Salsa Mama

This is a beautiful, amazing colored pencil of my mom from a photo I took in May 2016. It was done by my best friend from high school, Ann, and she gave it to me as a gift. This colored pencil drawing looks like a photo!

POPPIES

African Candleabra Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) - 100+ year old Succulent

Leo Carrillo Ranch is a hidden little gem buried in suburban Carlsbad. It was once a working ranch and the weekend home of actor Leo Carrillo, best known for his role as sidekick “Pancho” on the television show The Cisco Kid. These were done on location in my watercolor journal.

Spineless Cactus in front of the Hacienda

(Leo Carillo Ranch)

Porch After the Rain (Oil, c. 1990's)

This was painted in oil three decades ago and hung over my parent's bed until they died.

Pastel Birds (1990's)

Oil pastels on black paper. Done 3 decades ago - also residing with my mom.

Maroon Morning, Good Friends and Coffee

I meet two "sisters" of the heart for coffee every Friday morning early. This was my impression of the Eastern sky as the sun was still behind the distant mountains but turning the sky interesting colors with the foreground palms darkly silhouetted. I carry a watercolor journal, a fountain pen, and a miniature watercolor palette in my purse and painted this at Starbucks while waiting for my gal pals. You never know when inspiration might strike!

ABE'S BOOKMOBILE

This is from @urban_crumbs (Anna) photo of her little boy, Abe, 

sitting on her husband's shoulders engrossed in a book. 

I will rest safely in my Father's arms.

Fire and Rain

Autumn burned brightly, a running flame through the mountains, 

a torch flung to the trees.

September 2017

Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: (Job 5:10)

This is the first time I've ever worked large format on a full sheet, standing at the easel. Remarkably freeing. This just came out of my head with no sketch. I adore orange and blue together - the juxtaposition of the warm and cool  complimentary colors evokes emotion. I threw some punches of Winsor Green (Blue shade) in, painting with the actual tube of paint and my fingers. When I finished the painting and kept looking at it, it whispered RAIN in my ear and I had to add it - or rather subtract it. The colors I typically paint with are non-staining so I was able to rub out the raindrops using damp paper towel pieces wrapped around a credit card. Keeping the focal point of the paper white, which I had preserved, then started to look like back-lit fog around the mountains and trees. In painting this I started to hear a hint of my own voice - that which is unique and individual about any artists expression. We start by imitating others in life, much like a child learns to talk. But at some magical point we push through and begin to hear our own voice and discover our own passion, our own style. I look forward to that journey of discovery.