Outdoor Light and Skin Tones

This post is way overdue, but I thought I would share it anyway. Since we currently have over ten inches of snow on the ground, it seems like an appropriate time to finish this blog post, which I started writing almost two months ago. We were gifted with a gorgeous summer and fall. As a result, many of my recent paintings feature the figure outdoors. In general, this is a subject I'd like to paint MUCH more of now that I live in Colorado (I foresee more mountains and waterfalls in future works!). I've found that my palette has had to evolve as I move away from artificial studio light to sunlight. This is especially true of subjects that are outdoors on a cloudy or slightly overcast day. The biggest change was moving from a generally warm palette to a much cooler one, even in the f… Read more »

Outdoor Light and Skin Tones

In the Christmas Spirit

As an adult I have struggled to get excited about the holidays, maybe because of the hefty credit card bills once Christmas presents have been purchased, or maybe because traveling to see family can be exhausting, or maybe because in the midst of "adulting" I forgot what the anticipation  used to feel like. This year, it's all changed. I have a toddler in my midst, and she brings joy and excitement to my life every single day. On top of that, I've taken on a new challenge - to paint a couple of still lives that are aesthetically pleasing but also have some holiday appeal. Not only are they paintings of poinsettias (the most festive plant I can think of), but I made a point of listening to all my favorite Christmas music as I painted them, while sipping red wine and snacki… Read more »

In the Christmas Spirit