Dahlia Delight

"Dahlia Delight"
30" x 40"
Oil on wrapped canvas
Dahlias were in bloom outside the Walled Garden when I was at the Botanic Gardens last month.  I found this one swaying in the breeze and had to sync my body to her rhythmic dance to photograph her. Fortunately, we coincided on a few of them and I got a terrific reference photo for this painting.  

Amazingly, the background took more time to paint than the gazillion petals of this bloom.  I'm delighted with the finished piece, and hope you dahlia lovers enjoy her, too.

Carol

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Memories of West

"Memories of West"
7" x 4"
Pastel on sanded paper



















I painted away from home today. I saw a reference to a subject similar to this so I drew it and painted it from memory. I love the prickly texture of the cactus and the surroundings, too.  It was a fun one to do. 

As usual, this one started on a piece of 140 pound D'Arches French Watercolor paper that I sanded until it felt like suede. I toned the paper with a layer of a burgundy and a layer of cobalt and sanded them into the sueded finish. I brushed it off and then drew a rough sketch of the cactus, then put in my darks.

Carol

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Last Glimpse

"Last Glimpse"
4.5" x 7"
Pastel on sanded paper
There's been more color in the sky this past week than I've seen in a while. It seems happy, glowing, like if it could, it would also sing.  Fall, it must be ... fall. 

 I've made lots of skies with oil paint, so tonight I tried one with pastel. It's not as easy as I thought it would be. I'm used to blending more easily. I'll learn it, I'm sure.

Carol

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Balls Will Be Balls

"Balls Will Be Balls"
4.5" x 7"
Pastel on sanded Paper
Balls! I painted more balls in my mural painting career than any other single item.  Mostly I've painted sports balls in boy's bedrooms — stacks of them in unlikely places; bowling balls about to roll off of door frames, balls the size of marbles, baseballs with stitching, autographed basketballs, soccer, golf and ping pong balls.  Baby, you've got balls!

 Carol 

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After the Rain

"After the Rain"
4.5" x 7"
Pastel on sanded paper
The setting sun shone like nature's very own photo editing program against the wet leaves of the scrub oaks. I was on my way to Ginger Whellock's open house last week as the sun finally peeked through. I shot photos from a speeding car to capture the light and the shapes on the hillside as my friend drove. I knew I'd paint them in pastel, at least once.  

 All the rain in the Denver area this year has made the foothills of the front range look like a Persian tapestry this fall. I chose to be in Denver not only because of Ginger's fabulous gathering, but because of the colors.

Carol

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Wh- Wh- Who's Five?

"Wh- Wh- Who's Five?"
6" x 6"
Oil on wrapped canvas
My grandson, who is a big fan of the great horned owl, turns five this week.  I painted this for him.  It's on an inch and a half thick wrapped canvas, so it can sit on a shelf, or dresser, or be hung with the other things I've painted for him over the years. Happy Birthday, dear one. 

I saw whimsical owl paintings in Colorado last week and got the idea to paint one.  The whimsy here is the suggestion of a moon. It's there if you want it to be.

Carol

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Outskirts of Town

"Outskirts of Town"
3.5" x 5"
Pastel on sanded paper
Just outside of town, before I got home the other night I stopped to take one last look at my surroundings.  There were no cacti, no sagebrush, no sand. When I turned into my driveway I knew what I had experienced had been magical and I wanted more. 

This was a twenty minute little cutie pie I did this afternoon. The inspiration came from a photo I saw in a magazine, so I went with it.  I will have to prepare a lot of small pieces of watercolor paper so that I can enjoy painting like this more often.  It was quite fun.

Carol

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Somewhere In The West

"Somewhere In The West"
5.5" x 7.5"
Pastel on sanded paper
I was in the West over the weekend and I may have left my heart there.  I saw things that made me feel alive, met people I plan to know better and revived a longing to live at a higher altitude.  

I painted this today, loosely using a reference photo of a Robert Genn painting.  I sanded a piece of watercolor paper, toned it with a red and a blue and sanded those colors into the paper to make a purple undercoat. I painted the light, or halation around the tips of the mountains.  It was a passionate endeavor, taking place on the heels of my extraordinary experiences of the past week. I've been ... blessed.

Carol

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More Toys




"More Toys"
15" x 22"
Watercolor on paper
I collected items as I walked from room to room in my parent's home that would coordinate with the tea towel I had chosen to set Mum's favourite covered mug on.  I got two of the items in this painting when she was "done using them." 

This is another watercolor from a while ago.  I wanted to share it with you and add it to my gallery.

Carol

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"Aspen Leaves"
11" x 15"
Pastel on paper
While I was scoping out the beautifully-remodeled Abend Gallery in Denver, I happened on two of the gallery's artists actively painting on site. One was the darling oil painter, Tammi Otis and the charming pastel artist, Bruce Gomez. Both artists welcomed me to their State and chatted with me for several minutes.

Bruce noticed my obvious interest in what his students were creating and invited me to join the class the next morning. So I did! He gave me paper, let me use his easel, his pastels and brought me up to speed so I could finish with the rest of the women by end of day on Sunday.  This is the workshop image each of us was instructed to complete. His image, his pastels and my effort.  And I enjoyed it completely.

Carol

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My Mother's Toys

"My Mother's Toys"
15" x 22"
Watercolor on paper
While I'm away, I'll share a few more of my earlier watercolors with you.  I painted this one in Florida in my mother's studio.  I taught her to paint with watercolors and she let me paint her pretty "toys."  She collected Bennington parian porcelain and several other brands of bisque porcelain. 

The challenge with painting watercolor in her studio was that I did it in the summer and she had no air conditioning.  A wash of color sometimes didn't dry for hours, what with the humidity.  I developed patience -- preparation for painting in oils.

Carol

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Island in the Wheat

"Island in the Wheat"
7.5" x 10.5"
Pastel on paper
An island off shore of a harvested wheat field shone its flaming maples that October morning.  I saw them through the evaporating haze and was happy I drove this route instead of the other. 

 I'm in Colorado visiting galleries, looking for a place to represent me. If I miss posting for a few days, please know I'm fine, just here with only my camera.

Carol

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Graphite Rose

"Graphite Rose"
4" x 5
Graphite on paper
When I finished drawing my shoe, I found a rose to draw. Yes, it was a long wait in that waiting room, but I had more fun than the people reading dog-eared magazines.  

I'm learning a lot about values as I work with graphite. I'm sure I should have learned this decades ago, but I'm thinking it's valuable now, too.

Carol

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Shoe

"Shoe"
4" x 4"
Graphite on paper
I was sitting in a waiting room with a drawing pad on my lap and time on my hands. The only thing worth drawing was the view my foot afforded as I crossed my leg to elevate the drawing pad. I own these five inch heels in Chinese red silk and in black.  This one was red — same color as my toenails.  

I'm enjoying my new-found interests in pencil drawing and pastels.  I seem to be going about my education — backward.  Please be patient with me while I learn.

Carol

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