An Artist's Journal: Daily Paintings by Felicia Marshall

" I Heart You Girl"

2011-12-11T21:31:00.001-07:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I worked really hard at getting the lighting to show in just the right way so you could see the heart at first glance. Ever since I finished the first I heart you painting, which was a male, I knew I would eventually paint the female version. So here she is.

$100

"Girl Behind the Mask"

2011-12-08T21:42:00.001-07:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I am still playing around with masks and pattern. I've had this mask for awhile now. I was always going to make something out of it, I guess I did.... a painting.

$100

"The Joker & Three Bells"

2011-12-07T21:53:00.002-07:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

In this painting I get to use my favorite color, red. I have been playing around with lighting and decided to back light the figure, which seemed appropriate since the portrait seems staged. I painted most of the sequence during a long conversation with my mother in law. (Who says I can't multitask?) I had a teacher in high school that was passionate about pattern. I guess this piece would make her proud.
SOLD

"Making Their Mark"

2011-11-30T17:41:00.002-07:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I played around with the colors on this one. I thought I should try something different, I didn't push but I did add a little purple to my palette.

$100

"Making Her Mark"

2011-11-29T18:39:00.002-07:00

5x7

acrylic on hardboard

This is a great painting but all I can think about writing about is bricks. I was so intimidated by the brick wall behind the little girl. Brick walls are one of those things that you have to handle in a subtle way or that's all you will notice. I am so proud of myself. I even pulled off the texture which was almost by accident. Now I'll talk about the little girl in the painting. I wanted to make her glow, so I added a very bright highlight to her left shoulder as you can tell, but I am beginning to play around with making my edges softer. I haven't been able to totally let go of my need to have sharp edges yet, but I'm gonna keep on trying.

$100

"All Smiles"

2011-09-25T21:44:00.004-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I debated completing this painting. I had committed so many hours to it already and I just needed that little push to put the finishing touches on it. It is about a week into fall and I don't have the patients to wait until next summer to post it so here it is "All Smiles". Some will love the strings of hair, some will hate it, like my sister (who has developed a knack for critiquing my work even when I'm not looking for her opinion.) I decided I wanted to add something big to the portrait. Something different. Something crazy. I'm glad I didn't play it safe, I have a lot of safe portraits already. This was a great way to end my summer paintings.
SOLD

"The Joker"

2011-09-19T19:44:00.002-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I had a teacher in high school that preached the importance of pattern. I think she would have loved this painting. I was excited about painting the sequence until half way through the painting. I kept thinking why did I do this to myself. I wasn't even sure if I was going to pull it off until the very end, there are a lot of dots in that mask. In the end I love everything about this painting and I'm very pleased with the perspective of the portrait.
SOLD

"Last Days of Summer"

2011-09-18T20:40:00.001-06:00

6"x6"

acrylic on hardboard

Finally I have a reason for finishing this painting. I thought I should complete the remainder of my summer images before we are officially into a new season. Summer was pretty hot and dry this year for us so I am very much looking forward to the fall. I am ready for the change.

$100

"The Boys"

2011-09-17T21:32:00.000-06:00

8"x10

acrylic hardboard

I completed this painting a long time ago but just realized I never posted it. I thought I should post it before my style of painting completely changed. I recently looked over my body of work for the last three years and realized how much I have grown as a painter. I was pleasently surprised but I shouldn't have been, you do something long enough, you naturally get better at it. These two are twin brothers. I painted their portraits for a colleague (their father) who wanted to give the portrait as Christmas gift. He loved the painting so much after I finished it that I'm not sure he parted with it. I never thought of the two brothers as anything but identical twins until I painted them. I could see so many difference's between the two's appearance when I was forced to take a closer look.

"The Eyes Have It"

2011-08-09T21:35:00.001-06:00

5x7

acrylic on hardboard

I wanted to work with softer edges in this portrait. Parts of this painting where a lot of fun to work on but just as I thought, this is too easy to pull off I was thrown for a loop and had to rework her mouth for a couple of hours. I'm finished and happy at last.

$100

"Real Women Have Curves"

2011-08-07T22:53:00.003-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I found the figure before I found the painting. Real woman have curves! I could have called this one most women have curves or big bones. I actually like big bones most, but I was afraid some people would be offended. Some of you may have noticed this painting has changed a little bit from the original post earlier today. This is because I am one of those people that never seems to finish a painting even when it's finished. I completely repainted the wall which was a bluish white on my original post and the floor is now brown instead of white. I hope my obsession works. Something that looks great to me may seem off to others. (I know this works both ways). In the end, four hours of painting later I am glad I made the changes.

SOLD

"I Heart You To"

2011-08-02T21:16:00.002-06:00

6"x6"

acrylic on hardboard

I had a professor that said you can always tell if someone can draw or not by just looking at how they handle hands. I really never seriously took on the challenge of drawing hands until now. I am feeling pretty good about myself right now. I think the heart is more obviously in my latest attempt of this painting.

SOLD

"I Heart You"

2011-07-31T21:27:00.002-06:00

6"x6"

acrylic on hardboard

One evening we were playing around with light and shadows. We had lots of fun manipulating our shadows on the deck, which then moved onto a loose form of shadow puppets, followed by making interesting shapes and symbols with our hands. With some guidance from me and patience from this cutie pie I was able to create just the right light hitting in just the right places to create this heart.

SOLD

"Turtle Eyes"

2011-07-27T20:16:00.002-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

We have created many family traditions with the kids for summer, one seems to be their favorite. Like most things with kids, it's not the most expensive or the most creative thing that gets them excited, but the complete opposite. Of all the things we do and places we go their all time favorite is "the pool party" at their aunt's house. They explain it to others like it's some lavish, unique, experience. In reality the pool party takes place in a treeless backyard enclosed by three walls of the standard six foot neighborhood fence. The pool is a simple plastic blow up pool. The pool party is always topped off with a smoke out on the patio where we cook hot dogs and make smores. They go crazy over this. This is the experience that gave me this finished painting.

