Canada Lynx

I took out my artistic license here, with my imaginary cookie-cutter tract homes in Montana.  As civilization consumes his habitat, the lovely lynx is contemplating a long downward dive. From my "Numbered Days" series of oil paintings.

Long-eared Owl

This curious fellow is another from my "Endangered Species" series.

Long-eared owls are more nocturnal than any other North American owl species. When disturbed, he will raise his ear tufts, compress his feathers tightly against his body and freeze, mimicking tree bark or a broken limb. Should he decide to fly the coop, he will take off with his ear tufts flattened against his head. But of course I will never see this, as I will be fast asleep.

Oil on canvas, 40" x 30"

Black-Footed Ferret and Prairie Dog

Now here's a couple that are truly up a creek without a paddle. The black-footed ferret depends on the prairie dog as a food source and for their burrows for nesting, but the extinction of the prairie dog is having a toll on the ferret population by extension. In fact, as late as 1981, the black-footed ferret was considered extinct until a colony was discovered in Wyoming. Much of the demise of both species has been caused by a bacterial plague for which they have no immunity, and by ranchers who consider them competition for the grass that their livestock depend on.

Oil on wood panel, 30" x 40".

Salt Marsh Harvest Mice

Another of my "Numbered Days" series of endangered creatures. These cute little fellers are found only in the San Francisco Bay area. They are very unusual in that they drink salt water and swim very well, floating on the tide looking for pickleweed plants to munch upon. Their days are numbered because housing developments continually drain or dyke the marshlands near the bay, eliminating their habitat. I'm not a huge fan of mice, but I'm rooting for them! 

Oil on wood panel, 30" x 36"

Roseate Spoonbill

Many years ago I created a series of oil paintings depicting endangered species. Each canvas had a surreal twist to it, usually involving numbers within the creature's natural environment, symbolizing the limited number of remaining species. I really enjoyed this series. This particular canvas depicts an endangered spoonbill found in Florida. Interesting, it was purchased by a Minnesotan who told me it is gracing the living room of his winter home in Florida.

Double layered chocolate cake

What can I say......how about, YUM! Just another sweet addition to my current obsession with painting cakes and candies. You can find it here in my shop as a card.

Pink Bonbon with Chocolate Swirl

Now, let me first say that it is not always true that bigger is better, especially in desserts....but what the heck, a bigger bonbon is always better! In case you want to tell a special someone just how sweet they are, or perhaps suggest a rendezvous at your neighborhood pastry shop, I've turned this painting into a delicious greeting card. It's available in my Etsy shop here.

The Missing Piece

At first I wasn't sure I liked the slanted horizon. It was intentional, but then after I painted it, I wondered if it looked odd. I fussed with a copy of the image in Photoshop, just to see what it would look like if I had painted the horizon perfectly straight, and I decided that it was much more interesting with the slight inclination!

Pink Truffle

I've spent a lot of time working in pen and ink, or on my computer, so I've decided to switch gears for a while and indulge myself in sloppy paint and canvas. I'd really like to indulge in my subject matter, but  I'm afraid I won't be able to fit into my clothes if I start consuming my still lives!

Working on a small scale  (6" x 8") and working quickly is really fun. I've decided that after one sitting, it is done. No do-overs, no going back. It is what it is, an on to the next one. Very liberating!

Aphrodite at the Mall of America

DETAIL

The long busy weekend of Art-a-Whirl is over and I'm just now coming up for air! My studio building has over 200 artists in it, and has been nicknamed the Mall of America of the art crawl scene!

Which reminds me: I just received an email out of the blue from the woman who purchased my painting of the same name. It just made my day, it's so nice when people articulate their appreciation of your art. I'd like to share it with you:

 "I'm the lucky person who purchased Aphrodite at the Mall of America a few years back. Just wanted you to know that it improves with age. It is the center piece of my living room and every day I thank you for creating this fun piece of art. Thanks M.L."

In this series of paintings, the mythical goddess patrols popular contemporary meeting places, and every where she strolls, people fall in love. Often, someone who is blue is rescued by the therapeutic effects of Love.

Matisse's Sneaker 5" x 7" Painting-a-Day

Matisse loved patterned rugs, so I'm sure if he wore sneakers, this might have been one of his.  Such an odd name. Sneaker. Where did that come from anyway?

I just looked it up and here is what I found:  "Keds were first mass-marketed as canvas-top "sneakers" in 1917. These were the first sneakers. The word "sneaker" was coined by Henry Nelson McKinney, an advertising agent for N. W. Ayer & Son, because the rubber sole made the shoe stealthy or quiet, all other shoes, with the exception of moccasins, made noise when you walked." - Mary Bellis

To view and purchase, click here.

Red Sash Dress 5" x 7" Paintng-a-Day

Another party dress done in watercolor and colored pencil, this time with a leafy background. You can view and purchase this tiny original painting in my online shop here.

Pink and Orange Dress 5" x 7" Painting-a-Day

Working in watercolor is a truly liberating experience. You can't erase, so you either accept mistakes and embrace them, or you don't work in watercolor to begin with! Purchase this tiny original painting here.

Illustration Friday - Ocean

I'm a wee bit late in submitting my painting to Illustration Friday's weekly topic, but here it is. Better late than never, as my dear old Grandpa used to day. The theme of the week is "ocean". This is one of a series of paintings I did based on my dreams. I love my dreams - they are such good starting points for surreal paintings! I usually enhance the paintings with added details, using my "artistic license". This is an old painting. You can tell because the woman is talking on a land phone - ha!

2013 Begins

So....did you have a nice New Year's Day? Or Party Animal that you are, did you spend it lying on the couch recuperating? I had a very short list of fun things that I wanted to do on New Year's Day - (1) sort through some old photos in the basement, and (2) make a family tree, and somehow I never got around to doing either thing. So much for New Year's resolutions, I can't even get through the very first day of the year without breaking them!

Illustration Friday - Water

This week's theme in Illustration Friday brought to mind this painting I created years ago, entitled "Moving Day". It pretty much sums up the confusion in a transition, and the deer with the blindfold came from a dream. I think it symbolized myself, as I was feeling "blindsided" (like a deer in the headlights) by the move I was making from one part of the country to another.

Illustration Friday - Jump

I created this painting years ago, as part of my "Endangered Species" series. The numbers are symbolic of the number of species left, or the number of excuses we give for not addressing the loss of our wildlife. They definitely are jumping!

Illustration Friday - Heights

 "The Letters"   acrylic on hardboard   40" x 30" 

Life is a balancing act.  Here's a guy carrying a heavy load while facing uncertainty.

Illustration Friday - Puzzled

 "Aphrodite at Starbucks"   oil on canvas    48" x 72"

There is nothing more puzzling than love. Just when you think that Love has found everyone else but you, she arrives, bearing a cup of coffee.