Where's Mama?

24" x 18" oil on stretched canvas

We are back in Maggie Valley, N.C. for a couple of weeks opening the house, cleaning, etc. This painting of bunnies and field stones roughed in last season greeted me from the easel when we arrived. Still in a "fur-mode" from painting Mitzi and Daisy, I couldn't wait to squeeze paint and get busy! The trusty palette knife worked to achieve rough, hard texture for the field stones to contrast with the soft furry bunnies. The knife was also used for grasses and wild flower petals. There is color in the areas that appear black in the photo. I have portait commissions underway, but it was fun to relax with this playful painting using larger brushes and the knife!

Where's Mama" was inspired by a poem by James Cox entitled "At the Edge of the Unreasonable Forest"

"...along pathways of yellow and green

encroached by blackening shadows,

the pathways lined with luminous wisps

lifting slowly in the shadows..."

Thanks James!

Daisy

9 x 12 oil on stretched canvas

Another furry portrait commission! With this one I could see the eyes! Had a disk of photos to work from and wouldn't you know, Daisy always had those little front paws tucked under her. Wonder what that means in "kitty speak body language"? Such a pretty cat - and with those big yellow eyes - so paintable. Since this was a portrait of Daisy, the kitty beside her was given less detail. I'm becoming very fond of cats! Daisy is now in her new home in Pinellas Park and I'm missing having her and Mitzi in the studio where the two of them have spent lots of time looking at me from the monitor and the easel as I squinted back at them!

Mischievous Mitzi

12" x 9" oil on stretched canvas

This portrait of sweet little Mitzi was delivered yesterday and I'm happy to say the client loved it - no changes or adjustments! Yea! For this painting I found myself again mixing with the neutral warm and cool gray tube colors from the Sandin Pro Mix Color System for flesh tones! I would have preferred a reference photo with a more direct gaze since a cat's eyes are so amazing! At least the green color shows and a hint of her personality comes through as she plans her next "adventure"! I am told Mitzi is always "up to something", and that she's very affectionate.