SOLD

"The Mission"

2011-07-25T19:40:00.001-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

This is one of the missions in San Antonio. I wanted to paint the mission from a different angle.

"Reflections in Green 2"

2011-07-23T21:50:00.001-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

This is part two of my of my green inter tube paintings. I love them so much, they look like giant life saviors.

$100

"Study of a Woman"

2011-07-21T21:53:00.002-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

While attempting to organize my life. I came across this image of my sister. It was a long forgotten photo that I took of her when we were both much younger and thinner. She seems so serious which shouldn't surprise me because it's how I often describe her to others, after I mention how much we resemble one another. She's not just any woman, shes' my best friend and always has been. I guess I could have titled this one a couple of things like...study of a younger woman, or best friend, or sister, but when I look at it I think of how young we were, just about to make the monumental decisions that would shape our lives into the woman we are today.

$100

"Reflections in Green"

2011-07-18T21:19:00.002-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I couldn't resist painting the reflected light on and across the intertube. At just the right time of the evening I noticed the light would pass threw the the garage windows and create the neatest reflections and highlights across the swimming toys. After a little persuasion and a dollar I was able to get my daughter to stand inside of one of the tubes and hold it up to the light. This made the painting.

$100

"Little Mermaide"

2011-07-17T22:18:00.001-06:00

6"x6"

acrylic on hardboard

This is a painting of a relative. She and my daughter played in the lake for hours. This is long after all the dads, aunts, uncles, and grandparents had done their time watching them swim. This was finally that evening when they were both left with me (the only non swimmer of all of the adults) to watch. This is why the scene is painted at the water's edge playing with miscellaneous toys and clam shells. Still in the water. The evening gave me some great lighting so I'm not complaining.

$100

"Leisure Learning"

2011-05-02T20:52:00.013-06:00

5"x7"
acrylic on hardboard
I love it when I learn something new while collecting information for a painting. I have always loved this painting. I hadn't realized until now that the artist painted this model several times in almost the exact same position draped leisurely across the furniture in her pattered room. I was actually trying to look up the title using Google when I continually pulled up the painting that I was not looking for. Here, where I live we have a catalog for continued adult learning entitled "Leisure Learning." I thought the title was appropriate given the two women observing the other at their own leisure pace.
$100

"Exit Right"

2011-04-06T21:09:00.006-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I learned a lot with this painting. I've been playing around with figures in motion. I still have to perfect my technique, but I'm one step closer to perfecting what I want to accomplish. I drew the image a couple of years ago and almost erased the drawing when I couldn't find any hardboard for my next painting. I looked at the drawing and thought, you've been waiting patiently for me to finish for a long time now, I guess it was meant to be so I painted it. Looking back now I don't know why it took me so long.

$75.00 + $5 shipping

"She's Still Got It"

2011-04-03T21:13:00.008-06:00

8"x10

acrylic on hardboard

When I first began painting and posting my artwork online I was inspired by artists that painted images of people observing paintings in gallerys and museums. They always made it look so easy. I am here to tell you it's not easy. I was always taught that you paint a portrait from the front, backs were a no no. Well maybe I wasn't taught this, but it was just a no no. Now many artists paint gallery patrons. I find I'm more interested in the paintings that communicate a deliberate story between the viewer and the painting being viewed. I find them to be refreshingly clever.

SOLD

"Albert"

2011-02-16T21:27:00.004-07:00

8"x8"

acrylic on hardboard

This is Albert, a relative of mine. There is something about old photographs that intreges me. In this image I wanted to take on the white shirt. I love the way it jumps off of the page and seemed so, well fluffy.

$100 + $5 shipping

"Part of the Landscape"

2011-02-13T21:16:00.005-07:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

This is a car that has sat on the property of a relative for years. I have photographed it and painted it several times through out my life. This is my most recent painting of the car. I guess you could say I can always count on it being around to inspire me. I left the bullet hole out of my first painting. I thought it would seem too gory, but I noticed a fellow artist and blogger recently painted an automobile with the same feature so I painted it in this time.

$120 + $5 shipping

"San Jose Mission"

2010-11-10T21:46:00.005-07:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

The kids love our annual trip to San Antonio. They spend the entire year talking relatives into accompanying us on this trip. Who can say no to three cute kids? This past year my brother was the first to commit. He's always ready for an adventure which is what you get on a trip with three kids. He's almost like the fourth kid when we're all together. He was pretty excited until he read the itinerary. "Visit two missions, that sounds boring!" This was followed by, "Look Felicia, I'll take one for the team." We had a great time, took some great photographs, and met some lovely people.

In this last post of the San Jose Mission, I chose to paint the exterior. This is the largest and most beautiful of all of the Missions. I am always amazed at how accessible the mission is to visitors. The carved stonework inside and out is beautiful. I tried really hard not to be so specific when I painted the exterior. If I got caught up in the literal, the entire painting would quickly become stiff and I was going for whimsical.

$120 + $5 shipping

"Embraced by Light"

2010-11-08T21:58:00.004-07:00

8"x8"

acrylic on hardboard

This is the San Jose Mission painted in midday lighting. I couldn't make up my mind so I painted the mission twice one with mid day lighting and the first with afternoon lighting. I also love the arches and was able to get them in this time around.

When I began to think of a title I was drawn to "Embraced by the Light" but it seemed too familiar for some reason. Then I remembered a book I read almost twenty years ago called "Embraced by the Light". The book recounted the author's near death experience. I hadn't really drawn a connection to the figures exiting the building and walking into the light until then. I guess they are both spiritual experiences.

$100 + $5.00 shipping

"Into the Light"

2010-11-07T18:51:00.005-07:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

We take a trip to San Antonio every year. This is one of the missions from our trip. I generally have a hard time painting architecture. I find it difficult to capture the character of a structure. I'm pretty happy with this painting. I guess the mission I painted had a lot of character to begin with so, how could I go wrong?

