Three's A Crowd

6"x6" oil on archival panel

"Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day."

- W. Earl Hall

I'm finally back home, and have some groceries, had a chance to paint, be overwhelmed by emails, and just in general, feel great to be back in the studio. There's rumors of another round of snow in our near future, so I'm lucky I picked up a nice bouquet of sunflowers & larkspur at the grocery store!

This grouping of apples came from some sketch book ideas - I had been staring at a painting I had done earlier this year of a pair of apples, "Dueling Grannies", and I really loved the color & dynamics between the pair. The color just gave this such dimension, I knew this would be a subject worthy of further exploration. I was in one of those times where "life interrupts" & has other plans, which happened to include some plane & train travel. So I sketched out more ideas for interesting groupings of apples...Funny thing, I kept the focus fairly simple, and the ideas kept coming. Now THAT was a fun way to explore (and for me, use limited time wisely). From these little sketchbook ideas, I still set up the apples, cloth, lighting, etc. (just to make sure my original plan still holds up). It was so nice today to have the thought process already in gear.

Lots of good things coming up; I'm planning a another 12"x12" floral with the flowers I bought today, I've got a wedding commission to start (sketches are already done), and can't wait to paint some more of my fun little apple sketches (exploring color in these have been a great delight!).

Sunny Hunny-6"Squared Show!

6"x6" oil on archival panel

"If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you'll never enjoy the sunshine."

-Morris West


Yes, it's been a while since I've posted, I writing from my "secondary office" in Starbucks in Maitland, FL. I'm down here for an intense week of helping out my mom. We're getting lots done, although I still need to tackle a door-bell repair and some bathroom caulking before I leave to go home tomorrow!

I haven't had a chance to share with you the super-good news I'm so excited about! I got one of my paintings juried into the Randy Higbee Gallery 6"Squared Show, in Costa Mesa, CA. A gala artist's reception will be held on April 16th, and the show runs through May 6th. "Sunny Hunny" is a 6"x6" oil, and I'm really honored and humbled to be able to hang with the wonderful artists in this show.

I'm heading back home to CT tomorrow, back to painting...and I'm looking forward to it!

Japanese Fish Vase

6"x6" oil on archival panel

"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare."

- Japanese Proverb

It's been a while since I've posted, I've been traveling again. I'm down in FL for an intense week of helping out my mom. So I haven't had much time for painting, or posting work, but I did finish this painting the morning before I caught my flight down here.

"Japanese Fish Vase" is a 6"x6" oil on archival panel that I've painted just for
"Daily Paintworks"- 'The Help Japan Challenge'. This painting is available at auction from their site, and I am donating the total proceeds to The Japanese Red Cross Society. Bidding for this painting starts at $100.

I've always loved pieces of blue and white Asian pottery and china in my home, and came across this unusual little vase last weekend in a wonderful little shop in Manhattan. It's small, roundish shape has a 'goldfish' swimming across the front of it, but it also has two raised faces coming out of opposite sides of the little vase. I knew right away when I brought it home, it would make a wonderful little painting for this challenge!

As of this writing, Daily Paintworks has raised $15,369 in just one week of selling paintings- going directly to help our neighbors in Japan. I challenge you to be a part of this aid as well!!

The Color Of White

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

"The purpose of painting is to lift the veil of mystery into consciousness."
- Henry Hensche

I was so jazzed when the challenge was put out by the group of painters, "Daily Paintworks" for 'The Color Of White". Oh- my - gosh- white is like a celebration of color, because it reflects just about everything. Some of my favorite things are white objects in my garden, ie. picket fence, arbor, daisies, peonies, you get the idea. The colors of blooms as well as sunlight and shadow come out in these beautiful objects. This winter I've been painting a fair share of daisies, and just love that turn of color where they fall into shadow...such a simple flower, so much beauty.

I'll try to add a photo here and show you my studio set-up for small still-life paintings. It's a pretty simple rig. A shadow box (made out of a cut down cardboard carton, and various cloths- tablecloths, napkins, anything that might 'set the stage' for the latest characters in my tabletop 'event' as well as a clamp-on shop light to fully illuminate the little 'stage'.

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Price: $150 USD plus $10 USD s/h
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Ode To Vincent (sunflower garden)

11"x14" oil on Belgian linen mounted on archival panel

"Color! What a deep and mysterious language, the language of dreams!"
- Paul Gaugin


Last summer we grew a variety of sunflowers called Van Gogh. They were oh-so tall (six-footers) and we had them next to our 2 butterfly bushes, one dark and one light purple. "Ode To Vincent" is an 11"x14" oil on Belgian linen mounted on archival board. Of course when I came across the quote from Gaugin, I realized I've been daydreaming about what our garden will look like this summer. So far, there's just about an inch of daffodils poking through the tundra! Our growing season may be short, but it's pretty spectacular once it finally gets here!

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Price: $575 USD
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This price is framed and includes shipping/insurance to continental US. Please contact me about framing choices here.

Kerry Cow On Rolling Pastures

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite archival panel

"May you live as long as you want,

And never want as long as you live."

-Irish Blessing



I'm offering another one of my web-subscriber-specials today (early 2009 prices and the shipping is on me!). This is valid through St. Patrick's Day (this Thursday, the 17th). Walking past rolling pastures on Valentia Island, many of the dairy cows would come to see who was walking down the road past their field. Wonderful models for any artist!

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Price: $100 USD
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New Friend In Da Hood (pet portrait)- sold

4"x4" oil on archival panel

"If you get to thinking you're a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else's dog around."

