Lilies After the Rain *SOLD

 I was lucky enough to get to buy my Grandparents house. They planted wonderful perennials including yellow and orange lilies that dance along in untamed sections. After it rained these beauties had a fun art nouveau swirl to them. So, of course, I had to paint them.

Lilies After the Rain is a brushed acrylic ink painting on 140 lb. arches paper. It is professionally framed with conservation glass to a final size of 16"x10". This piece is sold. but I do have 6"x12" prints on steel available. 

Great Blue •SOLD (prints available)

If you have encountered a Great Blue Heron - you know they bring a sense of calm. They harmonize with their environment and move at their on pace. This Heron was taking a walk around our house, last year. I'm not sure why he was visiting so close but he gave me plenty of time to observe him and take photos...which inspired this painting. 

Great Blue is a brushed acrylic ink painting on 140 lb. hot press arches paper. This piece is professionally framed with non-glare glass to a final size of 25" square.  The original is no longer available but I do have 8" prints on steel with with hanging brackets as well as ornament, cards, 10" prints on steel and 12" prints on paper (paper with boarder is 16"). These prints are available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN. | 218-547-3729

Pileated on a Red Pine

 I started with the frame for creating this piece. When you start with a fun shape and rich tone of grey - you have to create something soothing with warm tones to complement it. I thought a Pileated Woodpecker with its pop of red - head - would go quite well and I happened to have some photo inspiration in my "inspiration" photos. 

Pileated on a Red Pine is a brushed acrylic ink painting on 140 lb. hot press Arches paper. This piece is professionally framed with conservation glass to a final size of 16.5"x7.5". It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN. for $325.00 | 218-547-3729

Bittersweet Season

 It's that time of year - Bittersweet harvesting! I found a nice healthy vine and it sparked a new bittersweet berry painting. This one is a little different from my past pieces for 2 reasons. #1 it is painted on a aquaboard panel. #2 - I worked with Heritage framing who created a fun shadow box style frame which gives it a more dimensional appearance.

Bittersweet Season 2023 is brushed acrylic ink on 1/8" wood panel. This piece is professionally framed with conservation glass to a final size of 11.25" square. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN. for $335.00 | 218-547-3729

Chickadee Holiday *SOLD

The Chickadee is a common sight in these parts but that doesn't mean we take these sweet talkers for granted. I know, for one, I would miss the cheerful song of this caped little bird. For this piece my Chickadee landed on a holiday wreath to say hello and add some holiday cheer.

Chickadee Holiday is brushed acrylic ink painting on 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper. It is professionally framed by Heritage framing with conservation glass. This piece is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN  | 218-547-3729

Whip or Whirl - Basswood seeds *SOLD

These seeds look like they have been in training and are ready to take flight. I picture them with little flight hats and goggles. Yes - I just had my morning coffee. They are fun seeds - dancing away.

Whip or Whirl is a 4"x7" brushed acrylic ink painting on 350 lb. mixed media paper. This piece is professionally framed with conservation glass to a final size of 7"x10". This piece is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN | 218-547-3729

Tones of Nature *SOLD

I am a collector of grasses and reeds. ..or at least an admirer. Jars and vases of interesting grass shapes fill my spaces. Sometimes I get to drawing them before they loose their pieces...sometimes I don't. These grasses are tiny delicate stems in the most lovely tones. This is a simple painting - one that can make itself home in almost any room.

Tones of Nature is a brushed acrylic ink painting on 140 lb. paper. The grays are warmer as in the photo where it is framed.  This piece is 4" x 7" - professionally framed to a size of about 7" x 10" with conservations glass. Tones of Nature is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN 

Tigereye Nouveau *SOLD

I was struck by the nouveau swirl one evening while sitting at the dinner table - admiring a bouquet of flowers. My lilies were a few days old and starting to get the exaggerated swirl ...the way lilies do. I pictured some of my favorite art nouveau pieces and was inspired to sketch a small section of the lilies. The watercolor paper I had on hand was an odd size. I do enjoy an odd sized piece.

After sketching this piece I imagined tiger lily coloring...even though the lilies which inspired the piece were stargazers. Using FW Inks - I mixed my warm grays, bright oranges and greens to complete the nouveau piece in an arts and crafts - woodblock sort of feel.