SOLD

"Violin Lesson"

2010-10-31T20:10:00.003-06:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

I first thought I would create a single painting of each young lady. After playing around with several possible compositions I settled on this one. I always enjoyed visiting this particular school that taught violin to very young students, some as young as first grade. I was always impressed with their ability to not just play the violin but play it very well. As soon as they began playing I couldn't help but wonder how much time was spent practicing daily to get to this point in their performance.

$120 + $5 shipping

"The Readers"

2010-10-28T21:20:00.007-06:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

Every year I used to visit this festival. I'd walk around randomly photographing at different levels and directions as I'd walk in an out of people. I never knew what I had until I developed my film. This is one of those shots. I was attracted to the two women's expressions and gestures as they talked while waiting for their next customer.

SOLD

"Little Girl in Pink"

2010-10-25T21:14:00.004-06:00

8"x8"

acrylic on hardboard

When I'm not sure what to paint, I usually choose a portrait. This painting has a calmness to it that I was feeling at the time, so I guess painting it was some form of therapy for me. She's beautiful, simple, and yes calm. I love it.

$75.00 + $5 shipping

"The Dancer"

2010-10-24T21:09:00.005-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

This painting may be a little different than my usual paintings. I wanted to play around with movement which is something I tend to shy away from.

$75.00 + $5 shipping

"Candy Man"

2010-08-11T17:41:00.009-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

Birthdays, Easter, and Halloween brings lots of candy to our house so I have become an expert at making it "Disappear"! This was an image I took this past Easter. My son had just opened this big lolly pop and I thought the scene was so adorable.
$75.00 + $5 shipping

"Little Man"

2010-08-09T21:20:00.009-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I fell in love the contrast in this portrait. I also love the big brown eyes. This is the second of three portraits I have been working on and probably my favorite so far.

$75+ $5.00 shipping

"Little Cowboy"

2010-08-08T20:32:00.006-06:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

What can I say, who can resist painting a cute kid in a hat? My son asked me why I never painted a picture of him for "my computer" as he put it. I could have reminded him that I had indeed painted him a couple of times, but I painted this picture instead. This was a cute image right after our annual trip to the rodeo this year, thirty feet in the gates and we'd purchased three hats and one face painting.
SOLD

"Practise Makes Perfect"

2010-06-08T21:23:00.005-06:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

I loved the way this painting turned out. It's a little bit looser than most of my work as my sister pointed out to me before I posted.

SOLD

"Play Date"

2010-06-07T20:42:00.005-06:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

This little scene took place on our patio. The sidewalk chalk has been almost worth the mess it makes. My daughter stays occupied for hours making her drawings. Too bad she walks right through the chalk and tracks it into the house when she's finished. I didn't mean to us such a limited palette but when I finished painting, it felt right.

$120 + $5 shipping

"The Family"

2010-05-23T21:45:00.003-06:00

11"x14"

acrylic on hardboard

A relative asked me to paint a portrait as a gift to a friend. This painting is the portrait. It took me three times longer to paint than I had projected, but there are really three portraits that I had to paint. This was my first 11x14 painting. I really didn't think the size difference would be challenging at all but it was, what a difference a few inches can make. Not for sale.

"In a New Light"

2010-05-20T20:58:00.007-06:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

I have driven past this building for most of my life. It stood as a marker of sorts, sitting off a long stretch of road between my grandmother's house and the closest town. I really never gave much thought to the building until the last time I drove that way. Unlike all of the other times it was night. I was returning home in the middle of the night and for the first time ever, I think I actually SAW the building. I wondered what it was like in its hay day? Did it even have a hay day or was it an business that never took off? I wondered was it a cafe, restaurant, or store of some sort? Was it even functioning as a business at all or was it now just someones house? The one thing I was certain of was that it was incredible the way it was lit up and glowing on the side of a dark Texas road.

SOLD

"Cutie Pie"

2010-05-18T21:07:00.005-06:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

I just finished this portrait. The entire time I painted I kept think how cute she was, she reminded me of some of the dolls I had when I was a little girl, all dressed up and eyes twinkling. What a cutie pie. Not for sale.

"Firecracker"

2010-05-16T19:48:00.005-06:00

8"x 8"

acrylic on hardboard

This year we visited an old friend and his family. We all had a great time as always. At one point he pulled out fireworks and for the next two hours we stood in the cold popping firecrackers, shooting bottle rockets, and lighting sparklers. Good times. This is the first night scene that I think I've ever painted. I was shocked by how easily it all came together.
SOLD

"Blue Caboose"

2010-04-15T21:09:00.005-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I married into a family that loves their trains, most of the males in the family have their own train board. Ours happens to be taking up half of our garage. Our kids love going out and running the layout that they created with their dad, but he tends to avoid his creation (did I mention the garage was not heated or air conditioned?) Usually several times a year they manage to pump up their dad long enough to add another few buildings or train engines, usual just before his dad comes to visit so he can show off what he's done. My daughter loves to take the miniature cows and horses from the fields her dad has strategically placed. I can't help but laugh every time he finds them discarded somewhere in the house. Long story short, trains are a passion for the men in my family. I have just discovered that my own father has a special place in his heart for them as well. His father worked on one which should have been no surprise to me considering he lived in a town that had a train stop or depot or whatever technical term it was called. He shares a story of he and his brother as young boys traveling from their home in central Texas to Houston to visit relatives. Because my great grandfather worked for the railroad they traveled free and were always well looked after "We felt like royalty" he commented.

After a relatives funeral in Illinois we happened upon a train museum of sorts, nothing formal just several trains that had seen better days sitting out for whomever wanted to admire them, of course we had to admire them up close. After I finished this painting. My husband proudly asked if I knew what the B&O stood for on the side of the train. Of course I didn't I was just impressed with my little painting. "Baltimore and Ohio" he proudly announced to me. So now you know too just in case you were wondering.

