Sketchbook Exchange–Accordion Style

Sketchbook Exchange–Accordion Style

Sketchbook exchanges can be a source of inspiration, encouragement and sharing ideas, in other words, building artistic community.   At least that is the experience of a group I belong to, Oregon Botanical Artists, an Artists Circle under the auspices of the American Society of Botanical Artists.  We are on our third sketchbook exchange, and […]

A Wild Rose, Rosa nutkana

A Wild Rose, Rosa nutkana

Something catches your eye and you just have to take your chances with it…that’s how it was on a bleak winter day when I was walking across a field of dried grasses. The dense cloud cover made everything look even greyer than it would have otherwise appeared. But I noticed something glowing red in the […]

Bristly-stemmed Checker Mallow

Bristly-stemmed Checker Mallow

The hike along Cascade Head is one of the most spectacular on the Oregon coast. If you can tear your eyes away from the distant views of rugged coastline and crashing waves to look down at your feet, you will see an beautiful array of wildflowers blooming in the windswept meadows in spring. The conditions […]

Lupine Commission Finished

Lupine Commission Finished

Someone will be surprised this Christmas! (Don’t worry I have permission to share about it online.) This painting started with an inquiry last winter about a commissioned painting featuring Lupine. The client wanted the painting for the following Christmas and gave me artistic license in choosing the variety of Lupine and the composition of the […]

The March of the Insects

The March of the Insects

Insects keep crawling in…through my sketchbook and into my paintings!  I know this sounds like a problem that requires a quick search down a store aisle for a certain spray or powder…but I actually invite the insects into the picture.  I want to indicate that these plants belong to a community, to hint that there […]