Tigereye Nouveau is a 4"x11" brushed ink painting on 140 lb. cold press paper. It is professionally framed and matted to a final size of 6.5"x13.5" and available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $175.00. | 218-547-3729

Rock-Side View *SOLD

Rock-Side View is a brushed ink painting. I started with a graphite sketch. Next - using a liner brush and FW ink, I painted over my sketch and then overpainted with the 2 tone grey ink. The final look is a clean block print style - simple and peaceful - like the setting of the girl watching the sailboats on the bay. 

Rock-Side View is a small 4.5 inch painting on 140 lb watercolor paper - framed to 7" square. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $48.00 - framed

Summer Sun SUP *SOLD

This tiny little 5" square painting was created by sketching in acrylic based ink and then overpainting with acrylic paint. I kept the colors limited to give it a block print feeling or old fashion illustration style.

For those of you who have tried stand up paddle boarding - you know how addicting and meditative the activity can be. By the time Spring comes back around we are craving the smooth water, long board and joy of paddling while looking into the clear water for signs of fish, turtles and other lake life. Summer Sun SUP is an ode to the wonderful sport of paddling. 

Summer Sun SUP is an original ink and acrylic painting on 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper. It is framed to 7" square and available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $45.00 | 218-547-3729

Sailor's Delight *SOLD

Sailor's Delight is the latest in my series of small 5" ink paintings. I was inspired by a sailing photo that my sister took, while visiting Leech Lake, last summer. The wind was light - giving the sails a graceful flow. I found the scene calm. Although the sailboat was captured in the hot afternoon sun, I decided to paint it in an evening sunset scene in order to add to the peaceful calm of the piece.

Sailor's Delight  is a 5" square piece - framed to 7" square. I used FW Ink on 140 lb. arches watercolor paper - framed in a deep blue - almost black frame. $52.00 at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN | 218-547-3729

This Land -SOLD

This Land is my newest painting on 140 lb paper. I used the technique of Red Earth FW ink for my base drawing and then overpainted with acrylic to give it a printed look. 

My inspiration for this piece was a fancy shawl dancer at an Onigum Pow Wow. I decided to create an open prairie feeling for the background to give the dancer a sense of limitless space and connection to the land. The dancer, in real life, wore pastel pinks, blacks and bright blue tones in her shawl. I decided to use earth tones to make her feel like she blended right into the landscape. We are all connected to the land and draw inspiration from her beauty. 

This Land is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN. Artwork size is approximately 14"x18". Framed size is 19.5"x23". Call for more information 218-547-3729 | $300.00 framed

Red Canoe *SOLD

FW artist inks have been a fun new tool for me. With this piece, I sketched my drawing using paynes grey ink and then over-painted with acrylic paint. The heavy-weight watercolor paper added a nice texture to the simple piece.

I felt like adding more pop to the piece with a bight cobalt turquoise coat of paint on the square frame. The final piece is a modern, simple - little piece with a lot of personality. The 4.25" artwork is framed to a final size of 7". Red Canoe is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $46.00 | 218-547-3729 

Breeze *SOLD

Breeze is a new technique for me. I used a process of: gesso base, then applied a brushed artist acrylic ink (red earth color) and my final layer was an acrylic overpainting, using payne's grey and white paint. The surface is stretched canvas.

My inspiration was a photo that I took in 2007 on Rainy Lake. These sailors looked content and relaxed - just playing with the wind. 

Artwork size is 11"x14" with a natural floater frame making it a little larger and giving it a modern touch. Breeze is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $150.00 | 218-547-3729

Fluid Motion

Fluid Motion is the result of visualizing an image and being in the right place at the right time. I have been wanting to paint a single rower for about a year now and the opportunity to take photos - for inspiration - arrived last month. The sport of rowing is such a graceful and all around athletic sport. I didn't realize exactly how important balance and timing were to the sport until I witnessed a beginner attempt the sport and then see the difference when an experienced rower took over. 

I first envisioned a graphite sketch but after sketching out the piece I decided a simple 2 tone ink piece would balance the flow of the water with the stability of the rower. The sketch took some time but the process of brushing on the ink was very fast. I started with the red layer and over painted with cool grey - leaving the white of the watercolor paper to represent the glimmer of light on water.  Something about acrylic ink on watercolor paper or hand made paper has a richness the appeals to me. 

Fluid Motion is a 12" square painting using FW ink and a touch of Chinese watercolor on 140 lb. watercolor paper. It is at the framer and will be available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN soon. | 218-547-3729