Evening Calm - City Dock *Sold

A couple of years ago, a mother and daughter stopped into my shop. They looked like they were enjoying each others company and savoring the day. As they walked along the sidewalk I snapped a couple of photos...thinking they would be fun to paint. I worked on this piece off and on over a year. Shortly after finishing this piece, a group of people came into the store. They were dressed in flowing summer clothes and I thought, "They would be fun to paint." The little girl seemed familiar to me and then I connected that I had just finished painting her. After asking a few questions I was sure it was the mother and daughter from my painting. It was fun to give them some cards - of this painting - as a thank you for the inspiration. 

Evening Calm - City Dock - is a brushed acrylic ink painting on 140 lb. cold press paper. It is professionally framed with non-glare glass. Final framed size is 20" square. This piece is sold. I do have cards and prints on steel available at Peculiar Painter | 218-547-3729

Walker Bay Boulevard •SOLD

 If you have ever wandered the bike trail, which runs parallel to Walker Bay Boulevard, you know how peaceful and warm the light feels. I walk this trail to restore balance and remind myself how luck we are to have the lakes, trails and trees surrounding us. 

Walker Bay Boulevard is a brushed acrylic ink painting on 140 lb. arches cold press paper. It is framed with conservation glass. The finished framed size is 8" square. This piece is sold but cards will be available. 

Modern Scandinavian Garden - Wild Weeds *SOLD

This Modern Scandinavian garden piece is another one inspired by my surrounding at my sister's house in Montana. She captured my hands drawing as I sat in her red chairs and admired all the fun things growing around her yard. We visited and enjoyed a cocktail as I sketched. It was a perfect evening.

I finished painting this piece when I returned home to Minnesota. Vibrant greens, warm yellows and hints of reds give this piece it's Scandinavian twist. Modern Scandinavian Garden - Wild Weeds is a brushed acrylic ink painting on 140 lb. watercolor paper. It is professionally framed and matted with conservation glass. Final size is 8" x 19". Painting is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN  | 218-547-3720

Shawn [not for sale]

Back in the early 2000 I want through a brown phase. Most of my paintings were very earthy and sepia toned with light blended layers. Since then my colors have gotten brighter, paint thicker and lines bolder. 

I thought it was time to liven up a painting I did around the year 2000. This is a portrait of my sister, Shawn. It was a gift to my Mom. My Mom loves blue and I gifted her a brown painting. Needless to say - she was thrilled with the updated painting. I am rather happy with the update myself. It is nice to see paintings in my different styles throughout the years but sometimes....you just have to add color.

Shawn is not available for sale. I do have cards available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN. | 218-547-3729

October Textile *SOLD

I finally get to share the original artwork for my new table runners. I've been waiting to post the artwork until I had the table runners available. Today the table runners arrived! Since working with Ekelund weavers in Sweden - I have been creating original designs for Peculiar Painter art gallery. These are the 3rd and 4th custom designs for the store.

I knew I wanted to create a birch tree textile design but I wasn't sure about the colors. After having the Sweden weavers create textiles in 2 color schemes - I still couldn't decide. The solution - print them both!

We now have October Textile Blue and October Textile Grey available at Peculiar Painter. Textiles are 14"x47" and woven with organic cotton linen. Runners are $46.00 each

The original painting is also available. October Textile painting is brushed ink on 140 lb. hot press arches paper. It is professionally framed and matted with conservation glass. Size is approximately 15"x31.5". It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $535.00 | 218-547-3729

https://www.etsy.com/listing/601230558/birch-tree-textile-table-runner?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=townsdin&ref=sr_gallery-1-1

Fields of Wild Sunshine *SOLD

Fields of Wild Sunshine is a heavily layered piece. I started with the wild red stems. I was creating a piece of deep reds and yellow. As it developed I felt it calling for rich blue to play off of the deep yellows. It also needed more movement and shape. After adding the wild flowers I felt the piece come together. Most of the time I plan my pieces out at the beginning but this one decided to bring me along in stages - as wild flowers do.

Fields of Wild Sunshine is a 20"x20" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with 1.5" thick stretcher bars and painted edges. It will be available soon at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN  | 218-547-3729

Seed Pod Soiree *SOLD

A few things lined up to make this painting happen. #1 - I visited my sister and her family in Montana in September. #2 - I bought a new lens with a good macro setting. #3 - Josie (my sister) and I went for a drive in the mountains. #4 - these seed pods begged to be photographed with their winding branches, beautiful pods and lovely colors.

It didn't take me long to set to work on this painting after returning home from our road trip. I envisioned the painting having a lot of sage greens, ivory and subtle ocher. The red invited itself in but stayed back as a compliment to the lighter colors. I use a combination of brush and palette knife to create Seed Pod Soiree.

The photos above show; the completed painting, my photo inspiration, Seed Pod Soiree displayed on a mantel and the last photo is one Josie Trudgeon took of me, contemplating the right angle for the pods. When 2 people who often carry cameras get together - you get a photo of someone taking a photo.

Seed Pod Soiree is a 30"x30" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with 1.5" thick stretcher bars and painted edges. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN  | 218-547-3729

Bittersweet Golden Days *SOLD

What can I say about bittersweet that I haven't already said? I just can't help but paint these colorful berries and their twirling branches. I left the background more simple than I usually do but the yellows were calming and it made this little piece feel complete.

