Firefly

16 1/2 x 17" original oil

sold

OK, so ignore the weird size...long story. Just pretend it's 17x17". 

I love the colors in this piece! At first glance it's just whites and oranges, but if you look closer, there are lavenders, minty greens, pale blues, burnt yellows, olives, creamy grays, and dusty pinks. Yum. 

When I was a kid growing up in Missouri, I loved to stay out late on summer nights, listening to the cicadas, and running in the twilight to catch luminescent fireflies. 

Red Ball

6x6" original oil

sold

This red, rubber KONG ball is my dog's favorite toy in the whole world. We have had it for eight years  now. The thing is indestructible. It is heavy and very bouncy. Her favorite game is for me to throw it up onto the roof and she tries to catch it before it bounces off the back patio and goes flying into the deep back yard. 

Here, she has brought it to me in the doorway of the house after catching it so that I can throw it again.

Early Birds

 10 x 10" original oil

sold

detail

Last spring when I headed to Thanksgiving Point Gardens to check on the early tulips, it had been so cold and windy that most of the buds were still hiding. I spent a few hours photographing what flowers I could find, and these pansies were little champs, growing in crowded clusters against sunny pavers. I'd like to paint a larger piece, about 20x30" of this same patch of pansies, but more zoomed out. I love how much blue is in the purples here. It's a color I don't use often in my tulip pieces. 

Sweet Dreams

6 x 6" original oil

private collection of artist

I like to think that when dogs dream, they dream of all the good things in their lives: chasing birds, vanilla ice cream, peanut butter, tennis balls, old socks, big lakes to jump in, and belly scratches.

This is my lab, Buttercup, dreaming of all of the above, with no doubt a few added bacon snitches.

I myself am having sweet dreams lately. I've joined a St. George art gallery called Authentique and it is going to be a beautiful collaboration. Look for my bright, colorful works down there starting this weekend. Thanks JM and GT! 

Valentine

10 x 10" original oil

sold

So, I have been so busy in the studio that I have lost all touch with reality. Tonight I went to Wal-Mart and enjoyed having the store to myself (I thought I was so smart), then I got home, went on Facebook, and saw a bunch of posts about figure skating, etc in Sochi. The Olympics! Dude, I seriously hadn't even realized they'd started.

Mmmmm. I love the reds in this piece. It's so alive.