"Waiting For PlayTime 2"

"Waiting For Playtime 2"

Oil on gallery wrap canvas (1 3/4" painted sides - frame not required)

40" x 30"
$1200
click on either painting for a larger view

This is one of my favourite paintings! I currently have it up in my dining room and enjoy it every time I go by. Summer and water are two of my favorite things and this painting captures them both, as well as the sense of warmth and play. This is one of the largest paintings I have done and am so happy with it.

Below is the first painting in acrylic from a reference photo showing more of the large dock system and the very small boat. I was really happy with it and found the wood panel I painted on showed the wood grooves which added to my interest. I liked it so much I wanted to paint it larger and in oil. My art friends (Debbie and Linda) suggested I make the small boat larger and leave out more of the large dock (they are sooooo art smart). I am enjoying the acrylic one in my art studio, reminders of summer with the long snowy winter looming ahead.

"Waiting For Playtime"

Acrylic on wood panel 15" x 16.5"

$250 framed in a brown frame painted to match the dock

"Fergus 2" A Pet Portrait

"Fergus"

8" x 8" 1 1/2" gallery wrap canvas with

sides painted (framing not required)

$75

 This family pet is a real character and fun enough to paint a second time!

"Leila 2" A Pet Portrait

This is the second time I have painted the really expressive Leila. She sadly has passed on but her family still treasures the loving memories made with her. Click here to see Leila 1.

"Leila 2"

Oil on board 8" x 8" framed in a black shadow box

$100

A sad "See you later" to the Pettitt Superman

"In Memory of our Superman - Clay Pettitt"

8" x 10" Acrylic on board

I painted this in an effort to release some of the sadness and shock of my cousin Clay's passing. He died suddenly of a brain aneurism leaving shock, anger, heart brokenness and disbelief. He was the Pettitt family's Superman.

The back of the board was painted bright yellow, a reference to the ray of sunshine he was in so many lives. I printed comments that friends and family had said about Clay on Facebook around song words that meant so much to his wife. Clay loved with all his heart and knew he was loved back!

Sonya's Bluebird Nest #3

This is the third painting I have completed from the picture Sonya sent when I had asked for pet pictures at work. She doesn't have a pet but does volunteer work, hiking to count bluebird nests, eggs and baby chicks. I had so much fun painting the first two, I wanted to do something even more textural in a mixed media format.

Sonya's Bluebird Nest #3

6" x 6"

Acrylic and mixed media on board

For this painting I used paper, twine, acrylic paint and medium to build up layers very similar to the nest itself. I used dried acrylic paint for the eggs and built up under and over them. It was a very messy but very fun experiment. I also used acrylic liquid metal paint so it really catches the light. Now what to do for a number 4.............

 

Theo - A Dog Portrait

"Theo" NFS

Acrylic on Board

11" x 13.5" in a silver metal frame
click on picture for a larger view

This precious pet belongs to Nicki. He had just been into some beet juice and was doing his best to not look guilty!!! Life with this dog is not dull!

This is the last of the pet portraits from work - 4 dogs and a bluebird nest was sent to me when I asked for pictures of pets to paint over the summer. Most of my summer was fixing up our summer cabin after a lake flood so I did not get much painting done. I need to paint things that have meaning to me, so while I was painting the pets, I could think of the owners and the stories that were supplied. This portrait of Theo will be happily gifted to Nicki

Sonya's Bluebird Nest #2

Sonya's Bluebird Nest #2

Acrylic on Board 6" x 6"

click on picture for larger view

I had so much fun painting the first painting of the Bluebird nest and eggs that Sonya sent me, I needed to play some more. This picture is very textural with layers of colourful paint. I really had fun with this one and let loose with the paint, weaving in some of the colours with dried pieces of acrylic paint.

Leila - A Dog Portrait

Leila 

14" x 11" Acrylic on Board
Click on picture for a larger view

I wanted to do pet portraits but painting is a heartful experience for me so I asked my co-workers for pictures. As I paint, I happily think of them, their pet stories and their pet so it is a relatable experience. Leila passed away recently and I am happy to gift this portrait to Tammy! The interesting thing about this painting experience, was the hard time I had aging this dog, she kept coming out as a puppy, it made me think perhaps she had the spirit or personality of a puppy. Tammy said Leila was playful until the end of her life. 

Sonya's Bluebird Nest #1

Sonya's Bluebird Nest #1

8" x 8" Acrylic on canvas board

click on picture to enlarge

When I asked for pet pictures at work, Sonya sent me a picture of a bluebird nest, what a delightful idea!. She does volunteer work by hiking and counting bluebird nests, eggs (full and partial) and baby bluebirds. I loved the texture and colour in the nest and eggs. This painting (or a choice of one of the bluebird nest paintings) will be gifted to Sonya. This was so much fun, there are more in the works!

Fergus

Fergus

Acrylic on canvas 20" x 16"
click on picture for a larger view

Helena's Fergus is quite a character. Her stories about Fergus make us both laugh hysterically. Fergus was fun to paint but also a challenge being pretty much all white. You can't see it in this picture but I have used white, blue, purple, pink, red, yellow, and brown - all to make him look white!

Rufus - a pet portrait

Rufus      NFS

11" x 14" Acrylic on board

I asked at work if anyone had a pet photograph that I could paint over the summer. Well the summer was not what I expected and did not get a chance to paint very much. I wanted to paint pictures of pets that I could relate to through their owners, (painting is a heartful experience for me).Rufus was a extremely good protector and friend as well as left the gift of wonderful memories for Sandra and her family.

It was a challenge for me to leave the background white as I love colour so much! In a dark brown frame, I am really happy with the white background. This painting is framed and now hangs in our lunch room at  work. It will be gifted to Sandra when I take it down.