Hello everyone who is visiting my blog! I am so happy you are looking at my paintings!

I took a little long week-end vacation and when I got home and ready to post a painting to my blog, my computer hard drive had crashed and I was not able to do anything. So I am using a public one to just let you know what is happening. I should be able to post on Friday.

In the meantime, I am working on a large acrylic painting of a goat herder, which is very interesting. Stay tuned and while you wait for the herder, just run back over the older posts again. Thanks for looking. Egretta

"Down the Lane"

5 1/2 x 8 watercolor, matted in double mat $45

In Northern Ireland and England, there are row houses where several families live--very quaint-looking to us and always neat and tidy with green, green grass. We would call it a "yard"; they call it a "garden". Click on this to see it a little better.

"Depression Glass and Marbles"

7 x 9 watercolor, matted and framed $110

I wanted to do some more glass reflections, so I sat up a still life of some clear colored glass items and marbles and a doiley. Click on this to see the details of the marbles in the jar shining through the juicer. Painting reflections is time consuming but very interesting and challenging. I love the marbles in the jar. I've always been fond of marbles and used to get into my brothers stash of marbles and play with them when he was out and about. Bet he didn't know that!!

"A Summer Place"

11 x 14 acrylic on canvas panel, framed $110

I'm posting an older painting I did a while back, as I am working on a large painting now that is taking several days. I love to do cottages and quaint little houses especially if there is a rock wall around them. I grew up in a house with a beautiful rock wall built by some Italian stonemasons that were very talented.

"Great-Grandmother's Pitcher"

7 1/2 x 9 1/2 watercolor, matted $50

Clear glass and crystal is fun to paint and is about reflections. I sat up this simple stilllife and only used two basic colors , and of course left the white of the paper for the white. It seems overwhelming to paint clear glass, but after drawing in the pitcher, I first painted the darkest blues and lilttle by little built up the lighter blues and browns. It takes time and patience. This was a practice piece, but I like the way it turned out. Remember to click on all my paintings to see the details. Share my blog with your friends!

"Cabbage"

6 x 6 acrylic on hardboard $50

Cabbages have such beautiful colors and patterns in their leaves; they are quite beautiful. I got this one from my little garden which is incorporated in my flower garden. It didn't do so well this year; the cabbages are small. But they add beauty to the garden planted among the marigolds and zinnias. I also had one pepper plant and 3 tomatoes. The heat really hurt them all and I was lax in watering them, too. This little painting is painted around the edges, too, so it could sit on a kitchen shelf next to some cook books and look really good!

"Look into My Eyes"

6 x 6 acrylic on hardboard $45

The eyes have it!! I love painting eyes, especially if they turn out well like these did! Cats do have the most mysterious and unusual eyes, don't they? Hope all you cat lovers enjoy this one.

My little grandson went home today and I'm back at the easel! He was so sweet, though, and easy to care for and we had a great time. SOLD

"The Summer Cottage"

3 1/2 x 5 1/2 watercolor sketch $35

This little quick sketch of an Irish cottage is loosely done and is very colorful. It is matted and framed in a little oak frame. A perfect start for anyone who would like to start collecting small art, and it is framed in the kind of frame that will sit on its own, so it is great for a shelf or on a piece of furniture.

"Sandhill Cranes"

22 x 34 Watercolor on Arches Paper, framed $500

This large watercolor is of a family of Sandhill Cranes; we see so many of them in Florida. They love level land and often are very near the highways. They mate for life and are protective of their young. I enjoyed painting them with the new baby who will change in color as he grows. The background of this painting is done wet into wet, meaning that the colors run and intermingle somewhat according to the amount of water used. I focused on the birds for more detail. It is framed in a white frame and mat--a wide mat, so it is quite large and would make a good presence in home, office or commercial building.

I wonder how hot it is in your part of the country? It is awful here--one can hardly stand to be outside a few minutes! My grandson and I went swimming this a.m. and it sure felt good.

"Summer Zinnias"

8 x8 watercolor $45

The Zinnias in my garden are the only flowers really loving the heat. They faithfully bloom every summer and reseed themselves, and they are one of my favorite flowers, especially suitable for cutting and bringing inside. I tried this painting on some watercolor paper I had (not Arches) and the difference is striking to work on! I won't name names, but if you are starting to watercolor paint, I would invest in Arches 140 lb. paper or 300 lb., in either cold pressed or rough. Maybe I will do another painting similar to this soon on Arches and you will see the difference. This turned out o.k, but I had to do much more glazing, so it took alot longer.

My grandson, Austin, is visiting this week, so it is hard to get alot of painting done between going to see movies, swimming, and playing games! He is a joy, though, as is his older brother, Andrew, who is in Ireland this summer.

"Tall Palms"

8 x 11 watercolor, unframed $45

Tall stately coconut palms, blowing in the ocean breezes, a lovely sandy beach with a comfy chair, these are the memories I have of a recent cruise on the Norwegian Pearl.

The hot weather we are having in Florida makes me want to go on another cruise soon! Yestday was my grandson, Austin's birthday so after ice cream, we went to Ft. Lauderdale to watch cruise ships set sail, do a little fishing and enjoy some ocean breezes. It was a fun day and that is why I didn't have time to post yesterday. One must take a break sometimes! I hope this painting makes you feel calm and restful, like a mini vacation.

