Silence cannot be divided...but it can be broken...

 This painting ( 10x10 acrylic on linen) went through several transformations ... as each painting offers it's own platter of problems to solve.... and yet again...the egg...appears....and the more I ponder the beauty of this miraculous invention....the deeper it's meaning unfolds.... transformations... safe environments...perfect foods...life itself.... painting the egg allows me to meditate on the profound significance of this gift......using only the palette knife...layering the colors and shapes into composition...ever mindful of humility... and gratitude for the egg as it silently holds the answers to life itself.

Discovering a deeper meaning painting recurring images... has led to " The Painted Word " series

this is the first....

When there is no moon

hang on the stars..

a leap of faith

a fine option as far as

illusions come and go...

cradled in invisible arms

cocooned wrapping silent lullabyes...

hear silence singing

ancient tones tuning

harp's golden vibrations

undulating lacey hand-woven hanging bed

heavenly rocking

sweet warm dark breezes whisper

"when there is no moon

hang on the stars."

Returning to the interior courtyard ...another no frills potted plant...this one blooms all year... ( 8 x 36 on linen) the cracked clay the unidentified greenery play with the imagination....visual satisfaction is subtle...viewing a piece of art stirs different parts of our sleeping psyche... this series Interior Courtyard...touches a fantasy ... a corner of a larger interior landscape... creating environments that act as keys to quiet places within that satisfy ... these paintings can be hung at different levels...ordinarily we view potted plants looking down on them... part of the fun in painting this series is painting the bottom of the pot...two small worlds coming together...the pot and what it rests on...humility found in small homely details...

Needs Little Water... the cracked clay pot...the unidentified greenery...standing slim and tall (  appox. 6 x 36 on linen)is an image caught out of the corner of one's eye and could be found anywhere in the real world or an imagined one...life untended and still striving ... nothing fancy or cultured... but growing strong...the luxury comes with sunlight and raindrops.... painting this gave me the vicarious feeling of having a courtyard that begged for attention....this plant was the first in a series that satisfies tending the secret courtyard...a niche that peeks into the interior landscape of the artists life....

This is one of several sterling spoons living in my silverware drawer. This one was chosen for its portrait to be painted after I painted the fork...On linen 3x12  ... a more complicated painting as the images reflected are many....bathed in natural light and an overhead.... one could say that there is a small abstract painting in itself reflected in the spoon....I have heard that during the time of the plague...those that ate with sterling silver remained healthy....I love spoons anyway....and being sterling just adds to the beauty of this tool.... this piece is entitled Stir Crazy.... with all those reflections !... part of painting is knowing what to leave out.... this was a challenge...and I did enjoy painting it.... a big bowl of soup was irresistable at the end of this painting session.

Sterling. This sterling silver fork unearthed itself from the back of a kitchen drawer this week. I immediately knew I had to paint its portrait. Here it is on linen 3 x 12 in. The subtle elegance... the balanced weight...elevates putting food into ones mouth.... there is no comparison... all other materials pale in relation to silver.... the most humble of foods is given a place of honor... if for only those brief moments travelling from plate to mouth....a sterling transport.....polished ...pure.... a civilized tool....

This petite beauty sits confidantly ... clearly assuming powers over her doting owner... royalty in the canine world is apparent ... princess...queen...countess...duchess... no matter...this one has claimed the throne...barking out orders and taking favors come easily... this 6x12 portrait is a gift for the owner ... perhaps she will hang it by the jeweled crown .... or over the royal bed....and they lived happily ever after...

Dogs are very loved family members. They give unconditional love..yes, dog is god spelled backward..they wag their tails and not their tongues...perhaps they know us in ways that we don't even know ourselves...their quiet power to adapt ...to play...to be patient...to accept...to tolerate...to love... is apparent. As a dog lover it is a joy to paint a pet portrait... this commission was received with excitement and will be given to the owner as a gift....12 x 12 acrylic on canvas. ( the eyes will follow you....)

This single egg seems to be nestled in an impressionistic feathery...soft and safe place... I began this piece with the egg ... the surrounding environment unfolded as a surprise....this could be snow... with the warmth of the sun....6 x 12 acrylic on linen... sold.

