"National Cathedral" (oil on stretched canvas; 40" x 40") sold

 

"National Cathedral"

 

The painting is a commission for Catherine and her husband Andrew. Andrew went to St. Albans School, right next to the cathedral and practically grew up in and around the magnificent Gothic cathedral. He got married there and had planted a tree in front of the north side (entry area) with his father. It was an important sentimental project for Andrew and he chose this image personally so that his tree would be a part of the finished painting.

It was the largest oil painting project ever for me. It took about two months to draw, block in, paint and add finishing touches. I needed a little stool to reach the highest areas of the big canvas! Thank you for the opportunity, Andrew and Catherine, who were the most gracious clients. 

I must say that my patience and drawing skills have improved much because of this project. The only drawback is that I couldn't take a proper photography of the huge canvas, so I had to make do with a quick shoot with my phone. What a shame!

Work in Progress I

Work in Progress II

Work in Progress III

"Amsterdam Jordaan Neighborhood" (oil on linen; 6" x 8") sold

 

sold

 

 In 2017  my husband and I visited the Netherlands. For me, it was to visit its world-class museums. We stayed in Amsterdam at the beginning and end of our two-week-long trip. I loved this charming city! Do you know it has the highest density of museums in a square mile in the world? It has even a museum of purses, which I had to stop by! People are easy-going and speak English better than us. You have to watch out for the bicyclists, though.

Admire the neat row of townhouses by a canal in the famous Jordaan neighborhood of Amsterdam. In the foreground, red geraniums bloom in planters hung over the bridge. A quintessential Amsterdam view in a miniature! This is the second time that I painted this particular image and the painting sold right away in both occasions. Another reason why I love Amsterdam!

 

""Medici Fountain at Luxembourg Garden" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

 

sold

 

The Medici Fountain (la fontaine Médicis) is a monumental fountain in the Luxembourg Garden in the 6th arrondissement in Paris. It was built in about 1630 by Marie de' Medici, the widow of King Henry IV of France and regent of King Louis VIII of France. It was moved to its present location and extensively rebuilt in 1864-66.

I visited the famous fountain in late summer on an overcast day in 2019. In the painting I tried to capture the magical serenity of the place with the pointillist style. Do you think I succeeded?

"Central Park Bethesda Fountain in Spring" (oil on linen; 8" x 8") sold

sold

Have you seen the Angel of the Waters on the Bethesda Fountain New York City's Central Park? It looks serene on an overcast spring day with magnolias in full bloom.

"Westerkerk, Amsterdam" (oil on linen; 8" x 6") sold

sold

Located mere footsteps from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, the 17th-century Protestant church, Westerkerk, is visible from afar, thanks to the much admired 275 ft-high tower which dominates above most of the Old City center. As I was sitting across the canal at a bar sipping a cool drink, the late afternoon sun set the tower ablaze. What a view!

"US Capitol from Pennsylvania Ave Night Scene" (oil on linen; 8" x 10") sold

sold

The US Capitol with its glowing dome against the dark blue sky frames the Pennsylvania Ave with its street lights and busy traffic that cast blurry reflections on a rainy night.

"Amsterdam's Jordaan Neighborhood" (oil on linen; 6" x 8") sold

sold

Admire the neat row of townhouses by a canal in the famous Jordaan neighborhood of Amsterdam. In the foreground, red geraniums bloom in planters hung over the bridge. A quintessential Amsterdam view in a miniature!

"Georgetown Key Bridge Afternoon" (oil on linen; 8" x 10") sold

sold

This is the view of Georgetown and the Key Bridge from the tiny Roosevelt Island in the Potomac River. The undersides of the bridge arches glow in the afternoon light. I used a modified pointillist method to simulate the shimmering light.

"Lincoln Memorial Reflections" (oil on linen; 9" x 12") sold

sold

The Lincoln Memorial glows against the violet twilight sky, casting jewel-like reflections in the reflecting pond. I have painted this same view several times and don't seem to get tired of its ethereal beauty.

