We just returned from more than a week at the Oregon coast. It was a great time to visit with stormy seas to watch from a safe distance and hunker down and do some reading...recommend "My Life With Bees" and the Wallace Stegner books. I did some sketching, but nothing of great significance.
I am starting a piece for the Hospice Fund Raiser. I usually give a painting to them for the "Night of Elegance" being an organization that does so much for so many.
My Etsy store is open online. A few prints are listed and a couple of originals. It is time consuming to load each item, so I need to put things for sale in there gradually...and see how well they sell.
Be looking at the blog for new work later next week.

Happy New Year!!

Wow! the snow had all disappeared til early this morning and then it started coming down again and was strikingly familiar the big snow a couple of weeks ago.

New paintings...shown above.
The NW Pastel Society has their prospectus published on their website for the members show...suggestions of "Step out of your box" and do something out of the ordinary for the show. hmmmm...

I am working on a representational piece from a photo of my Mom and her neighbor moving cows to summer pasture. It is an interesting shot as the cows are meandering and eating their way up this hill thru this high posted gate that was a signature of her neighbors fence lines. My mom is sort of in the midst of these cows and calves, gently urging them to greener pastures for the summer. I will put it up on the blog when I am finished with it.

One of the pieces I just finished was of the Walla Walla River near Saviah Cellars. The river has a nice flow to it at the bridge on Pepper Bridge Road, and when I was at the winery for barrel tasting this year, I stopped and shot a few images of the river then. So I finished one based on a shot taken at that time. Then after the snow came and once it was safe enough to travel, I went back to this spot and shot some more images. There is some great potential with a couple of these newer shots with the hint of snow and a late afternoon glow to the brush and trees.

Once again...Happy New Year!

2008 is nearly over and looking toward 2009...It has been a successful year with art sales and representation. Yesterday one more painting sold - Fields Purple - the large version (45x28 approx). It went to a good home in Eugene, Oregon. A few days ago "Five Mile " went to it's new home near Dayton. It gives me a great feeling to see these paintings being meaningful enough to someone that they want to purchase them and put them in their homes to look at daily.

I am getting ready to paint today...it's been a few days since I have gone to the studio and focused on creating something. The Christmas holiday took precedence. It was a wonderful holiday with Kate home for 3 days and Justin and family here. Friends Judy and Jeff came to dinner as well above troops on Christmas Eve. We feasted; had a great time. J and J contributed some fabulous foods....The shrimp were to die for. As usual, something got omitted from dinner. This year the wonderful sour cream salad stayed tucked safely in the refrigerator. (one year it was the bread that escaped the pallets of the diners!)

The near 3 feet of snow accumulation came to a sudden end beginning the 26th when the chinook winds came and the temperature rose from about 15 up to 48. Now there is bare ground that only a few days ago was covered under 3 feet of snow!

Merry Christmas!The snow continues to fall...I think we are at about 18-20 inches now. The dogs need a trail to get out in the yard. The new painting of the grain elevator is complete. My friend Brenda came by today to pick up a painting, braving the streets. It was actually more of a challenge getting into our yard than on the streets...Here's some photos of the dogs and snow...

IT'S COLD! We are having some of the coldest weather in a few winters. I think we were right at 0' F. last night; up to 15' today! The snow has piled up and yesterday it was absolutely beautiful out side. There is about 12". The back yard doesn't have a track through it - it is a pure undisturbed blanket of snow. Check out the sunset off Harshaw Road before the storm...

Kate spent three days with us. It's great to have her come and spend time. She made the coolest pillow covers for a friend by adding ribbon and a variety of buttons to a pillow case. Zebra ribbon, zebra buttons and then threw in some turquoise shell buttons of various sizes. really a nice composition.

I am working on a large pastel of a grain elevator. So far so good. It's about half completed.

new painting finished today ...

walla walla winter barrel tasting

Winter wine barrel tasting this weekend in Walla Walla. It's huge! I will have art at Whitman Cellars (new things hung a couple of weeks ago) and at Saviah Cellars with Diana Schmidt and other artists. If you are in the area, it's a great event - come and see us at Saviah! Lots of paintings, prints, cards, posters, etc. Also lots of art and crafts for purchase at Carnegie Art Center. I have quite a few small pieces there as well.

happy holidays!!