Bittersweet Golden Days is a 6"x6" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with painted edges. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $75.00 | 218-547-3729

Hawthorn NFS

In a book titled_The Book of Herbal Wisdom_by Matthew Wood, I read about the Hawthorn tree. I was intrigued by Matthew's description. He says, "The Hawthorn (one of the darlings of the herbalists) represents the opportunity for experience. It is found any place where it is possible to prick one's finger and fall, pell-mell, headfirst into experience - that is to say, something beyond oneself."

How can you not be intrigues by the Hawthorn after a description like that?

Last week, I was out for a walk with my husband. When I asked him what the beautiful blooms were - I was excited to hear that they were Hawthorn blooms. The delicate blooms with their whimsical orange stamen - contrasting the long thorns - made for an excellent painting subject.

Originally I was going to paint the blooms against a subtle grey-ochre background but this piece called for brilliant greens, yellows and hints of cobalt green. More Hawthorn bloom paintings are sure to follow!

Hawthorn is a 40"x30" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with 1.5" thick stretcher bars and painted edges. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $ 695.00 | 218-547-3729

Sky View *SOLD

Sky View has been on my mind to paint for approximately 4 years. It is inspired by the view I would see,  on a daily basis, as I crossed the sky bridge from one building to the next, at work. The Aspen trees that dotted the landscape looked so happy to be where they stood. They changed dramatically from season to season but always seemed content to be planted right where they were - waving at the mountains in the background.  

Since I viewed these trees from above, the perspective is askew - making them more playful. In the past my tree paintings have had an emphasis on the leaves. With this piece - I put the emphasis on the bark and exaggerated the colors with bright pyrolle orange, rich yellows, cobalt blue and teal. 

This piece will add an intense breath of fresh air to any space. Not only are the colors intense but the texture is varied and almost sculptural. Come in to Peculiar Painter to see it in person. 

Sky View is 36" x 48" on stretched canvas with 1.5" thick stretcher bars and painted edges. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN 

Lantern of Nature *SOLD

Beehives can be beautiful little sculptures - hidden in nature and full of energy and sweet goodness. The little architects make their homes to blend in nature. They are subtle little lanterns - dancing in the trees.

I wanted to convey the wonder of these natural lanterns with color…lots of color. Here blues and Greens play off the intense yellows and oranges to make this piece vibrate in complimentary colors. The beehive hides itself at the end of a branch - a lovely little lantern of life.

Lantern of Nature is a 40" x 40" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with painted edges and 1.5" thick stretcher bars. This piece is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $725.00 | 218-547-3729

Feel the Wind *SOLD

Feel the Wind is a tiny little 5" square - acrylic painting on stretched canvas. The bird has a Goldfinch feeling about it although it is made up and more about motion than trying to be a certain bird. I wanted the piece to feel light. I used calming and rejuvenating colors to make the bird feel free and uninhibited. It is a good day to glide on wind currents - that's what this little painting is saying.

Feel the Wind is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $35.00 | 218-547-3729

Rhythm of the Grasslands 40"x40" original painting *SOLD

Rhythm of the Grasslands is a large 40" x 40" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with 1.5" stretcher bars and painted edges. 

One morning, I was driving to town and had to stop to photograph the wild grasses, along a marsh, near Kabekona. The light was hitting the golden grasses just right and the wind swirled the tall stems into a beautiful motion. The actual scene was golden ochres, browns and ivory. I visualized the painting as deep reds, yellow ochre and deep greens.

The painting took on many forms - as I built the layers. My final layer was the vivid cadmium orange which tied the grey green, red and ochres together. The finished painting is shown hanging in a home with tall ceilings and beautiful natural light.

Rhythm of the Grasslands is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN  | 218-547-3729

Bittersweet Dance III *SOLD

Bittersweet Dance III was a commissioned piece. It was commissioned by a fellow bittersweet enthusiast who saw one of my smaller paintings, which was similar to this piece. She had a specific size request and since painting bittersweet is one of my favorite subjects, I went right to work on it.

Bittersweet Dance III is an 11" x 14" acrylic painting on stretched canvas.

Standing Still

I always enjoy painting, no matter what the subject is, but….abstracts seem to be the ones I hang in my house.  The movement and color constantly change - I never get tired of an abstract. This piece is designed to hang horizontal or vertical which allows even more versatility in a space.

The title: Standing Still - is about the contentment felt by standing in place and admiring your surroundings.
Standing Still - is acrylic on stretched linen canvas. The size is 18"x24" on 1.5" thick stretcher bars. This pieces is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN | 218-547-3729

Change *SOLD

Subtle Change is a calming painting with light variations of yellows,  grays and blues. I stayed away from bright pops of color with this piece in order to give it a peaceful and relaxing tone. I did add a few shades of orange to bring out the blue  and tie in the yellows here.

Subtle Change is a 9"x12" acrylic painting on stretched canvas and is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $64.00 | 218-547-3729

Norwegian Garden [finished] - *SOLD

Norwegian Garden is finished! This was a fun one to paint with all its bold colors and interweaving shapes.  You can see an earlier [in progress] photo of Norwegian Garden in an earlier entry. You will see that I added some contrasting blues to really make the piece bold. This is not a subtle piece - it wants attention and that is why it was so much fun to paint. 

Norwegian Garden is 18" x 36" painted in acrylic on stretched canvas. The design is continued onto the edges of the 1.5" thick stretch bars. Available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN.