VIEW FROM THE UMBRELLA STAND

This may be the last painting of the year for me. This is the view from an umbrella stand near Grand Central Station in New York City. I know this because I snapped the reference photo while my mother purchased an umbrella. They were actually very reasonably priced. This oil painting is on 40"h x 30"w x 1 1/2"canvas. It is painted raw umber around the edges, so you have the option to leave it unframed.

CHRISTMAS COMMISSIONS

I think the coast is clear. It is safe for me to post the recent commissions I did for Christmas. The three paintings of dogs below were painted during the months of November and December.

HIGGINS

This is a painting of Higgins the dog. It is oil on 16"h x 12"w canvas.

CUMBY

This is a painting of Cumby the dog. It is oil on 18"h x 24"w x1 1/2" canvas.

TULA

This is a painting of Tula the dog. The oil painting was on 24" x 30" x 1 1/2" canvas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!

It feels like I just posted this exact same message, but no, that was a full year ago. This is the newest addition to our collection of ornaments... he's purrrrrfect! Have a great Christmas everyone!!!

PENGUIN COOKIE

THIS IS WHY I AVOID THE BAKERY SECTION OF GROCERY STORES! Because there are always cute desserts. I usually can just keep walking, but today the scent emanating from the bakery was more difficult for me to resist than siren's song would be for sailors. Almost as disastrous as crashing into seaside cliffs, I purchased a cookie with a mountain of icing in the shape of a penguin on top. I had to paint this quickly because the smell of butter-cream was too much to endure. What you can't see from this painting is that there is a huge bite taken out of the back of the cookie :) I'll save the rest for my husband who has a faster metabolism than I have.

Not only is this painting Christmas/winter related, but also sports-related; the Pittsburgh Penguins are going to be in the Winter Classic on New Year's Day. No longer available.

GETTING CLOSE

One painting almost done, one halfway done. I fell ill last week, so I did not deliver on my promise for new work last week. By the end of this week, there will be at least one new painting on this blog!

DON'T GIVE UP!

Seriously, I promise new artwork is on the way. I've been working on Christmas commissions lately (and I can't post them because it will ruin some surprises) but I have started a new series of paintings, and will be adding some of them to this blog later this week. Also, please check www.artquiver.com on December 21st, as my new work will be available for purchase then. AQ is planning to start accepting commissions soon, so feel free to inquire about those. The picture above is a preview of some of my new work, which consists of cityscapes and dinner table scenes. And no, this is not a picture of me (but is is of a girl who looks as mad as everyone always says I look.)

This was the last picture my camera took before it was killed in Paris. I was stupid enough to set it on a slick granite seat next to a fountain at the Louvre to take an automatic picture (rather than asking someone to do it.) I didn't think it was possible that someone may try to sit on it. After the picture snapped, I saw a girl walking toward the camera and I sprinted toward it, because I can't speak French and she didn't respond when I yelled for her to watch out. I knocked the camera into the fountain myself when I tried to grab it. Fortunately we were able to fish it out and save the memory stick, and I had two back-up cameras. But my poor camera died. It served me well. And yes, I learned something that day.

This is what I learned:

1. Don't set your camera on a slippery surface next to a body of water, especially when there are unpredictable people who don't speak your language milling about.
2. Sometimes when you have an abundance of something, you are less careful with it. This goes for everything (except maybe if you have a lot of kids; you probably wouldn't sit one of them unattended next to a fountain.) I had three cameras with me on that trip (one was a loaner from my mom, I'm just glad it wasn't hers that I took chances with) so maybe something in my mind felt safe, like, "well if this camera falls into the water, it's okay, I still have two more." Maybe that's why God only gave us two eyes, two ears, and so forth... we don't have three of anything important. We have ten total fingers and toes, but in each category, there are really five totally different varieties that have different jobs, and we only have two of each variety (two index fingers, two thumbs, etc.)
   
3. Sometimes when you try too hard to save something (or someone) that is in danger, you end up doing more harm than if you play it cool. If I would have just let the girl sit on the camera, maybe she wouldn't have done any damage. Also, I wouldn't have had to worry all week if the memory stick was damaged (we couldn't find a place to print pictures from a memory stick and I didn't want to place a wet memory stick into one of my working cameras and risk damaging them with water. I think of it as the Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader effect in the last movie when he essentially killed that princess girl (my husband will be so impressed that I included this analogy.)
   
4. Always be aware of your surroundings. Why didn't the girl look where she was sitting? What if there would have been bird poop on the bench where the girl was about to sit instead of my camera? I was aware of my surroundings because I sprung into action as soon as I saw her going in the direction of my camera. Unfortunately I overcompensated for her lack of attention by moving more quickly than I could think. So if you pay attention to your surroundings at least a little, you can give the conscientious people a break.
   

