What a Ride

"What a Ride"
5X7 Acrylic on Canvas

This photo of my sister on a San Francisco trolly was painted using one brush, limited water, and with Nicholas painting by my side. It's a step in the painting direction.

Think Pink!

"Think Pink" - Click to View Original Photo

8X10 Acrylic on Canvas

One Hour Flower Study

A Beautiful Name for a Beautiful Girl

"Haley"

5X5 Acrylic on Canvas

I could never do this little girl justice. She has beautiful eyes and a magnificent smile. Haley is the big sister of the bathing beauty from the earlier portrait titled, "I've Got Ya Covered." Like the little one, this girl is also the spitting image of her mom.

A New Model

"Sun-Kissed"

5X5 Acrylic on Canvas

My daughter thinks I painted my husband to look too old--with excess "jigalo" (that's teenage speak for many-chins). Must I repeat myself? I am not an artist. I just play one on TV.

Extra Blue Paint

"Cookie Monster"

5X7 Acrylic on Canvas Board

So, I had a lot of extra blue paint and decided I didn't want to waste it. I used it to paint the shirt for this portrait and went back to the actual child later. This, again, looks nothing like Nicholas, but it looks much like the photo.

12X12 Portrait

"Wonder"

12X12 Acrylic on Canvas

This is my first large portrait. Again, I worked until I didn't want to work anymore. When it stops making me happy, I know it is time to quit. I may change the background color. It's a little bright, but I usually love blues and browns.

My Dad

"Papa"

5X7 Acrylic on Canvas

I could never make my dad look as handsome as he really is. This may be a work in progress, but it seems I often mess up before I fix up, and I am sometimes afraid to touch something that is so close. When I was growing up, my friends told me that my dad looked like "Mork from Ork," and Michael Douglas--what a difference between the two--but he really did! Everyone also told me that I looked exactly like him. I take that as a compliment.

Nobody I Know

"Cleopatra"
5X5 Acrylic on Canvas

DISCLAIMER: The character image portrayed in this portrait is fictitious, and any similarity or resemblance in the character's identity to any living person is entirely coincidental and unintentional.

One Hour Study

"Little Ball of Fluff"
5X5 Acrylic on Canvas

The title of this portrait has changed. Jenny and I decided that this title is more appropriate. Not only does Nicholas look like a little ball of fluff, but his big brother, Heller, used to call him that and we love it!

I have been experimenting with what I can do in one hour or less. The last two paintings are part of this study. Of course, with only one hour, I am not able to pay attention to the fine details, but it is a time for me to experiement with color mixing and some new techniques. I have made a decision to NOT go back to these paintings and tweak, but to leave them as they are.

One Hour Study

"Taking Liberties as the Artist"

5X5 Acrylic on Canvas

For those of you who think that the baby doesn't look anything like Nicholas...keep in mind that Nicholas doesn't look anything like Nicholas. He has changed so much...but this portrait DOES look a lot like Ford did when he was a baby.

I am especially in love with the photo that this portrait was inspired by. It was taken by Heller on our trip to Miami last summer. He was so proud of his camera ability. So am I.

My Baby Brother

"Off the Wall"

5X7 Acrylic on Canvas

This is my first attempt to paint a semi side profile. I really don’t like to paint hands. I especially dislike it when the model (my unusual brother) is making one of these gestures that is so characteristic of him, and I end up making him look like “The Claw!” There are 9 years between us, so I am completely oblivious to what this gesture means, but I am sure it means he is “cool” or something. It should, because I think he is.

The motivation behind my desire to paint Tommy came from a recent rediscovery of the portrait of ME that HE drew many years ago. While picking up books that my 19-month-old threw all over his room, I found my brother’s picture "posted" on the back cover of the Little Golden Book, "Pete's Dragon". (I’ve posted it below to showcase his remarkable talent.)

Tommy - I think your painting portrayed “80s teenage girl” very well. I hope you are happy with my portrait of you.

"Heylay" by Tommy

Pen on Little Golden Book

My Baby Sister

"A Bright Future Ahead"

5X7 Acrylic on Canvas

This is a painting of my sister, Ashley, in her high school graduation cap. It is 1/2 of a photo taken of both of us in our cap and gowns (she graduated from high school the same year I graduated from UCF with my Bachelor's degree).

My sister is terrific and I bore her to death with my paintings, but I thought since this one was of her...

Summer is Here!

"I've Got Ya Covered"

5X5 Acrylic on Canvas

Thinking about my friend Donna today, and missing her. This bathing beauty is the youngest of Donna's three beautiful children. She will be three years old next month and I have never even met her. Time is a funny thing.

My Remarkable Friends

I have decided to begin blogging (if blogging means writing my thoughts) about each of my paintings and the inspiration behind it. So, Yana and Pete, I begin with you.

"Yana and Pete"

2 5X5 Acrylics on Canvas

After perusing more than 300 photos sent to me over the last couple of years by my jet-setting friends, Pete and Yana, I selected these photos because I felt they each offered terrific insight into the unique charm and character of this couple.

Each painting offered its own challenge for me. Yana’s hand (which I am continuously working on) and Pete’s glasses and facial hair (I am used to painting children) each caused a little more sweat and tears than I am used to.

I enjoyed spending time with my friends over the course of the last few days. It was the next best thing to being with them!

"Self Portrait"

5X5 Acrylic on Canvas

Yes, this is me. And, I haven't stopped talking since!

"Jenny Almost Smiles"

5X5 Acrylic on Canvas

This is my Jenny. She USED to be so quiet and so good. NOW, she's 15, and that is all I have to say about that.

"What?!"

5X5 Acrylic on Canvas

"Ouchie"

5X5 Acrylic on Canvas

"Refreshed"

Playing Toddler

"Orange Hat"

"Don't Run!"

"I need"

First Love

This portrait is one of my favorites and is very special to me. The children depicted are my sister, Ashley and my first son, Heller. These two have always had a very special bond. I often called her his "other mother." We lost our little boy this past year, and we are lost without him. This is the only picture of him I have been able to paint.

Alone... Together

Just Me and My Dad

This portrait is my first attempt to paint people. I never dreamed I could come this close to something that looked real. Although I always intended to go back and change the way the little boy came out (his hair in particular) I have decided to keep it as is. I like to look at it to see how far I have come.

Working Toddler

The Executive

The Engineer

Hippo

Happiness is a Hippo

My Mother's Cat -- A UCF Fan!

Smudge

Learning to Paint

"Peaceful"

" My Interpretation of River of Dreams"

"Ziggy"

"Shilo"