new prints and into the berry bramble

A print from my drawing From Within is now available in the shop.

I just love the frame, which was a lucky discovery in a second hand shop. The gold just glows.

Yesterday I was going through some of my older work and I was inspired by the imagery and textures that I was using. I think I might revisit the idea of the white fox (oops I mean wolf). I just love the texture in this piece, I used imprints of antique lace in the paint. Phantom lace, if you will.

Beautiful color inspiration on a lazy Sunday.

I can’t believe these luscious colors exist, all on one berry bush (and apparently a big black snake thought so too, he was slithering up in the bramble). There was the brightest magenta paired with baby blues, in berry form, growing together simultaneously.

Does anyone know what type of berries these are? They were growing amongst rose hips, in a meadow besides a pond.

Honey Bee Stories

Bee imagery, stories, skeps, curtained little scenes, skeleton keys dangling on ribbon, bees flying away from her hive to the others, the ones high in the trees!

I have been working on the details of this piece for some time now, and it’s finally complete and I am happy with it so far. I think it has inspired a whole series, as my sketchbooks are full of various compositions such as this one.

Honey Bee Stories is now available as a print in my shop.

The original is 16″ by 20″ on an ampersand panel and it’s completed in acrylics and paper. There’s so many little areas of story going on here (besides the fact that it is curtained in a theater-like manner). I wanted the whole painting to be golden (and slightly antique in appearance), like transparent honey.

It’s hard to see all the details in my low resolution scan, so here are the snippets, the areas of story…

I matted a print and framed it with an antique frame I had been saving.

I just love to add little details.

I forgot how much I enjoy painting like this- small images and mysterious things going about in a larger, narrative painting. This piece was definitely an offshoot of a piece created two summers ago. Today will be spent in my cool studio room (thank goodness its too hot here to go outside midday!) sketching and working through the beginnings of another painting.

Have a great day!

tugging on our neck ribbons

Just finished up this painting of two little forest wanders (or woodland dwellers for that matter)
They seem a bit apprehensive about the birds playful tugging. I think that they are The Bumblebee Sisters in their childhood.

tiger lily, finished

I have been painting the day away! Tiger lily is now finished. She has adorned her hair with the most magical flower (I would love to be a bee or humming bird!) A print will be in the shop, along with the original (me thinks!)

And….

Telling a tale (though paints) of two girls at the edge of the woods. Way up in the trees there are ghost birdies. The gals still need a bit more work but I am so excited about this one!
Thanks for visiting me here!

new lockets and fig buttercups

Two bits of good news. I am not mia or forgetting about this blog! I have some major time-consuming work obligations right now (which take up part of my weekend as well) but come the end of May it will end and I will be less busy! Also, I look forward to a relaxing, painting-filled and totally free summer in the coming months. I have been using this time to go back to the well, so to speak, and sketch, plan, journal. I hope to revamp this blog with more of my process, my inspirations, sketches. Would you like to see more of my sketchbooks? I’d like to know! The second bit of news is of a shop update, with a couple of lockets that feature my sketchings and bits from my oil paintings.
A preview of a vintage locket that will be in my shop within the next few days…

Close up, the blue bird is taken from Pulling on our Ribbons and Hair. I think I’m going to tie a piece of vintage fabric to the top of this one.

And the gal from the locket graces the inside of my giant sketching book/ journal.

I ventured to a swampy glen down the street to take some pics of my lockets. There are the most amazing flowers that carpet the entire woods floor, creating an almost day-glow effect. They are called Fig Buttercups, or Pilewort and they grow in moist areas (and often mix with the skunk cabbage, which is abundant here as well.)

A close-up of these sweet little perennial blooms.

I am so grateful for each and every one of your comments here! It keeps me going, inspires me to post more often… Thank you!!

To Be A Songbird

Finished and a print is now in the shop.

“To Be A Songbird” oil on panel, 11″ x 14″
I am loving all the little details! Take a peek…

I don’t know what it is about the ocean and ships, as I am more of a mountain person. Actually, both would be nice right now.

I am enjoying being in my studio with the sunlight beaming through my windows. Days off are nice too!

a new finished painting

Finished Pulling on Our Ribbons and Hair the other night and it’s finally dry!

A print is available in my shop.

There’s lots and lots of little detail. Take a look!

Two sisters again, The Woodcutter’s Daughters

…visit the sea. And yes, they seem quite peaceful but there is something going on here that is not quite right. I think the red-winged blackbirds went off with just a few ships, their beaks tied up with scarlet ribbon. Off in the stormy distance you can see the line of birds as they fly away. My thats a lot of ships to take from the sea!

So here it is, The Woodcutter’s Daughters Visit the Sea

and a little detail (my favorite part!)

A print is available in my shop.

And there exists a tale called “The Woodcutter’s Daughter (singular) which I just googled. The painting is not connected to the story at all (in my mind anyway), but now I am off to see what the tale is all about! Oh, and there will be a lovely cameo ring in the shop very soon with a mini print from a painting, so please check back!

The Bumblebee Sisters

Not able to resist temptation, the sisters bought a bright red bird. Now it’s home and squawking like crazy, and must be fed three times a day or else. Oh, and it bites! Two very, very unhappy sisters indeed!

The Bumblebee Sisters Bought A Bird print is available in the shop.

Loosely based off a sweet old photo, one of my favorites. As I was painting I noticed the sisters in my reference seemed a bit disturbed. Hence, the bird.

Red feathers are pretty though.

wandering heart

A new painting, Wandering Heart.

Yes, the gypsy wagon is her heart. And she is all ready for the cold and snow bundled up! There’s a bit of distance in her eyes, isn’t there? A print on canvas or paper is available in my shop!

I have been wandering a bit myself, through fields basked in early morning sunlight. The sunlight this time of year is so warm and golden and perfect.

Over the next few days there will be a couple of new prints available in my shop, as some of the current paintings are complete!