BRIE

This painting of a Pac-Man (or Mrs. Pac-Man) shaped wheel of Brie is 8"h x 10"w.

SITTING ROOM II

I rarely actually get to use the hotel sitting rooms when I visit. I just walk around and take pictures of them. This oil painting is 10"h x 8"w. SOLD.

SOMEWHERE IN BRUGES

This is a painting of a building along one of the canals in Bruges. It is 10"h x 8" w.

MINI BAR

That's what I call a mini bar! Not some little fridge filled with little beers in an isolated hotel room, but an antique tabletop full of liquors in a cool sitting room. I'm actually more of a wine drinker because the health benefits, but I like the look of a whole bunch of liquor bottles sitting in an unconventional place. It sure looks better than a box of wine on the kitchen counter (I'm a middle class artist, so boxed wine is more economical. No I don't have a problem. And the quality of certain brands of boxed wine is quite good.) SOLD.

FOYER

This was the foyer of the hotel we stayed at in Bruges. The painting is 10"h x 8"w and will be for sale at this Friday's "Evening in the Stacks" event at our local library, which needs some serious funding to stay open. Sounds like something from "Back to the Future" ("save the clock tower".) Long live the library! I should actually start using the library, especially since they have free coffee, at least they used to. I've been trying to finish "For Whom the Bell Tolls" for about a year though. If I had borrowed that from the library I would have gotten some serious late fees. I could have saved the library myself. SOLD.

A SAVANNAH CORNER

To me, this is the spookiest corner in central Savannah, even during the day. We took a ghost tour one night when we visited in September of '09. The tour guide pointed out all the hot spots where orbs are most likely to appear in photos, but I didn't have a single one in any of the 1000 pictures that I took that week. Oh well, I was looking more for subject matter than paranormal activity anyway. This oil painting of a Savannah house is 10"h x 8"w x 1 .5"thick.

Disclaimer: If you stumbled upon this painting by Googling "paranormal activity" because maybe your house is haunted, but you are also considering purchasing art, please be aware that I do not accept returns for paintings that were damaged by ghosts that were unhappy with your purchase. You need to consult with them before making any major purchases for "their" house! Otherwise, paintings may be returned to me within 30 days if you purchase them directly from me.

AMSTERDAM CANAL

This painting of an Amsterdam canal is 10"h x 8" w x 1.5"thick. SOLD.

BIKER CHICK

You have to watch out for the bikes in Amsterdam. Automobile traffic is always something to be wary of, but bikes are silent, so you have to be super aware of your surroundings when walking in this particular city. It seems that pedestrians are the least important. Does this girl look like she is doing a wheelie? I need to fix that. This painting of Amsterdam is 16"h x 12" w.

CAROUSEL IN PARIS

We were trying to get to the Louvre and thought this building with the carousel in the back yard was it because of the color and the shape of the roof. We were wrong. We were about half a mile off. It was one of those days that started out cool, so I piled on a jacket and big boots, but after walking fast for a couple of blocks, it turned out to be hot. Every time we go to Europe, we go earlier and earlier in the season with the intention of avoiding heat, but it never works. It's always hot when we go! It never seems to daunt the Europeans though... they wear their pants and coats no matter how warm it is. I really can't complain though, we were lucky just to be there. Just a few hours later and the ash cloud would have gotten us. I don't know how all that relates to this painting, I just thought I'd share. This oil painting of Paris is 18"h x 24"w. SOLD.

Versailles

This oil painting is on 30" x 40" canvas. SOLD.

A Canal in Bruges

I was inspired to go to Bruges this year because of scenes from the movie, "In Bruges." It is an extremely depressing movie (with humorous parts) and it is not family friendly, in case you were wondering, but I had no idea what the city was all about until I watched it. And as they said often in the movie, and as I've said many times before,"it is like a (bleeping) fairytale." SOLD.

MORNING FOX HUNT

I wish I could get a better picture of this painting. There is so much black and therefore, glare. I painted this from a photo that I took at a fox hunt a couple of weeks ago. My mother and I followed the horses on foot, and successfully evaded encounters with hind legs. We walked and ran about four miles through fields and trails, which was an awesomely great time. Many thanks to our wonderful hosts for bearing with us and for the adventure! At one point we were standing quietly on the trail and something was running at us. I thought it was a wayward hound, but as it approached I saw that it was smaller and fuzzier, and realized that it was the fox! He/she saw us and quickly ran the other way. And don't worry, animal lovers, neither fox, hound, nor horse was harmed during the hunt; they don't actually kill the fox on these hunts. This oil painting is on 24" x 30" stretched canvas. No longer available.

