Red, White and Black

"Red, White and Black"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel

Tea with lemon, tea with sugar, but never, ever tea with milk!  Yet the placement of these two vessels appealed to me.  They were on the counter at my friend's home in Colorado when I came down to breakfast. 


Her counter top was green granite.  It was great for her home, but not for this painting.  I wanted to come as close to "graphic" as I could without tipping the scale.  I am quite happy with the outcome.

Thanks for meandering by today.
Carol

DPW
My DPW Gallery
Brushstrokes@comcast.netc

Reservoir Pond Island

"Reservoir Pond Island"
16" x 20"
Oil on panel 

Reservoir Pond is in Wisconsin. It's where I kayaked for the first time, shot waterlilies from inches away, saw eagles and circled this little island at least twice with my toy poodle on my lap.  


Go north for the fall colors. They're amazing. Well, they certainly were.  The dark value of pine makes a dramatic backdrop to the outrageous fashion statements of the deciduous.

Thank you, thank you for reading my blog.
Carol


DPW
My DPW Gallery
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Lily Lake Autumn

"Lily Lake Autumn"
8" x 20"
Oil on panel 

My favorite body of water wears autumn with panache.  She dons an unusual assortment of foliage colors, including aqua, prior to the traditional golds and browns most plants succumb to in their final days.

It's Lily Lake again, you're right if you suspected that.  She's so accessible, calm and photogenic—like the beauty of a lioness, with the temperament of a kitten. 

Thank you for visiting today. I appreciate that you come back regularly.

Carol

DPW 

My DPW Gallery

Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Lily

"Lily"
20" x 16" 
Oil on panel

From my earliest recollection, I've loved water lilies and their gaggle of pads.  I think it's the roundness of their leaves, the invisible stems, and their unspeaking mouths. I remember sitting quietly in a rowboat as my father fished, looking at the mysterious plants that didn't appear to grow in dirt.

Yes, it's this color on the painting. The lily was blue, the leaves golden, and the sky was reflected in the water droplets.  It was an exercise in painting what I saw despite the believability of it.  I like the colors, and it looks pretty cool sitting here in my studio.

Thanks for peeking in.
Carol

DPW
My DPW Gallery
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Ghost Island

"Ghost Island"
12" x 12"
Oil on panel

Not too far from the cabin was this little island.  I saw it during the day and it was unremarkable, but in morning's magical light, she struck a ghostly pose, against the pink sky. 


I like knowing that light changes the story I get to tell about the simplest objects.  I would have neglected this little mound of rocks with three trees on it, had I not known about atmospheric conditions.

Thank you for floating by today.
Carol

DPW

My DPW Gallery

Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Little Lily Lake #2

"Little Lily Lake #2"
17" x 15"
Oil on panel 

I love this little lake!  I pass it every week and it's so close to the road, with an easy to access parking lot, that I stop to photograph it every time I pass.  The water lilies are on the shallow parts of the lake.  The fishermen are on the deep parts.  It's a still lake, so the sky is always looking at herself in this natural little mirror. 


Lily Lake is already and will continue to be subject matter.  I have photographed her in all her glory for a few years, and still find her to be compelling.

Thank you for pausing to take a look at my art.
Carol

DPW
My DPW Gallery
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Apricot Rose

"Apricot Rose"
12" x 12"
Oil on panel

She came with a heady scent, as thick as her petals, as ripe as her color.  This rose was in a bouquet with twenty-three others.  I painted her sister on a 36" x 36" canvas, and couldn't help but honor this one when I revisited my reference photos. 


I love a square format for my single blossom paintings—large or small, the flowers I love to paint seem to fit well in this shape.

But do you think I can find a ready made frame in a square?  Wouldn't you think with as huge as the daily painting movement is, and the thousands of square paintings that are painted each week, that some company would latch on to that market?   I'd do it if I didn't already wear so many hats!  If you are reading this and thinking about it and rubbing your chin, we need: 6x6, 8x8, 10x10, 12x12 and 14x14.  Not even just for us, the painters, but for the wonderful people investing in our art.

Thank you for reading today.


DPW
My DPW Gallery
Brushstrokes@comcast.net