$75.00+$5.00 shipping

"New York City Cathedral"

2010-04-13T20:58:00.004-06:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

Actually this is Saint Patricks Cathedral. I was working with an image I photographed over ten years ago. I loved the grandness of the architecture. It's like a fiesta for the eyes. What the structure lacks in color it makes up for in architecture elements.

I really worked hard to make this feel not so much like a paint by number but the more I painted the more I saw to paint until finally I stopped myself before it became too static.

$120 + $5.00 shipping

"The Walk Home"

2010-04-06T20:55:00.004-06:00

8"x10"
acrylic on hardboard

I enjoy the perspective of this painting. The diagonal lines in the street do an amazing job leading the viewer across the the painting. I struggled over introducing more color in the painting but in the end I thought it would distract from the bleak cold winter scene.

Growing up in Texas I wasn't accustomed to snow, so I was surprised to find out that snow was only white when it first fell and hadn't been trampled on by commuters. I was also shocked to discover that it didn't have to be freezing or under blizzard like conditions in order to have a good snow fall. When I lived up north the one thing I grew to have was an appreciation of spring. Winters were so grey and cold that the first blossoms to appear on trees were celebrated.

$120+ $5.00 shipping

"Inspired by Carol"

2010-03-28T20:44:00.007-06:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

Carol is a great friend, we met in college and were roommates for the entire four years which was practically unheard of. We met the first day of check in at the dorm. I wasn't experienced enough to know that I should be terrified or at the least nervous about meeting the person that I had to get along with for the next year. Our dorm was the newest dorm on campus and literally the only thing I ever splurged on in collage. I was terrified of living in a communal or co-ed dorm. So there I was in Pantas Hall. I opened the door and met my new best friend Carol. We were both two fish out of water and with our easily going personality's could have both easily been gobbled up by this big city we now lived in but we weren't. After graduating we both returned home to be closer to family but Carol still remains a dear friend.

The quilt she is seated in front of was hand made by my grandmother whom was a seamstress. I always remember a box of fabric scraps she'd saved from various projects she'd sewn for her customers (friends and family). These fabric pieces would eventually work there way into one of her quilts. I guess you could say that just about everyone in her small community was represented in her quilts. I know she would have looked at the making of her quilts as a purely practical exercise and not sentimental at all. So I think it was appropriate to place Carol seated in front of one of my grandmother's hand made quilts constructed with a little piece of all of our family and friends. I guess I got all of the wistful sentimental emotions that my grandmother wasn't known for having.

SOLD

"Hide and Seek"

2010-02-28T21:12:00.006-07:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I got a chance to use my favorite color on this one, red. Watching this game of hide and seek develop after a few minutes reminded me of my own childhood. You needed very little to entertain groups large and small outside for hours on end. This young lady is obviously the counter and the car she's leaning against is base.
SOLD

"Pink & Red Flower"

2010-02-16T21:35:00.005-07:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

I think I have gotten these flowers out of my system, for now anyway. The last time I painted flowers I got so frustrated that I thought I would never choose the subject again, but hear I am painting flowers. I fell in love with the way the light separated and illuminated the petals from the back.
SOLD

"A Late Valentine"

2010-02-14T21:31:00.005-07:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

I didn't finish this little gem until tonight. I was attracted to the contrast of the light on each petal. I am fascinated with paintings of inanimate objects that are painted in an excited way that makes the viewers eyes dance across the canvas. I hope I have accomplished this with my painting.

$120 + $5 shipping

"Mr. Personality"

2010-02-09T19:47:00.003-07:00

8"x10"

acrylic on hardboard

I'm not sure how most painters work, but I can usually look at an image and paint it in my head with no problem at all. This portrait began that way, but three fourths of the way through it I just wanted to scrap the entire thing and start over. He has such a great expressive face, but I couldn't get the eyes and literally debated with myself daily over getting the eyes or starting over. Luckily I don't give up easily because in the end I can look at this beautiful portrait and know that my patience and persistence paid off. I had a lot of fun with the hair and learned a lot about painting freckles which was my first time painting. The trick is to be subtle. Not for sale.

"Rex in Red"

2010-02-07T21:29:00.005-07:00

"8x10"

acrylic on hardboard

I had fun painting this one. The color red captures the playful personality that comes across in Rex's face. The entire time I painted this portrait I kept thinking how perfectly he'd fit into a Norman Rockwell painting. Not for sale.

"Beautiful in Blue"

2010-01-05T21:05:00.004-07:00

8"x10"
acrylic on masonite

I enjoyed painting this portrait. The little girl seems so calm and wise, of course I loved the way the sunlight played on and around her face and hair.
NFS

"European Cathedral"

2009-11-01T19:25:00.007-07:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I get lost in the grandness of cathedrals. I was amazed by the detailed work on the front of this cathedral in Europe. I grew up southern baptist so a church with such elaborate art decorating the exterior or for that matter the interior was just something you didn't see.

I sometimes shy away from white objects. I find that you have to think and plan out the painting a little bit more than when your pallet is not as limited. It is however a great accomplishment when I am able to pull it off.

SOLD

"Zora as A Fairy"

2009-10-31T10:36:00.008-06:00

6"X6"
acrylic on hardboard
"Happy Halloween"

This is Zora as a fairy. I never got to go trick or treating as a kid, so I never appreciated Halloween until I became a mother. In my house Halloween marks the beginning of the holidays. This image is from a past Halloween. This year everyone went for the darker costumes. My little princess was determined to be a vampire this year complete with makeup. I managed to talk the others down from their original grim reaper costumes into ninjas. I already miss the good old days when girls were princesses and boys were superheros.

