Orange and Purple

Hello friends!  This piece was inspired by a wonderful plate I found at the Japanese market.  Initially I was going to do a still life of the plate but the whole thing looked too tight and lifeless so I wiped the canvas and started over.  The second time around I kept it loose with plenty of bright elements.

Teapot Ninja

I think there is a ninja behind this teapot!  I found this tiny cast iron teapot in the Japanese market and I have been waiting for the right opportunity to paint it.  Here I was experimenting with light and on different surfaces and while maintaining bright colors. I love the way the teapot came out with the deliberate strokes of tone and color.

Super Giant Flower!

Super Giant Flower with Super Giant Flower Power!  At my fabulous workshop we had an activity where we were each given a photo of a painting to duplicate with a hitch. We went around the room with brushes and painted on each other's paintings for a few minutes.  It was scary at first and then became more and more fun the further along we went on each person's painting.  I ended up with an amazing 6x6 flower, full of the energy from everyone that painted it.  I loved it so much I wondered what it would look like bigger.  Above is the 18x24 version I did this weekend.

Momiji #1

I absolutely adore Japanese toys. This is a momiji doll.  These little dolls have an opening in the bottom where you can put a note and leave the doll for a friend to find and receive the note.  These dolls originated in Japan and now other folks are manufacturing them in the United States and they are cuter than ever.  I hope you enjoy momijis as much as I do!

Cupcake - Workshop Afterglow

This is my first painting, post-workshop.  I experimented with the purples and blues and reds that I was introduced to a couple of weeks ago.  It was really fun to integrate workshop colors and techniques into my studio.  Does it look delicious?

Flowers in Jars and Pots, Oh My!

This is another painting from the workshop based on a reference from one of the instructors, artist Dreama Tolle Perry.  Here we were learning about new blues and purples with bright, transparent colors as the base.  I love how vibrant and alive these colors look.

Cupcake O'Color!

I went to an amazing workshop in Pasadena last week given by Leslie Saeta and Dreama Tolle Perry.  Four days of art and inspiration and COLOR!  This painting was done on the last day of the workshop and it is definitely the loosest and most colorful painting I have done.