Canyon Spring

Well...here is the last painting of the fall miniature season. After this I'm going to rest my eyes on larger canvasses! (I've already ordered 300lb paper for winter). This spring canyon is 2.5 x 2.5" and was a BEAR to paint! I had no idea landscapes could be so complex! But painting it was fun for it reminded me of the lovely trip we took out the to the Grand Canyon years ago. This was a photo not of the G.C. itself but of some lovely foothills beside it. The spring rains had prompted the grass to grow and accent that lovely orangey stone. I'm ready for another trip out west!

Say Cheese

What can I say. Did this character not BEG to be painted? I was snapping reference photos of him at the Shedd Aquarium when all of a sudden he stuck his tongue out at me! I suppose I would do the same. How would you like it if your personal space was violated by snap-happy tourists every single day?! This guy measures 1.875 x 1.875"

Who Goes There?!

Who Goes There?! 2.5 x 2.5" When I photographed this owl he looked so perturbed! What an invasion of privacy! How could I not paint him? I can relate to his grumpyness. After all, winter is a bear to get through!

Weathering the Storms

Here is a tribute to our country. It's sad that we have become so stubbornly bipartisan in our ways but I can't imagine that it was any easier for our forefathers. This is a watercolor miniature on illustration board. It measures 2.25 x 3.75"

Maggie's Nirvana

This is my darling little girl whom I lost one year ago this July. She was old but she never ignored a band of sunshine coming through the window. This is a watercolor miniature on watercolor board. It measures 2.375 x 4.25".

Guarded Submission

Guarded Submission 4.25 x 2.5" This is the last of my spring collection. Now I must frame and send all miniatures off to shows. It's a little sad for I won't have time to let this one sit in my home for a bit. I feel like I've just said hello and now I'm casting it off. Oh well. There will be more! Guarded Submission was inspired by the wolves I watched in Yellowstone. It was particularly interesting to see how the members of the pack interacted with one another. There was definitely a hierarchy!

Serenity

Serenity 4 x 2.75" When I shot this reference photo of this sweet tiger I thought, "Wow. If this isn't the very picture of a zen moment!" He seemed so content. Naturally, I couldn't place him in the zoo setting but built a peaceful glen for him to rest in. I think this is what he was dreaming of...at least, it's calming for me! I have one more miniature to complete for this spring and then it's off to the shows!