SOLD

"Mama Sissy"

2009-10-18T20:35:00.005-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

This is my grandmother in her youth she turned one hundred years old today. Wow one hundred years old. I can barely get my head around the number. As young children my siblings and I called her Two Mama because she was like our second mother. Most family members call her Mama Sissy, and to everyone else she’s known as Miss Sissy. Everybody in her small town knows her, and I guess they should considering she is 100 years old. Her real name is T.C. which simply stands for T.C.
She is history. She lost her two sisters to Tuberculosis in their twenties at the height of the TB epidemic in the US. I asked her once about The Great Depression. Her response was, “We called it the panic but it didn’t mean much to us because we were poor already so nothing really changed.” Her father was a moon shiner during prohibition, which I assume is how he was able to own land and a farm when everyone else were sharecroppers. She saw her husband drafted into WWII and return safely home.
She has never been accused of editing herself. Right, wrong, rude, or embarrassing, if she said it, that’s how she meant it. I found her hard to be around when I was younger, but as an adult I admire her greatly. I gave this painting to my mother.

"Mitilda"

2009-10-14T20:31:00.007-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I am always fascinated with old family photographs. I guess I’m like a kid in the since that I can’t imagine many of my relatives as a younger version of themselves. When I looked at Aunt Matilda as this very young woman, I can’t help but wonder what her ambitions were, her hopes, and dreams. I am very pleased at the way this painting turned out. It was a treat to paint from start to finish.

SOLD

"Kenya"

2009-10-12T22:01:00.008-06:00

"5x7"

acrylic on hardboard

I have been working on this painting for sometime now. I am glad I can finally post it tonight. How adorable if I may say so myself. I can never resist a cute kid with a great smile. Kenya has what my husband calls a whole face smile. I love the way I was able to capture the bronze glow of her face. I always say sunlight makes the best lighting. This painting is a perfect example of great lighting. I was really happy to get the high contrast in so many areas of the portrait.

SOLD

"Sunny Face"

2009-09-28T20:29:00.008-06:00

8”x10”

acrylic on hardboard

I wanted to work on a portrait with extreme contrasting light. I can’t be accused of being terribly original with the subject matter, but what can I say Zora is my muse and those of you who have followed my work have noticed that I have taken some time off so I needed to paint something inspirational. This started as an interesting play on extreme lighting situations. Then I thought I’d get a little more expressive and creative with the way I handled the hair. Instead of trying to paint in each strand I decided to scratch out the white highlights, different approach still just as affective.

"Better Days"

2009-08-10T21:53:00.006-06:00

8”x10”

acrylic on hardboard

This car sat abandoned in a field for years when I was growing up. My grandmother’s cows would pass by it as they grassed on grass. It had no significance to me until I took my first photography class. It has been an image that I have come back to several times as an artist.

SOLD

"Summer Portrait"

2009-08-09T21:48:00.005-06:00

8”x10”

acrylic on hardboard

I’m trying to get in all of my summer paintings before summer ends. This painting took many different turns before I considered it complete. First I had a sandy beach on the right side of the deck, and then I turned the entire deck in the foreground into sand. The only thing I was sure about in the entire process of painting was that I wanted the bright colors to really stand out in the towel.
$120.00 + $5.00 shipping

"Clamming Around"

2009-08-06T16:26:00.006-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on hardboard

The end of summer is quickly approaching. I haven't painted any of my green lake paintings until last night. The kids always get a kick out of finding clams (mussels) in the lake. This was one of the biggest found this year. I really loved the shoreline tilted at an angle, it gave the painting a lot of movement.

$75.oo +$5.00 shipping

"Bench Warmers"

2009-08-05T22:05:00.006-06:00

“6”x6”

acrylic on hardboard

This painting is of two lovely ladies sitting at the Metropolitan Museum. I would have to meet there several times throughout one of my art history classes when I was in school. I was always more interested in people watching than the actually paintings or sculptures we were meeting to see. I imagined the two figures that I painted were regulars meeting at the museum at a certain time on a certain day just like clock work. They seemed like regulars. They were there for the culture, I was there for the credit, in my head at least.

SOLD

"Pretty in Pink"

2009-07-28T20:14:00.006-06:00

8”x10”

acrylic on hardboard

I had already drawn a picture and was actually looking forward to painting today but everything went down hill. I just couldn’t get excited about putting the paint on the surface. I gave myself a fresh start with this little gem, Zora, the quintessential little girl. I guess you can say Zora is my muse. Who could be bummed out after painting a smile like this one? Needless to say, I had a lot of fun when I started over.

Dutch Art Gallery

"Color Me Red"

2009-07-27T21:47:00.013-06:00

5”x7”

acrylic on hardboard

I fell in love with a little painting called "Corn Poppy"at the Houston Museum of Art when I was in high school. Every trip to the museum ended with a visit to this painting. I hadn’t realized how influential that this painting, “Corn Poppy” by Kees Van Dongen had been to me until I sat "Color Me Red” next to my journal which had a print of "Corn Poppy" glued to it's cover. I gave this painting as a gift to my wonderful Art Education Directer that recently retired.

"Red"

2009-07-26T21:39:00.006-06:00

8”x10”
acrylic on hardboard

I bought these flowers some time ago and couldn’t wait to paint them. Well painting these lovely sunflowers was much harder than I could have imagined. I liken it to putting a puzzle together. The red color which I was drawn to actually became my worst enemy when I began mixing the paints. I originally envisioned a series of three or four paintings of these flowers in different vases but having gone through the fire I think I can only muster about one more attempt. Even with all of my griping, I am incredibly pleased at the finished painting. The vivid colors jump off of the canvas and I feel so accomplished having mastered painting transparent glass which has originally been a subject that I avoid. I am also happy that I got another chance to work with my favorite color red.

SOLD

"Enlightenment"

2009-07-15T21:53:00.005-06:00

5”x7”

acrylic on hardboard

This is one of the smaller missions in San Antonio. I was lucky enough to be at the mission on a bright day, which paid off when another tourist walked out of the door and left it open just a bit letting sunlight into the very dark and small space. It was so beautiful the way the light danced across the tiled floor and filled the room.
SOLD

"Studio Space"

2009-07-14T21:51:00.005-06:00

5”x7”

acrylic on hardboard

I have very fond memories of college. I was lucky enough to attend a really great art school, Pratt Institute. The experience really helped shape me into the person and artist I am today, above all Pratt gave me confidence. This painting is one of the studio classrooms in the Design Communication Arts Building. All of the classrooms were white but not in a clinical sterile way. Our studios were white in the empty canvas sort a way. I got the sense that every several years it was standard to paint yet another layer of flat white paint over all the walls and windows. I became fond of the huge windows that were over ten feet tall and let in natural light. I missed them when I left, I knew I would. I also missed the squeaking wood floors from the hundred year old buildings.