CAFE ON SUNDAY

After dodging speeding bicycles and trolleys on a Sunday morning in Amsterdam, one needs a cup of coffee to recharge for the afternoon shift. This oil painting is on 24" x 18" stretched canvas. SOLD.

AMSTERDAM COFFEE SHOP II

The thing that struck me about coffee in Amsterdam (and also in Bruges) is that it is always an event. You get the cup of coffee on a little plate along with various sugars, cream, and a little packet of cookies or biscuits. It feels like you are at Grandma's house for coffee (except sometimes with a slight scent of marijuana wafting in through the open windows.) This oil on stretched 8" x 10" canvas. SOLD.

CAFE IN AMSTERDAM

This bar was pretty empty for a Sunday in Amsterdam. It is near the Red Light District, maybe a couple of blocks away. That particular Sunday there was a big soccer match and the town was crazy. People were in the streets, at bars, or on their boats in the canals, and all were drinking. We had some relief when we found this place. 14"w x 11" h oil painting on stretched canvas. SOLD.

"COFFEE SHOP"

Ok, so it wasn't a "coffee shop" in Amsterdam, I just thought that would be a cool title for a painting. It was just a regular coffee shop/bar as we know them here in the States. I really didn't go to any of the brown cafes. We tried to enter one for a plain cup of coffee and to take in the atmosphere (and no, not through our lungs, just through our eyes and ears) but as soon as we entered we realized we couldn't withstand the fumes. We're puritans...some artist I am. So this is the closest I got. This painting is 14"h x 11"w. SOLD.

What's for Dinner?

An ever-present question on Oliver's mind... "What's for dinner?" Sorry, Oliver, cat's don't eat corn on the cob, white asparagus or strawberries. This painting is oil on 16" x 8" oil primed linen canvas panel. Click below to purchase from Etsy. SOLD.

Bruges Facades

Bruges is a fascinating city, and the most interesting part is the rooftops and building facades. Like they said in the movie, it is like a fairytale. There were some great places to eat. Our favorite place was Rock Fort, which contains a restaurant and a tapas bar (we went twice so we could eat in each section.) I don't like to visit the same place twice because there are so many out there, but this town feels like home and we will probably be back. Oil on 7"h x 5"w canvas board. SOLD.

Louvre Interior III

I'm obsessed with the Louvre. I went there two days in a row during my spring trip to Paris... thanks to my museum pass. This oil painting is on 10" h x 8" w canvas. SOLD.

Montmartre III

I did a "Little Italy" series in the past few weeks, and decided to switch to Paris shortly thereafter. This is a view of stairs in Montmartre. It is done in a quick manner to capture the essence of my memories of Paris. The painting is on 8" w x 10" h canvas. It is for sale at The Artist's Hand Gallery in Indiana, PA. SOLD.

Phase 4 of the "Little Italy Series". This is 10"h x 8"w, like the others and was done as a quick sketch. This was the breakfast room of the hotel we stayed at in Venice. SOLD.

Phase 3 of my "Little Italy Series". Like the others, this painting is little, on 10"h x 8"w canvas. It was painted quickly to represent the fleeting moment that inspired it. SOLD.

This is phase II of my "Little Italy Series". All of the paintings in this series are little 10"h x 8"w and were painted quickly to represent the fleeting moments they represent. Oil on Canvas. SOLD.

Venice I from my "Little Italy Series"

This is phase I of my "Little Italy Series". I have done four small paintings 10"h x 8" w. They were all quickly done and sketchy to capture the fleeting moments that I encountered. SOLD.

Self Portrait

This is my first attempt at a self portrait in oil. I don't paint portraits too often, mostly people are part of an overall scene but rarely "looking at the camera." It is 30" x 40" x 1 1/2". It's not really for sale because I don't know who would even be interested in buying it... who the heck wants a portrait of me? It was mostly for fun. It looks slightly better if you click on the image to see a close up, otherwise it is grainy due to my dysfunctional camera (not because of my picture taking.) And don't tell me I look angry... I tried to make myself look happier than I normally do in real life, so buzz off. Ok, I guess buzz off is a little harsh, so never mind that part.

THE DRESS SHOP

Which dress will she choose? I kind of like the one on the headless mannequin; it represents the billowy style that seems to be popular right now. I don't know because after the age of 25, my knowledge of fashion trends has waned a little with each passing year. I spotted this scene while walking through little Italy in Manhattan one evening. Again, a through-the-window picture. This oil painting is on 20" x 24" x 1 1/2"canvas. SOLD.

