Flowers, a work in progress

This is the beginning of a new painting. The flowers are from a friend's garden. She came with three armloads of them! After they all went into warm water in the sink for several hours, they became three large bouquets. This is the first. I hope to finish the painting before the petals start to fall.

I am delighted to announce I have just become a juried member of the prestigious National Association of Women Artists. Founded in 1889 and based in New York City, N.A.W.A. is the oldest professional women's fine art organization in the United States.

"Dreaming"

oil on canvas

24 x 12 inches

Every now and then I set a painting aside. Months or years later, I pull it out, have a fresh look and decide if I will add it to the burn pile or paint a little more.

Dreaming is from several 2003 sketches. I liked the idea and started the painting several years later. The model was long gone, same for the costume and set (Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan's Gondoliers).

This week I pulled the painting out and set it where I could easily see for several days. Then I began painting again.

While it is much better than it was, it can't compare with working from life, where one can observe contrasts and ask: warmer/cooler, lighter/darker, stronger or more subtle? When working from life, all the information needed is in front of you just waiting to be captured in paint.