SOLD

"Standing Tall"

2009-07-12T21:19:00.007-06:00

5”x7”
acrylic on hardboard

This is yet another painting that I’ve had sitting around and painting on for way too long. So here she is standing tall.

SOLD

"The Night The Chimneys Fell"

2009-07-08T23:57:00.011-06:00

I wanted to celebrate my most recent book entitled “The Night the Chimneys Fell”. The book is about a French family’s ordeal in the town of New Madrid, Missouri during the earthquake of 1811. This earthquake was the largest earth quake in the United States history and it was not in California, but Missouri.

This quake was so powerful that it changed the course of the Mississippi River. The story illustrates some of the natural signs experienced before the quake, and the destruction of homes and displacement of many families in its aftermath.

My family takes a trip through this area every summer passing through Missouri and by New Madrid, and St Louis as we travel from Texas to Illinois. While working on the book last year, the area experienced a quake that my mother and father in law actually felt in Illinois. This project was fascinating for me and I hope just as fascinating for all of the children that read this book.

" Everythings Cuter in Texas"

2009-07-02T01:51:00.005-06:00

6"x 6"

acrylic on canvas

Grandmothers are so awesome. Grandma made this costume by hand for each of our boys. Just for fun. They wear the costumes often around the house. Here we have something called "Go Western Day" in honor of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. All of the schools in the area participate in it so I was pleased as peaches when I didn’t have to buy anything for this year's "Go Western Day" at school. This never happens.

I was up until two in the morning finding, washing and yes, ironing this outfit so that my son could wear it the next day. The last thing I did that night was iron his vest. My husband informed me during dinner the following evening that he'd decided not to dress in his western outfit that day. That’s the thanks I get for being a supermom, I can’t complain, I got a great painting out of it.

SOLD

"Dessert Anyone II"

2009-07-01T19:06:00.007-06:00

8”x10”

acrylic on hardboard

I couldn't make up my mind when it came to the perspective I was going to take painting my chocolate cake, so I decided not to decide at all. This is why I made two paintings. Indecisiveness runs in my family. Why should I paint one tasty treat when I could paint two. Through out this experience I have noticed that frosting looks and feels a lot like paint.

$120.00 + $5.00 shipping

"Dessert Anyone"

2009-06-30T21:42:00.007-06:00

8”x10”

acrylic on hardboard

I think I mentioned before that I love dessert. I purchased this tasty treat at or local grocery store during a moment of weakness. I am not a chocoholic but I can appreciate all things sweet and beautiful. This little painting was sold in an auction for the Arts in Education.
SOLD

"Hats Off"

2009-06-29T19:21:00.001-06:00

6"x 6"

acrylic on canvas

This painting is really about my grandmother. This was one of her many hats. She always wore hats, big hats, small hats, ugly hats, and beautiful hats. You never knew which one you were going to get until she showed up to the function. Her hats were much better than her wigs, which in the seventies was probably fashionable. I remember waking up at her house as a child and trying on wigs from her wig draw. My brother, cousins, and I would take turns trying on all of her wigs before she got up in the mornings.

This is one of the many hats we found as we put her house in order. We thought it a little odd that the little lady that owned the hat boutique had come to pay her respects. But after coming across some of the elaborate hats with the equally elaborate price tags it made a lot more sense. I can naturally assume my grandmother was a loyal and constant customer. When we went through her hat boxes some of her hats had not even been worn, I guess she hadn’t found the perfect outfit to match.
$75.00 + $5.00 shipping

"Hot Pink"

2009-06-28T21:37:00.003-06:00

5"x7"
acrylic on masonite

At one of the festivals we attended I captured this scene of the young lady resting in the heat of the day. I loved this little umbrella that she had blocking the sun. I’d seen them all day long dotting the crowded street. They came in assorted colors of blue, purple, red, and orange. I had never seen these before and became obsessed with the way the bright color of the umbrella filtered through the fabric and turned everything under its canopy. I wonder if anyone else was as impressed by this.

Dutch Art Gallery

"The Treehouse Girl"

2009-06-25T17:10:00.003-06:00

5”x7”
acrylic on masonite

I have been working on this picture for way too long. I paint a little and put it to the side, a little more and complete a different painting. It’s been nearly completed for several months. Finally I have decided to complete what I have started and here it is….Zora in the backyard in the afternoon in the afternoon light.
$75.00 + $5.00 shipping

"Dessert"

2009-06-24T21:48:00.003-06:00

6”x6”
acrylic on masonite

This is my first painting of one of my favorite things, dessert. I rewarded myself with this lovely piece of pie on my very last day of school. Let us just say I really deserved it. Some people have a drink, I have a dessert. I still have a little way to go when it comes to capturing the perfection of whip cream, but I consider my painting a success. Actually I was completely intimidated by the glass plate more than anything else. Like many things in life, it is the small things that I fell in love with in this painting, like the way the light hits the chocolate loops at the top and how I was able to create the lime with a few simple brush strokes.

$75.00 + $5.00 shipping

"Red & White Flowers"

2009-05-11T20:15:00.004-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on masonite

I just finished this one. I began this painting several weeks back, painting a little here and there as I worked on other stuff. Finally it is completed. I wasn't sure that would ever happen. I still love those daisies.