" Mallards"

14 x 18 acrylic on stretched canvas, framed

$300

Father's day is a week from tomorrow and Dad would surely love this mallard painting. The sky has just a hint of purple and it is a Fallish scene. It is framed in a beautiful grey barnwood frame with a linen liner making it have a good presence, perfect for an office or den. I love painting Mallards, one of my favorite ducks! Click on it to see details.

"Irish Boats"

8 x 10 acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas $110

This scene is somewhere along the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland. I took a bunch of photographs and failed to mark them, so I am not sure of the exact location. I loved the bridge against the really green grass. Ireland is so fresh-looking and the Antrim Coast is gorgeous. I am sitting here wishing for cooler days in Florida, like it is in Ireland, even if it does rain lots. My daughter jokingly says that they had 2 days of sunshine last year! Kidding, of course.

This painting extends around the sides of the canvas, so there is no need to frame.

"One Fine Day"

10 x 14 watercolor on Arches paper $145

Imagine two little boys playing in the sand at the beach, building a sandcastle, watching the birds and the waves! What could be more fun to watch! This was fun to paint--I did it pretty quickly, letting the paint just run and work its magic. I used a tissue to press into the wet paint to form the clouds. I do hope American's beaches won't be destroyed by the oil spilling out; let's pray it is stopped and cleaned up real soon!

Click on this for a closer view.

"Ocean Treasures II"

6 x6 watercolor on Arches paper $50

Here is the companion painting to yesterday's post. I once again used the plastic wrap and got the texture and the color gradation with it in the background. If you paint and haven't tried it, you will love it!

I exercised in the pool this a.m. and it is amazing how cool you keep for hours afterwards! But then it is a little less hot today and we do have a lovely breeze, which helps!

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"Ocean Treasures"

6 x 6 watercolor on Arches paper, $50

This small painting was so much fun to do! I sketched in the shells first, then using tracing paper, I traced the sketch, cut out the shapes and laid them on top the shell sketches. Then I used masking fluid to go around the edges, securing the tracing paper down. I painted a wash of darkish blue for the water and laid a piece of plastic wrap over it. I did the same with the sand using a medium strength burnt umber and laid a piece of

plastic wrap over it, manipulating it slightly. I let it

completely dry, then took off the plastic and Wow! I had all the gorgeous textures of water and sand! Then I removed the tracing paper and masking fluid and painted in the detailed shells. It was so much fun that now I am doing a companion piece with different shells. I will post it tomorrow. Stay tuned!

"Quilter and Pincushion"

18x24 egg tempera on handboard, framed $600

In this painting, I played with ways to apply the egg tempera, using a sponge and rag, as well as brushes. I layered different colors to give the effect I wanted, building up thin washes. The painting is framed in a chestnut colored wooden frame that compliments the warm colors in the painting. This is one of my favorite paintings that I have done. Hope you enjoy it, too.

If you are new to my blog, please click on "older posts" at bottom to see all the paintings I have posted. Click on a painting for a larger view.

"Paris Cafe #2"

5 x 8 watercolor on Arches paper, matted $60

Here is the companion piece to yesterdays post. This one is matted in a mauve mat measuring 11 by 14 just like the other one. It would be neat to hang them together.

I have not seen it this hot in South Florida this early in the summer in 30 years! It is very humid, too, making it feel even hotter than the 96 degrees on my back porch!

"Paris Cafe #l"

5 x 8 watercolor, matted $60

Yesterday I spoke of traveling in France. A few years ago, my daughter and son-in-law took me to Paris for my birthday and we had a marvelous time! We stayed at a little 3 story hotel which was "basic" with a restaurant that had great food, fresh veggies arriving daily. We toured all over, cramming as much as possible into a few days. I took lots of photos and we even sat on the street in the artist's quarters sketching. This painting is of one of the little cafes and tomorrow I will post its companion piece. It is matted in a mauve colored mat measuring 11 by 14 total.

"The Balcony"

5 x 7 watercolor on Arches Paper $40

Just playing with purple shadows again in a quick little watercolor. It reminds me of balconies I've seen in France when traveling. Or even in the Keys, here in Florida.

We are having such hot weather now--today was in the 90's. It's a good time to stay in the studio and paint.

Everyone have a great weekend!

"Cat on the Wall"

11 1/2 x 15 watercolor on Arches paper, unframed $150

Last October I was in McIntosh, Florida at the 1890's Festival and while driving through that lovely and quaint old town, I spotted this cat sunning on a rock wall. The lighting was beautiful and I got out of the car, snapping photos and she was not disturbed in the least! So finally I am painting from those reference photos. I love the back light. A pot of rosemary is in the foreground and I wonder if she is enjoying the fragrance of it, one of the most fragrant of herbs. Comments welcome!

"Hot Hibiscus"

21 1/2 x 29 watercolor on Arches paper $300

Wow!Is it hot here in South Florida! So I've painted some of the Hibiscus blooms in my yard. They love hot weather and are blooming profusely. This is a large watercolor with alot of detail--click on it to see a larger view.

"Alabama Retreat"

16 x 20 acrylic on stretched canvas, framed $500

Out driving in rural Alabama, I spotted this little house with the rock wall. So I took photos of it and the result is this painting of a peaceful, warm little home set among the shade trees.

Sorry there were no posts over the long weekend! I was in Colorado enjoying a graduation party and all the beautiful scenery there. It was perfect weather, in the 70's and we were at Boyd Lake in Loveland near Denver. The snow capped mountains in the distance and the blue-blue sky, rippling lake water was stunning. I took lots of photo reference shots and hope to paint some Colorado paintings in the near future. Hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day.