Gold Flowers and Whitewater

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As promised, here is another impression of my glorious day up north. I often include the 'whole nine yards' in my paintings, so in this one I went for the essence which was the carpet of poppies against the aquamarine sea. Simple shapes and simple brushstrokes can make for more impact which is something I am always striving for in my work. I will forever relish the memory of the warm sun, the amazing array of color and the  perfect ocean breeze that honestly felt like God patting my cheek!

Dance of the Hollyhocks

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What's cool about hollyhocks is that for design purposes, there is a great vertical element along with the roundish blooms. Besides that, the colors are amazing and those little round buds add such delight. These flowers grow rather tall, so you get that 'honey I shrunk the kids' feeling when you're close up and personal amongst them. Here's hoping that they make you dream of April showers bringing May flowers to get you through the winter.

A Walk in the Forest

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Those of you that know me know that you can count on one hand the times I've painted redwood trees. It's just a tough subject, trying to arrange those massive trunks and their foliage into interesting arrangements that aren't too busy. I've had fun these last couple of times and hope to go out into the woods and vineyards tomorrow to do some photography for future possibilities, plus do some painting if this amazing weather holds. My studio is upstairs and even with cross ventilation, it's been pretty hot these past couple of weeks so it will be fun to be out 'en plein air' and all that being on location brings to the work. Stay tuned and Happy November!

One more thing. I've donated a painting toward the Hurricane Sandy relief effort. Check out the paintings on Daily Paintworks and reach out in a fun and creative way.