Workshop: "Painting Children from Life", March 3 - 5, 2012, Oro Valley AZ

I'm teaching a three-day workshop on painting children from life this weekend in Oro Valley, AZ at Toscana Studio and Gallery . How hard can it be to paint children from life? Answer: it's hard, and sometimes really hard. Sometimes you have a child set before you who seems to have just had three cups of coffee and a pillowcase full of Halloween candy. Many artists who do this plunk children down in front of televisions and DVDs for sittings, but they run the risk of encountering a child with a blank and zoned-out expression. I've taught this class before and had a lot of fun with it. There might still be a few spots left in the class, so if you can make it, I'd love to have you there (click on the link above for more information).

"The Expedition and Beyond" - Principle Gallery, Alexandria VA, opening April 13, 2012

I'll be in a group show at Principle Gallery with the group of women I painted with in South Carolina back in late 2010. The show is called "The Exhibition and Beyond" and my work is featured with work by Mia Bergeron, Rachel Constantine, Alia El-Bermani, Diane Feissel, Catherine Prescott, Cindy Procious, Shannon Runquist, Terry Strickland, Kate Stone, Stephani Tewes, Alexandra Tyng and Sadie Valeri (see the artist links to the right of my blog page). More about this show coming soon, but first, here's a slideshow preview (special thanks to the amazing Strickland family for producing this):

The Jade Sphinx: Learning to See With Artist Paul Foxton Part I

I'm sharing this interview with my artist friend Paul Foxton (there's a part 2 also). Paul thinks deeply about art and the process/product debate - anyone who earnestly desires to learn to draw and paint realistically should read everything he writes!

The Jade Sphinx: Learning to See With Artist Paul Foxton Part I: The Art of Paul Foxton You can learn how to draw better – that is the lesson of the blog Learning To See , written and illustrated by artis...

"Tumbled Cherries" at Abend Gallery's Holiday Miniatures Show, Dec. 2 '11 - Jan. 7 '12

My little painting "Tumbled Cherries" is at Abend Gallery's 21st Annual Holiday Miniatures Show, which runs from Dec. 2, 2011 to Jan. 7, 2012. Here's the ad for the show in the December 2011 issue of American Art Collector Magazine.

"The End of the Beginning" - Large Works Show at Abend Gallery, November 2011

My painting "The End of the Beginning" will be shown at Abend Gallery's Large Works Show, Nov. 4th through Nov. 26th, 2011. Here's the ad for the painting in the December issue of Southwest Art Magazine:

November Featured Artist at Trekell & Company

Some of my work is showcased in the November newsletter of the artist brush manufacturer Trekell & Company - thanks, Trekell! 

Paintings of Monhegan Island, Maine

I recently had the chance to paint with a group of artist friends on historic Monhegan Island, Maine. Artists have been travelling to the island for decades to paint the rocks, coast, forests and maritime scenery. This was a wonderful opportunity to experience a landscape so unlike where I live now, and of course to share ideas and learn from other plein air painters.  Here are two paintings of mine:

"Morning at Gull Cove", Oil, 12" x 16"

"Surf at Lobster Cove", Oil, 12" x 16"












And here's a photo of me with some wonderful artist friends...

L to R: Judy Carducci, Sue Braswell, Me, Greer Jennison, Alex Tyng, Carolyn Lewis, Diana Ansley