The Chess Players

I went to the local grocery store for a cup of coffee and these men were playing chess. They play every day apparently, but I had not seen them before. This is an oil painted back in the studio. My friend took photographs with my camera and it will be fun to see what she paints later.

The chess Players again.

I had a canvas covered with swirly bright oil colors pinned to a board in my studio, waiting for inspiration. It seemed appropriate to put the chess players in more of a silhouette this time. I ended up framing them as a diptych.

Nisqually in March.

I sometimes paint with Plein Air Painter's of Washington and this was our first outing this year. We went to Nisqually National Wildlife Center south of Tacoma, WA.It was chilly and somewhat windy, but that is not unusual for March.It is known for a refuge for migrating birds and so is a very exciting, beautiful place. I worked in gouache for the first day and in oil the next day.We always have a great time painting together and renewing friendships.

Nisqually Afternoon

It certainly did look like rain when I started this gouache painting, so I had to work even faster than usual. It did rain about the time I had got the paper covered and I ended up working on it back in the studio. The sky needed lightening and the trees needed to be brighter. Gouache is so forgiving and fun to work with.

Nisqually Morning

This is an oil painting where I started out treating oil paint rather like water color. As the shapes progressed I used thicker paint ending using a palette knife.

Migration Magic

At about 3.30 each afternoon the sky became filled with short necked geese circling and eventually landing on the water. Magic in the air.

Summer Dance

Gouache. Thinking 75% light and 25% dark, with figures in a landscape.

Beach in Oregon

This beach is immediately north of Canon Beach, Oregon. Actually it was early in the morning and a very low tide but the gouache painting was done in the studio from my photograph.

Neah Bay, WA

Gouache painting from a gift photograph. I haven't actually been there, so this was something I had not done before. I had to sit in the Women Painter's Gallery where my paintings are hanging so I took my paints with me, and presto I had a wonderful time and a painting I am pleased with.

Foggy Morning in Sussex, UK

Gouache and pastel painting of foggy morning when driving with my sister in England.

Spirited Eleanor

This is our grandaughter who has just started dancing with Pacific Northwest Ballet Company and I portrayed her as a black gouache figure on bright pastel stage dancing through floating leaves. The plan was to have a black silhouette in front of a bright background.