Corn field at Elliott Farm

8" x 10" - oil on hardboard

sold

One late afternoon I painted this beautiful corn field from my friend's backyard. She was painting next to me and we both spread out over the patio. Preferably when we paint we try to find an interesting view with few interruptions and we thought this was the ideal location. Little did we know that one of the family cats would be interested in artwork. Little Clam couldn't stay away. She wandered around our legs, jumped on the table for a better view and tiptoed over paintings done earlier in the day. Perhaps she was hoping to pick up paint on her paws and create her own work of art using the patio as her canvas.

On the Coast

8" x 10" - oil on masonite

After a day on the farm we headed for the coast. I spent a wonderful morning painting with a good friend of mine. The weather was perfect and the location was even better.

And while I was painting, my husband...

was off playing in the mud. He had the opportunity to dig for clams. We were fortunate to visit at low-tide and our hosts were so kind to take us digging. And what a feast we had the next day. The clams were fantastic!

Visit to the Pacific Northwest

6" x 10" - oil on hardboard

On a recent trip to visit friends in Washington state, I had the opportunity to paint in the Skagit Valley. The area is full of small, picturesque farms and each one has its own charming barn. Some of the farms grow fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, apples and plums and some grow vegetables, hay or any combination of the three.

And some raise cattle. Throughout the day we were serenaded by this large herd of wonderful cows. They would come and go like the tide. Sometimes sneaking up quite close.

As long as we were painting they couldn't care less about us. But if I approached too closely with my camera, they would move off in another direction. I guess they needed their space. I did learn that grazing cows do not stay in one place and that taking their picture is a must if I ever want to paint them.

8" x 10" - oil on hardboard

sold

Another beautiful day in the Skagit Valley. The two barns that I painted were just east of the town of Sedro-Woolley.

Reflections on the Krka River

Near Novo Mesto, Slovenia is the village of Otocec. It is situated along the Krka river and sitting on an island in the middle of that river is the Otocec Castle. Today the castle is a hotel, but non-guests can still walk the grounds. On the day that I visited, the river was flowing very slowly, so slowly that near perfect reflections were created on the surface.

I took the opportunity to sketch the castle while my companions observed a swan building a nest along the bank.

11" x 14" - oil on canvas

When I returned home, I created this painting. It reminds me of the gentle water and those beautiful reflections.