-Will Rogers


My neighbor has a new pup, as of this past December, and he is the cutest little thing! Well, he was quite little, and has since doubled in size. He's still a relatively small dog, a cross between a Bichon and a Shih tzu - he looks quite like a little teddy-bear - adorable. And lucky for me, I get to visit him whenever I like! He's gonna be one cool little dog when he grows up!

Welcome to my latest new subscribers! I do hope you enjoy the paintings, photos & stories! I always love hearing comments from my readers!!

Loves me, Loves me Not....Loves me!

6"x6" oil on archival panel

"What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork."

-Pearl Bailey


Remember when answers came as simply as daisy petals? (Well that was a looooonnng time ago). "Loves me, Loves me not.....Loves me" is a little 6"x6" oil on archival panel, cup-full of daisies. The antique pressed green glass is a gift from my Aunt Jo. It has been wanting to get in on the scene with all the daisies I've been painting! Now, as far as petal-pulling for answers, I'd really like to know; Is Spring Coming, or Is It Not, Is Spring Coming?????


Welcome to my latest new subscribers! I do hope you enjoy the paintings, photos & stories! I always love hearing comments from my readers!!

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Price: $125 USD plus $10 USD s/h
Or, send me an email

Clearing Sky Over Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland

5"x7" oil on archival panel

***During the month of March I'll be offering some subscriber specials (2009 prices and shipping is on me!) on some of my small paintings of Ireland that are still in need of a good home. Some of these were done on location....brought back in my wet panel carrier through customs! Others were painted here in my studio from my reference materials from my travels over there. All of them bring me wonderful reminders of a place that owns my heart and has captured my imagination.

One more piece that would make a great pairing with "Road To The Lighthouse At Old Head, Kinsale,Ireland" (that I posted the other day) is "Clearing Sky Over Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland". This one (a 5"x7" oil) was done after completing a larger commission of this place, I found the history behind this area rather fascinating as well as the big sky and vast last & water shapes make an 'almost abstraction'. The current pricing special on these small Ireland paintings are $100 (shipping included), and only good through St. Patrick's Day, March 17th. Contact me here for availability of this painting.

Would you like to attend an artist's retreat to Ireland like this? Please visit my the website of my friend Barbara Mastaglio who is offering another retreat this summer!

To make sure you don't miss any of my subscriber specials, please sign up for my Cheer Factor newsletter here!

Sunny Daze-eez

6"x6" oil on archival panel

"It's not true that nice guys finish last. Nice guys are winners before the game even starts."
- Addison Walker

More from the 'Sunshine' series; this 6"x6" oil on archival panel is called "Sunny Daze-eez". I just took a stroll out in the yard with hubby and found that the daffodils are just starting to poke through the ground! Spring really IS on its way.

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Price: $125 USD plus $10 USD s/h
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Time Out For Tea

18"x14" oil on gallery wrapped stretched linen

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush."

-Doug Larson

It seems that I've been a slacker when it comes to sending out the "Cheer Factor" emails this week. But I have been working on a new painting, a bit larger than my usual small daily works. I've been thrilled with the better selection of flowers lately at our grocery store! It must be one more 'sign of Spring'. "Time Out For Tea" is the name of this painting I've just finished. It is an 18"x14" oil on gallery wrapped stretched linen. Contact me here for availability of this painting.

Hubby and I also spent some time planning and ordering some seeds for this year's garden. I look forward to being able to paint in the middle of all this in just a few months! Oh the colors are going to be fantastic!!

Be sure to sign up for my "Cheer Factor" newsletter and see all the latest paintings fresh off the easel as well as subscriber specials.

Naptime Lamb With An Ocean View, Valentia Island, Ireland

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite archival artboard

The third of my subscriber specials this month! Some select older pieces at early 2009 prices $ shipping is on me! Lambs and sheep dotted the pastures along the seaside of Valentia Island on my last visit. I knew I couldn't bring one of these cute babies home, but painting them is the next best thing! They were enjoying the sunshine on that day as well as I was.

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Price: $100 USD
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I have been painting a larger work the last few days & hope to be able to post it tomorrow! Stay tuned!!

Road To The Lighthouse at Old Head, Kinsale, Ireland

5"x7" oil on gessoed masonite archival artboard

This is the second of my subscriber specials for March. This month I'm featuring some of my paintings of Ireland that still need a good home, they're offered at 2009 prices and shipping is on me! This one is a study of the area after completing a commission for one of my collectors. The area at this part of Old Head is a golf course, and quite a magnificent one at that! This view of the light house is rather incredible, one of countless amazing views there (even if your ball does go cliffside into the ocean!)

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $100 USD
Or, send me an email

To make sure you don't miss any of my subscriber specials, please sign up for my Cheer Factor newsletter here!

Skellig View, Valentia Island, Ireland plein-air

6"x8" oil on Belgian linen mounted on archival panel

During the month of March I'll be offering some subscriber specials (2009 prices and shipping is on me!) on some of my paintings of Ireland that are still in need of a good home. Some of these were done on location....brought back in my wet panel carrier through customs! Others were painted here in my studio from my reference materials from my travels over there. All of them bring me wonderful reminders of a place that owns my heart and has captured my imagination. My first selection to bring 'out of the vault' is a plein air piece, "Skellig View, Valentia Island, Ireland". It is a 6"x8" oil on linen mounted on archival panel. Offered at early 2009 (unframed) price of $100 and shipping is on me. Even though this particular day was chilly with a stiff wind, I was able to paint from the window of my friend's studio, which has this incredible view out over the Atlantic Ocean, with Skellig Michael and Little Skellig just off shore. Would you like to attend an artist's retreat like this? Please visit my the website of my friend Barbara Mastaglio who is offering another retreat this summer! Contact me here for availability of this painting. To make sure you don't miss any of my subscriber specials, please sign up for my Cheer Factor newsletter here!