dry first, then go back to make the reflections look more watery.  Painting water is a tough business, whether done en plein air or with a photo.  I think I finally got it right.

As a matter of fact, among the three nocturnes so far, I like the way I treated water and reflections in this painting the best.  It is kind of Monetesque, don't you think?  All I have to say is that if a subject is particularly hard, instead of avoiding it, keep painting it!

"Lincoln Memorial at Sunset" (oil on linen; 11" x 14") sold

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Lincoln Memorial is a must-see location if you are visiting Washington, DC even if your time is limited.  I took a cousin of mine from Korea to the place several years ago in late afternoon.  As we were leaving after paying respect to the statue of the great president, the setting sun peeked through the foliage of a tree, turning it into a torch on flame, as if it were the symbol of freedom!

"Pink Tulips in Spring Garden" (oil on linen; 10" x 12") sold

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Reference photo

Last Sunday I worked in my garden for six hours, weeding evil wild strawberries.  The mild winter has done wonders for this relatively tolerable weed, turning it into the 10-inch-tall, garden-chocking, monster!  I did take a few breaks, though, to drink water and take pictures of flowers in my garden.  The above photo was my favorite. 

"Tulips and Creeping Phlox" was painted on Monday, because I couldn't wait, despite the general fatigue and bad aches in the neck and lower back.  A couple of hours into painting, I no longer felt any fatigue.  Perhaps, it was the pain killer.  Or, I would like to think, the magic of art.  The mauve tulips are the stars of the show.  But without the chorus line of the blue creeping phlox, would they have worked as well? 

By the way, the creeping phlox is the talk of my neighborhood.  Three years ago, I transplanted a small clump, which was barely hanging on, chocked under yews, azaleas, and vinca vines, to the current open location under a mature crepe myrtle.  Neighbors stop to ask us what it is, then compliment us on its beauty.  My husband and I garden because we love flowers.  But it's not just we, but the entire neighborhood, who get to enjoy them.  I don't volunteer at Green Spring Gardens Park, which is not far from where we live.  Nevertheless, I contribute to the community in my own way and am proud of it.

"Mount Rushmore" (oil on stretched linen, 28" x 32")

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"Mount Rushmore" is the most ambitious and largest oil painting I have ever painted.  A celebration piece, actually, on my becoming American citizen last month.  I even learned how to stretch canvas by watching my teacher Diane Tesler, who did the actual work.  With a teacher like that, one can go far indeed.  Thank you, Diane. 

I had done a miniature painting (6 x 8") of the same subject, which simply did not do justice to the grandeur of Mount Rushmore.  The sculptor Gutzon Borglum had an awe-inspiring vision to carve the likenesses of four great presidents into the mountain itself.  I had the photo of the usual view of this American icon, but chose this view for two reasons.  From this vantage point, one can see only George Washington and Abraham Lincoln--my two heros--fully; Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt can be just glimpsed.  And I wanted to be present a different picture not too many people have seen.

I added  a lot of sky, more than a quarter of the painting, which made the huge sculptures look way up and grand.  Although it is a close-up picture, I wanted the viewer to feel the air between her and the subject.  So I kept the values of the subject light (high-keyed) and introduced the blues of the sky into the rocks.  The V-shaped chasm was painted warmer than the rest of the painting as sort of a divider between Lincoln and the other three presidents.  Originally, he looked so deathly ill that I had to give him more life, so to speak.  I am proud of my endeavors and thankful to the great presidents who created and kept together this country.