Edward B. Gordon's "Leitmotiv"

Another one of Edward B. Gordon’s blog paintings has just traveled half way around the world to arrive at my door! “Leitmotiv” was the 730th posting on his blog. Edward lives in Berlin, Germany. He began posting a painting a day in November 2006. I enjoy his work and this little painting instantly became another one of my favorites. 

You can find notes and a sketch for this painting by clicking on the green words below. You will need to scroll down to November 16, 2008.

The Season of Joy!

click any image to enlarge

past Christmas Trees

from some of my sketchbooks

I have been looking through some of my old sketchbooks today, one of the things I enjoy at the end of the year. Our family traditions center around Christmas in December. We have had thick fir trees and open spaced alpine fir trees. Each has its own magical feeling. The decorations are always the same, things collected over the years. These sketches are from trees in the 1980s.

          However you celebrate the season, 

I wish you great blessings, peace and joy.

"Silent Swirl"

8 x 6 inches

oil on wooden panel

It snowed again last night and more today. The snow flakes so small and falling so softly, they managed to pile up on our wind swirls. I have never seen that happen before, so that's what I had to paint today . . . sitting in the house with hot tea! 

Click on image to enlarge.

"Snow Day: Reading Room"

7.75 x 7.75 inches

oil on panel

Today it is snowing again, beautiful flakes softly falling everywhere. Fresh white rests in all the trees, brightening every room in the house. This looked like the best spot to paint today. In the evening we will have a fire again, something we all seem to love in northwest rain and snow.

"Along The Path"

6 x 8 inches

oil on wooden panel

More sun today . . . and a little less snow. It is still enchanting around our house. The weather report is for more snow tonight. You never know - maybe yes - maybe no.

"Winter Dress"

8 x 6 inches

oil on wooden panel

Our first snowfall! I love the snow. Everything seems so peaceful, so still. This afternoon the sky was blue and bits of sunlight fell through the trees, making diagonal lines of brilliance across the garden. Magical! 

"Snowflake Lane"

6 x 8 inches

oil on wooden panel

This little painting was designed to capture the experience of an evening visit to Snowflake Lane. Snowflake Lane has become an annual event in downtown Bellevue, complete with drummers and “snow.” Each evening the drummers gather in one of the town buildings and, at the precise moment, march across the sky bridge and soon reappear on the sidewalk below. They drum their way along the sidewalk until they each come to a round platform, where they climb the steps and stand with the wooden drummer boy already there (shown on right). Snow flakes fall, music blares and the crowd loves it! Once again you know the Christmas Season has begun. 

Click image to enlarge and see color more like the painting.

Howard/Mandville Gallery's 18th Annual Invitational Small Works Show

6 x 8 inches

oil on wooden panel

"Liquid Sunshine" and "Setting Up Shop" join my last post in Howard/Mandville Gallery's 18th Annual Invitational Small Works Show in Kirkland, Washington. The exhibition features almost 200 paintings 11 x 14 or smaller by the gallery's impressive roster of artists plus invited guest artists.  The exhibition is now up for viewing in the gallery and on line. 

I will be at the Reception & Sale on Saturday, November 22nd from 5:30-8 p.m. Stop by and say hello if you are in the area. 

To see the list of artists, images of their paintings and more information, click here.

"Frye Cafe"

14 x 10 inches

oil on panel

The sunlight and shadows on Seattle's Frye Museum Cafe diners, the trees and building wall were simply wonderful! I just stood there a moment to enjoy the view. I knew I had to paint them. This is the second in the series. The first, “Lunch at the Frye” won an award earlier this year. It was posted on May 21, 2008.

Click on images to enlarge and see color more like the painting.

This painting will be in Howard/Mandville Gallery’s 18th Annual Invitational Small Works Show. "Liquid Sunshine" (posted April 24) and "Setting Up Shop" (posted February 15) are also in this exhibition. Preview Days: November 13-22nd  

I will attend the Reception & Sale: Saturday, November 22nd 5:30-8pm  Please stop by if you are in the area. 

"Along Ley Road"

9 x 12

oil on panel

Several weeks ago I spent a day in the mountains painting with friends. The day was perfect with a slight breeze, great light and, of course, good company. This is my afternoon painting.

Painting with friends

Two friends - great paintiers - Ned Muller and Bill Reese standing with me on Ley Road after a day of painting in the valley. Great day!

Bill painting in the field off Swauk Prairie Road, our morning painting spot . . . .

Also our morning painting spot . . . Bill and Ned are down the road in the distance. Yan is in the blue hat. Her painting is below.

Yan's morning painting.

Yan with Bill and me in the afternoon after painting along Ley Road. 

"Rustler"

8 x 6 inches

oil on wooden panel

Another visit to Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle, another bright day. As I walked along the north pier, this is the spot that caught my eye. I loved Rustler's dark reflection in the water surrounded by such bright light. The photo below is my easel, my daughter Kara with her painting gear, "Rustler" and "Earnest."

