"Bishop's Garden at National Cathedral" (oil on stretched canvas; 30" x 40") sold

sold

This is the largest oil painting I have done as a commission and took a few weeks to complete.  The client told me that her husband proposed to her at this beautiful place--the Bishop's Garden at the Washington National Cathedral.  The painting is going to be an anniversary present to him.  Isn't that a romantic story?

"Sophie" (oil on linen; 7" x 7") sold

sold

"Sophie" is for Kim, who has had her two other dogs already painted by me.  Sophie is a one-year-old Yorkiepoo.  Here is her story.  Kim's mother had come last Christmas to help Kim as her husband had the double knee replacement.  Kim's daughter thought her grandmother needed company as her dog had passed away the Christmas before.  So without asking, she brought home Sophie four days before her father's second knee replacement. 

Unfortunately, Grandma was not ready for a puppy yet.  Guess who ended up with her?  Yep, Kim and her husband did.  Sophie thought her name was "damn dog" for the first three months of her life.  But, now, she has stolen all the family's hearts and they don't know what life would be like without her.  A happy ending for an adorable puppy!

"Azalea Sass" (watercolor; 8" x 8")

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Wednesday evening of the last week, I fainted at home and fell forward.  I lost consciousness for a few seconds.  When I came to, I was in excruciating pain in a big puddle of blood. I have several fractures in the nose and right cheek bone, which require surgery.  After hospitalization, several tests and more to come to find out what caused the fainting episode, I am taking it easy.

Even after a full recovery, things won't be the business as usual.  Life is precious.  Everyday is a blessing.

"Magnolia Season" (oil on stretched canvas; 14" x 11")

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 A grove of magnolias at their peak on a beautiful day is the ultimate spring delight.  I have been checking upon this grove at the Green Spring Gardens Park in Alexandria, VA, to catch it at the right moment, which I did a few days ago!

I just started blocking in with opaque paints over the transparent underpainting.

All blocked in.

Now my job is to make these trees look like magnolias, not just any flowering trees with pink flowers.

A little more developed.

"Life is a Bowl of Peaches" (oil on stretched canvas; 8" x 8" x 3")

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Ripe peaches from a farmers market in a silver bowl.  Ah, life is a bowl of delicious, ripe peaches, or it should be!  This is an old painting that I "fixed" last night in this busy week of my daughter's spring break and the Easter holiday.  I hope I made it more interesting!

"Life is a Bowl of Peaches" (original state)

"Spring Fresh Lilies of the Valley" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

sold

I have these dainty and fragrant lilies of the valley in my garden.  In a few weeks, they will bloom, nestled in their lush green foliage.

"Daffodil Country" (oil on stretched canvas; 12" x 12")

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Daffodils and are blooming in the country.  One can see cherry blossoms in the distance.  Don't you want to live in the house?  I do.  It's my dream house!

"Happy Year of the Sheep" (oil on linen; 7" x 7")

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2015 is the Year of the Sheep.  The sassy Icelandic sheep wishes you a Happy Chinese New Year!

"Siberian Irises" (watercolor on paper; 10" x 7")

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A tender bouquet of Siberian irises cheered me up, as nothing else would, on a spring day last year during my husband's illness.  I am glad that I took a picture.  The painting is a reminder of glorious spring, life's fragility, and kindness that sustains us.

"African Elephant" (watercolor on paper; 7" x 10") sold

sold

An African elephant is busily going to some place in the rosy light of sunset. I love elephants!

"Leela" (oil on linen; 8" x 6") sold

sold

 

 

"Leela" is for Lauren, who commissioned the portrait for her son-in-law.  Leela is a husky-lab mix with energy galore.  She is always on the go!

"Dinky and Yokie" (oil on linen; 8" x 8") sold

sold

"Dinky and Yokie" is for Sue, who commissioned the painting for her sister.  Yokie, on the right, was the most friendly chihuahua, always excited to see everybody and anybody who walked into the house.  Dinky, on the left, was more reserved and had to warm up to you, but they were both the sweetest little dogs.  Sue's sister is broken up about their passing.  I hope this portrait gives her some comfort.

"Fisher" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

sold

"Fisher" is the second painting for Diane.  Fisher is a two-year-old Dutch Shepherd, who is a search and rescue dog and is also a guard dog.  He has been in training for the last two years. He has a sweet temperament, as his sweet eyes show.  What a wonderful Christmas present it will be to the family of Diane's boss!

"Tucker" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

sold

"Tucker" is for Jamie.  Tucker with absolutely gorgeous hair is a 7-year-old mixed breed of Irish Wolfhound.  He is a sweet and thoughtful dog.  He is full of energy, but obedient.  His eyes are the windows to his soul.  When he is excited, he makes a high-pitched whining sound that is rather endearing.  Tucker is Jamie's mother-in-law's dog and he loves her so very much!

"Degas's Little Dancer" (oil on stretched canvas; 12" x 9") sold

sold

The "Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer" by Edgar Degas, with the pert expression and upturned nose, is one of the most famous sculptures in the world, and there are 28 bronze copies around the world!  The one I painted is from the Musee d'Orsay.

The sculpture is two-thirds life size and was originally sculptured in wax.  It is dress in a real bodice, tutu, and ballet slippers and has a wig of real hair.  The tutus worn by the bronzes vary from museum to museum.  For instance, the one at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC has a skimpy tutu.

By the way, "Degas's Little Dancer" is an infinity painting.  It keeps going!

From the left

From the right

"Golden Gate Bridge Nocturne" (oil on linen; 9" x 12")

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From the Marin Headlands, one can see a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline.  It is even more spectacular at clear night.  Look at the reflections of the brightly lit bridge in the San Francisco Bay!

"Salty" (oil on linen; 8" x 6") sold

sold

"Salty" is for Marie who commissioned me to paint this adorable Bichon Frise for her dear friend.  Salty is ten year old and is a sweet boy with a dashing sense of style!

"Winter Leaves" (oil on stretched canvas; 14" x 18") sold

sold

"Winter Leaves" is a "micro" snowscape.  I zoomed in on a snow-laden tree branches with some leaves still hanging on.  The white snow looks purer than anything I have ever seen, against the russet orange leaves and blue purple snowy background.  The painting is framed.

" Covered Bridge of Yesteryear" (oil on linen; 10" x 8")

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I saw this charming bridge somewhere in New Brunswick, Canada.  After trying many shots, I finally found a perfect angle when I crouched down.  The field of white daisies, purple clovers, and other wildflowers, taking up two-thirds of the frame, sweeps up to the bridge!

The transparent underpainting done.

I started building up the opaque layers and foreground wildflowers.

"Lotus Dream" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

sold

Every summer I visit a lotus pond at a nearby park to admire the noble beauty of the lotus flower.  For the rest of the year I dream about its beauty.

Here I am using a Silver Bristlon flat brush #4 for the transparent underpainting.  The drawing has a lot of straight lines, so it helps to use a new brush with nice straight edge.  The unnatural green color is viridian.

I am in the process of blocking in with opaque paints.  The challenge of this painting is differentiating many greens in lotus pads: warm/cool, dark/light, and intense/grayed.

Continuing to develop the pads.  I also changed the "background" colors.