"Jefferson Memorial Twilight" (oil on linen; 8" x 10") sold

sold

The Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin in Washington DC is a beautiful neoclassical building. At twilight, it is breathtaking. I used the pointillist technique for the painting, pretending that my dots are stardust!

"Tidal Basin in Bloom" (oil on linen; 8" x 8") sold

sold

These days I seem to be getting quite a few commissions to copy my sold paintings. I suppose it's a good thing as it keeps me busy! Here is another commission that made me revisit my old work. The reference photo was taken on a misty, overcast day, which created a mellow, romantic mood, which the client loved. She is going to give the painting as a belated wedding gift to her brother who got married at the Jefferson Memorial. I hope he loves it too.

"Washington Monument Cherry Blossom Season" (oil on linen; 11" x 14")

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The sun sets over the Washington Monument and cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC. It is a breathtaking view. I used the pointillist technique for the cityscape, pretending that my dots are stardust. Aren't we all made of stardust after all?

"Winston Churchill Statue Faces off the Big Ben" (oil on stretched canvas; 14" x 11") sold

sold

The bronze statue of Sir Winston Churchill faces off the Big Ben and British Parliament Buildings on the Parliament Square in London against the sunset sky. I thought that the picture was a fantastic summation of his political life, much of which was spent in the House of Commons before and during World War Two. Even my loose rendition of the statue eloquently captures the resolute character of the statesman.

"Grand Canal Sunset" (oil on stretched canvas; 12" x 12")

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It is the golden sunset in Venice. Take a gondola and glide along the Grand Canal. We just passed Santa Maria della Salute. Ah, life is good!

"Nyhaven, Copenhagen" (watercolor on watercolor paper; 9" x 12") sold

sold

Nyhaven is the most photographed site in Copenhagen, Denmark. It bustles with crowds of locals and tourists enjoying the picturesque view and the pleasant weather during the summer. When I visited the place a couple of years ago, it was packed! It took a while to get the drawing of the complex urban scene right; it also took a while to paint it right.

"Venice Scuola Grande di San Marco" (oil on stretched canvas; 11" x 14") sold

sold

Venice is beautiful wherever you look. One of my favorite places in this serenely beautiful city is the Scuola Grande di San Marco. It originally was the home to one of the six major sodalities or Scuole Grandi of Venice. It faces the Campo San Giovanni e Paolo, one of the largest squares in the city. Of course, the square is always packed with people, whom I made disappear magically!

The edifice was built by the Confraternity of San Marco in 1260 to act as its seat. In 1485, however, it was destroyed by a large fire, and rebuilt in the following twenty years. The façade is a masterwork of delicately decorated niches and pilasters and white or polychrome marble statues. It is now a civic hospital.

"Tower Bridge Sunset" (oil on stretched canvas; 11" x 14") sold

sold

The Tower Bridge, one of the iconic images of London and the United Kingdom, looks even more glorious against the sunset sky.

"Winter Central Park Nocturne" (oil on stretched canvas; 11" x 14") sold

sold

This is my favorite view of Manhattan: with the stone bridge of the Central Park in front. If it is a winter evening with snow on the ground, it is even more magical!

"Paris Notre Dame Nocturne" (oil on stretched canvas; 12" x 16") sold

sold

Paris at dusk is the most romantic place in the world, as the city turns into the city of light. Take a walk along the Seine River. The famed river looks like a moat guarding the equally famed Notre Dame in the Ile de la Cite. Ah, Paris!

"Dublin Liffey Bridge Night" (oil on stretched canvas; 11" x 14")

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I painted another version of the charming, cast-iron Liffey Bridge of Dublin, Ireland. Also known as the Ha'penny Bridge, it is an iconic image of Dublin. The new painting, I think, is even more impressionistic and moodier. Which one do you like better?

"Dublin Liffey Bridge Nocturne" (oil on linen, 9" x 12"; sold)