Carnegie late summer afternoon

I have been playing around with cropping and find it so interesting how it can drammatically change the impact of a painting. This painting is fun as a tryptych

Soulful

I am an absolute fan of live jazz and it is always such a treat to listen to our brilliant friend Josh Dunlevy on his sax. This is a crop from a bigger painting of ther Jazz band with Josh Dunlevy and Daniel Baker

Old Man

This was a sweet old man very focused on his sketching and I switched my attention on him because I started to mess up on my painting. So I flipped over the board and caught him from behind. This is a cropped image for a bookmark. I like how the grain of the board made him look as if he is out of and floating above the universe

Dowager Duchess to Tea

I remember reading how Singer Sargent would paint fast and with a sure hand. Ive been trying to work fast and even faster. We are lucky if we have 2 hrs to paint a figure and once I get home I cannot seem to 'finish 'them and tend to mess up. So I end up with oil sketches and here is one of Kathleen Mitchell modelling her antique clothing. She seemed very Dowageryish and Duchessy to me. Although if you know Kathleen, you will agree she is not in the slightest bit frightening

Reflecting.....goose goose duck

I am dithering. when i first spotted these geese and a duck chatting away i was enamoured by their wonderful reflections. Steve Leonardi suggested i call it, 'goose goose duck' which made me laugh. It was one of Oliver's favourite games as a small child and Steve was his swim coach. So perhaps it is 'Reflecting.... goose, goose duck'

Gretchen and Emily at the County Fair

I always love to visit the animals at the Washington County Fair which is held in August. I loved meeting the delightful young owner of these happy pigs. She showed me how they would roll over to have their tummies rubbed. I am a great believer in happy pigs making delicious pork.

Heifers Davis School Road

I have had my eye on these beautiful heifers and their calves for a while, especially when the evening sun lights them up. Little did I realise the bull was in with the girls. As a sign says,'If you think you can make it over the field in ten seconds, dont. The bull can make it in nine!'

Later I was delighted to meet Lorraine Kraeer, their owner, who loves them with a passion. I gave her a print of the painting as I sold the original at Art in the Garden. She was quiet for a while and then she and her grand daughter started naming the ones they recognised! I am sure I am not a lone in preferring to eat meat from an animal that has had a happy life.

Self Portrait in Gardening Hat 12 x 16 inches Oil on Board

Hi everybody! I have had to resort to painting myself when I am short of 'victims' to paint. Sargent says a portrait is, "something is wrong with the mouth" I know what he means.

Lauren 10 x 14 graphite sketch

Lauren is one of the models at the Carnegie and is always great to draw. She usually wears glasses and pulls her red hair up in a fun spikey twisty way.She is pierced in several places and has peacock feather tattoos on her back which always give me trouble. Last Friday she brought lots of black gauze and sheer long gowns she had picked up at Goodwill for next to nothing. Aha! new title! 'Next to Nothing'

Lauren. Body piercing 14 x 11 Oil on board

This is Lauren who has frightening looking body piercings. The ones in her sternum look uncomfortable to me. I thought she might find them uncomfortable to lie on but she swears they dont!

Daniel Baker 16 x 24 inches. Oil on board

Our surprise model this week was Daniel Baker who is this awesome jazz guitarist. He has fantastic red hair in dreadlocks down to his waist and it was really fun painting him and watching his intensity and absorption as he played. We had the usual gang for drink and draw and everyone did really wonderful drawings /paintings

Water, Water!

Fowey Regatta is so much fun. I love to get out onto the castle rock and watch the racing around the mark in the harbour mouth as you are so close to the action. It is especially exhilarating when the sea is heaving and the wind is strong as in this painting. The Troys pass so close to each other with their bow sprits like lances and everyone is yelling "'Water! Water!" "Starboard!!! Starboard!!!" I painted it with a palette knife to add to the excitement. Hame and Hal have this painting

'Mary Ann' Oil Sketch on board 16x16 inches

We were at Mary Anne and Richard's New Year's Eve party and I spotted Mary Anne looking lovely in this corner of her dining room and I loved seeing her in her green apron against the greeny blue cupboard. She very sweetly let me come back and we toured her greenhouse and had her delicious soup and bread and she sat still so I could paint her.

'Tarra in a Sari' Oil sketch on board 12x14 inches

Tarra turned up at Ray Dunlevy's open studio session with a beautiful sari and had some wine and pizza and fell asleep.

'Tarra Seated' Oil sketch on board 16x14 inches

John said I should add a beer and call it 'Boobs butt and beer" and someone could hang it up in their garage. I painted this at Ray Dunlevy's Tuesday evening sessions. Tarra is a fabulous model and friend and I love to paint her

'The Children' oil on board 32x24 inches

This painting is taken from one of daddy's slides. From left to right Jeremy, Janie and Jacquie. I feel as though I am looking through daddy's eyes and they are full of so much love and gentleness.

'Four Hats' Oil on board. 21x24 inches

This painting came from one of daddy's old slides. I have lovely memories of family slide shows and daddy particularly enjoyed them when he was ill. He had a wonderful eye and seemed drawn to strong light and shadow.

'Seated Nude' oil sketch on board 12x11

I have been attending the open figure sessions at the Carnegie Museum and this is one of our favourite models. Speed is of the essence and I am getting faster at capturing the figure.

Expectant Ewes

I can happily spend all day in the barn with the expectant ewes and new mothers with their lambs. If I don't move too much they become fairly accustomed to my prescenc. I love their peacefulness and baaing and cud chewing and hot panting breath. They are so beautiful. I keep quiet and then Hannah comes in with the bottled milk and they all rise and move off, and the lambs bleat and tear around. This painting is in Art in the Garden, the fund raising event for the Historical Soc. in Washington Pa on Sunday 9th Sept

'Peppers and Tomatoes in Green Bowl' Oil on board 14x11 inches

Peppers and tomatoes. Slight variation on a theme! tomorrow I am going to buy peaches from Simmon's farm as I have heard they are wonderful.