Winter Chickadee •SOLD

I must be ready for winter - winter scenes have been really fun to paint lately. I have a file, on my computer, titled - birds and critters. I store my photos, from years past, here. Sometime I scan through it for inspiration. This Chickadee spoke to me. The grey colors and textures complement each other. 

Winter Chickadee is a brushed acrylic ink painting on 140 lb. Arches Paper. This painting is framed with conservation glass. Final size is 10.5" square. This painting is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN. | 218-547-3729

Oriole Lake View •SOLD

 With the warmer weather I am seeing so many fun new bird visitors. Some, like this Oriole, can't hide from view - giving me more models for small canvases! I heard the Oriole song before I actually spied him. They have the most welcoming song! 

Oriole Lake View is an acrylic painting on a 6" stretched canvas with painted edges. This painting is for sale at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN. | 218-547-3729

Tree Drummer *SOLD

The name -Woodpecker- just doesn't do these beautiful creatures justice. Then there is the Hairy Woodpecker. Poor thing to carry such an unfortunate name for an intricate and lovely bird. I have a weakness for all varieties of Woodpeckers. The row and swoop style of flight makes flying look like so much fun. This is my Ode to the beautiful woodpecker - the wind dancer and tree drummer of the woods.

Tree Drummer is a brushed acrylic ink painting on 140 lb. hot press paper. It is professionally framed with conservation glass to a final size of 15.75"x10.25". This painting is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN  | 218-547-3729

Seasons Collide •SOLD

This past October brought some amazing golds, ocher and reds to the trees in the north woods. One day I went for a walk thinking how gold everything was. The next day brought snow and the contrast of the white against the yellows and birch tones was so striking I had to try and capture it. 

My final piece feels more like a warm fall day than the first snow...I'm ok with that. This piece is created with palette knife and brush. The layers are thick with some fine detail in the bark and branches but overall it is a loose painting with the focus on color.

Seasons Collied is a 30"x40" acrylic painting on stretched canvas. Stretcher bars are 7/8" thick with cross braces. Edges are painted. This piece is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN (professionally framed). | 218-547-3729

Lake Light Birch *SOLD

I believe I'm feeling an impressionism influence with this piece. I wanted this piece to feel the dancing light of sun on clouds, water and leaves. It is meant to have a dream like lightness. I used a lot of sky blue, cerulean blue and naples yellow for this piece. 

Lake Light Birch is an acrylic painting on stretched canvas. Canvas size is 12.5"x8.5" - final framed size is 13.5"x9.5". The frame is a deep indigo floater frame to give the piece a modern museum feel. This piece is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN  | 218-547-3729

Indian Summer *SOLD

Sometimes the size of a canvas inspires the painting. With this 8"x24" canvas - I pictured a tall birch tree with it's limbs extending off of the canvas and wrapping around the edges. I contemplated making it a winter scene but the grey scene outside made me imaging color and warmth - a sunset over a calm lake.

The canvas is not large but the painting is rich in layers to give it a multi layer warmth. I wanted it to feel like the sun was just going down after a beautiful day on the lake - the kind that warms the skin makes you content to be exactly where you are.

Indian Summer is 8"x24" acrylic on stretched canvas with painted edges and 1.5" stretcher bars. |  SOLD

Birch Tree Beehive [photo, watercolor and acrylic paintings]

When asked to paint a commissioned piece, I always think about the piece before I commit. I listen to what the piece is to represent and whether or not my style will work for the painting. When Loretta mentioned a beehive nestled in the birch trees at her cabin, I was immediately interested. I was so curious to see the beehive, she had described, that I arrived to take photos the next day.

Not only was the beehive great inspiration to paint, but the setting of Bill and Loretta's cabin was warm and welcoming. They invited me to sit, put a gin n tonic in my hand and told stories of cabin life, family and Minnesota. I was so taken with the stories that I nearly forgot to take photos while there was still light outside. At the end of my visit I was given a, fresh baked, bag of molasses cookies and sent on my way to paint.

I couldn't decide whether watercolor of acrylic would work best in their home and since I found the subject fun to paint…I painted one of each. The watercolor is 8" x 16" on 140 lb arches cold press paper. The acrylic piece is 8"x24" on stretched canvas. Now it's time to see if either of these is what they had in mind. 

Source of Inspiration *SOLD

Source of Inspiration is a bright little watercolor. I discovered, a long time ago, that when I need a little inspiration - a walk outside is my best source. This painting represents the sparkle a little nature can bring to a mind in need of a little lifting.

Source of Inspiration is framed to a final size of 13.5" x 13.5" and is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN. for #135.00 | 218-547-3729

Strong and Steady - graphite drawing - *SOLD

This 9"x22" graphite drawing was the preliminary sketch which lead up to my acrylic painting titled: Birch among the White Pines. Strong and Steady is drawn on 140 lb watercolor paper. I used a combination of graphite pencils as well as Technalo pencils by Caran d Ache to give it a fluid and blended feel.

Unframed this pieces is $40 and available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN. 218-547-3729