Pretty Present

 

Featured image: Gifts from God

Don't box yourself in. If you choose to box yourself in then be a pretty present then, share yourself with others.

Enlighten and Illuminate

 

Featured image: Balance

You have the potential to enlighten, illuminate and transform people and places. When you have inner balance and peace within yourself you have the same inner balance and peace within your spirit and soul that you can share with others.

Let the Beauty Out

 

Featured image: All Rise

We never sit anything out. We are cups quietly and constantly being filled. The trick is knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out. Ray Bradbury

Mother's Day at Black River Harbor

Glorious Mother's Day at Black River Harbor - I have several stories of chats with folks along the shoreline walk - but first thought I would share this with you all - the apple blossoms and cherry blossoms were glorious along the shore and on the trip up.  

And then I saw a carpet of stars - magical carpet of stars.

and two beautiful forsythia bushes oh my gosh - oh my gosh this is now my desktop slide.  I am switching between the white blossoms and the yellow blossoms - can't decide.

The Mask Receives Award

 

Featured image: The Mask

I am incredibly honored that my piece, "The Mask," has been awarded an Honorable Mention at the esteemed Philadelphia Watercolor Society 2024 Member Exhibition. This recognition means so much to me as an artist and serves as a testament to the passion and dedication I pour into my work. Thank you to the Philadelphia Watercolor Society for this incredible honor.  

Kayaking

 

Featured image: Caves Along the Shore - Lake Superior

kayaking

arms stretching

finally I am

free

horizon and water

meet

still

kayaking Lake 

superior

Back Yard Birds

 

Featured image: Back Yard Birds

Gosh where to begin?  I played around with this whole piece and everything in it. I think every part of an abstract or semi-abstract work is always experimental, as I rarely have much in mind when I start working. When I began this work last November, I started with a figure, washes, and colors.  I then stepped back and asked myself what the idea behind this work would be. I decided to make birds part of the composition, but how and where to place them became a major struggle.  I tried many ways, sizes, colors and shapes but always painted over them.  If you look closely at the work, you might glimpse the birds I painted over because they just weren’t right. It wasn’t until I put the red bird on the shoulder of the figure that I stopped struggling and felt comfortable with the marks and colors of the bird.  The rest didn’t come easily after that. I tried many birds flying around but that didn’t work for me. I finally settled on a bird at the bird feeder.

This whole work was extremely experimental for me and I learned a great deal from the creation and placement of the birds. I am ready to move on with what I learned to the next work and put these new ideas to work for me. The fun part for me as an artist is always knowing that even as I move on with new ideas, they are never the same in the next work.