Before the Music

Before the Music
16" x 24", Oil on Panel, Sold

Creating a likeness is only the first step with my portraiture. My true goal is to accentuate that certain something that reveals the character of the individual. Often it is the eyes that tell us so much about that person. Sometimes it is the gesture of a pose, the lighting and the colors of a scene, the composition, or even the softness/hardness of a particular medium that sets the tone of the portrait. I do enjoy rendering the subtle variations and forms that create an accurate likeness of a person, but I also enjoy listening to my intuition and paying attention to visual cues that I can use in capturing the essence of that individual.

Pepper-Jack Under Glass

Pepper-Jack Under Glass
Pastels, 20" x 24" framed,  $575

A few years ago, my neighbor gave me her set of soft pastels. She had an illness, and knew that her time was limited. Her pastels were precious to her, and she wanted to give them to someone who would use them. Deeply touched, I accepted her gift. I knew that I would use them at some point. When I opened her set of pastels, I clicked with the medium. I love drawing, and I love painting. With pastels, I enjoy the wonderful mark-making effects and techniques of drawing, as well as the use of rich colors and soft textures, which create a very painterly result -the best of both worlds. Margaret has since passed on, but I feel that she lives on in my work. I am truly grateful for what she shared.

Oil painting inspired by Mt. Diablo ranch life

Morning Light
Oil on Canvas, 12" x 16", $450

Morning Light, 2006, oil on panel, 12"x 16" (all rights reserved). Last year I visited an equestrian center on the foothills of Mt. Diablo. A business called Western Trail Ride Adventures rented horses, complete with experienced guides who led you through picturesque landscape, along secluded trails and creeks. I was very taken by the beauty of the rolling hills, old oak trees, barns, and ranch life. The morning light on this white horse, and the cool, quiet air was the inspiration for this oil painting.