nature
New Mexico Landscape Inspiration
I was in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Cerrillos, Taos, and Placitas last week. I had only been to New Mexico once before but knew I was already in love with the landscape, the mountains, and the light. Watching the sunset each night was hypnotizing. Seeing the sky colors change from blue and white to warm shades…
Read MoreWinter Sunrise
My favorite time of day during winter months… very early morning. Maybe because my dog wakes me up before the sun rises, although sometimes I am up before him! The quiet before most people are up and moving, the crisp winter air, combined with the warmth of the sky colors… this is the only time…
Read MoreRevisiting Giverny and Claude Monet
I was in France this past September and one of the highlights of the trip for me was visiting Claude Monet’s home and gardens. Just incredible, to be where Claude Monet lived, where he worked, gardened, painted. I was in awe of the wide variety of flowers in the English Garden, every color imaginable, along…
Read MoreMy trip to Paris
It was a dream come true, to visit the places where so much history happened, where paintings were created, and to go to the museums where some of the most famous works of art in the world are on display … from Giverny to Versailles, the Louvre to Musée de l Orangerie. It was a…
Read MoreA Quiet Place
I am still recovering from Covid 19, it’s been three weeks. Initially it was not so terrible, after two days of a low fever I thought the worst was behind me. About a week after testing positive one of my ears became clogged, and I was experiencing some hearing loss. My primary care physician reassured…
Read MoreBefore and After
I’ve been spending time reviewing some of my older encaustic paintings and have reworked a few of them, this first example shown above has changed completely from the original. I had painted the Sugar Hill Lupines back in 2016 and at the time had done a series of lupine paintings. I used an electric tjanting…
Read MoreSouthern Cal Inspired
I am just back from a quick visit to see my two daughters in San Diego. What a nice change of scenery from the cold winter days here in Chicago. We made a point of doing vacation-type activities and a highlight for me was visiting the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. I was surprised to…
Read MoreUpcoming Solo Show
I have been slowly but surely framing my favorite pastel paintings, preparing for a solo show down the road. The opportunity to exhibit this month was unexpected but I jumped at the opportunity because I am ready! I’ve already decided to include 24 pastel paintings. The pandemic became a perfect opportunity to learn more about…
Read MoreSummer at the Lake
I’ve never been much of a beach person, I’ve always preferred swimming in a chlorinated pool! This summer has been different though, I’ve been inspired to be in nature, craving a walk along the beach, looking through the tall grasses and finding art inspiration. These visits to Lake Michigan have led me to a new…
Read MoreGesso and Pastels
Recently I became aware that soft pastel and encaustic aren’t that different! A few characteristic qualities I love about the encaustic medium are the ability to create textures and depth, being able to layer three-dimensional color, and experiencing tactile art making. I feel like using gesso to prepare the pastel surface gives me the same…
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