Strawberry

20 x 30" original oil

sold

This is the first painting using 2012 Tulip Festival photos as a reference. I went this year with these colors specifically in mind and died with delight when I saw a bed of them in the afternoon light. I love the combination of deep reds and pale pink-yellows. 

Here is a detail. 

Here is one of my palettes. 

Bubblicious

15 x 23" oil

sold

The pinks in this painting remind me of Bubblicious Gum commercials from the 80's. I remember there was a family in my neighborhood that gave away Bubblicious every Halloween...I always felt kinda ripped off that it wasn't chocolate. I'm sure chocolate would have been cheaper! What a picky kid I was on a holiday where you get handouts.

Miss Scarlett III

23 x 23" original oil

sold

Today has been cloudy and sprinkling...I took a break from photographing at the gardens and finished this piece. I've used this quirky yellow tulip with the red inside in three paintings now, and each time I like her even more. I really like the dark background against the bright yellows. 

I jammed my right pinkie playing ball this morning; it was awkward to have two fingers taped together on my painting hand (as I hen-peck this text). 

I have one month to go until my big art show May 18th in Provo at the downtown Zions Bank Financial Center. Time to get serious...

Honeybee

35 x 52" original oil

sold

I have been out to photograph new tulips three times this Spring. I would be working in the studio during a storm, the sun would come out, and literally I would put the brush down mid-stroke, grab my camera and go. Each time has been rewarding. Just this morning I finally was able to shoot some whites and purples which are hard colors for me to find in abundance. A wind/dust storm is now blowing in and we are supposed to get snow Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I never expect any less from Spring here in Utah, but it sure makes my work... interesting in April. Hopefully the tulips that are now up are hardy enough to stand the weekend weather. 

I bought a new camera a couple of weeks ago - a Canon - and I'm in love. Good tools make for good work. 

The sun has gone behind thick clouds and today's storm is already rolling in. It feels good to have Honeybee finished and a memory card full of photos for new paintings. Now, I am going to catch up with paperwork, housework, and find something to eat!

Honeybee: Part II

35 x 52" original oil in progress

More work today on the beast...it's coming along. 

Honeybee: Part I

35 x 52" original oil in progress

This is a large painting. To work on it, I have to focus on small sections at a time or I get overwhelmed. I say I work on small sections at a time, but that is only partly true. I also have to keep the entire painting in mind...it's hard to explain. Let me try. It's like cooking a huge dinner. You cook one or two dishes at a time but you have the whole meal in your mind from the beginning; you make sure the flavors are going to work and dishes with different cooking times finish at the same time. What can I say? Painting is like cooking. 

I look at this photo and see how far I have to go, but I will try instead to look at how much I've already done. 

My brain is tired (but happy).