BED, BATH AND THE PAINTING BEYOND

Okay, I'll admit it... When I take walks at night I look in the windows of nicely decorated houses to see how the owners have decorated. I am not any kind of "people watcher", I merely like to appreciate the decor. I do have an interior design degree, after all. When my husband and I were in Charleston last year, we were walking some of the spooky streets at night between restaurant and bar, and I spotted this house that was for sale. This room was softly lighted and this cat sat on a chair that he was probably not supposed to sit on to prepare for bed. When compared the darkness of the streets, this scene provided a feeling of serenity and safety.

To the owner of this house if you are unhappy with me: If you don't want me to paint pictures of your living room, close your curtains at night!

This oil painting is on 10" h x 8" w canvas. SOLD.

A STREET IN BRUGES

This oil painting of a street in Bruges is 18" w x 24" h x 1" d. This will soon be for sale at Philly Street Cafe in Indiana, PA after it opens in a couple of weeks. A family friend is opening the new cafe and it should be pretty awesome. My mother and I will have some of our paintings on display for the next couple of months. SOLD.

LOUVRE INTERIOR II

This oil painting is on 30" x 40" x 2" canvas. This is for sale at Emphasis Interiors in Pittsburgh, PA. SOLD.

Traffic

I love the contrasts of Manhattan...the dark, mysterious street vs. the cheerful building tops against the blue sky. This oil painting is on 24" w x 36" h x 1 1/4" d canvas.

Sitting Room

This oil painting is of the sitting room of our Bruges, Belgium hotel. I came down with a cold during our trip, so on the afternoon when I didn't feel well, I sat in the sitting room to write in my journal with some tea. A dinner of spinach soup, spare ribs and a couple whiskeys at The Hobbit helped me recover by the end of our stay. This painting is 14" w x 18" h. SOLD.

Corner Cafe

This painting is 18"w x 24"h and will be for sale on ArtQuiver.com.SOLD.

Montmartre

It seems that just about every artist who has ever visited Paris has painted this picture, but I had to do it too.

The day I took the reference photo was the most perfect of the days we had in Paris, so good feelings came from this view. We had started the morning at a bakery, where we had baguette sandwiches (morning for us is noon for everyone else) and the perfect cafe au lait with plum macarons. Then we walked to the Musee d'Orsay, where we spent approximately three hours. Afterward, we crossed the bridge, where we had purchased a couple of small watercolors from a local artist and walked up the steep steps and hills to Sacre Coeur. We traversed back down the steps to the nearest metro, then down more steps in the metro and took the train to Bld. Saint-Germain. We ate foie gras and champagne at Cafe de Flore, then wine at Brasserie Lipp. All quite touristy, but necessary. My only regret was not having stopped at more cafes to stop and watch life, but to do that I would have had to wake up earlier. Sleep is your friend when you want to be alert enough to enjoy Paris.

This painting will be added to the ArtQuiver website for sale. It is 18" w x 24" h.SOLD

Green Awning

One of my latest paintings inspired by Bruges, Belgium. I have not posted in a long while, as I have been working on about seven paintings simultaneously, rather than one at a time. There are many more to follow this one in the near future, I just have to tweak them. This oil on canvas is 18" w x 24" h.

City Cow

This urban cow lives on a farm in the heart of Bruges, Belgium. My husband and I took a trip to Paris, Bruges and Amsterdam in April. We landed in Paris just hours before the first ash cloud incident, so we were really lucky to have experienced Europe.

Bruges was awesome, and I have many more paintings to follow this one. This painting is on 8" x 10" canvas. SOLD.

Paris Rooftop

Not many things are more spectacular than an ornate Parisian rooftop. They don't build roofs like this anymore. This oil painting is on 24" h x 30" w canvas.

Louvre Interior

The Louvre is one of my favorite places. There are less people in this picture than I remember in real life...it was very crowded. I'm glad there are so many art lovers out there. This oil painting is on 16" x 20" canvas. SOLD

Metropolitan Museum of Art Interior

This is my favorite museum in this hemisphere. I'm not sure what paintings are in the background, although I should know. 9" x 12".

Vacation Planning

Oliver is sitting next to the globe planning his next big getaway. Just kidding, his biggest excursions are to the back yard on his leash on nice days. This oil painting is 9" w x 12" h.

Another Snowy Saturday

This oil painting is on 12" w x 16" h canvas. SOLD.

Hey, This Isn't Catfood!

Oliver went crazy one day while I prepared this snack for myself. He thought it would be something he could sink his teeth into and was disappointed to find out that cats don't like wine or apples. This painting is on 9" w x 12" h canvas panel.

Snowy Saturday

I have been a huge slacker lately. Something about the lack of daylight makes me tired and unenthusiastic. But, I managed to jot this down one day last week. This oil painting is 9" w x 12" h. Sold.