what's black & white & wooly?

I've been experiencing a slow period, creatively speaking, but I've managed to eke out a few paintings. It seems that when my muse is off on holiday, I revert back to my comfort zone and for some inexplicable reason, that seems to be crows & seagulls (with the odd sheep thrown in). Here's a few that fit the above criteria. "Symbiosis" "No Parking" "Family Tree" "Fall Guys"

I can't resist a dog in a sweater...

I met a lady once with one of those little naked hairless terriers. She explained that he needed a sweater for all seasons; in the Summer so he wouldn't get sunburned & in the Winter to keep warm. He was a nervous little thing, but she allowed me to pet him. He felt like warm rubber. This is a series of 8x8 acrylics.

Delicates

You can't rush the sun. Might as well relax and have a cup of tea while you wait... Acrylic, 12x16

Food for Thought

I remember the first non-picture book I read as a kid. It was called "The Green Grass of Wyoming" and I curled up on the sofa and got lost in another world. Now I need those glasses that are perched atop the pile just to see the pictures. Acrylic 11x14

Door with a Red Coat

I like doors - especially old ones. This painting was done as a study for a larger piece. The larger painting hasn't happened yet. I'm hopeful that it still It might. Acrylic 20 x 16 inches

Hens

I love to visit my friend Marion's chickens. I think they may be the best fed chickens around - Marion's chicken run is right next to her greenhouse and sometimes the produce goes directly to the "girls". They are certainly healthy and each shows her gratitude by laying a lovely brown egg everyday. I'm lucky to be the recipient of some of those eggs. On the day that I shot the reference pictures for these paintings, the ladies proudly fluffed up their petticoats and strutted their stuff for the camera! Pas de Deux, 8x10, Acrylic Steppin' Out, 8x8, Acrylic One Singular Sensation, 8x8, Acrylic

Still life...... goes on

Time for an update. Here's a couple of still lifes that may resonate with the baby boomers out there. "Childhood Retrospective" is a collection of my husband's old toys. I was going to call it "Ex Box" but thought better of it. 20x16, Acrylic I don't know how far the game of Tiddledy Winks goes back - amazing how universal it was though! I wonder what the kids of today would think if we took away their electronics & substituted a game of Tiddledy Winks? 10x10, Acrylic

Local Attractions

Here on the "Sunshine Coast" we expect Paradise... but sometimes the sunshine is liquid. There have been myriads of paintings done of Molly's Reach, our most famous local attraction. It was the cornerstone of a long-running television series "The Beachcombers". Many people recognize the building still and it's not often one would wander around the village of Gibsons Landing and NOT find someone taking a picture of Molly's Reach. My version shows Molly's on one of those less-than-picture-perfect days. Acrylic, 12x12 inches I've always been a big fan of a good fish 'n chips feed. There's not too many coastal towns that don't have a local fish shop. A pretty good feed can be had here at Gibsons Fish. Acrylic, 16x16 inches

Sunday Morning

This one would fall under the category of "seemed like a good idea at the time". By the time I got to "Betty" I was beginning to doubt my bright idea. I'm glad I persevered though, as I was pleased with the final result. I admit that I still seek out the comics section of the Sunday paper. Along with some home-made jam on whole wheat toast and a glass of orange juice, I'm good to go! On cradled wood panel, acrylic, 20x24 inches.

Welcoming Committee

Well I guess it's obvious that I'm turning over a new leaf (for this week anyway!) since this is my second posting in almost as many days. Now that I've gotten over the excitement of my new computer, I'm back spending more time at the easel. While I'm in the process of musing over my current painting, I'm also realizing that there's still quite a few that I haven't posted here yet. I'm still irrationally fascinated by glass bottles of ketchup and after failing to find any in the supermarkets, I was quite beside myself with glee when I found one in a local corner store. Subsequently it has been the subject of, or taken a cameo role in several more of my paintings. This is a scene from another local cafe, "Truffles" in Gibsons Landing. I confess that I dubbed in the glass ketchup bottle as it was so much more aesthetically pleasing than the plastic one being offered. This painting is acrylic and also 12x24 inches, which has come to be one of my favourite formats.