Rare Corpse Flower is about to bloom -

I would love to be there to see this magnificent flower in bloom. They say it will be just over 3 feet in heigth. I can't imagine it. And the bloom has been known to grow over 6 feet tall and over 3 feet wide. but as with anything of beauty there is something dark......apparently the smell is something awful. Who cares as long as you get to see it right. To watch the progress of this rare treat just click on here

Featured Gallery at EBSQart

I am absolutely thrilled that EBSQart has chosen me to do a little blurb for their feature gallery, Figures and Portraits, this month. You can see the write up here EBSQart

Lightning Warrier Storm Watch Acrylic Miniature

Storm Watcher - 2" x 3" acrylic Miniature

It's been awhile since I actually painted. I've been busy with graphite and charcoal. So I decided today to go back to what I usually paint...lightning. This one will be framed and sent to an art exhibition in Victoria.

Rodeo Cowboys and Clowns.....graphite pencil

Rodeo Clown 2.5" x 3.5" Graphite pencil

I thought I would try a rodeo clown. I used watercolour paper this time because I wanted something with just a little more teeth than the smooth bristol. I'm not to sure about it.

Steer Wrestler 2.5" x 3.5" Graphite pencil

I wanted to try and get a lot of motion in this one. When you see them wrestling steers it seems to be all dust, dirt and mayhem. Cowboys are lucky cattle aren't smarter...pay back would be a......well never mind...

Both of these are listed on Ebay here with free shipping anywhere in North America :)

Sea Storm - Tall Ship - fixed the font colour...you can read it now

Sea Storm
As written by David Adams

"As I stare out to sea, the waves crash angrily against the cliff side. I see a ship in the distance framed by a halo of light formed from the setting sun. The beams of light, scattered across the world as dark heavy clouds, seem to manifest from a distant land far from sight and knowledge. The wind whips around like a horse master trying to save a coach from a pack of hungry wolves. My thoughts flash through my head as quickly as the lightening appearing from the darkness , leaving Me anxious and confused. Thunder rips past my being, standing alone in such a wide open world, and I feel the power tremble the air around Me. I lose myself in thought as the ship disappears from sight. As the sun disappears from the horizon, the storm begins."



I was contacted the other day by a young aspiring writer named David Adams asking if he could use this image of my painting "Sea Storm" to go along with a piece he had written. It is wonderfully written and I am so honored that he used the image. He has given me permission to post the piece here on my blog. Enjoy.

Pencil Sketch - grands -

I'm still experimenting with graphite pencil. This is an 8 x 10" graphite drawing of my two youngest grands. This one worked out much better by listening to the advice from fellow artist Mary McAndrew and have used a much lighter hand in this one and layered it instead. I am happy to report...none of the dreaded shine! I decided to work bigger than I normally do until I had learned the technique.

I framed this in a beautiful black and grey frame for my daughter's (their mom's) birthday today. Here's hoping she likes it. (the copyright isn't on the actual painting of course)

Backyard - Work in Progress - Finished

I worked on the flower bed today, and the shadows. It was more difficult than I realized to get the depth. She must have taken the reference photo from her upper deck.

Steph's Patio - 8 x 10" acrylic.

Added the patio furniture. Shaded in the entire area. She's has a new place to landscape now. Hope it's as peaceful as this one :) (I'm never painting gravel again!)
You can see the entire work in progress on my home page

Backyard - Work in Progress

I've started the second painting for Steph today. Another 8 x 10" acrylic. This one will be of her back patio of their first house. I should probably point out that although I always work from the back to the front, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's the right way of doing it. I am self taught and simply use methods that work for me. Things that I have picked up from other artists and mentors.

You can see the reference photo on the right (or maybe you can't see it....it's kind of small. Anyway, I'm just doing the rough background to get the colours and the "lay of the land" sort of speak. I have discovered that I really really dislike painting gravel!

Just working on the raised flowerbed and then I can move on to the details of the flora and fauna :) More work will have to be done with the shadow too.....They are proving to be challenging.

Trellis/Flowerbed WIP - finished

Steph's Flowers - 8" x 10" acrylic - Finished
I finished the last garden light and adjusted the shadows a bit and I think I'm done. I thought about adding some more flowers, but there wasn't more in the original reference photo so I think I will stay true to the flowerbed. To see the WIP start to finish you can go to the home page here

One more painting for Steph (her back patio) and then 3 more paintings and I'm caught up on my obligations. (one is quite a big project though and will take some time....another one that I've been putting off)

flowerbed/trellis work in progress....day 3

Day 3 -- getting there. I have filled in with all the flowers. Added a couple of garden lights. I only have one more garden light to add to the foreground, some cleaning up to do on the painting and then I think I will be done. I will finish it up later today or tomorrow. You can see the whole process by going to the home page here