Oil Pastels

The River 

I teach oil pastel usage to my students at middle school, but had not done anything serious with it myself.  It is really fun!  Great saturation of color, wonderful texture...makes me loosen up and get the image without worrying over all of the minute detail.  I am gonna keep playing with this stuff!

Happy Holidays!

Here's to lovely times with family and friends!  This image is from this year's card...Frida, Jose, and a new friend.  Cheers!

"Ella" for the Falkirk Auction

Here is the latest..."Ella" means "She", but I kind of like that it is a girl's name, too!  This is from a lovely photo my cousin in England took of herself.  So...it is really "Jocelyn."  I was inspired by her photo, and wanted to play with it.  Another chance to have fun with textures.  

SOLD!

Los Dias de los Muertos

My advanced art kids and I played with a mixed media project representing calaveras for the Days of the Dead.  It was a blast!  I was like a kid with them!  She is called "La Muerta."

Una Cebolla en Mano

SOLD!!!!

Here is the recently completed Una Cebolla en Mano...created as a donation to the Arts Benicia Auction set for September 22nd.  It will be part of the silent auction.  Come and see this piece, and MANY more wonderful pieces created by AB artists!  Join us on September 22nd.  Go to www.artsbenicia.org to buy tickets!

Gracias

I always love drawing textures, and trees offer some of the most interesting textures possible.  The bristle cone pine is one of the most stunning, and here is my close up of this tree. I have a friend, Shandi, and she has a cousin who lives in a fabulous house near Sacramento.  This cousin allowed several of us girlfriends to stay for a special weekend, and while there, I was able to see Dede's impressive art collection.  She has many different types of art in her home, but a fair bit of drawing and lots of things inspired by nature.  Dede was my inspiration to go ahead and draw this tree that I have been thinking about doing, and call it Gracias. Thanks, Dede!

Pelicano Sold!

Pelicano will now hang on a private wall.  So glad it could make someone happy!

Zero for Eric

Eric, one of my amazing colleagues, commissioned me this summer to draw Zero, his beloved pup who is in doggy heaven. I am always so honored to do these types of drawings...our animals mean so much to us


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Arts Benicia Hosts Open Studios and Mosaic Project

On the weekend of May 5th and 6th, Arts Benicia will once again host Open Studios.  The Mosaic Project will be part of this for the second year in a row.  Tiles created by about 200 artists of all ages will be presented as one large piece on a gallery wall, then will be auctioned off for $25 each.  Here you see my contribution!  Go to www.artsbenicia.org for more info.

Hola Madre

I really like it so much better, not caring about a possible audience!  My Madre drawing symbolizes the idea that all humanity comes from one African woman.

Sin Titulo Dos

From the same idea as Sin Titulo Uno, here is more experimentation with hands, animals, textures...but with CUTE rats!

Sin Titulo Uno

SOLD!

More new work....having fun playing around with textures and juxtaposed ideas.  This one actually hit me when I couldn't sleep one night.  Does that explain it?  Ha!  I plan to put this in Art of a Community at Arts Benicia this month.