Style

I bet this woman in a "Viennese Caf é" has some stories to tell! She was having a coffee and cigarette in the restaurant of an art museum in Vienna and captured in some photos by a friend.

Our Neighbor to the North

I loved the cobblestone street in old Ottawa and the drama that I imaged for this young woman, calling this picture "6:19 PM".

Before the Food Comes

I'm sometimes inspired by food on the table, but at other times the table itself is inspiring!

Weddings

"A Breath of Fresh Air" was inspired by a wedding in Berlin during a record-breaking heatwave in Europe.


A wedding in the wine country outside of Capetown, South Africa gave me dozens of ideas for art. The dancing was great so I used some photos to create "Shake your Booty".


On a safari after the South African wedding, we went out each evening "Looking for Lions".

At the Theater

An older friend of mine always looks great.

My Dessert in Switzerland

I loved the look of my crème brulée.

October Thoughts

This chilly, rainy weather makes me yearn for the comforting meal I ordered at a general store during a trip to Vermont. The soup was delicious, by the way.

Waiting, again

I've noticed that I'm drawn to scenes of women waiting, like this one called "Reading Room" in the fabulous lobby of the Chateau Montebello in Quebec. Hmm . . .

We had a nice fall . . .

Vermont was doing its 'autumn thing' for the tourists when I was there - "October 18" - and I was hooked too.



I had to go back for my camera on a walk when I saw this colorful "Pokeberry Jungle". I was pleased when a judge allowed this weed into an art show with a "Garden" theme!

Oh, to be in Arizona now . . .

On this cold day, I'm remembering a trip to Arizona where the playful shapes of the cacti can't help but inspire. They seemed to be gathering for a meeting (or demonstration?) in "Citizens of Sedona" [bottom]. Then what else could the title for this stately cactus [top] be other than "Queen of Sedona"?

San Francisco coffee shop

I loved the attitude of these two young people waiting for their order, as well as the pattern of their arms and the poster image. My niece Karen kindly let me snap away to get a reference photo.

Nature Up Close

I have a file full of examples of the natural world up close. My collection of stones from Cape Cod and Long Island's shoreline were my models here.

Summer Scenery on a Cold Day

A touch of County Kerry.


Ireland's coastline caught my eye with its meeting of emerald and turquoise.


A quiet spot in Maine at dusk.

California coming up

Another trip to California coming up and a visit to Capitola where my camera and I go crazy with resource material for my art. One glance at this boy in front of the store window and I immediately thought of "The Sirens" of classical myth.

More Ireland

"County Kerry" shows the rolling green countryside of the southwestern part of Ireland in its monochromatic glory.

Ireland

The countryside of Ireland is so appealing with its dramatic ups and downs, grass and rocks, greens and blues. I was especially taken with this view of the Gap of Dunloe from the Ladies' View in Killarney.

A poem

I agreed to participate in a cooperative project with some local poets and my piece, "Another Day" resulted from it. As my choice of an inspirational poem, I selected a piece about the the poet's elderly father, alone in the kitchen in the morning, carefully preparing his oatmeal. This is what the poem suggested to me.

Interrupting a Conversation

How annoying it must be to be sitting in a luncheonette booth in NY and have me whip out my camera like I did for "Brunch on Columbus".

While the car's moving

"Barnstorming" shows my view along a highway in Pennsylvania.


A farm along Route 17 in NC is shown in "Carolina Countryside".

Yes, I'm sorry to say that I occasionally snap pictures out the window while I'm driving. Sometimes I just like what I see.

Mining the Past

An old photo of my mother from the '30's showed a playful look on her face that I rarely saw. I tried to capture it in "Begin the Beguine", named after a Cole Porter song she liked.


A good friend showed me some photos from the '50's of her husband's bar mitzvah. They were so much fun, I based my "Bunny Hop" on them.

The Kitchen Sink

After a visit to the wonderful "Impressionists' Still Life" show at the Phillips Collection in D.C., I looked at the beans I was preparing for a soup and said, "Now THAT's a still life!". I call my painting of them "The Stars" because the colorful, shiny wet beans had such pizzazz. It looked like they were announcing their leading role in the next meal with a "Ta DAH!!" The title also references the tiny points of light that show through the colander.

A Wedding

The heightened emotions (and champagne consumption) at a wedding make for some interesting body language. the bride and her sister are checking out the arrivals in "Anticipation".


Another bridesmaid and guest celebrate in "Wedding Belles".

Close to Home

The coastline of my home state of Maryland has a special, calm beauty which I tried to capture in "Last Light in Oxford".


A nearby dock is pictured in "Ripples".


The Poolesville farmland I painted in "Far from Tuscany" clearly reminds me of a more exotic place.

Southern Maine

The stunning coastline of southern Maine is a favorite subject for artists, but I love observing the life in the small towns along the water. Here you see some friends in Old Orchard beach taking a "Coke Break".


A man is taking a breather in Boothbay Harbor in "Bowling Alone".

Coast of Cape Cod

I come home from the beautiful coast of Cape Cod with ideas for art works. The path in "Down the Dirt Road" is near a friend's home in Yarmouthport.


A "High Tide" touched the landscape nearby.


I love the reflections in a Hyannisport marina.


Some animated young people caught my attention for "Hyannis Hiatus".

More California art

The pier at Santa Cruz beach was the setting for two other works. The seafood diner that literally sits at the end of the pier is featured in "Santa Cruz Sunset".


Nearby Stagnaro's Restaurant was my inspiration for "Table for Two".


I used a view of San Francisco as the background for my Renaissance-like portrait of my San Jose niece.

More Capitola CA inspirations

These girls were "Wired" in every sense of the word at a local coffee shop.


It was "Neither Rain nor Sleet" for Tina, their local mail carrier.

Places . . .

I'm forever thinking about where I could take my camera to get great shots. That forethought usually doesn't pan out though. It just seems to happen when I'm least expecting it. One of my favorite places is seaside Capitola, California, near my sister's home. Great colors. Lively people. Active street life. Yesterday's painting was a store window there. Today's is my view while having lunch out on the patio at Zelda's. 

How it Begins . . .

The artistic process begins for me when I notice something that moves me with its humor, beauty or sometimes, even quirkiness. If I'm lucky, I have my camera handy and can capture the moment in a photo or two. Then I'm able to create a colored pencil work from it that allows me to continue enjoying it and to share it with others. I try for a strong composition with a simple image and choose bright, bold colors to convey the energy I experienced. Often I am attracted to people in a particular setting that suggests a narrative, but a moody sky or a bowl of beans might also speak to me.