Kara Webberley Moore

"Brenna"

7 x 10 inches

oil on wooden panel

I went to Fishermen’s Terminal in Seattle this morning to paint. So many wonderful subjects there! The weather was perfect - sunlight shimmering on the water, light breeze, very pleasant. Two painters were already at work when I arrived so I stopped to visit. They had been here the day before and so enjoyed the experience that they were back again . . . I think the same thing is going to happen for me! 

Next time I will pack my Titanium White. Used Ice Blue instead today and mixed it into almost everything - because it was the lightest color I had with me. The proportions of my subject in are a bit strange, color too, but the day was so wonderful I am posting my painting anyway. 

"Dressing Room: 15 Minutes to Curtain"

8 x 6 inches

oil on wooden panel

I love the way the mirrors capture the atmosphere of the theater dressing room. This is Caitlin Ross preparing for a Saturday evening performance of the Mikado. The rich colors in this painting may not show on your monitor.

Color Notes

I use Safari as my browser program. Earlier this week I opened this site in Firefox and was shocked to see the difference. Firefox does not display color in the same way. Opening this site in both programs and displaying them together on my monitor, the difference was shocking! 

I realize that different monitors will display the colors differently, but when the same monitor is used to show the same site, opened to the same image so both visible side by side, one opened in Safari - the other opened in Firefox, the difference in color was astounding.

When using Safari, clicking to enlarge the image gives color very much like the actual painting (on my monitor) while the smaller images on this site seem very pale in comparison. However, in Firefox the color does not improve. In fact it looks even more washed out when clicked to enlarge. Rich, warm colors do not show up at all and the image looks slightly our of focus. Same for Internet Explorer. I would be interested to know if any of you have found the same to be true when viewing your paintings.

"Sweet Lips"

8 x 6

oil on wooden panel

These maidens are getting ready for the stage - making sweet lips for the Mikado. This little painting was so much fun, I may use it as reference for a larger painting.

Click image to enlarge and see the brighter color of the actual painting.

"Summer Reading Room"

10 x 10 inches

oil on gessoed museum board

Another sunny day in the Pacific Northwest! This delightful spot is near our house. The air carries the music of summer birds and occasional voices and laughter of people walking along the path.

Click on image to enlarge and see the richer color of the painting.

"Repose"

6 x 8 inch

oil on wooden panel

In the Green Room at the theater during the Mikado, one of the maidens fell asleep on the couch. How could I resist such a pose along with the wonderful colors in the light and shadows falling over her gown? And so much fun to paint!

The painting is filled with rich colors of peach, rose, soft orange and deep reds. The images here look quite dull in comparison to the real painting. Clicking to enlarge the close up image of her face will give color more like the painting.

I will use this little painting to make a larger one where I will add one more figure.

Click on the close up image to enlarge and see the richer color of the painting.

"Theater Rehearsal"

8 x 6

oil on wooden panel

During an early rehearsal on stage I was struck by the light and dark quality of the figure and background. I also delighted in Yum-Yum turning her head to match the painted figures behind her. Great fun to paint!

This vessel is part of a collection of large "vase and jars" I painted for the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society. In this little painting I was able to capture the blue figures once again. My 10 July 2008 posting shows this and several other large vessels on stage.

Click on image to enlarge and see color more like the painting.

"Two Little Maids"

8 x 6 inches

oil on wooden panel

On stage in Act I of the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s Mikado. I enjoy watching the way the cast members interact with each other as the story unfolds. The color in the painting is much richer than it appears here.

Click on image to enlarge.

Edward B. Gordon's "Summer-2"

Look what has arrived at my door! I am the happy owner of another one of Edward B. Gordon’s blog paintings. This is “Summer-2” Edward lives in Berlin, Germany. He began posting a painting a day in November 2006. I enjoy his work and this little painting instantly became another one of my favorites.

"A Secret"

6 x 8"

oil on wooden panel

This is from one of the early rehearsals in the theater. The next night was a dress rehearsal. Stay tuned - I will be adding some paintings from that as well.

Click on image to enlarge and see color more like the painting.

Act I on stage

The “clouds and flame” section in the center was the last thing we painted for the set. This was shot in a dress rehearsal earlier this week. I also caught the society’s photographer in this shot.

The show opens tonight and it is Great Fun! Tickets are available through the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Come join us if you are in the Seattle area.

Click on image to enlarge.

Act I on stage

I have been in the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan shop and at the theater. The Mikado opens tonight. This shows several images of the finished "vase and jars." The last two images show these with the 18 x 32’ “Japanese Screen” in place for Act I. You can see the screen in progress in my postings on May 25 and 26 and the "vase and jars" on June 15 and 26th.

Click on image to enlarge.