Signed It!

"I don't have a title for this piece yet, but it was such a delight to paint. In Igo, a tiny hamlet near our home, my husband and I found this lilac bush on a Sunday drive. It was in unusual profusion this year. Two days later, I returned and painted it with enthusiastic brush strokes." --- SFG

NOTE TO ARTISTS: Whether I paint on location or in the studio, I usually leave the painting sitting in view for a while. Though this one was almost perfect, I saw a few minor adjustments to make. The only time I'd sign it right away would be if a buyer was writing the check. ;)

"Santa Fe Garden" - Auction Starts Today On eBay at 6 PM PT

"Santa Fe Garden"   - 8" x 6"  - Oil

"Adobe walls are everywhere in Santa Fe and they glow with color whether they are in sun or in shadow. While visiting friends there, I set up my easel on the patio and painted this portion of their garden framed by the patio wall. The contrast of light and shadow enhanced the bits of color sprinkled through the beds."  --- SFG

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NOTE TO ARTISTS: It's difficult to paint when you are traveling. Usually, I don't want to miss any of the fun the others are having, or I'm tempted to read or nap, or I don't want to interupt our sightseeing, but I'm never sorry that I made the effort. Not only do I have a painting to show for it and skills are reinforced, but I have a bit of a diary of the trip. I may forget other things we have seen, but I never forget a painting location.

"Wisteria Cascade"

"Wisteria Cascade" - Oil - 9" x 12"

"Light and airy. The abundance of blooms on the arbor in a local park inspired a sketchy, color-filled approach. I look forward each year to the spring blooms and set aside those weeks to visit my favorite plantings." -- SFG

NOTE TO ARTISTS:

So often, the surface dictates the result. I used a very absorbent panel, so the oils behaved more like acrylics, setting edges quickly and lacking the ability to make color changes by blending with the earlier color on the panel. Using these qualities to advantage can give a sparkle as the white of the gesso shines through. I could have piled on the paint until those elements were eliminated, but I decided to seize on what was unfolding before me.

"My Imaginary Friend"

"My Imaginary Friend" - Oil - 9" x 12"

"This wisteria trellis is in full bloom and I hoped to have a model to paint. The subject just called for a lady in a sunhat ... or one with a basket... or one sitting in a wicker chair with mint julep waiting nearby. Unfortunately, the plan didn't work out. This figure is imagined." --- SFG