"CALMING THE JITTERS"   Acrylic    16 x 20

Attitude is important in people and animals. This trainer is working with a young horse who spooks easily and is uncertain about the new activity in an arena. I wanted to commemorate the special bond we have with animals and how our influence can either calm or excite our friends of another species. There were many challenges in this composition and I worked it over a period of several days.

"BIRDS OF A FEATHER"   8 x 10   Acrylic

I completed this painting a few years ago but only rediscovered it as I was taking inventory for summer stock. This was a learning phase of getting acquainted with acrylics and it was fun to portray the various poses and motions of new chicks.

"SEA COVE"   11 x 14   Acrylic

Colorful flowers along the coastline are vibrant and aromatic. This scene might typify a number of places in the Mediterranean or Aegean Seas, but happens to originate on the California coast of the Pacific Ocean. The contrast of orange against a variety of blues is a feast for the eyes. Can you hear the roar of the ocean and the cry of seagulls?

"TAGGED AND NUMBERED"   12 x 16   Acrylic

 

 

A young calf wonders about his new world and the recent "body piercing" he just received. But ranch life demands an identity for each newcomer, and getting punched in the ear is part of the process. As I gain confidence in painting, I hope to attempt using a larger canvas for some of my favorite subjects.

"SPELL OF THE AURORA"   11 x 14   Watercolor

 

 

A change of mediums from acrylic to watercolor, this painting was learned in a class setting. Watercolor demands a different technique, but is fun to explore. Wetting the paper, then covering with a base color, then using a hairdryer to speed the drying process, is all 'new' to my experience. Then wetting the paper again to lay the next coat of paint to brush on the background trees, and drying that section before putting on more trees with deeper tones, is a new experience. Adding a few stars in the upper left corner with acrylic paint was the final touch.