Last month it seemed like the weather just couldn’t make up its mind. We experienced snow, rain, ice, fog, sleet, high winds, and warm sunshine here in western Pennsylvania. After the weeks of extended cold in January, I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw crocus leaves pushing their way up through the melting […]
Category: Paintings
2018 Workshop Schedule – Come and Join the Fun!
2017 has been a memorable year for me, with travels all over the country to teach, and three trips to Europe! It was a little bit crazy, but I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything. It was wonderful! And 2018 promises to be another exciting year. Take a look at what I have planned in […]
Step-by-Step Watercolor: The Modern Illuminated Manuscript
I made a decision several months ago to give up the commission side of my art business. As my calendar had filled with teaching engagements and trips to far-flung places, it became more and more difficult to find time to squeeze in the labor-intensive custom artwork. But when my friend Mary approached me a few […]
A Cacophony of Color!
When I was in Florida a few weeks ago, my friend Judy and I spent a few hours at the Village of the Arts in Bradenton. We had a great lunch and strolled through the neighborhood filled with brightly colored historic cottages. Many of them house galleries, art studios, restaurants, and specialty shops. The little […]
Summerhill Sketching Hits the Road! (+ Corn & Basil Tart Recipe)
Every month I host “Sketching at Summerhill” here at my house. It offers an opportunity for my creative friends to get together, learn a little something, paint a bit, and enjoy some fun and fellowship away from the daily grind. I love having everyone come to my home in the summertime when the flowers are […]
Commission #7: Tin Can Hollow Road
Here’s the final house portrait in this series of 2015 commissions, a renovated farmhouse on the charmingly named Tin Can Hollow Road in Greene County, Pennsylvania. I took my reference photos in August when the yard was filled with flowers and the white hydrangeas were just beginning to develop the rosy blush that comes as […]
Commission #6: Victoria Belle Mansion
Imagine an outdoor wedding in this beautiful location, with violinists serenading the wedding party from the balcony and guests arrayed in white chairs surrounding the fountain. That was the scene when my client’s daughter was married at Victoria Belle Mansion just a few years ago. 12″ x 8″ watercolor on 140 lb. paper Victoria Belle is an […]
Commission #5: A Cute, Cozy Cottage
When you read the title of this post, what image popped into your head? Clapboard siding, picket fences and porch swings? Colorful flowers tumbling over stone walls? Well, this adorable cottage has all that and more. 12″ x 8″, ink & watercolor on 140 lb. paper The house is framed by pretty white picket fences… […]
Commission #4: “The Pecan Grove”
I’ve done a wide variety of custom artwork over the years, everything from pet portraits to illustrated recipes, but this is the first time I’ve been asked to paint a grove of trees. This idyllic scene of a family walking through a Georgia pecan grove was a challenge for many reasons. “The Pecan Grove”, 12″ […]
Commission #3: “Built with Love”
You see simple ranch-style red brick homes all over western Pennsylvania, where I live. You might drive by this one and not give it a second glance. Its not impressive or imposing. It doesn’t have columns or dormers or gables. It was built in the understated style of a typical 1960s ranch. But this little […]