Perfect environments ... for life and life giving properties...transformation of energies .... eggs hold life and serve to nourish life ... as an artist...the perfectly beautiful shape and symbolic qualities...all about creation ...creating these egg pieces fulfill feminine and artistic impulses... the colors invite tranquility...
Transformation of Energies is 10 x 10 acrylic on linen.

Breeze rustling through leaves is music ... the paths leading to and through this grove are well worn...what is beyond can only be imagined... we pause...the moment illuminates outer connecting to inner paths chosen and contemplated... no straight lines...weaving living experience into lifes fabric ... ... Painting on linen awakens an earthly connection ... as I stretch the linen over wood... the texture and natural perfume from the flax plant releases subtle non verbal qualities... that ...given time and paint express these optical illusions... 

This cantalope exudes the sun's warmth... this is the last piece...the juices were so sweet that  they went into the blender to make an unforgettable nectar ... the painting is 6 x 12 acrylic on linen... the image is a reminder of the earth's gifts ... there is junk food for the eyes and good food for the eyes...this is in the good food category..nourishing the body...mind...and spirit....  art can serve as a reminder...

For some time I knew that painting a tree or trees was incubating somewhere in my psyche... this vision gradually emerged...the tree mass ...the spacing of the trunks...separate and united ...the roots in their environment of earth ( the red dirt of Alabama ) ... sky blending with water ( as water comes from sky)... the feeling of wind separating branches and leaves...water moving....a crescent moon...starlight....these natural elements fell into place as brush and palette worked with paint on linen ....eye wandering as " Once upon a time...."

When beginning a painting I never know exactly what the final image will look like.... this concept began with the bow of a small boat... as I painted the water splashing ...it dawned that the tide was indeed high... and I went with it ....as it added a surprise element...then it came rushing back that ...now...not living on the water...I was out of touch with the timing of the tides....time and tides continue their rhythms unconcerned with my inattentiveness....this painting is a reminder....painted on wood...12x18... rope surrounds the frame...

Soulful...tranquil...atmospheric...more than just a boat... a painting as visual poem...a poem with no words....symbols...colors...shapes...lights and darks...we are a sum of our experiences...and how they translate into the creative process pours forth endless possibilities...variations on a theme....12 x 12 acrylic on linen...

Peace Love 'n Grits.... says it all... actually throw in some mullett...better known as Biloxi Bacon in these parts....and the day is complete....the rope connects us to the brief homecoming of being on the dock...as we dream of the good times this little wooden vessel continues to give.... 24 x 36 acrylic on wood...

Old wooden dingies were part of my childhood ... no outboard engine just wooden oars... the dingy is a strong and trusty vessel... a dependable work horse and not intended for limitless excursions into the vast and unpredictable seas...this small boat is content to rest in shallow waters after a day of sun and salt...time to rest and dream ...cradled by the sand...the lullabye of water lapping...

The feeling of taking hold of the rope is slightly different when your feet are in the wet sand (as opposed to the dry dock) ...  being on "terra firma" is taken for granted... it is only when you've been on the water for long stretches of time that you realize the subtle difference of the earth's stability versus the constant motion of being on the sea...it is an interesting feeling as the body adapts back to the comfort of the absolute firmness of the earth beneath one's feet...

Painted on wood ... a piece of rope on the bow ... if you have ever been on the dock ...you might know that feeling as you grab the rope ... these are the moments that taste hot and salty... small moments of responsibility...one's ability to respond... This particular painting now resides in a lake house in Alabama.

The Pear has held a visual pleasure for artists in every generation. I would rather paint a pear than eat one...although pears baked in red wine with a dollop of whipped cream is sublimely arty eating! This 8x10 painting evokes an intimacy ... this is a private world of sweet whispering....soft light bathes one while the other reclines in partial shade... We are visually transported to poetic moments while viewing... ( This particular painting is sold...I continue to paint more pears....it's like continuing to write the Pear Poetry Series...this little stanza was titled "Together".)

" Thinking Outside The Nest "... 6 x 12 ...acrylic on linen... still a delicate balance... surrounded by the winds of change... hanging on ... hanging in.... new life on old strength .... what comes next is a mystery powered by humble acceptance ....

This painting is entitled..."A Delicate Balance ... Life Is Change "... a gray feather hangs by a slim leather cord on the left side (barely visible)... the image just came to me out of the blue ( hence the blue background )......
could be sky....water... atmospheric .... the image quietly stirs the imagination.... (acrylic on linen SOLD ) The image resonates strongly  and so I continue to paint it in slightly different and subtle ways...