$75.00 + 5.00 shipping and handling

"Cutie Pie"

2009-04-23T21:07:00.008-06:00

5"x7

acrylic on masonite

You can't fake a sunny personality (she's not at all camera shy). I envy people that can maintain their youthful characteristics through out their lives. Usually life has a way of tapping down the charisma you exuded as a child. I actually painting this image from black and white. I think painting "Aunt Tip " gave me the courage to try this one. I remember having great difficulty working like this in my previous attempts. I guess I've just gotten better at choosing color.

$75.00 + 5.00 shipping and handling

"Big Sister"

2009-04-19T21:26:00.008-06:00

5"x7"

acrylic on masonite

I couldn't wait to paint this one. I just loved the way the light filtered through and around the little girl.

SOLD

"The Sleeper in Blue"

2009-04-16T21:27:00.004-06:00

6"x6"

acrylic on masonite

The end of all great outings are followed by one or all kids asleep on or in something. This little darling is fast asleep on top of all of her stuffed animals inside of a prized Sea World push cart. I really enjoyed painting all of the colors in this one.

$75.00 + 5.00 shipping and handling

"Aunt Tip"

2009-04-12T20:55:00.004-06:00

6"x 6"

acrylic on canvas

My aunt tip was the kind of woman that was always well put together. She was a “hair dresser” or at least that’s what she called it. I think her occupation is obvious when you view the care that was put into her hair in this painting. I remember when I first came across this image of her as a young lady. What a gem. I had really never thought that she, my Aunt Tip was ever a young lady, and wow how stunning she was. As I look back at her through adult eyes I can describe her as both a simple and complicated woman. Simple in the way she navigated through her world with very few material things. And complex in the fact that she did it so well without any projection of poverty. This was a very easy painting to paint from the drawing to the finish.

SOLD

"Young Gentlemen"

2009-04-01T22:08:00.004-06:00

5"x 7"
acrylic on hardboard

These two little boys had just sent a third in to ask one of their parents a question. This scene played out over and over again in my childhood, except I was always the person that was designated to go to the adult with the question, usually the question was one that had little chances of receiving a “Yes.” They’d always say something like, “You ask, they like you the most.” Then they’d fall behind and wait for me to return with the answer. This was an easy painting for me from start to finish. When I completed it, I couldn’t help but see the resemblance of some of the characters from the Ezra Jack Keats books I grew up reading. “The Snowy Day” was one of my favorites.

SOLD

"Leaf Bouquet"

2009-03-29T21:43:00.004-06:00

5"x 7"
acrylic on hardboard

This year after a not so lovely birthday. I was presented with a bouquet of leaves, which became the highlight of my day. I placed each one of them in a sandwich bag and preserved them between the pages of a book when we returned home. I got to play around with different textures with this painting. It all came together rather nicely. Bad birthday, great painting!
$75.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling

"Young Ladies"

2009-03-26T19:40:00.005-06:00

5"x 7"
acrylic on hardboard
I have had this image for sometime now. I always knew I’d paint the portraits, but I never really saw their real energy until recently when I took another look at these to young ladies. They were standing in line waiting for their turn in the game at a birthday party. I cropped the image considerably and focused on what I thought was really important. To quote a friend, “Keep the main thing, the main thing.” When I was a little girl my mother would adorn my hair with bows, ball ties, and rubber bands just like these two cutie pies. As a painter I am fascinated with the way the light filters through the transparent plastic balls I guess I was drawn to the color contrast of the little girl and the white dress she wore as well. The background was a challenge. I used several color options before I settled with green even at one point deciding that I should paint the background in full detail before I remembered I was focusing in on what was important. Greens, browns, and earth tones in general have been my safety blanket. So in the end, as I look back at the journey I took in painting this piece, I should not have been shocked at my decision making when it came to my color choices.
$75.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling

SOLD

"Red Daisy in a Shot"

2009-03-22T22:27:00.006-06:00

“Red Daisy in a Shot”
5"x 7"
acrylic on hardboard

This daisy was pulled from my mother’s flower bed. I love daisies but they seem to hate me. I have killed every single daisy I have been given or purchased. My mother on the other hand does nothing to nurture her plants and her daisies are constantly in bloom. When I say nothing, I really mean NOTHING, no watering no fertilizer, just a clump of dirt. I guess I love mine to death. My daughter never has passed up the opportunity to pull flowers from a flower bed so upon our departure from a visit to Granny’s house she pulled this beauty. I had to paint it. The petals on daisies are so packed with energy. I love the way they capture the light on some but not all of the petals.

SOLD

"The Drummer"

2009-01-19T21:41:00.003-07:00

5"x 7"
acrylic on hardboard

Last summer I collected a series of images from the International Festival. The spotlight was on Africa that year. I don’t remember the country the drummer represented but I was drawn to the pattern of his costume as well as the contrast between the foreground and background. White is a color that I try to use very little of and when I do only in controlled areas of my paintings, but the tent happened to be pure white and I debated weather or not to paint it in as my background all together. In the end I think it worked.

$75.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling

"Giraffe Carousel"

2009-01-11T22:56:00.002-07:00

5"x 7"
acrylic on hardboard

Another carousel animal from the zoo. I have always considered giraffes to be the most beautiful animals that I know.
$75.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling

"The Carousel"

2009-01-03T20:44:00.003-07:00

5"x 7"
acrylic on hardboard

I have always enjoyed photographing carousels ever since I was in collage and photographed the carousel in Central Park. I never knew exactly where the carousel was in the park, so we usually just walked until we’d happen upon it, which always happened at the end of the day. All of my images were rushed and I’d never manage to capture anything extraordinary with my camera. I guess my obsession continues because I’ve never seen a carousel that I did'nt photograph. Through out these years I have noticed that there are only a few models of carousels. After seeing them over and over again, you can image how excited I was when I stumbled across the carousel at our local zoo that was…unique. The carousel is filled with zoo animals, I loved it. Painting the zebra was a joy and refreshing.
$75.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling

"Lights and Shadows"

2008-11-11T21:50:00.001-07:00

5"x 7"
acrylic on hardboard

I used to shying away from painting glass. The reflective surface never seems to end. I can’t say that anymore. I am so excited about this painting. The actual berries take a second place to the glass vase and the shadow created behind.
$75.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling

"Saturday Morning II"

2008-11-09T22:14:00.005-07:00

5”x7”
acrylic on hardboard

The toes say it all. This painting is actually the second half of the "Saturday Morning" painting. They connect to one another perfectly side by side. I thought I would try something I hadn't tried before after the obvious change in my painting size.

