Tuscan Sunset Ride in gouache

Tuscany Italy is a dream to visit. The wine, the sunflowers, the colors, and romance are all very tantalizing to my soul. I've tried to capture that feeling in this painting. Usually the cyrpress tree is more predominant in images of this region, but I felt the willow tree-a symbol of balance and harmony-was a more fitting icon. Riding a bike through these hills would feel refreshing and peaceful, but I didn't include the wine on this bike ride. After a glass or two, I don't think I could pedal back home. This picture of paradise was painted in gouache on canvas board.

 

Yaquina Head Lighthouse in watercolor

From the Oregon landscape series, this is one of many lighthouses along the Oregon coast. This is the tallest of all Oregon lighthouses and is quite close to the funky town of Newport (I recommend seeing this gem of a town!). Is this lighthouse haunted? I wish I could find out for myself personally. Sketched in ink and painted in watercolor on 100% cotton paper.

Just flowers

Sometimes you just need to color, and flowers to me are the most fun to draw and color. These fill up a folded panoramic journal and are flowers I intend on growing this season. After winter, I'm pretty flower crazy, it's all I think about. Until they sprout life in my garden, I will just have to draw them instead.

Lake Gii-was (Crater Lake) in watercolor

In 2014, my husband and I were in Southern Oregon for a half-marathon and spent a couple of days roaming the area. One excursion we made was to Crater Lake-about an hour northeast of Medford. The scenery near Crater Lake is volcanic and amazing to me. Thousands of years ago, Mt Mazama exploded and created what Americans call Crater Lake. We've made it a National Park and touristy souveniers and T-shirts are sold at the shop. You can spend the night in the lovely lodge too if you can get a reservation. 

Native Americans, who have been in this region far longer than Americans, see this place very different. It IS a sacred place, I have felt something while on my visit there. To witness this beauty for yourself is a privilege, visit with gratitude, respect and honor for the Klamath tribe. 

Crater Lake and the Klamath

History of Crater Lake

Painted with love, admiration and watercolor on 100% cotton paper.

Palermo in gouache

If I were to ever put one of my pieces on public display, this would be the one. Well, actually that's exactly what I did when my college (SOU, go raiders!) had a call for student artists. Even though I attend virtually, they did accept my piece for display somewhere in the university. It will hang for a year there with my name on a little plaque, and I am quite tickled! 

I own an old Vespa currently, although it doesn't run. It doesn't go faster than 25 miles per hour, and it's loud. In Sicily, these mopeds are everywhere, and I tried capturing that nostalgia in this painting. Sicily is known for it's oranges (I think it is, right?), so how fun would it be to buy a bushel of oranges on your old moped in the old streets of Palermo?

Painted with gouache on canvas, this will eventually be displayed in my own with love and pride.

Earth and Sky shawl

This shawl sets the record for being the longest knitted project I have ever done. That's mostly because I became bored with it and let it sit in a box for a couple of years. One of my resolutions this year was to finish it, and that finally happened. My intent was to make this very large, but I ended up making it the medium size. The pattern was a freebie by Stephen West, and I used plain old sock yarn by Brown Sheep. This goes really well with my favorite Patagonia denim shirt, I almost feel like a cowgirl when I wear them together, but I'm definitely not one!

Burrowing Owl in watercolor

When I think of owls, I imagine the Burrowing Owl. With it's intense yellow eyes and glare, you can just feel it's power. One of my favorite bird paintings, watercolor on paper.