"Dreamy".... for those of us who do not actually have a hammock the image of one tends to satisfy the wish...gazing at this image we are immediately transported.... acrylic on linen 20 x 24... even though this particular painting is SOLD I continue to paint the " hanging bed "... as the spirit moves me to do so...

" Life Is But A Dream "  ... and what better place for dreamy moments... gazing at this painting evolkes warm breezes...gentle swaying...being  safely held...surrounded by sounds of nature....simple gifts...the background sparkles like sunlight splashing on water... ( 6 x 12 acrylic on linen with rope around the gallery wrap edge ).

" Still Together" seems to be a recurring image to paint. No ropes...no anchors...through storm and calm...still together... enduring relationships continue to change ...if ever so subtle over time...as the waters are in continual motion....this particular painting gives the impression of the sublime shimmer of moonlight bathing the boats as they stay together...the romance resonates with imaginative possibilities within the flickering passing moments in moonlight...  ( 12 x 12 acrylic on linen )

I choose to paint the pineapple in a relaxed position...and a version of this pineapple is included in the gorgeous coffee table art book A Painter's Paradise....paintings by local artists of the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay... Fairhope is a welcoming town embracing the arts....warmth ...and congeniality...breeze through the town....this particular pineapple is 12 x 24...acrylic on linen....( I just painted a 6 x 12  version that was given as a wedding gift along with the book ...) Oh....eating fresh pineapple is a delightful remedy for inflammation ! This is another example of good food for the eyes....

This slice of watermelon has left quite a mess... this melon has been enjoyed... and served as a substitute for a birthday cake...acrylic on linen 6 x 12....the painting now hangs in a home that survived Katrina in New Orleans...

Melons are amazing...the cantalopes color alone is good food for the eyes...and summer would not be complete without savoring the juices and sweet meat of melons... acrylic on linen...6 x 12...

When I lived in Santa Barbara ...seems like another life time ago... just south on the coast...there was a field of wild artichokes...we walked through that field on the way to the beach .... the artichoke has a long and sturdy stem and the thistle bloom on top is a delicacy...after a day of sun, salt and sand ...as we trekked back  through the field we would gratefully slice off one of these beauties to steam for dinner...pick a lemon...melt butter...glass of chilled white wine...the end of a perfect day...this painting is acrylic on linen...
12 x 24....

Going Aground is an image that repeats for visual translation. Having lived on a boat for much of my childhood and having had this experience more than once might be the impulse to paint this. The tattered sails blow in the wind while the hull rests in the sand.  I learned to respect the powerful and unpredictable forces of nature early in life. This painting (24 x24 acrylic on canvas) was done with the palette knife using alot of texture....depicting the shifting sands, the tattered sails blowing in the wind....a sense of hope and future comes through the sky...this journey is not over.

The Mermaid Memory series comes and goes with artistic visions and whims...the interesting thing about the mermaids is that as far as I am aware of there are no photographs of these elusive creatures...hence, my versions of these females have very textured tales...they are immersed in their watery elements yet a rocky support somehow repeats as a respite to their constant movements....this beauty happens to have a heart shaped navel.... (acrylic on canvas 18 x 24)

"Still  Together"
I have done several versions of this painting but the key elements remain the same...still together without ropes or anchors...times may get rocky...surrounded by waters that continually change...different colors yet compatible and complimentary....still together,

One summer I lived by a field of sunflowers... visual memories continue through artistic interpretations...

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             This particular sunflower on wood (garden art) is a

smaller version (12 x 18) of the larger 24 x36 that is one of my standards. I continue to enjoy painting this image as my awe and respect for this spectacular gift of nature gives back bountifully... from foods to beauty. ...the painting is a symbol of this appreciation.

Stop and Smell The Roses
24 x 36 Acrylic on wood
SOLD

How often do we actually stop and smell the roses ? Do yourself a favor.... this painting is a reminder of the many gifts that flowers give to us....it is also part of the "garden art" that I offer...that can be hung outside and will go through rain and the elements quite happily.

Mermaid Memory Series

 acrylic on canvas

12x24

SOLD

The Mermaid Memory Series

The Mermaid Memory Series
12x24 Acrylic on Canvas - SOLD