SOLD

"Saturday Morning"

2008-11-05T21:59:00.003-07:00

5"x 7"
acrylic on hardboard

Saturday mornings tend to be some of the calmest times at our home. This particular Saturday I came down stairs to find my kids sitting quietly on our big purple sofa and instead of watching television they were flipping through our family photo albums. I was so glad to be able to capture this moment….before they began to manhandle the pages and the magic moment was lost.
SOLD

"Going Places"

2008-10-29T22:13:00.002-06:00

6"x6"
acrylic on masonite

This is my recipe for frustration. I should have stopped at the painting you are viewing. I must have sensed bad things where coming, because I actually scanned the painting before I began with my final touches. Hours, then days later my attempt to simply polish some of the details had resulted in an almost completely new painting, not better just new. Finally I did something I never do. I gave up on this one. The commitment that I make is usually rewarded eventually with success, except on these rare occasions when the magic just doesn't happen, no matter how much time I committed to the painting. So I'm posting this earlier happier version.

"The Reader in Red"

2008-10-26T21:34:00.003-06:00

5"x 7"
acrylic on hardboard

This is the second of two red dress paintings that I had in mind. I love the color red and the mood that the painting creates.
$75.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling

"Sunflowers"

2008-10-15T22:04:00.004-06:00

5"x 7"
acrylic on masonite

I love sunflowers! I love their color. Whenever I’m feeling blue, sunflowers always brighten my day. Forget a dozen roses. These I arranged for one of my kids birthday dinners. I usually don’t need a reason to purchase them, but I do feel just a little guilty when I do.

SOLD

"Sisters"

2008-10-13T20:31:00.003-06:00

6"x 6"
acrylic on masonite

As I looked at my work I noticed that my most recent paintings were all of single figures. I thought this time I would try something different, so I focused on a painting that had two figures. I am working my way up to a crowd (not really). These two little girls were photographed at one of the many kids party‘s we attend. They stood waiting for their turn in a balloon racing game. I love the colors and the pattern in the girl’s clothing. They are what I refer to as cute and beautiful also know as “Cutiful.”
SOLD

"Miss Giggles"

2008-10-07T23:18:00.004-06:00

6"x 6"
acrylic on masonite
This has to be my all time favorite portrait, it really captures the model’s grand personality. She truly is larger than life, no inhibitions, happy, giggly, and always has a big smile on her face. She is as wild and expressive as the curls upon her head. This was really a treat to paint.
$75.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling

SOLD

"Reflections"

2008-09-30T20:43:00.006-06:00

6"x6"
acrylic on masonite
The end of September means it’s time to pull out all of those Halloween decorations. I took this photo in the back yard. Zora sat just high enough on the steps to catch some really nice reflections on and around her and the plastic pumpkin she was holding.

SOLD

"Alex"

2008-09-28T21:57:00.007-06:00

6"x6"
acrylic on masonite
Upon completing this painting I realized the painting was as much about the big pink ball as it was about Alex. When I was a little girl I always wanted a big giant ball. It was like a magnet in the store bulling me to it. My mother was the no nonsense type when it came to toys, so I can never remember ever having one. When I had children, I noticed the big giant ball was just as appealing to them as it was to me. We are currently on our third giant ball. Unlike my mother, I can’t say no when I get the request. This pink ball happens to be the last one we purchased. After several attempts at retrieving the ball, a nice gentleman helped me maneuver it from the bottom of the six foot cage. My hero. Did I mention I am barely over five feet tall. I am sure I looked totally ridiculous. Painting the image was calming, nostalgic, and maybe even a little therapeutic. I enjoyed discovering details that I might have over looked if I would have not painted this image. Like the reflections of the pink in subtle and obvious places.
SOLD

"Mr. Giggles"

2008-09-21T22:15:00.002-06:00

6"x6"
acrylic on masonite
One of my relatives brought back beads from his trip to Mardi Gras and shared them with the kids. What a prize! It was late evening, so the light created interesting patterns across every ones face and I was able to capture another great image in light.
$75.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling

"Sea Monster"

2008-09-18T20:40:00.005-06:00

6"x6"
acrylic on masonite
This was a picture that I couldn’t wait to paint and I’m glad I finally got around to it. The painting turned out just as nice as I thought it would. We purchased this sea monster for our trip to the lake this past summer, so I guess I should have entitled it “Lake Monster". I thought the bright color and green pattern would make a great painting. My niece in the painting had a lot to do with the painting's success. You can’t stage cute.
$75.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling

"Evening Light"

2008-09-16T19:48:00.004-06:00

6"x6"
acrylic on masonite
My spirited model loves playing in the backyard in the afternoon. This was her second dress change, if only you could see her shoes, defiantly not for the great outdoors. “She’s a diva in the making.” I really enjoy capturing her spirit. I have committed myself to painting more images that have stronger light sources, I like the results. They feel a little more complex and moody than other images I paint.
SOLD

"Red Dress"

2008-09-04T20:47:00.002-06:00

8"x11"
acrylic on cradled hardboard

I was feeling grown up today, I guess this explains the subject. I should probably call this one the evolution of the red dress. Parts of the painting evolved from other images. It’s funny how I thought this was so different from some of the most recent posts, but as I glanced over my thumbnail paintings I realized that two of the last three paintings are of people in chairs. Hummmmm, what is that all about? I really don’t know. Keeping a blog is making me notice some things, for instance I tend to paint the same type of subject twice. I guess I just paint a subject until I get it out of my system.
$120.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling