His Mercies Are New Every Morning

The Steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
His mercies never come to an end.
They are new every morning.
Great is Thy Faithfulness, O Lord.

Vicki's Garden [SOLD!]

God has caused the flowers to blossom at certain specified times during the day. Linnaeus, the great botanist, once said that if he had a conservatory containing the right kind of soil, moisture and temperature, he could tell the time of day or night by the flowers that were open and those that were closed!

This painting sold on 4/15/2019 to Vicki Michaels in Virginia.

Old Point Loma Lighthouse at Dusk

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105)

5x7 Framed with white mat

(Inquire for price)

All of Nature Sings Your Praises!

PEEK-A-BOOK PARROT

All creatures of our God and King,

lift up your voice and with us sing

Alleluia! Alleluia!

You say tomato, I say tomatoe

An illustration done for one of my graphic art classes at Pima County Community College while living in Tucson 20 years ago. I was working towards an art degree but only got 2 semesters completed before moving to Virginia  It would be 18 years before i got back to art! This has been rolled up that long, thus the wavy paper. I think I remember this was first sketched in graphite to establish tones. Final done in Prismamarkers.

Leo Carrillo Ranch

Hebrews 13:14

For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

Two recent watercolors done on plein air outings with Patti Slattery

Carter's Hay and Feed (Watercolor Journal) 

June 27, 2018

Key's Creek Lavender Farm

 June 30, 2018

Carter's Hay & Feed

 June 27, 2018

Patti and I met at Carter's Hay and Feed to do some sketching, including the livestock. It was a beautiful morning as we sat under a tree in front. Patti opted to do several sketches as she continues to perfect her line drawing and tonal studies - which are getting really good! I did one sketch in my largest watercolor journal. Knowing where we were going, the night before I stained several pages in the journal with coffee to create a nice rustic tone to begin on. Usually you want to use different strengths of instant coffee, which I didn't have, so I just used leftover morning coffee. I was very pleased with the results and plan on doing this more to pre-tone the paper.  Here is my sketch of the livestock chilling out in front of the barnlike store. These were goats and a couple of Barbados sheep who had lost there winter wool, which apparently you can just pull off in a sheet so they don't need sheering. They staged an escape while we were there but sheep herder, Patti, foiled their attempt!  I'll post Patti's when she sends them to me. I'm going to miss these times with Patti when I move. 

Urban sketching at Carter's Hay & Feed in Encinitas with gal pal, Patti Slattery. They keep some small livestock to entertain children and artists! I pre-toned my journal paper with coffee which was kind of fun.

 I filtered some of the color out for a different look.

Mystic Mist

autumnal blue mist settles

a mystic painter’s mixed colour palette

and something stirs in me

a mountain, veiled in mist and shadow,

painted by a forest's fragrance

and a temple

singing through its hollows

where only the wind

is left to worship

something echoes through the trees

leaving whispers in its wake

I walk the lonely path

unafraid,

not alone

ancient eyes are watching,

primal breath is stirring,

clouds gather in my bones

earth ever changing beneath my feet

a restless dance that goes on and on

as I get lost in the disorienting

swirls and wisps of water

flowing from the mountain

Trees are Poems that God Writes Upon the Sky.

Trees are poems that God writes upon the sky.

Today's journal entry working on mood with limited palette

Swami's Beach at High Tide

The sea that He made belongs to Him.
~ Psalm 95:5-6 

Meditation Gardens Koi Pond

Journal sketch and watercolor

I said I liked Cactus!

Oh Boy - Koi!

Three Sisters

A quick sketch and watercolor of this trio of Eucalyptus trees done in a Carlsbad Park in 2017.

Psalm 1:1-3

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

End of Day

Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and save. ~ Isaiah 46:4

In the Quiet

The latest thing on my easel is this gouache painting. I tried to depict a sense of depth and also a bright glow in the sky from the early evening waning sun. One thing is certain, greens are hard to master but I'll keep trying because they are lovely.

Psalm 46:10 

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

...I will be exalted in the earth.”

LaJolla Shore - Plein Air

Two different quick and dirty watercolor's done while standing on the cliff behind the art museum in 

La Jolla, looking south. Did them back to back and tried to see something different for each. The second one shows the fog bank moving in off the ocean late in the afternoon. These were done during a 3-day watercolor workshop with an artist named Keiko Tanabe. My best artist friend and I enjoyed that weekend together "doing art" outside on location. I'm still struggling with the whole plein air sketching on location thing. I think I'm more of a studio painter, but these are good exercises.

Psalm 95:5

The sea is His, for it was He who made it, And His hands formed the dry land.

After the Storm

Impressionism

These are all done in a medium called gouache which is like an opaque watercolor. No reference photo.

MEADOW MAJESTY

Psalm 147:8   “Who covers the heaven with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth,               who makes grass to grow upon the mountains.”

MOUNTAIN SPRING

Psalm 146: “Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!"

AFTER THE STORM

We all go through trials and tribulation. That's why we have the gift of faith. 

Storms make trees take deeper roots.

Moody life drawing

Assignment in life drawing class. Our model looked and posed as a haggard and ragged wanderer which we were to draw and create a story around.