This Little Pig Stayed Home

That's my birdhouse that sits on a windowsill in the dining room. :)

This Little Pig Stayed Home, 6x6 pastel on Grey Canson

This Little Pig Went to Market

I guess you know now what this week's theme will be...

This Little Pig Went to Market, 6x6 pastel on yellow Canson

This Little Pig

I've been away from my easel too many days! My last painting, which included a child's toy, was so much fun to paint that I decided to work a few more still life paintings to continue the good times. Today's painting is the first in a little series I have in mind. :)

This Little Pig, 6x6 pastel on Orange Canson

Too Big

A child's toy and a few pebbles provided the inspiration for today's still life. Ha Ha! I actually like this one. :)

Too Big, 6x6 pastel on orange Canson

Apple on a Pedestal

Just feeling like doing a still life today, so these apples were assigned the job along with a little upside down flower vase. It's a nice change from doing landscapes. :)

Apple on a Pedestal, 7x7 pastel on yellow Canson

Hot Springs Morning

In early autumn one year we camped near Bonneville Hot Springs in Idaho. The hot springs bubbled up out of the hillside and tumbled into a wide creek where lovely "pools" had been created by stones. When we arrived in the evening, many people were enjoying the pools, so we waited until morning. Just after the sun came up we hiked the half mile or so down the trail with our towels in hand and were rewarded with an hour of beautiful solitude in the forest hot tubs. The view that I have painted below is what we saw as we first arrived at the springs...the steam marked the way to the pools!

Hot Springs Morning, 9x12 pastel on Canson

Good Morning Kill Devil Hills

Living on the west coast means that I have seen a LOT of sunsets over the ocean, but never a sunRISE. When we visited the Outer Banks of North Carolina a couple years ago I was very excited to get up early and actually see the sun come up over the ocean! Today I tried to paint that memory, and even though it seemed like a simple enough project, I was surprised at how difficult it was to convey the image the way I wanted to. As usual, my brain knew what it wanted and my hands just kept guessing. In the end...I'm not 100% satisfied, but I'm happy enough with it for a first try. :)

Good Morning Kill Devil Hills, 5x7 pastel on orange Canson

Soda Springs, Idaho

A few summers ago we spent a week discovering new places in Idaho that we had not seen before. One afternoon we got to see Soda Springs Geyser erupt and the photos I took were the reference for today's painting. Yes, it's still "sky week", but this is another kind of interest in the sky. :)

Soda Springs, 8x11 pastel on orange Canson

Roadtrip in Eastern Oregon

Driving in Eastern Oregon offers a huge sky view with all the open space in the landscape. The reference for today's painting was taken from the passenger side of the car as we drove late one afternoon. The highlighted cloud shapes were so brilliant that the rest of the scenery around us seemed to fade into non-importance.

Roadtrip in Eastern Oregon, 8x10 pastel on Canson

Snowy Morning Sky

This isn't supposed to happen in March where I live. A snow day?? However, I could hardly wait to get outside and go for a walk, where I photographed a sky reference for today's painting.

Snowy Morning Sky, 7x9 pastel on Canson

Mt Hood Morning

Looking through my photo references this morning I realized that I have a LOT of sky pictures. You'd think I like skies or something! Well, I do think they are pretty amazing. So I decided that this week will be "Sky Week", and all the paintings I do will be showcasing the ever-interesting and beautiful skies above. The first one is a sunrise over Mt. Hood, and the reference was taken about a year ago on a morning walk.

Mt Hood Morning, 8x11 pastel on Canson

To Gladden the Heart

In Church today I had this image come into my mind as a possible small painting. I knew there was at least one daffodil blooming in my yard, so I could hardly wait to come home and explore the idea. It seemed appropriate for a Sunday activity...what do you think?

To Gladden the Heart, 6x6 pastel on Canson

First Green

We're back home to Oregon after spending a week in snowy Wisconsin (which I hear is now sunny and in the 50-60's!), and I was thrilled to see new green leaves in the forest behind my house. I took a few clippings inside to create this impressionistic view of the greening branches.

First Green, 6x6 pastel on Orange Canson